Guild Wars 2

…am I the only one that lies in bed thinking of unique character names – only to get up the next day, create the character and find the name is taken! I know the game is a few years old but I convince myself ‘my name’ is unique…..get up, try it and every variation is taken!

Anyone created the perfect name they wanted recently and it was available?

Oh and I meant to ask as an aside – have you ever considered paying for it – the name that you did/do want?

Sandzibar.5134:

.. I go walking in my sleep

Pokemon hunting

Not really. But sometimes I just lie in my bed not able to fall asleep only because I got myself overhyped about one or another part of the game. Then I tell myself I probably play too much and should do other things instead (in vain, of course)…

But yes, I had a few “unique for sure” names as well. And I’ve never considered paying for names, I take it as a challenge to come up with something really unique next time (but still do my sulking)

What was the unique name? “xXLegolasXx” or something?

I have created a few recently, none were taken. out of all my characters (61) I have only had to resort to accented letters 11 times. I’d say that was a good ratio for uniqueness

and yeah, I think up names when I should be sleeping

The only time I’ve had trouble with a name was when I was copying it from somewhere else.

Sometimes directly, like trying to call a character Alleria Windrunner or Zanthia the Mystic – the first was highly likely to be taken, even though this was before DOTA when she was a minor character in 1 expansion pack to a 10 year old game, and rarely mentioned in an MMO. The second surprised me, but it was actually nice to know me and my siblings weren’t the only ones to like those games. (But I was able to get Alleria Wildrunner, and Zanthia was only going to be a temporary character anyway.)

Sometimes even if I only copy part of a name, or combine two names I find it’s already taken. Or if I try to use real first names and don’t add a surname or title.

But when I actually try to come up with something original I never have problems. Just before HoT I made 3 new characters and not only were the names I picked available but also several variations I also tried because I couldn’t decide between them and wanted to see how they looked in-game and what people shortened it to.

I also have a few names I keep re-using for key runners and other temporary characters. I’ll use the name for a few weeks, delete the character then remake them months later. I’ve only had one of those names come up as unavailable. Out of curiosity I messaged the person who had it and it turned out I’d posted it in one of these topics, they had liked it and assumed since it was a temporary character I’d already deleted I wouldn’t mind! (Which I didn’t, they’ll get far more use from it than me.)

I think one thing that helps is I rarely name my characters in English. It’s my first language so it’s a bit…boring to me. I tend to think of words that suit the character and then translate them into other languages and pick the one I think looks nicest.

For example one of the characters I made is a gold and orange themed sylvari called Aurhedyn – which is a combination of the Welsh words for gold and seed. But probably my favourite of my new characters is an asura called Ambage. Which is an archaic English word which means to give an unnecessarily long-winded and indirect explanation (like this one). It’s so perfect for an asura, and especially this one, I can only think it was still available because it’s so obscure.

The most of my character names are inspired by bands I listen to, so it has been pretty easy to get those names I wanted. 5 out of 8 are related to certain bands, 1 folklore, 1 game and 1 joke name (for role-playing).

Sandzibar.5134:

.. I go walking in my sleep

From the mountains of faith.

On topic: No OP. All my names I have wanted have been available. I try to be as unique as possible whilst retaining the personality/flavour of the character I am creating. The options the game gives should be wide enough to prevent too much overlap.

I more have the issue finding a name I like rather than one which isn’t taken. I’m in the middle of renaming a toon atm from Fenrir Ravensong to something more in keeping to the character he has evolved to.

Yeah I usually don’t have problems finding names for my chars, I usually come up with some pretty cool puns or strange takes on famous chars/people.

But I had this same issue this morning when creating a new Norn Ele. And funny the OP asked the question, but no, no I don’t usually come up with names in bed I usually don’t even think about GW there lol. But strangely enough about a week ago I had just woken up and for some reason I did think of a name. I thought to myself, hmm Gandalfini could be a cool Ele name. A hybrid of sorts of Gandalf of course (and yes I know that name is used too much!) and a mix of Houdini. So I had that name in the back of my head for the past week or so.

Back to my story, I created a new Norn Ele this morning and thought the name would suit him perfectly since it sounds both silly and cool at the same time. Being he is a Norn Ele that is silly in itself so it would just add to the silliness even more. But alas it was taken. Doh, 1 of the few times I try names and it was taken. So whoever took it I say to you – Well played sir lol!

So I sat there for a second and had to think up a new silly name. Didn’t take long and one came to me and yay it was available lol. That being El Nornino. A clever mix of El Nino and Norn, since he’s a fire ele it suits him perfectly. :P

So in summary, you just have got to get clever and mix words/names/ideas etc together. Good luck everybody!

To a river so deep…

Sometimes, I try to name my character something, find it’s taken, and then find it again when I scroll through my lesser-used characters. Oops.

anx.7549:

Oh and I meant to ask as an aside – have you ever considered paying for it – the name that you did/do want?

I have considered making characters to sell their names because I’ve played TERA, and in that game, the name-selling business actually exists.
But then I thought about how no one in GW2 does it (publicly?) and I compared the communities of the two games.
If you peek into TERA forums… Don’t look. It’s so horrible. I’m not saying all of the players are horrible. Just most of the forums and feedback is >.>" i could totally go on a tangent talking about this. But anyway…
I think a reason that GW2 doesn’t have a name-selling business is because GW2 knows how to keep it friendly. You could easily hurt someone by listening to someone talking about their next rp character and then sniping that name and demanding payment to free the name. Then there’s always the problem of the name being sniped by a third party or the claim that it was sniped after the seller recieves payment and then things just go so wrong…
So. To sum up my awkward rant. I don’t think anyone should purposefully try to start up a name-selling business in GW2. If someone does PM you asking to buy your name and you were about to delete your character anyway, then by all means take the deal. If you want someone else’s name, ask them. Kindly. But i don’t want another game where map chat is filled with “Selling name. Bidding starts now” and all the greed and salt that goes with that bidding.

So now that i’ve answered your aside-question, i should probably answer your main question.
I personally make up my character’s name when i’m actually on the naming screen. I fit the name to how i customized that character just then using the previous screens (it fits in my head. Probably no one else’s <.<). My names sound like actual (first) names though, so they’re usually taken. I just end up having fun making up all these variations of the original named i wanted until one of them finally goes through. I end up with funky things like Quena >.>" if it means something in a show or another language, i wouldn’t know. I usually google to make sure nothing bad comes up xD

OP, I am sure a lot of people also spend time at night to invent a new spelling for Khaleesi (sometimes adding too many eee or iii just becomes ridiculous) or Targaryen to pass the character naming step

But I have to confess that my key farm character is called IDoctorI and I try to recreate Peter Capaldi’s face and as soon as he arrives in Shaemoor I dress him with the noble count outfit…. not so unique I guess ><"

I’ve come up with what I thought were obscure ideas for toon names, only to find them taken. And seemingly obvious names that remain available.

For some of us, it’s easy to come up with names. For those of us who struggle with it, ask for help — from friends, guildies, or even /map (although if asking the public, I’d recommend asking for someone to whisper you — no sense if inviting trolls who will suggest you go with “Toon Mc Toonface”).

I once tried to use a very obscure name from Greek mythology and was shocked to find it taken in a variety of forms. Then a guildie told me it was the name of a well-known world boss in a popular game I don’t play… which explained it.
I definitely try for ‘unique’ names, but it doesn’t keep me awake at night.

We’re all not as original as we think we are.

Seeing as how picking names for characters in video games is one of the most stress-inducing, aggravating decisions I can ever make in a video game…yes, I put a lot of thought into them! Most of the time nowadays I try really hard to not only name my toons, but also base them appearance-wise off of original characters from original stories of mine. Markus Emmerich and Mistress Akujo are two examples. But I also try to pick names that work well for the specific race or class. I tend to give my Sylvari Hawaiian words for names, to match the tropical vibe I try to give them. And I recently gave a Norn Ranger an Old Norse name (Valka Hrafnageir (“raven spear”)). For every one of my toons, names are a big commitment, and sometimes I delete and remake a character in order for the name, race, class, and appearance combination to be perfect, without spending $ on gems.

I struggle with this with every video game I own where you have power over a character’s name!

I’ve been meaning to respond to this thread (I’m currently caring for a sick relative and when I do get to the computer I have so many e-mails, things to respond I get sidetracked)

Great answers and comments. I have to admit in GW I had no idea why so many people had the name Legolas… I genuinely thought it was some Lego pun… (Duh!)

I was late getting GW2 and my name that I wanted from GW was gone so I was stumped for ages coming up with a warrior name I liked. I’m still yet to get one that I like that suits the look of the character.

I try to name my characters with either a song title but in keeping with their race/ profession. I had a female ranger named Purr Verse but I thought the name was more suited to a Necro so I bought a contract to change the name. Only now I’m thinking the name I have chosen for the Ranger is more Norn suited than Human, so I might well be dropping some more gems and getting another contract!

When I do see a truly unique name in game I do like to message the person and say. Or if it is a name of a character or reference to a show I like to have a chuckle and acknowledge their effort.

A few months ago I made my first and only male character, a Char Ranger named Charryl Dixon, I’m a massive Walking Dead fan and it was more of a joke than anything. But now I’ve leveled him to 80 I really quite like him and probably won’t delete.

Loving some of the names here. Gandalfini – class. And Ambage – definitely suits an Asura. Peter Capaldi / Doctor – oh please screenshot him!

I tried several combinations of Sweet Child of Vine and Thorn In My Side (before HoT launched) so nice going to whoever got them!

Tenken.7342:

To a river so deep…

.. I must be looking for something

Deep at night i think about how i could kill people in pvp o.o

As far as names go, i usually pick very short names (since enemy can’t see/target you behind rock, walls, etc. if you have short name), which usually don’t have deep meaning xD e.g. Shsx (shs for shadowstep). They tend not to be taken o.o

Arnorn Shwartzhammer is not taken !

MrPinks.2015:

Arnorn Shwartzhammer is not taken !

Sylvarister Stallone ??

Norn Claude Van Damme ???

Funnily enough I did think up a name for a new character as I was getting ready for bed yesterday, but for Elder Scrolls Online rather than GW2.

I’d been thinking about what kind of character I wanted to make and hadn’t gotten as far as the name but one popped into my head which I really liked. I’m considering variation too so if it’s taken I can change it a bit. I find that helps avoid disappointment because if the name I try first is taken I have other options ready. And it helps me settle on a version I really like.