The solution is creativity. You don't need to resort to spaces, hyphens, periods or intentional mispellings, you just need to get more creative. Break out a thesaurus, maybe check out Wikipedia.
Compound names (more than one word) tend to be far and away easier to secure, but with a little ingenuity you can easily find a good name that you can enjoy. Another alternative is to try for a pun or a clever turn of phrase. Can't get Mitochondrion? Try Might O'Chondrion. And so forth.
I've been playing this game a while now and I make new characters on a prolific basis. While I of course don't always get every name that occurs to me, I don't have any significant problem finding decent names.
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QFT. I can't imagine trying 50 different names and finding them all taken. I think the worst streak of taken names I've ever run into was maybe 4 or 5 before I was able to come up with something original.|
Originally Posted by Justaris
The solution is creativity. You don't need to resort to spaces, hyphens, periods or intentional mispellings, you just need to get more creative. Break out a thesaurus, maybe check out Wikipedia.
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Use a thesaurus & dictionary. Play with foreign languages. Heck, try wikipedia. Think outside the box.
Someone started a thread to help people who were having trouble getting names just last week.
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=199144
Just post what you're looking for in a name there, and people will drop suggestions on you. If you tell them what server you're on, some people will even check to make sure the names they suggest are available. 
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Originally Posted by Nethergoat
it's NEVER too late to pad your /ignore list!
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If you can find a name that works in ALL CAPS, but not in Regular Capitalization, I'll be impressed. While the game recognizes and remembers which letters you capitalized, it makes no difference. Roderick, RODERICK, roderick and RoDeRiCk are all the same name.
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Originally Posted by Reelo878
NOR DO I WISH TO DO IT IN ALL CAPS, BUT LIKE I SAID EARILER, I PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO.
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@Roderick
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Usually CAPS are used to disguise substitutions(Zero for "o", a lowercase L as a capital i)|
Originally Posted by Roderick
If you can find a name that works in ALL CAPS, but not in Regular Capitalization, I'll be impressed. While the game recognizes and remembers which letters you capitalized, it makes no difference. Roderick, RODERICK, roderick and RoDeRiCk are all the same name.
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One trick I do from time to time is add a title(Mister, missus, Ms, Doctor). They can be abbreviated, and "Mr" and "Ms" can be used with or without a period(a period denoting married status).
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i never knew that. So periods come with marriage. *huh* Always thought it was the other way around.
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Originally Posted by Derangedpolygot
They can be abbreviated, and "Mr" and "Ms" can be used with or without a period(a period denoting married status).
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Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
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I just have to ask, because you didn't post the name you were trying to claim, nor what server you were on.|
Originally Posted by Reelo878
Seriously, this worries me. I went through about fifty names (or thereabouts, because honestly I lost count) before I could get one that wasn't taken. And it sucked. I'm not about to intentionally misspell my toon's name, and I don't want to (although I accept that it's inevitable that I have to) put g r a t u i t o u s spaces or periods. after said name. NOR DO I WISH TO DO IT IN ALL CAPS, BUT LIKE I SAID EARILER, I PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO.
Has anyone else got this problem? Anyone know a way around it? |
where you on Freedom and trying to take the name of a character that is really similar to somebody from DC or Marvel?
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Whaaaaaat????
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Originally Posted by Derangedpolygot
Usually CAPS are used to disguise substitutions(Zero for "o", a lowercase L as a capital i)
One trick I do from time to time is add a title(Mister, missus, Ms, Doctor). They can be abbreviated, and "Mr" and "Ms" can be used with or without a period(a period denoting married status). |
Also try http://www.behindthename.com/ this has name generators and works to help find other language names too. I often use this to work out my toon names. I have only had 10 names taken total over all servers.... so far.
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Originally Posted by SunGryphon
Whaaaaaat????
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I didn't know that only married women have periods.
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Be more creative.|
Originally Posted by Reelo878
Has anyone else got this problem? Anyone know a way around it?
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Yesterday on Freedom, I snagged the name Wavesync for a new Energy/Sonic Corruptor.
Head of TRICK, the all Trick Arrow and Traps SG
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Still waiting for his Official BackAlleyBrawler No-Prize
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No problem whatsoever. Been playing 4-1/2 years and it doesn't seem any harder to get good names now than when I started.|
Originally Posted by Reelo878
Has anyone else got this problem? Anyone know a way around it?
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Early names: Ironblade, Alloy, Mythmaster, Lifeshadow.
Recent names: Ironshield, Staff Sgt Frost, Dark Devices, Agent Pitchblende.
You will note that there is no funny punctuation, incorrect spellings or tricks using o/0 or 1/L.
I particularly like the last one. Pitchblende is uranium ore and the character is earth/rad.
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Technically you can have any name you want. As others have noted, be creative. However, I've seen examples of "creativity" that make me cringe; 'way too much time spent with the thesaurus, not enough picking something that actually sounds like a superhero. 
There is nothing wrong with using hyphens (see Spider-Man) or minor spelling alterations (can't get Laserstrike, take Laserstryke; it still fits comic book naming conventions). Or add a title: The Amazing Laserstrike, Laserstrike the Bold. Add to the name: Scarlet Laserstrike, Capt. Laserstrike, Sir Laserstrike, Laserstrike Prime. Modify the name: Lightstrike, Maserstrike, Powerstrike.
I'll probably get flamebroiled for not being creative enough with these suggestions, but that's all right. The chances of running across the player with a similar name in game are extremely remote. As long as you're happy with it for your character, that's all that matters.
There are any number of good names out there, it's just a matter of doing a bit of searching and pondering. Post a description of your character and the name you wanted and let your fellow players help with ideas. As Chad pointed out, there is already a thread on these forums for just that purpose. We're always glad to help out.
Try putting a word that describes the character in front of the name: Dark, Fiery, Ghostly, Nefarious, Cryptic, Stealthy, Outstanding, Sergeant, Last, Resolute, Mysterious, Iron, Purple, Mythic etc.
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Exactly. There are plenty of words available that would work or that could be modified to fit your theme.|
Originally Posted by Katze
Try putting a word that describes the character in front of the name: Dark, Fiery, Ghostly, Nefarious, Cryptic, Stealthy, Outstanding, Sergeant, Last, Resolute, Mysterious, Iron, Purple, Mythic etc.
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For example, if you want an ice-based character, you could look at the following terms and adapt them as needed, either on their own or in conjunction with another word, to come up with a new name:
Absolute zero
Antarctic
Arctic
Blizzard
Chilblain
Chill
Cold
Cold creeps
Cool, cooler
Cryo, cryogenic
Deep-freeze
Freeze, freezer, -freezer
Freezing rain
Freon
Frigid
Frost, frosty, -frost
Frostbite
Frozen
Glacier, glacieret, glacio-, glacial
Glaze
Hail, hailstorm, -hail
Ice, icy, -ice
Ice needle
Iceberg
Iceblink
Icecap
Icequake
Icestorm
Icicle
Polar (polar light could be ice/energy)
Quick-freeze
Rime (frost) (also white frost, black frost)
Sleet
Snow, snowy, -snow
Snowball
Snowberg
Snow blast
Snowdrift
Snowfall
Snowflake
Snowman
Snowscape
Snowslide
Subzero
Tundra
Winter, wintry
Using this list (and lists I put together for other powers/concepts), I recently created both Frostfighter and Polarwind on different servers.
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I do not have this problem. Neither does my girlfriend. We get names we're very happy with all the time. It's at the point where I have too many good names to use, so I set them free.|
Originally Posted by Reelo878
Has anyone else got this problem? Anyone know a way around it?
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Some we've gotten recently:
Jenny Greenteeth
Technicolor Yawn
Sunflake
Hairy Eyeball
Working Class Hero
Robo Lemur
My girlfriend got:
Pandora's Boxer
Music Box Dancer
Alchemist's Stone
Spooky Girlfriend
"Null is as much an argument "for removing the cottage rule" as the moon being round is for buying tennis shoes." -Memphis Bill
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You called my name? |
Originally Posted by lionheart_fr
Snow, snowy, -snow
Snowball .. Snowman |
Triumph: White Succubus: 50 Ill/Emp/PF Snow Globe: 50 Ice/FF/Ice Strobe: 50 PB Shi Otomi: 50 Ninja/Ninjistu/GW Stalker My other characters
It does bite when you come up with a coolin character concept and name and then find out that the name is taken. Contrary to the people who say they "never" have a problem with it, I too find it frustrating. Another option is that now that you can add people as friends and get their global name, find out who has the name you want and shoot them a note and politely ask if they would be willing to let it go. I did just that and got my main on a server I moved to after I left an old one. The owner of the name on my new server told me he never really played the character and didn't really like it and just gave me the name even after I offered cash (in game of course). They might of course refuse, which is their right, but you never know. Just be polite about it.
I am sometimes surprised however. I recently made a MM and was SOOOOO happy to find out that his name was not taken. Brigantine. All his peeps are named after famous pirates. There is a whole back story in my head and I was really happy to find out I got it. So it does happen the other way too sometimes. Good luck however.
Le Blanc 50 Dark/Dark Scrap
High Huntress 50 Archery/NRG Blast
And a goatload of others. On a goatload of servers.
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just be creative with your name. Use a thesaurus, use name generators like Seventh Sanctum for ideas. Combine words if needed, like Decimation and Mistress to make Decimatress. If you're still truly stumped on finding a name, feel free to post your character concept here and we can give you some suggestions.
I haven't really had any problems finding names for my characters. Sure, an awesome name that I wanted has been taken numerous times, but I simply changed the concept around a bit to get an even better name.
Recent names I've claimed
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Chemical Spark - Rad/Therm Corruptor.
Sovereign Creed - SS/WP Brute
Desert Spear - BS/WP Stalker
Pain Shot - Ice/Elec Dominator
Lethal Trauma - Claws/Elec Brute
Arc ID: 348998 - Becoming a villain
Arc ID: 373341 - To Save a Hero
Got Inf?
My favorite name obtained recently was "Hi Jinkies", a fire/traps corruptor and a nod to Velma.
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Originally Posted by Dispari
I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.
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No, there are no names left at all, Player 2098732897.
Oh, wait... that could be considered a name, too.
Seriously - what were you trying to get? Fifty names? Really?
And as for Mr. "doesn't sound like a superhero name," what does, exactly? Since, quite frankly, you can find all sorts of "non superhero-sounding" superhero (and villain) names, designations, etc. by looking for less than a minute.
No title, such as Mr, Dr, or the like? Don't tell Mister Fantastic, Mister Sinister, Dr. Doom, Captain America, Ms. Liberty, Miss Liberty...
No "made up words?" QNAX, MODOK, Ruul...
No descriptors? Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Red Skull, Green Goblin, Iron Man....
No dashes? Spider-Man, Mar-Vell...
No "butchered" words? Galactus should jump to mind right away.
What else? Foreign words? Names with numbers? Multi-part names? If all you want is single word, sledgehammer-to-the-face obvious, then yes, you'll have problems. If they're obvious names to *you,* they were quite likely obvious to any one of hundreds of thousands of prior players, as well. Yes, some of them can get silly, but so can "real" superhero/villain names (see also Paste-pot Pete.)
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^^^
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Originally Posted by Rush_Bolt
Be more creative.
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Q. Just wondering Posi, where are the new dance emotes we were told would come with GR?
A. Positron: Whoops, my bad.
1387 badges, and counting
I play on Freedom and have no problems getting good names without resorting to weird punctuation, letter substitution, odd spacing, numbers, or any other tricks. I'll sometimes run through 5-6 choices before I find an open one that I like, but never anywhere near 50. I tend to use a thesaurus to help me out when I'm having trouble.
Seriously, this worries me. I went through about fifty names (or thereabouts, because honestly I lost count) before I could get one that wasn't taken. And it sucked. I'm not about to intentionally misspell my toon's name, and I don't want to (although I accept that it's inevitable that I have to) put g r a t u i t o u s spaces or periods. after said name. NOR DO I WISH TO DO IT IN ALL CAPS, BUT LIKE I SAID EARILER, I PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO.
Has anyone else got this problem? Anyone know a way around it?