Good character names are running out, huh?
By
Ad Astra,
Posted on: 2010-01-20 08:53 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
Some names I was pleasantly surprised at getting (all on Justice):
Blood Speaker (originally Bloodspeaker prior to server xfer)
Half-Life (rad/rad corruptor with a post-apocalyptic zombie look)
Mindweb (for my Arachnos Widow, no less)
Nightstruck
Dr. Ragnarok
Neuromonster
Wyldkard
Ghost Ink Man
Ghost Program
Phrankenshock
Agony Song
Freedom's Hammer
Brass Cannon
Sun Shard
A name I was surprised to get, but later deleted anyway (also Justice):
Tooth and Claw (still available as of 10 minutes ago 
)
Yeah, I'll give a nod to blind luck for a few, but there are plenty I'm quite pleased with that aren't obvious, yet still creative.
Edit: Got bored, checked about a dozen or so (yes, on Justice), found all these available, if anyone is so-inclined:
Shell Access
Anne R. Kissed
Nightspeed
Foreign Hand
Simple Mind
Trouble-Magnet
Aggro-Magnet
Jumpin' Jehosophat
Cataphract (yes that's a real word )
Where to find me after the end:
The Secret World - Arcadia - Shinzo
Rift - Faeblight - Bloodspeaker
LotRO - Gladden - Aranelion
STO - Holodeck - @Captain_Thiraas
Obviously, I don't care about NCSoft's forum rules, now.
Puns, portmanteau, and tounge-in-cheek names are all fairly easy to get, but a little harder to think up. For example, one of my friends created a man/fish hybrid named Manchovy. *shudder*
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That is AWESOME! | Manchovy |
I know one of the other players on union has a Dr von Goldfish. Tell me what image it conjures up in your head...go on...think about it...
If you pictured a Goldfish in a bowl ontop of a robot body you'd be thinking the same thing as everyone else when they hear the name...instead he's a half man/half goldfish (like Captain Mako is half man/half shark) mad scientist.
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My point being, I suppose (possibly subconscious), if you're stuck for an idea, ask a friend or three. Trust me, my friends and I pick each other's brains and give ideas away all the time. The more stuff you find that you genuinely like (rather than merely being willing to accept), the more you can check for availability and end up enjoy playing.|
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Puns, portmanteau, and tounge-in-cheek names are all fairly easy to get, but a little harder to think up.
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As an aside:
portmanteau
/portmanto/
noun (pl. portmanteaus or portmanteaux /portmantoz/) 1 a large travelling bag made of stiff leather and opening into two equal parts. 2 before another noun consisting of two or more aspects or qualities: a portmanteau movie.
Oxford was not terribly helpful in telling me what you meant by that. Possibly a colloquialism I didn't find.
And upon further examination, I get a giggle from noting that www.askoxford.com misspelled "traveling", at least in the definition of portmanteau.
Where to find me after the end:
The Secret World - Arcadia - Shinzo
Rift - Faeblight - Bloodspeaker
LotRO - Gladden - Aranelion
STO - Holodeck - @Captain_Thiraas
Obviously, I don't care about NCSoft's forum rules, now.
Hm, that's not what I meant at all. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau
And yeah, talking with somebody is a great way to come up with names. Like the duo Helter Smelter and The Oresman.
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One of the methods I've used to come up with novel and clever namees is to play around with Greek or Latin root words when thinking about a toon's archetype, origin, powers or backstory.|
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Puns, portmanteau, and tounge-in-cheek names are all fairly easy to get, but a little harder to think up. For example, one of my friends created a man/fish hybrid named Manchovy. *shudder*
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This got me "The Phytomancer" for a magician controller who specializes in plants and trick arrows. The Greek really means to perform divination with plants but it can also mean one who speaks with plants, see?
You can play around with this and get a lot of rather easy to pronounce and understand names, like The Pagomancer for an ice magic blaster, or maybe The Pagokinetic (One who moves or shapes ice)! The Keraynomancer (Or maybe The Electromancer.) for your electric/electric tank. You can get a lot of kilometerage out of this if you think it through.
"Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking of them."
I got Hi Jinkies for my Velma homage a while back. I was soooo surprised!!! and happy!
I have Green House as well, a plant dom.
Arachne Aima, which is basically "Spider Blood", my widow.
Magnificent, my obligatory catgirl.
Polly Anna, Cheryl Noble, 1.21 Jiggawatts, Fossil Fuel (earth/fire dom), Irradio (kin/rad), Kerplode (my obligatory firekin), Earthstrike, Kinesthetic, Do You Mind? (mind dom), Storm Season (storm/elec), Lilliput, Guggenheim, Electrislicer, The Dead Walk (necro/dark), Doll Finn, Mutation Molly, Shoulder Imp/Shoulder Puck, Super Sonique (kin/sonic), Darke Fist... there's more and still more...
in addition to a ton of alts that I've deleted over the years... (these are all toons that I currently have in my stable)
Paragon Wiki: http://www.paragonwiki.com
City Info Terminal: http://cit.cohtitan.com
Mids Hero Designer: http://www.cohplanner.com
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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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I didn't think of that. But then, I didn't claim I was very smart. Quite the opposite, in fact. I basically fell over backwards into my name |
Originally Posted by Fleeting Whisper
Did you consider 'insensate'? Among other meanings, it means 'without senses'
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As well, "insensate" strikes me as more appropriate for a man.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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That generally only works if your friends speak English, though, and many of mine don't |
Originally Posted by Bloodspeaker
My point being, I suppose (possibly subconscious), if you're stuck for an idea, ask a friend or three. Trust me, my friends and I pick each other's brains and give ideas away all the time. The more stuff you find that you genuinely like (rather than merely being willing to accept), the more you can check for availability and end up enjoy playing.
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There's always the friends I've made over the 'net, of course, but that takes... Days, typically, just because of how slow forums work.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Senseless Violet would work too (if her real name was Violet, that is).
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Um. Ask here?! You'll get at least 30 name suggestions in less than a work shift. Typically more.|
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
That generally only works if your friends speak English, though, and many of mine don't
There's always the friends I've made over the 'net, of course, but that takes... Days, typically, just because of how slow forums work. |
Additionally, log in-game with an established character and pick the brains of people in global channels. Most are willing to assist naming an alt. We're the majority of us altoholics, anyway!
Paragon Wiki: http://www.paragonwiki.com
City Info Terminal: http://cit.cohtitan.com
Mids Hero Designer: http://www.cohplanner.com
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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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Thinking of a fitting name and not be afraid to have to change it to alternative ones. It keeps working.
UNION toons...
Bathory Erzsebet (Erzsebet Bathory was taken, but she wrote it like this herself backthen)
Countess Bathory (Elizabeth Bathory and Blood Countess where taken)
Cher Nobyl (taken on most servers by someone, same as Hiro Shima. Fire/Rad)
Nightseye (took me a few comboes to get. Egyptean catwoman)
G.I. Camouflage (Camouflage was my 1st idea)
Dr. Eugene Silver (robot mm.. Dr. + nerd name + Metal)
Uebermensch (Ubermensch was taken... but the Umlaut is not available in the name... and then the official spelling is Uebermensch)
Desert Princess (can you believe this was in one take! Illusion/therm arabian)
Aludra Stellaris (its not esy coming up with an alien name, But google on star names helps)
Shannon O'Banshee (Banshee, Fae, Irish.. 1st and last name is always easy to find one)
Tom Orrow (time traveller, first idea was Justin Time and was taken)
Thinking of the concept and then trying out names keep working every time. I dont have guessed or simple names.
Wanted to make a psi/mental dom... Thought about her looks. Copied Nancy from Sin City... Nancy was first name... Mental powers..? Mesmer was the man who invented mesmerism (what later became hypnose)...
Nancy Mesmer
Tarana (Taranis is a celtic god. The toon is a huge female brute with SS/WP)
Lilith Desdemonia (Lilith is an easy name to link to a demoness... Desdemonia came almost naturally. And the toon is 3 years old. So no link to the Going Roue one)
I have a spider free. Deleted the guy... his name was... Taran Tula. Maybe its still out there.
Some more from history... Yim Wing-Chun
She is the legendary developer of Wing-Chun Kung-Fu who I trasported across time to Paragon. And it was ok on first hit.
Marie Laveau the witch-queen of new oleans. Free too!!! And she is just perfect as Necro/potion
Nope.. you are forced to think and be creative. But names are still there. Remember that internet is youre friend in finding a good name.
Make up youre power set you want to play. Then think of a concept for the hero. The name will come too you
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
I'm fairly sure that portmanteau isn't slang. The only defenition I'd ever heard of before was the combination of two words, often by overlapping a same/similar sounding part. Such as the earlier mentioned "Manchovy". "Man" + "Anchovy".
@Roderick
Lesse, I play on Virtue and I've never had much trouble getting fun names.
I have...
Sunshine Susie - Level 50 fire/kin
Mind's Eye (My personal favorite, I'm still in shock that it was available when I got it.) - Level 50 Psi/Mental blaster
Spectral Arrows - Level 44 Ill/TA Controller
Frozen Strike - Level 35 Ice/Ice Tank
Atomic Aftermath - Level 46 Rad/Rad Defender
And so forth. I used to have Spectral Voice and Steel Maelstrom as well but I didn't like the characters so I got rid of them. I like to think those are all pretty cool/fun names. I've never had trouble finding one that I like.
Last 3 names I've got in Virtue were first try names. First off, I have alternate names already figured out beforehand just incase..
Little Thought: Psi/mind blaster
Big Bad Wulff: Invin/DM Tank (I knew that Wolf was already taken without looking :P )
Claw Your Eyes Out: Claws/WP Scrapper
Claw is my latest attempt to get a Scrapper to 50. Out of all my 50's I have no Scrappers Maybe this one will keep me interested long enough to get it there.
36 level 50's in various servers...haven't been here in a while. It's now over 50
Finding a good name is like finding a treasure. They're out there.
I keep a list on my computer of good name/theme combos and every once in awhile when I think up a new one I write it down. Come character creation time I check the list for fitting names and go through the 'check name' procedure. Given the volume of good names I keep, I can usually find one available.
It's challenging and fun to find a unique name that captures your concept and exciting when you find one you want to play available.
Member of:
Repeat Offenders Network - The Largest Coalition Network in the Game, across Virtue, Freedom, Justice and Exalted. Open to all, check us out.
Current Team Project: Pending
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Search for portmanteau and you want the third item in the list, 'portmanteau word', or possibly the fourth 'What is the term for a new word constructed by combining parts of existing words?'|
Originally Posted by Bloodspeaker
noun (pl. portmanteaus or portmanteaux /portmantoz/) 1 a large travelling bag made of stiff leather and opening into two equal parts. 2 before another noun consisting of two or more aspects or qualities: a portmanteau movie.
Oxford was not terribly helpful in telling me what you meant by that. Possibly a colloquialism I didn't find. |
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Originally Posted by Bloodspeaker
And upon further examination, I get a giggle from noting that www.askoxford.com misspelled "traveling", at least in the definition of portmanteau.
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In the vein of 'names I was sure would be taken', I was fairly surprised to get 'Purple Phase' as my first-choice name for a claws/elec scrapper on Union. On the other hand, naming a Widow was hard, and I finally had to give up on variations of black, widows or spiders. I do rather like Latrodecta, though, so maybe there's something to be said for the lack of the most obvious names leading to something more fun.
Arc#314490: Zombie Ninja Pirates!
Defiant @Grouchybeast
Death is part of my attack chain.
The ultimate name "smell test" should be to yell out "Quick! Get [name] on the phone!" or "Robbers at the bank? We need [name]!" and see if it sounds right. You don't want the mayor of Paragon City saying "Where's Skipjump Is Fun Giggles when you need her?"
Although typing this reminds me of my youth and attending equestrian events. Some joker always show-named his horse something like "I Wish I Was" or "If Only I Could Be" so the announcer would say "Now presenting number seven, I Wish I Was, owned and ridden by John Smith..."
In that vein, you should name yourself "Someone Better Than Me" or something like that. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Mayor!
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I have a mutated fish named Just For The Halibut. She's a Claws/WP Brute. |
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Puns, portmanteau, and tounge-in-cheek names are all fairly easy to get, but a little harder to think up. For example, one of my friends created a man/fish hybrid named Manchovy. *shudder*
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I'm one those people with an odd taste in names. Here's some the good ones (IMO, anyway).
Last Chancer - Mercs/Pain MM. Homage to the old version of Colonel Schaeffer's Last Chancers, a Warhammer 40K regiment. Got it on the first go.
Minutes to Madness - Grav/Earth Dom. Made her two nights ago, got the name on the first shot.
Chaos's Vision - Wanted Chaotic Dream, but it was taken. So I changed Chaotic to Chaos's and it was taken as well. Then I changed Dream to Vision and had it.
Tik Taq Toe - Stone/Shield Brute. Looks like intentional misspelling, but it's actually a slightly modified version of the name of a Lizardman special character from Warhammer.
Robotic Pirate Ghost - Elec/Dark Corr. In-joke I had with friends in high school.
As for the OP, I'm not sure what AT and powersets your character is, but did you try "Senseless Violence"?
I make weird names, so I don't have serious issues.
My most recent creations ---
Laird of Kinfyre, fire/kin controller, probably going to be scratched. Scottish theme.
Spaghetti Monster, warshade
Giulia Tofana, katana/wp stalker, named after a historical figure
Ranavalona, claws/wp brute, named after another historical figure
Wolf Witch, ice/cold controller
Mayahuel, electric/mental blaster, named after the Aztec goddess of tequila
History and myth are generally rich sources of names. So's a medical dictionary.
<《 New Colchis / Guides / Mission Architect 》>
"At what point do we say, 'You're mucking with our myths'?" - Harlan Ellison
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And Chlamydia is such a pretty sounding name.
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Originally Posted by Heraclea
I make weird names, so I don't have serious issues.
My most recent creations --- Laird of Kinfyre, fire/kin controller, probably going to be scratched. Scottish theme. Spaghetti Monster, warshade Giulia Tofana, katana/wp stalker, named after a historical figure Ranavalona, claws/wp brute, named after another historical figure Wolf Witch, ice/cold controller Mayahuel, electric/mental blaster, named after the Aztec goddess of tequila History and myth are generally rich sources of names. So's a medical dictionary. |
Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
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Ah, Chlamydia.|
Originally Posted by Schismatrix
And Chlamydia is such a pretty sounding name.
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She was the most glorious creature
Under the su-un.
Guiess. DuBarry. Garbo...
Rolled into one!
Oooooooh
Chlamydia, Chlamydia, have you met Chlamydia,
Chlamydia, the Tattooed Lady!
She has eyes that folks adore so,
And a torso even more so.
Chlamydia, Chlamydia, that encyclopidia,
Chlamydia the Queen of Tattoo.
On her back is the Battle of Waterloo.
Beside it the wreck of the Hesperus, too.
And proudly above waves the Red, White, and Blue,
You can learn a lot from Chlamydia!
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la!
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Heh, yeah, that's sorta what I was assuming, given definition #2 of the one I found. And yes, that's an awesome pair. |
Originally Posted by Enamel_32
Hm, that's not what I meant at all. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portmanteau
And yeah, talking with somebody is a great way to come up with names. Like the duo Helter Smelter and The Oresman. |
Quote:
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Originally Posted by synthozoic
One of the methods I've used to come up with novel and clever names is to play around with Greek or Latin root words when thinking about a toon's archetype, origin, powers or backstory.
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
That generally only works if your friends speak English, though, and many of mine don't
There's always the friends I've made over the 'net, of course, but that takes... Days, typically, just because of how slow forums work. |
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Originally Posted by Grouchybeast
The Oxford English Dictionary uses British English spellings? I'm shocked!
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Where to find me after the end:
The Secret World - Arcadia - Shinzo
Rift - Faeblight - Bloodspeaker
LotRO - Gladden - Aranelion
STO - Holodeck - @Captain_Thiraas
Obviously, I don't care about NCSoft's forum rules, now.
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I use the "find something that works in another language" trick a lot, partly because I like imagining how the appearance of superhumans has influenced the cultures of places other than Rhode Island and a fictional island chain. I've had characters with names in German, Gaelic, Norwegian, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese, Mongolian, Russian, Finnish, Portugese, Hawaiian, Arabic, Navajo and French. The only conversations they've ever started were about how irritated the person talking to me was with trying to get them spelled correctly before the initial /tell would go through. No one, not a single person, has ever asked "Hey, what's that crazy looking word mean?" or said "I speak <language of your current character name>. Interesting choice!", or even "I speak <language of your current character name>, and you should fire your translator because that's actually an obscenity."|
Originally Posted by Bloodspeaker
Also, color me a bit baffled... but what's wrong with a non-English name? Great conversation starters there.
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I have many more character names in English. Conversations about those names get started frequently.
@Eisenzahn
GW2 - Melchior.2135
AIM - Euroclydon23
Email - scorpany@yahoo.com or <sameasmyAIM>@aol.com (for the sheer novelty of an almost 20 year old email address that hasn't been overwhelmed by spambots yet)
All the good names are taken? I've gotten the following in recent months:
Pinnacle
Suicidal Tendencies
Cynderthorne
Liberty
Total War
Gunpowder and Lead
Cynderthorne
Simon-Says
Simone-Says
Virtue
Martial Artemis
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