GW 2 Character Names - what's YOUR process?

[Beren Iluthiel]

Rhonwyn, could you tell me if Edryd is a male or female name?
I found some links to celtic names, but no one really satisfied me.
Thanks!

[Lady Rhonwyn]

It sounds male to me...

google to the rescue:

Edryd is pronounced EHDRahD †. Edryd's origin is Welsh. The name means 'restoration'.

[Hrimfrost]

Aos Si is where the Aes Sedai name comes from in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. ^.^

The sidhe is also the root where Cait Sith comes from in FF7 (Cait Sidhe... fairy cats) and Cooshe in D&D (Coo Sidhe ... fairy dogs).

Learned that investigating new char names a year ago. And now I'm back to researching for alternative names for some characters.

But yeah, I fall squarely in Know Your Lore By Profession. I have a good idea what 8 names I'm going with already... or... at least their GW1 identities even if I ended up tweaking them for GW2 :P

Some names just... fit... with various races and/or professions. Others are broad enough to fit almost anything.

One example, tho, is I've been thinking of a Latin equivalent of one name, which for me fits a Charr (Romans -- Legions -- Charr). It wasn't really intentional. I just found a Latin root for one part and then found a rough Latin for the other and realized the Legion imagery connection and rolled with it.

Right now, looking at one Asura (which is enough for me), one Norn (though I'd kinda like another), and two each of the Human, Sylvari, and Charr... each taking a profession and a craft. Whether I end up with that much at the start is debatable. ;)

And, Rhonwyn, do you have a duplicate of my library or something? :P

BTW, I'll say it again here... it's insane to be sane. ;)

[Lady Rhonwyn]

Aos Si is where the Aes Sedai name comes from in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. ^.^

The sidhe is also the root where Cait Sith comes from in FF7 (Cait Sidhe... fairy cats) and Cooshe in D&D (Coo Sidhe ... fairy dogs).

Learned that investigating new char names a year ago. And now I'm back to researching for alternative names for some characters.

But yeah, I fall squarely in Know Your Lore By Profession. I have a good idea what 8 names I'm going with already... or... at least their GW1 identities even if I ended up tweaking them for GW2 :P

Some names just... fit... with various races and/or professions. Others are broad enough to fit almost anything.

One example, tho, is I've been thinking of a Latin equivalent of one name, which for me fits a Charr (Romans -- Legions -- Charr). It wasn't really intentional. I just found a Latin root for one part and then found a rough Latin for the other and realized the Legion imagery connection and rolled with it.

Right now, looking at one Asura (which is enough for me), one Norn (though I'd kinda like another), and two each of the Human, Sylvari, and Charr... each taking a profession and a craft. Whether I end up with that much at the start is debatable. ;)

And, Rhonwyn, do you have a duplicate of my library or something? :P

BTW, I'll say it again here... it's insane to be sane. ;)

Well, as my library these days is mostly electronic... It's easy to copy! To be honest, I never "read" those 5 books, but I listened to them (Audible).


I'll create all my characters as fast as possible, especially the ones with a single-word name. The HoM-protected names will be created last. And I must still get that second account. (which adds another 5 slots!). Those characters will probably never be played and deleted again before I start them.


Edit:

I only need one more Asuran name... Those are the ones I have the most problems with!

[Beren Iluthiel]

Fizzlebrinklewizzle would suit an asura elementalist/engineer/mesmer perfectly

[Hrimfrost]

Yeah, right now, I'm strongly considering having essentially THREE primary characters... basically, classifying by armor, a Light, Medium and Heavy. Right now, it looks like Ele, Eng, and Guard... with the last two of my first five slots filled with a Necro and Ranger. I'll PROBABLY just buy three more slots at the get-go and add the other three professions so I can at least preserve the 8 names (granted some tweaked) that are most important to me.

Many of my GW1 character names are derived from characters in stories I made up (still mostly in my poor brain). The majority of those were single-word names so had to be adapted per GW1 rules. Still, I think rather than reducing them back to their originals, I'll stick with what I have or slightly tweak them (where I deem necessary).

When I come up with names, I usually look at the imagery I want to be associated with them and then look for that through a number of languages. I try to keep within one language, though that's not always possible. And if the name doesn't feel right, I just dismiss it outright. I fit some kind of weather/celestial phenomenon into the name, whether literally or figuratively, and sometimes fitting of the character if I'm going from scratch.

But, yeah, keeping the basics of all the story names at least. I have a personal connection to those, which is somewhat why I'm a LITTLE miffed at the 4 day reservation in GW2 (I'm sorry, but no explicit short-term reservation duration nor explicit "reservation duration to be determined" -- from the get-go -- is pretty much mandated "permanent" in my book, but things are what they are). I'd like to reserve permanently AND have the tweaked for GW2, but c'est la vie. I'll cope.

IF I even get a second account, I have other plans for that... a number of ideas to just have fun with names. ^.^

[Lady Rhonwyn]

Yeah, right now, I'm strongly considering having essentially THREE primary characters... basically, classifying by armor, a Light, Medium and Heavy. Right now, it looks like Ele, Eng, and Guard... with the last two of my first five slots filled with a Necro and Ranger. I'll PROBABLY just buy three more slots at the get-go and add the other three professions so I can at least preserve the 8 names (granted some tweaked) that are most important to me.

Many of my GW1 character names are derived from characters in stories I made up (still mostly in my poor brain). The majority of those were single-word names so had to be adapted per GW1 rules. Still, I think rather than reducing them back to their originals, I'll stick with what I have or slightly tweak them (where I deem necessary).

When I come up with names, I usually look at the imagery I want to be associated with them and then look for that through a number of languages. I try to keep within one language, though that's not always possible. And if the name doesn't feel right, I just dismiss it outright. I fit some kind of weather/celestial phenomenon into the name, whether literally or figuratively, and sometimes fitting of the character if I'm going from scratch.

But, yeah, keeping the basics of all the story names at least. I have a personal connection to those, which is somewhat why I'm a LITTLE miffed at the 4 day reservation in GW2 (I'm sorry, but no explicit short-term reservation duration nor explicit "reservation duration to be determined" -- from the get-go -- is pretty much mandated "permanent" in my book, but things are what they are). I'd like to reserve permanently AND have the tweaked for GW2, but c'est la vie. I'll cope.

IF I even get a second account, I have other plans for that... a number of ideas to just have fun with names. ^.^

Well, the second account will be for the husband. But, naturally, I will be able to make use of it...

And so far, all my names are Celtic/Welsh. Except the Norn and Charr. Oh, and the name of the main of my "husband's account"... Got 12 names down now...

[Gorani]

I will refer to my fauna & flora field guide a lot.

How about Lepux for an Asura (from lepus = rabbit) or Melex (from meles = badger) - utilizing the "x" that Arena.Net people put in Asuran names often.

I am pretty sure I will use the same method for my Sylvari. All the Turkish/Arabic names I used in GW1 don't seem to fit them from a lore point of view.

[thulsey]

I will refer to my fauna & flora field guide a lot.

How about Lepux for an Asura (from lepus = rabbit) or Melex (from meles = badger) - utilizing the "x" that Arena.Net people put in Asuran names often.

I am pretty sure I will use the same method for my Sylvari. All the Turkish/Arabic names I used in GW1 don't seem to fit them from a lore point of view.

Those would be great Asura names!

They seem (like the Sylvari) to be one name kinda people, eh?

[Hrimfrost]

Hmm. After coming up with an asura with a somewhat... mouse-like appearance (albeit with droopy ears), I'm wondering how long until we have an Asura named Gadget Hackwrench or something. ;)