How did you choose your name?

[Sudenmarja]

I’ve been wondering about this every now and then. I thought about my name carefully when I was first making my character and recently a friend of mine changed her character’s name and she pondered about it for a time as well.

How do people choose – or have chosen – their character names? Of course you like your name (I hope), but are there other reasons? Is there a backstory to your name? Does it have a meaning? Or did you just have some fun while thinking of a name for yourself?

For my name – Sudenmarja Villilehto – I did have a little fun with it and it sort of has a backstory and a meaning as well.

I’m Finnish and I like plants - I use plants as an inspiration for names a lot. So sudenmarja is a Finnish name for a poisonous plant called herb-paris or true lover’s knot – except that it’s name is much cooler in Finnish. The direct translation for sudenmarja would be wolf’s berry. The last name is a bit of a nod to the fact that my character is a wildwood elezen. I translated wildwood to Finnish so wildwood became villilehto (if we’re being picky, the proper translation for wood would have been metsä(wood, forest) while lehto means particularly a grove. But lehto sounded better in my ears plus we can’t use ä, ö or å letters when naming the characters).

As a bonus, I later realized, my character name is a silent announcement to everyone that I am in fact a Finn and the other Finns can safely talk to me in Finnish (Not that it has happened that often apart from the occasional wave or greeting, we tend to keep to ourselves)

[SomeRandomHuman]

Mine is for the sake of the pun

[TitaniaZero]

Amaterasu Aleria was a character I made in a pen and paper RPG. She was an adventurer and somewhat of a matchmaking looking for her match. Her family was a large one too, and it believed in a Sun god. And being a little enamoured with the sound and style of Amaterasu at the time, I used it. Initially, way back in 1.0 I felt it fit my character who was simply that, an adventurer that I could make a lot of stuff up for. Of course things have changed since then so she doesn't quite fit her old name now, so I've been thinking pretty hard on a new one that I feel will match better.

[Aruru-Aru]

I chose "Aruru Aru" (My main) because of lalafell naming conventions.

Though i do have a funny lala dude called "Imnotshort Imfunsized" purely for the comedy value.

[Halivel]

I usually stick with lore if it's possible. Though there was time when I played as Sunseeker Miqo'te but didn't want to use their lore names (I don't really like the lore of sun tribe), but wanted to have something what will sound somehow warm instead. It was "Nau'ra Amir" back then. Then I played as Xaela male later and renamed to "Naur Haragin", so kept first name with little changing and took a proper tribe last name.
In the end I returned to Miqo'te. but decided to play as Keeper of the Moon because their lore is better. Since I love my first name, I saved it, but changed to Naur'a (which means that my character is 1st, oldest, son of Naur) and took last name from lore which sounding I liked the most. That's how Naur'a Moui was born in terms of his name. xD

[Nyxn607]

Cypress Fox ... I have had 4-5 different names in my FFXIV lifetime so far. I choose my current name simply because Foxes are my favorite animal, and I like the word Cypress.

[Hash_Browns]

I just love food..

[Makeda]

Makeda is the founding queen of Ethiopa; known also as the 'Queen of Sheba' - her son Menelik was the firstborn son of King Solomon; and his line ruled from that time until 1974 when communists forced them the flee to the USA. The last emperor to sit on the Throne was known as 'Ras Tafari' before being crowned Emperor Selassie - he fought and repelled the Italians in the lead up to WWII and was later instrumental in forming the UN; and is revered among the Rasta, or Rastafari community.

Fyah is a way of referring to fire in a spiritual sense, such as the tale of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the book of Daniel - thrown into the fire by Babylon, but triumphed through on faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are key figures in Rasta faith - overcoming Babylon by strength of righteous faith.

So... Makeda Fyah.

[Doozer]

Thought it was funny. Others either also think it's funny or make fun of it when they don't like me.

[Kurando]

IThough i do have a funny lala dude called "Imnotshort Imfunsized" purely for the comedy value.

That's pretty good. So funsized for one lalafell, but if there is a group of them does that make it a party-pack?