How did you choose your name?

[Iscah]

In the order that I came up with them:


Aurelie Moonsong (female Midlander)

"Aurelie" was just a name I had in mind as something that would be cool to use for a character sometime. With more lore-knowledge it probably should be an Elezen name, but I'm going with the excuse that she's Gridanian and there's got to be some degree of crossover with naming ideas.

I think I just started throwing different words together to come up with a surname, but I'd very nearly settled on "Riversong" until I realised it would be taken as a Doctor Who reference. The actual intent was referencing a few different overlapping-in-my-mind things together, but most linkably the song "When the River Meets the Sea" and the closing poem of Alice Through the Looking-Glass.

(I had no idea the Moon would actually be somewhat important as a plot element, but in the end it's been a neat coincidence of Dalamud and summoner's association with Bahamut.)


Brynwyda Tidesong (female Sea Wolf)

Far too much time was spent re-re-reading the Roegadyn name dictionary trying to find a name that sounded nice, had a good meaning and didn't look dauntingly unpronouncable. Starting with the relatively limited choice for female name-endings, I picked "-wyda" (willow) as an association to her tank role via the Bole card.

In the end, her name means Spring Willow and I'm happy with that. No desire to go through the process again to work out her actual surname.

As with Moonsong, Tidesong started with throwing words together - loosely on a sea theme this time. I did want to find something else so they wouldn't have matching names, but I kept coming back to how those sounded together and decided to go with it. Moon and Tide. It seemed appropriate.


Sylviel Terrechant (male Duskwight)

I just ended up browsing NPC names this time, by looking up the NPC lists on Garland Tools in locations where there would be lots of Elezen. I wanted something that wasn't too long or reliant on French pronounciation (because I'm sure I'd mispronounce it), and preferably not found in the character creator. "Sylviel" ticked all those boxes.

And surnames - there was a pattern for them now. So "Earthsong" for Duskwights' links to caves, and then I thought I should maybe translate that into French (and hope I didn't mangle it)...

...and of all the luck, Terrechant is an actual Duskwight surname in the generator.


Haru Kazeuta (male Raen)

A race that uses real-world names? So much easier. Went browsing through this list for ideas. Haru has a few different meanings including "light", and I liked the sound of it.

Surname "Windsong" (for an easy-going 'travelling for fun' character) again possibly-mangled though online translation, and with no lore excuses this time. Hopefully the Japanese players aren't looking at it and thinking "yeah, you must a clueless English speaker who doesn't know how apply Japanese grammar to that"....

[Eloah]

Haru Kazeuta (male Raen)

A race that uses real-world names? So much easier. Went browsing through this list for ideas. Haru has a few different meanings including "light", and I liked the sound of it.

Surname "Windsong" (for an easy-going 'travelling for fun' character) again possibly-mangled though online translation, and with no lore excuses this time. Hopefully the Japanese players aren't looking at it and thinking "yeah, you must a clueless English speaker who doesn't know how apply Japanese grammar to that"....

I saw where you found the info for these names and no worries what you have is fine, but there is something I wanna bring to your attention in case it was unknown. While the kanji you would use for the name "Haru" 陽 does mean "light" and this kanji combined with thick/fat (太) makes the word for sun (taiyou/太陽), the light part is actually yang, as in yin and yang. The name actually means light as in positive/uplifting.

As for the last name, as you said it's literally wind and song combined. Not bad but it does hit the same as it might in English. You could always change it to Fuuta, since it means the same thing, in a way. Honestly Windsong sounds a bit better to me, sorry... forgive me. T.T

[Iscah]

I saw where you found the info for these names and no worries what you have is fine, but there is something I wanna bring to your attention in case it was unknown. While the kanji you would use for the name "Haru" 陽 does mean "light" and this kanji combined with thick/fat (太) makes the word for sun (taiyou/太陽), the light part is actually yang, as in yin and yang. The name actually means light as in positive/uplifting.

As for the last name, as you said it's literally wind and song combined. Not bad but it does hit the same as it might in English. You could always change it to Fuuta, since it means the same thing, in a way. Honestly Windsong sounds a bit better to me, sorry... forgive me. T.T

Thanks for that - I did realise there's a chance it's inaccurately translated (especially with so many meanings to cover briefly) but I liked the general 'zone' of the various meanings. And "positive/uplifting" definitely works for him too!

And yeah, I'm in two mind about translating the surname or not... If we didn't have to pay for name-changes, I'd switch it over and see if I like it better.

[MuHan]

As for the last name, as you said it's literally wind and song combined. Not bad but it does hit the same as it might in English. You could always change it to Fuuta, since it means the same thing, in a way. Honestly Windsong sounds a bit better to me, sorry... forgive me. T.T

Uhm, shouldn't you read "風歌" as "Fūka". The only on-reading of "歌" i know and have learned is "ka". I could be wrong though, as Japan being Japan, most Chinese character has multiple on- and kun-readings, especially with names. I've heard people sometimes need to ask how to read their name when they recieve a business card.

As for me, I wanted to use "無限" somehow, meaning infinite/eternity. When I made my character, I always knew I will never change races. Once a lala, always a lala i guess. But instead of romanizing (is that a word? ) it in Japanese, I went with Korean so Muhan. Nam is a Korean surname that fits Muhan the most imo. Not sure if Koreans use Muhan as their first name though XD

I played Tales of Vesperia (back when it had first come out on 360) and got through the EX dungeon to unlock the cameo bosses from other games in the arena. One of them named Barbatos uses an mystic arte (like a limit break for Tales of) called "No Items Ever!" where he actively beats the hell out of a character that is using items. It could be a healing item, or just an item to analyze his stats, he will pound them into the ground and then send them flying with his axe.

Blah blah blah Tidel Wave spam is too strong in the arena hahah XD

[Eloah]

Uhm, shouldn't you read "風歌" as "Fūka". The only on-reading of "歌" i know and have learned is "ka". I could be wrong though, as Japan being Japan, most Chinese character has multiple on- and kun-readings, especially with names. I've heard people sometimes need to ask how to read their name when they recieve a business card.

You aren't incorrect with 風歌 also being able to be pronounced Fūka, but in her case it were the literal words for wind(kaze) and song(uta). The main reason I suggested Fu/u over Kaze is because Fuu can mean air, which to most English speakers is synonymous with wind; that and most people know of Typhoon/Taifuu, so Fuu wouldn't be a far stretch. Kanji aren't as easy as one meaning and one reading, and some word combinations that we'd use in other languages, would require the の/no particle; I believe wind song would be one of these words 風の歌. But it can be confusing at times, 青空 and 青の空 both mean blue sky, but they are different some how. I guess it's similar to saying it's my PC vs a PC. Words are hard, lol

[MuHan]

You aren't incorrect with 風歌 also being able to be pronounced Fūka, but in her case it were the literal words for wind(kaze) and song(uta). The main reason I suggested Fu/u over Kaze is because Fuu can mean air, which to most English speakers; that and most people know of Typhoon/Taifuu, so Fuu would be a far stretch. Kanji aren't as easy as one meaning and one reading, and some word combinations that we'd use in other languages, would require the の/no particle; I believe wind song would be one of these words 風の歌. But it can be confusing at times, 青空 and 青の空 both mean blue sky, but they are different some how. I guess it's similar to saying it's my PC vs a PC. Words are hard, lol

After reading your reply, I think you're right. 風の歌 seems to be a better translation for wind song. But yeah words are hard.