Some players see their character's as just a piece of paper with stats on it. But for others, like myself, creating a character is like telling a story. You come up with a concept, or plot, and use the various stats to drive your plot, like a name. Which is where I would like to begin this series. The name of your character is what I believe to be the vital part of your character.Without a name your character is nothing.
For some people coming up with a name for their character is as easy as pointing a figure at some random name. But for me, it's more about finding meaning. Sometimes finding that meaning doesn't come until the end of character creation. For example, when I played The Dresden Files I knew I wanted to play a Quixotic Jedi. While it probably wasn't a concept the creatures originally had in mind, it was do-able. I built the character around the concept, but knew that in the end his name had to have meaning. Something that would drive home the point that he was a quack pretending to be a "Jedi". So I chose the name Lucas Andador (translated Luke Walker -- as in Skywalker). This sealed it, and during the course of gameplay Lucas became a memorable character.
Other times it's the name that will be the catalyst for the created character. Like, Vigo the Butcher, is probably not going to be a Lawful Good Paladin. He might be an anti-Paladin, but more than likely he's a vicious fighter type. Or perhaps you took a literal meaning, as in he's a butcher, in which case creation possibilities increase. If I gave you the name Drizzt, your mind may automatically create a Drow who duel-wields scimitars. Or Harry Potter, and you create a young boy wizard who's scarred by a curse that backfired.
You see, names have meaning. They define who the character is, and maybe what they will become. Regardless if the game we're playing will be short lived, I like to make sure the name fits the character I've created.
Let's take a recent example from one game I was in. If anyone watches WWE you may have heard of Mr. Kennedy (now Mr. Anderson in TNA). Kennedy used to come down to the ring and call out his name: "Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisteeeeeeeeeeeeer Ken-ne-dy! Kennedy!" emphasizing each syllable of his name. I took that single aspect, and name, and made a character from it: a charismatic swashbuckler named Kennedy. Though more youthful than the person he was portraying, Kennedy became the "problem child" of the group. Despite his Chaotic Neutral alignment, he had good intentions -- intentions to the point that many thought he was destined to be a Paladin. But to do that would take an act of God, in which case it was Bahamut. However, getting there was another thing. As having already established Kennedy as a free spirit, this required a major shift in character interaction, which was nigh impossible in-game. And so Kennedy was soon written out of the game. But now, anytime I mention the name Kennedy to my GM, he cringes. Knowing the chaotic, uncontrollable nature that Kennedy was, he now fears it being unleashed once more.
The point is is that the name, and the personality, left a lasting impression upon the GM and the other players. When Kennedy was written out of the game I was disappointed, but yet determined to find a game in which I could bring him back to life (as of yet this hasn't happened). His replacement in that game, though short-lived, was a half-orc named Ode. I searched through hundreds of names before finding this one in a list of African names. Ode, meaning 'born on the road' was appropriate in this setting as half-orcs were rare, and orcs were a nomadic tribe. So there again, the name has meaning, and helped define who Ode was.
I find that searching through baby names is very helpful, as meanings are provided with each name. Sometimes I find myself looking at the meaning more than the name itself. As I want my character's name to mean something. The name can then help shape who the character is as I go through character creation. Or at least help me shape the character's backstory. But that's for a different post.
In closing. While picking a random name can sometimes land you a memorable character, I have had better luck finding a name that has meaning. It helps me keep the character's identity during gameplay, but also serves a constant reminder for others who you are playing. If the name "The Marvel" pops up in conversation, we all know who that is. "Kennedy" is also a popular frame of reference. But perhaps it's more than the name that made this character memorable, but it's a start.
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Next time on Dice Harder: What Makes a Character Pt 2 - Background
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Signals:
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Perhaps you've heard of my Lucas. The one who the GM says is the first to ever call the police in one of his games. Well in most games his name is Lucky because he's a black cat. Har har. But at the start of that game, I knew the GM would be annoyed with a name like that so I changed it to a stab at George Lucas. The name had meaning, but had nothing to do with the character itself and everything to do with out of game stuff.
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