I just dont get it

[Under the moon]

Pardon, but 'bilbo' is not originally a Hobbit name.

bilbo (noun): small European thrusting sword with a rapierlike hilt

I like the name, by the way. In trying to be so 'original', it is becoming hard to remember some of the odder names with the overuse of 'X' and 'Z'.

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

Is that pointed at me utm ?

Cornelius is a fine name

Bilbous is fine too

I would tend to agree though that any directly derrivative name of a character in a popular series no matter how obscure the character is to be avoided.

Originality in naming does and should hold huge sway over how chracters are named. It is really not hard to be original, folks should try harder.

As for me I have been playing the name Xillix (or varients) in table-top games for over a decade, but i looked it up on google recently and there are companies with the name and such . . .

I agree with those who suggest a simple petition rather than confrontation, and I also would like to see gms take the time to ask a player what they would like to be changed to rather than the random name generation for characters with "bad" names (I do not know how many they have to change so this may be impractical). Some of this is subjective so I think sticking with the rule is good, because the rule is pretty objective, and I wish new players would take the time to read the damned character generation screen. Also I would add some to that dialogue box: making a short statement into a compound word for instance is no solution to naming troubles, ala Angeloffate or some such.

[Karyuu]

All characters with "bad" names are approached before they are renamed - multiple /tells are sent, sometimes along with /warnings if the tells are ignored. If we get no response after several minutes (and we see that a character is walking around and thus not AFK) a random name is used. If a name is reported through petitions however, we usually rename immediately even with the character offline. This is to avoid the petition list overflowing, endless waiting for a character to sign on (keeping a messy buddy list), and similar :} People should follow the rules - and they always have the opportunity to get their names changed to something appropriate they would want later.

[Verrliit]

for clarification:

When a player chooses a name, it has meaning to them.

And just as in the real world, their name shapes who they are, and how they play.


Names are supposed to have meanings, and connect to other people, places and things.

That you know a name, and can connect it to something or somewhere else, is not a reason to force someone to change it.

And being able to look a name up on google, only means that you were curious enough to do a search.


A name is not really a problem, unless it actually interferes with play.


A literary, political or historical name has to be pretty famous to interfere.

Most players who see it would have to know it well, and object to it also.

Elvis, Bullwinkle, Winston Churchill and Harry Potter would be a problem.

Smurfette, Sonic Hedgehog and Needa Hanjob would have to go.

But Cordwainer Bird, Zenna Henderson, Thumper Bobowski, Ima Teepot, and the aforementioned Islanzadi, are just fine, I think.


I feel more at home, knowing that others love some of the same things that I do.

(And I rather miss Harvey Wallbanger, too...)


~Verrliit~

[Xillix Queen of Fools]

That must have been what happened Karyuu, I think my name changed while i was logged off, and i got it changed again soon after . . . It was funny in my case though because all I had to do to make the name acceptable was invert the first and last names

[Farren Kutter]

Bilbous is not Bilbo in any way shape or form, so... It is a player's fault if they see it that way, not Bilbous's...

[zanzibar]

Pardon, but 'bilbo' is not originally a Hobbit name.

bilbo (noun): small European thrusting sword with a rapierlike hilt

Thank you.

I would tend to agree though that any directly derrivative name of a character in a popular series no matter how obscure the character is to be avoided.

Thank you, as well.

Cordwainer Bird, Zenna Henderson, Thumper Bobowski, Ima Teepot, and the aforementioned Islanzadi, are just fine, I think.

Uh, no?  Islanzadi might be troublesome, but Ima Teepot is just silly...

Bilbous is not Bilbo in any way shape or form, so... It is a player's fault if they see it that way, not Bilbous's...

Bilbo-us.  So it is Bilbo in at least one way, shape, and form.

[Karyuu]

There's no need to discuss any specific player's name here - no one is at fault or needs a namechange or a slap on the wrist.

Obscure names don't guarantee acceptance from a GM. But there is no black and white in the naming rules - we will never have a set of rules that will cover all scenarios, so everything is dealt with on a case-by-case basis. And you can discuss and debate and talk semantics for years and years because there is no "general" resolution to anything.

I think we've answered the original post sufficiently enough.