AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic - And Now, A Question of Etiquette (Near-Duplicate Names)

So... I encountered today a character with almost, but not quite, the same name as a character of mine. One letter of the name was different, with an apostrophe in the same place. I only saw this character for a few seconds, just in passing, but it seemed that she was also the same base race as my character, and her visible outfit suggested that she might be of a similar class (arcane caster).

Would I be justified in politely asking her to consider a name change? Or would that just be bitchy and snotty and rude?

Edit: Or, I suppose, might a more sensible option be to politely ask a DM to politely ask her to consider a name change?

You bitch!

j/k :lol:

Nah, just one of you guys should likely request to add a nickname or simply go by a nickname. Name wise, especially if it was a NWN Generic Name, it was bound to happen eventually and to be certain: Imitation is the best form of flattery.

Edit: Yea, or that DM thing if it is bugging you.

You don't have a name monopoly, sorry. Just like in the real world, identical names happen.

Last edited by Feonir on Fri, Jul 15 2011, 5:31 AM, edited 1 time in total.

Names are hard. I saw one person with the name from the Wheel of Time books. They had just taken the L from Rand Al'Thor and put it infront, thats bloody ingenious. Little twists like that help.

When in doubt just use the names from MST:3k. You cant go wrong with.

■Slab Bulkhead
■Bridge Largemeat
■Punt Speedchunk
■Butch Deadlift
■Hold Bigflank
■Splint Chesthair
■Flint Ironstag
■Bolt Vanderhuge
■Thick McRunfast
■Blast Hardcheese
■Buff Drinklots
■Crunch Slamchest
■Fist Rockbone
■Stump Beefknob
■Smash Lampjaw
■Punch Rockgroin
■Buck Plankchest
■Stump Junkman
■Dirk Hardpec
■Rip Steakface
■Slate Slabrock
■Crud Bonemeal
■Brick Hardmeat
■Rip Slagcheek
■Punch Sideiron
■Gristle McThornbody
■Slate Fistcrunch
■Buff Hardback
■Bob Johnson (oh, wait...)
■Blast Thickneck
■Crunch Buttsteak
■Slab Squatthrust
■Lump Beefbroth
■Touch Rustrod
■Beef Blastbody
■Big McLargehuge
■Smoke Manmuscle
■Beat Punchmeat
■Hack Blowfist
■Roll Fizzlebeef

Well... I appreciate the clear answer, Tormak. But, I'm still confused, though it's not your fault.

Someone in-game directed me to this thread:

http://www.amiaworld.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=918569#p918569

Peeves wrote:

No character should have the same name as another character in Amia, or almost the same name. Lookalikes will be asked to change their name. People have the right to be unique. Generated names are exceptions.

So... if the policy is different than it was when that thread was written, it might be a good idea to tweak the thread.

Mm... that was added years go by a ccertain somebody that professionalism doesn't allow me to name or explain.

Bye Bye line of confusion?

Just don't use random german names as ingame names. Gods... it's so immersion breaking.

>_>

<_<

Meh, I saw what appeared to be a big human paladin running around with the same last name as my small halfling cleric-of-Vel. Doesn't mean much, except that extra hilarity will be present should the two ever meet.

Ooooooh, yay. A topic that I can relate to.

Yeah funny thing actually, the character wasn't even supposed to have that suffix but when I rolled up the name using the drow name tables my sleep deprived brain had trouble with the "Dirz/Div" suffix and merged them into one.

That said I really don't like retconning things like names after the fact as it screws with continuity but since the character has had limited interaction so far (And since coincidentally the characters are quite similar) I wouldn't mind too much changing it to what it was suppose to be originally.

Edit: Unless this isn't me, but which the same exact case applies.

The Great Equalizer wrote:

Ooooooh, yay. A topic about me!

Yeah funny thing actually, the character wasn't even supposed to have that suffix but when I rolled up the name using the drow name tables my sleep deprived brain had trouble with the "Dirz/Div" suffix and merged them into one.

That said I really don't like retconning things like names after the fact as it screws with continuity but since the character has had limited interaction so far (And since coincidentally the characters are quite similar) I wouldn't mind too much changing it to what it was suppose to be originally.

...We thought they might've been related...

Psh, i always ask people to change their names. Obviously I'm not going to be a dick or get all hard up about it, its not like i play enough to even justify that. But i tend to ask in a none harassing manner. I think its only been an issue like once with someone using Mithsomethingsomething.

Point being, approach is in the appropriate manner and its no biggy asking, are they bound by rules to not use the name your using? No. Are you bound by rules to not ask in a polite manner for some deviation? No. If someone used the name SomethingMithsomething id not care, because they would be called 'Something' 9 times out of 10 because very few people use a whole name. But if their Mith'lolzor then their going to be called Mith.. and that would be kinda blagh!

I always mix up the two Taric.. Tarick? Whatever.. one is a demon goat mutt thing i think and the other is a shifter.. i think? I used to have a HELL of a time with Ailahra and Alitha.. id always mix the names together.. Alitahra or something.. hell dont even know if i got them right this time, not used either name IC for so long.. totally hard to write it down in my chars journal point one out as Druid, and the other as AA so id not get confused >_<

Oh, come on. Ailahra and Alitha are totally different! On that note, someone has asked me to change a character's name before. When you've been playing a character for years, you're likely not to change it, but some people don't like to hear that. It hasn't been too much a problem, though, as far as I've noticed. The occasional drow-name mix-up happens, but then...everyone uses the same table for those and it should be expected.

I remember when Kail was a unique name on the servers >.> hell I've been using it for years and never had a problem with it. Signed onto this server and bam, ran into about 4 Kail's, out of courtesy I went and changed the i to an e....turns out there's about 3 Kael's as well. Fortunately the last name Gerrad remains my intellectual property. It's a large server and similarities are bound...nay certain to happen, so I'm of the opinion that so long as they aren't matched letter for letter (and yeah I include last names in the mix) this shouldn't be a problem. As a compromise however perhaps strongly suggesting the character picks a first and last name to prevent this aught to be added in the naming thread.

Calin Katar is still original.

Xal is also still original.

Yay me.

In the past I've gone all highlander on them. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!

But yeah. Start naming your characters after really obscure red wines. Can't go wrong.

I've noticed a few Ulriks in the past. Couldn't care less, to be honest.

Selvec Darkon wrote:

Xal is also still original.

Though every time I see the gate guard at Winya my brain twitches.

Nobody seems to mind the number of characters named 'William', or 'Bill' or some other variant of the name. Possibly because its a very common name, in our world. I don't know if its wrong to suggest that Zigglewigs or Grimface McSnarl aren't equally common in this setting. At least in my opinion there's some level of normality in overhearing a coversation "Ah, Bizguts from Cordor?" "Noooo, Bizguttzr from Wharftown!" but my taste in fantasy is for a very strong presence of normality. And I agree with the (official?) ruling that characters at least, should be entitled to their unique names. They're after all the heroes! (or villains)

That's not an official ruling. No DM is going to force Gobarg to change their name because you were 'the first Gobarg".

Willow.

Enough said.

((Gunz will always be my #1 with that name!))

TormakSaber wrote:

That's not an official ruling. No DM is going to force Gobarg to change their name because you were 'the first Gobarg".

Now to watch as someone creates "Torin Starfall" the half-orc cleric of Gruumsh.

You sir, have lived up to your forum tag... Bravo!

I think asking someone to change the name would be a bit rude, actually. Same names happen. Quite often, in fact. In a fantasy world like this where ridiculous names are common it's less so, but it still applies. I think there were about 5 or 6 Alannas last time I checked and I really couldn't be bothered with it (even though I pretend to rage in party about it... because being incredibly upset about something like that is silly.)

Distinguish your character through other means, and roll with it if it causes confusion. It can only add to the experience. Maybe some person named Kaithan killed a bunch of elves and pins it on your character! That would be fun. ... well, it'd be fun for me anyway.

So yeah. No namechanges, unless it's blatant, like someone making an psionic air genasi named "Torin Starfart."

AlannaMolov wrote:

So yeah. No namechanges, unless it's blatant, like someone making an psionic air genasi named "Torin Starfart."

You are a bad influence.....be my muse?

The Great Equalizer wrote:

TormakSaber wrote:

That's not an official ruling. No DM is going to force Gobarg to change their name because you were 'the first Gobarg".

Now to watch as someone creates "Torin Starfall" the half-orc cleric of Gruumsh.

.....so very tempting....

I didn't get the Spider Guard Div confused with the yawning, talking in the middle of a Temple sacrifice Div confused....at all. LOL

When I first asked this question, I wasn't aware that there was a unofficial non-ruling kind of ruling on the subject, so I wasn't thinking really in terms of rule enforcement. It's useful to know that I'd have no official rule to cite in my support, but that wasn't exactly the flavor of the question as I intended to ask it. I was more thinking along the lines of, say, if you made up a new character and, within the first few days of playing it, someone sent you a polite /tell asking if you would consider changing the name just to be nice... would you consider that to be out of line? Or does the simple fact that there's no official rule to put teeth in such a request make the request automatically out of bounds of civility?

Made a dwarf character once, had the exact same surname as one other dwarf, the player politly asked me to make a new character. I honestly didnt mind. But then again, with dwarfs the surnames are about clans and with two dwarf that have same surname, and are not related nor knows about each others, would be odd.

I think it's completely between the two people involved. You could of course request that they change it, but they aren't obligated to. They might oblige and that'd be fine, as long as they weren't being bullied/harassed into the decision. It's completely up to them. I'd consider it unnecessary and bad form myself, but that's just my opinion.

Lizzie wrote:

When I first asked this question, I wasn't aware that there was a unofficial non-ruling kind of ruling on the subject, so I wasn't thinking really in terms of rule enforcement. It's useful to know that I'd have no official rule to cite in my support, but that wasn't exactly the flavor of the question as I intended to ask it. I was more thinking along the lines of, say, if you made up a new character and, within the first few days of playing it, someone sent you a polite /tell asking if you would consider changing the name just to be nice... would you consider that to be out of line? Or does the simple fact that there's no official rule to put teeth in such a request make the request automatically out of bounds of civility?

Gentleman's agreements between players as long as they don't break the rules are pretty much out of our handling. You can ask but they're not obligated to reply or even acknowledge it, and we're not going to force the issue.

It seems perfectly fine to me to ask politely, now if you demand it then that's another story.

But if I personally had someone contact me will legitimate concerns about how it would have a negative effect on an OOC level (due to the characters being confused with each other by players or some such). Then more often than not I would be happy to change (baring a specific need for that name).

However if there is no legitimate concern and you just want to have exclusive usage of that name then it would be a toss up depending on if I thought a different name would work or if I even wanted to change it at all.

I actually saw someone log in with the character name Crow, I was getting Tells intended for him, I sent a Tell saying "hey, that name looks familiar" or somesuch. I didn't see the character after that.

If I see anyone with my paladin's name, I'll be asking them exactly what it means, its origin, and the significance of the surname as well.

Anyone else, meh, whatever. They're rather generic enough within their own races and nations of origin. One of them technically isn't their given name anyway.

But I've had it happen before. And one I did mention to someone "hey, you kinda have the same name as my PC." In that case, and most of the ones I've heard of, the new person has no problem taking a new or slightly different name. Either out of courtesy or simply because the PC is new and its not much of an issue to change it before they really have a story on Amia. The person I indirectly asked to change their name was a new player and their name was only one letter off of my oldest PC. They would have been getting stray tells from people thinking it was me anyway, so they weren't upset at all and a DM changed it for them within a few minutes.

Quote:

If I see anyone with my paladin's name, I'll be asking them exactly what it means, its origin, and the significance of the surname as well.

So you admit you are going to basically badger and harass someone because they have your name? Classy.

Thank you once again, Tormak, for proving you can ask a question without accusing people of being assholes and not exaggerating their statements in any way.

I constructed her name with specific inspiration both IC and OoC. If anyone else arrives exactly to what I've put together, then yes, I'll be asking them. "Hello, I took a lot of time with this PC's name and I'm fairly sure its original both on an IC and OoC level. I'm wondering if you somehow came to the exact same string of phonetics by chance or are copying it with the assumption that it would be a common name. In any case, I'd deeply appreciate it if you would change it. If you did create this name on your own to speak, where exactly did you find your inspiration?" =/= badgering and harassment.

I share Alanna's opinion on this 100%.

I was harassed when I first started here by another character who shared a name with one of my characters at the time. I talked a little about it in another thread after remains silent for a long time. ^.^

That said, I'm'ah make a Hin named Lylo Torrowater. A Were-shark of Selune and Mayor of Wharftown, who has a bard daughter named Lally Torrowater (take that, Lally!). >.>

DustSpray101 wrote:

Willow.

Enough said.

((Gunz will always be my #1 with that name!))

You'll find that the rule has mysteriously disappeared. So if I catch someone badgering and harrassing someone over having the same name as them, I'll ban your sorry ass. Politely asking is fine however, just keep it civil.

I personally only see an issue with same exact name if the sole purpose of the secound persons creation to slander and destroy the reputation of the origional person. My argument is that it is basicly metagaming a loop hole of attacking another charater without directly violating any rules within Amia. Of course I am speaking on the secound persons true name, not someone pretending to be that person since that can icly be determinded against. Rather using same first name, last name, race, completely same physical charateristics to bluntly cause issues when in all possiblities it would be next to impossible minus direct blood relations (Believe in the rules would need pcs permission, could be mistaken and please correct if am) to happen.

Example: John Smith 2: human 5'6" brown hair brown eyes scar bellow the bottom right eye. He attacks a priest within Winya Raven and becomes banned. Due to this John Smith 1 is also banned since no ic way to determine on sight it is not also him that caused the issue.

((Just my personal view.))

Feonir wrote:

Names are hard. I saw one person with the name from the Wheel of Time books. They had just taken the L from Rand Al'Thor and put it infront, thats bloody ingenious. Little twists like that help.

That was me and I didn't even realize it until I had been playing the character for a few days. Trust me, if I had realized that my brain had just switched the position of the L and the ' in Rand al'Thor and turned it into L'Randathor I would have come up with a different name.

Any given cannon names generally annoys me a lot more then if I was to encounter a person with the same name as me. Heck if they had the same last name I would actually think it great, open up fun role play options of long lost relatives.

But I always find cannon names such a sensitive subject. That and I find that I see a lot more names as cannons then most people do to my extensive knowledge of myths and legends and from all the works of literary fiction I've read.

*reads the thread and was grinning to herself, recalling the months where four players all named Unen showed up at the same time.*

That was just a case of the RNG being particularly amusing.

However, I second Charles' fears. In situations such as that, it really should be a change made for the protection of the players involved.

ainjyll wrote:

Feonir wrote:

Names are hard. I saw one person with the name from the Wheel of Time books. They had just taken the L from Rand Al'Thor and put it infront, thats bloody ingenious. Little twists like that help.

That was me and I didn't even realize it until I had been playing the character for a few days. Trust me, if I had realized that my brain had just switched the position of the L and the ' in Rand al'Thor and turned it into L'Randathor I would have come up with a different name.

Why? It's quaint, I instantly recognised it and it made the name stand out to me. If anything if you had a wizards familiar or something named it At'Cauthonm.

Charles1810 wrote:

I personally only see an issue with same exact name if the sole purpose of the secound persons creation to slander and destroy the reputation of the origional person. My argument is that it is basicly metagaming a loop hole of attacking another charater without directly violating any rules within Amia. Of course I am speaking on the secound persons true name, not someone pretending to be that person since that can icly be determinded against. Rather using same first name, last name, race, completely same physical charateristics to bluntly cause issues when in all possiblities it would be next to impossible minus direct blood relations (Believe in the rules would need pcs permission, could be mistaken and please correct if am) to happen.

Example: John Smith 2: human 5'6" brown hair brown eyes scar bellow the bottom right eye. He attacks a priest within Winya Raven and becomes banned. Due to this John Smith 1 is also banned since no ic way to determine on sight it is not also him that caused the issue.

((Just my personal view.))

To me, that promotes RP. You then chase down the bastard and redeem your name!

I think what he's trying to say, Selvec, is...well...

Let's say Voronwer has a sterling reputation and is well-loved by the masses. Then someone else makes a Voronwer sun elf that is a total douchebag and attacks and murders other people as an OOC means to troll the original character.

I know what he means. But the way to deal with that is to twist it around so it becomes something you can use to make your character RP better. To not let some moron OOC screw you over, but to be the better player, and the better RPer, and use some morons stupid actions to better your characters depth. A line of RP to pursue is such as a well liked player, scorned by his own community for the actions of someone with the same name. To fix this, he sets out to clear his names of the acts wrongfully commited against him. He finds this person (or prove that he didn't do it) and proves to those who judged him badly that he did nothing wrong. It can add a lot of depth and development. The key is to take even the oppertunities which put your character in a bad light, and use it to better your character in every way.

Of course you also get in contact with a DM and I nail that persons ass to a cross for being a douche. But thats common sense.

Well said. That is a problem with Amia. Too much OOC. Deal with IC stuff, ICly, instead of moaning about it OOCly.

To an extent yes. But if someone does something wrong, you still contact a DM. Then I listen to the wrongdoer bitch about me in party chat instead of you xD.

That's a fair point. My only contention with dealing with it IC is that there are only so many options to the character model. "Realistically", that troll that I'm now chasing down ICly would not bear an exact likeness of me unless we were identical twins. Model-wise, Vaelmith looks identical to Voronwer (except the hair color may be a shade off), but RP/bio-wise, they look nothing alike.

So, I guess my question is why should we take to IC something that is so off-base OOCly when it would create a--

Nevermind. I just remembered the 1000 faces thing. Consider me convinced.

People have harassed me in a rather stupid manner to change my name before(SCREENS SUCKA). In truth, getting mad or making a problem out of it isn't worth it unless its clearly a troll name.

And Now, A Question of Etiquette (Near-Duplicate Names)

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