Special Report (18 Jan) - What's in a Name?

Special Report (18 Jan) - What's in a Name?

Every character must have a name. After all, you can't just yell "Hey You!" whenever you need a character's attention (unless, of course, his name is Heyyou). I like to believe that considerable thought went into each name, and that each name has a history associated with it's creation. I will admit that on an occasion or two, perhaps a less considered approach was taken to naming a toon (ie, it was made up on the fly with no particular thought behind it).

I decided to put the above to the test. Just how many toons really had some kind of rationale behind their names? Just how many got the "I christen thee so-and-so, and thy name shall forever mean - whatever it means?" I've thought about doing this many times, but I put it off because it would take some research. I don't really know how I came up with some names, or I used to know and can't remember anymore. Almost always, though, new characters have been introduced formally in this ongoing journal, and sometimes even with an explanation of the name. The hard part is finding those references within the electronic pages of more than six years of posting. It's a LOT of digging.

The journal has evolved over time through many formats, so I also had to compile the thing into a form that was searchable, and that process helped me correct errors and find missing content. It's about as complete as it can be now, considering all the different methods I've used over the years to write it.

I started with the oldest character and worked my way forward. Wildshard is, of course, my first and oldest toon. As of this writing, Sista is my newest. There are also toons who have retired. I will try to remember them as well.

The Wildshard clan isn't the only clan represented, either. All three clans and every relative, both horde and alliance, are listed below. I call it:

The Genealogy of the Three Clans

1. The Wildshard Clan

Wildshard - Level 85 Horde Male Tauren Druid

First mention - 26 Feb 2005. "Called my character WildShard and
then named a TSN team after him."

If Memory Serves - The name "Wildshard" was a simple word association process. A number of different combinations of one syllable words were strung together until one was found that seemed to work. I still like the name and since "shard" is an enchanting term and Wild is an enchanter that may have played a role in selecting it. "Wildshard" also brings to mind a character who is daring, unpredictable, and dangerous. Poor Wild got stuck with a name that is nothing like he really is. :-)

The real Explanation - That is exactly how I came up with the name.

Jezzibael - Level 80 Horde Female Troll Shaman

First Mention - May 19, 2005. "In order to defray some of my Tailoring/enchanting costs I've decided to start a 2nd character. Decided on Shaman this time with mining and skinning skills so that I can gather the materials I need." Gives one an idea how little I understood the game at that time. I needed cloth and enchanting mats, so I started JB as a skinner and miner?

If Memory Serves - Jezzibael (or JB for short) is a respelling of the name of one of our cats.

The real Explanation - Yep, the above is correct.

A revealing fact - 12 Aug 2005. "I also have a confession to make. JB was the first character I created after Wildshard. At the time I felt a little odd toward players who had characters of the opposite gender, but at the same time wanted an opposite gender character of my own. So when I created "JB", I intentionally never mentioned and never referred to gender, creating the assumption that JB is male without saying so. I'm long over all that and JB is tired of never getting to be in any of the screenshots posted. Boys, please say hello to Jezzibael, aka JB."

Rheebah - Level 6 Female Druid, Retired

First Mention - June 14, 2005. "You want me to tell my wife I want her to be a cow? You guys are going to get me in trouble."

If Memory Serves - The Mrs tried out an undead, but couldn't stomach the cannibalization thing. Some online friends suggested a troll, which seemed marginally better than an undead. We eventually settled on rolling a Tauren druid for her and a troll warrior for me to keep her company.

The Real Explanation - I ran across a reference to the Mrs character, and the name I used was AechTee. We have no clue who that is. My best guess is that I disguised the name, as I often do when referring to someone else's toon. But how that was a reference to Rheebah, who I and the Mrs both agree was her toon's real name, I have no idea. Sometimes I'm too clever for my own good. The Mrs picked the name Rheebah because she liked the way it sounded.

Happyface - Level 22 Horde Male Troll Warrior

First Mention - June 14, 2005. "Sigh, if I'd known I would take this
practice toon and make it my AH trader I would have used a better name." Happy was level 10 at the time.

If Memory Serves - Happy was intended to be a companion for Rheebah and I never thought he would amount to anything more than that. Boy was I wrong.

The real Explanation - I chose the first thing that came to mind. :-)

Merylitlbotm - Level 56 Horde Female Tauren Hunter

First Mention - 14 Nov 2005. "Please welcome the newest addition to the WoW Silvermoon family, Merylitlbotm, and her pet, Peck." Peck was later released back into the wilds, but Mery's pretty happy with Fleshrypper, Sassy, and Blue Witch.

If Memory Serves - I like to think I must have been watching Lord of the Rings, since hobbits come to mind. There were no "little people" on the horde side (such as gnomes and dwarfs on the alliance side), so I went with the closest thing - a cow. The name does sound kinda hobbit-like, don't you think?

The Real Explanation - I liked the name Mery, and the rest of the name sort of attached itself like a caboose. But let's not rile Mery by talking about her caboose.

Dethsdoor - Level 11 Horde Female Undead Warlock

First Mention - 17 Apr 2006. "Undead begin life on the Eastern continent near the Undercity, so DD will likely call UC home. Between DD in UC, Happyface (and Rheebah) in Org, and Mery in TB, I think I have all the major horde cities covered. I just realized I now have six toons on Silvermoon. Hmm, somehow I never thought I would be one to roll up a whole bunch of toons . . ." If I only knew how much larger the family was going to get.

If Memory Serves - Like Wildshard, this was fitting two single syllable words together that sounded good and sounded like a name a warlock would have.

The real Explanation - I don't remember referring to "Deth" as "DD" but it looks like I did.

Jocelyne - Level 23 Horde Female Blood Elf Paladin

First Mention - 20 Apr 2007. "So JB and Jocelyne got some time both solo and together today. JB thought it would be fun to escort Jocelyne the long way from Silvermoon City in Eversong Woods to the Undercity in Tirisfal Glades."

If Memory Serves - This is getting embarrassing. It seems I fail to note new toons and names with depressing regularity. Jocelyne is already level 10 by the time she gets her first mention. I'm guessing that she was born shortly after blood elves were introduced, but I'm just not sure.

The real Explanation. Not a clue how Jocelyne got her name, but she is referred to as Joce and Jocy at various times.

Javajoo - Level 32 Alliance Male Draenei Paladin
Chaitee - Level 20 Alliance Female Draenei Hunter

First Mention - 13 Jun 2007. "Please welcome two newcomers to Wild's family, Javajoo and Chaitee, the new toons for Wild and Mrs Wild."

If Memory Serves - This was the second attempt to tempt the Mrs into joining in on our Warcraft fun. Rheebah and Happyface wished them luck.

The real Explanation - We went with a beverage theme. The Mrs loves Chai tea, and viola! a name was born. We know that Java is coffee, but I can't help tinkering with names and liked the sound of Javajoo (perhaps thinking "java juice"). The beverage theme took an unexpected turn when our alliance team formed a guild and named it Tea Green.

Phillyperdue - Level 80 Horde Female Undead Priest

First Mention - 04 Jan 2008. "Yes, I'm playing another healer (with distant visions of shadow priesthood). Yes, I'm playing another lady character, but she hasn't developed a personality yet."

If Memory Serves - Philly was born on The Scryers server as a guild member of "The Grunt Foundation." She's actually not the first toon to be born on a server other than Silvermoon. That honor belongs to Naji, a lvl 3 night elf hunter on Greymane born on August 25, 2005 to give me something to do when Silvermoon server was down (which was often back in those days). Naji may still be out there.

The real Explanation - Hey, for once I can tell it straight. "(1) Philly is a play on fille. (2) fille perdue is french for "lost girl". (3) Our members seem to have a penchant for using foreign languages in their names. (4) My handle on the wowhead forums is alwayslost, hence the "lost girl" reference." Funny that I didn't mention that the alwayslost name on the forums is a reference to how often Wild manages to go north when he should be going south.

Melasahnd - Level 63 Horde Female Undead Death Knight

First Mention - 13 Nov 2008. "Today marks the roll out of Wrath of the Lich King. I picked out a name for the DK that will be joining Wild's family."

If Memory Serves - Wild didn't wait long to welcome kin from the new class of death knights. I think he spent more time deciding on a name this time than he did deciding when to welcome her home.

The real Explanation - "The name is Melasahnd, from the Kushiel's Dart series of books. Melasahnd is the phonetic spelling of the name Melisande, who is the main villain throughout the series. She has terrible powers and was behind the corruption of a paladin-like people called the Cassiline Brotherhood. Seemed appropriate for a DK, a paladin-like class that has taken up the dark powers."

Naithipe - Fill in the Blanks

First Mention - 27 Mar 2009. "Happy noticed something odd when checking his mailbox very late last night. Written into one corner of the box was something like a code: s11m84h3

This morning the odd scribbling was gone, although a faintish red stain remained. It seems we have mystery."

If memory Serves - Naithipe says go away. Naithipe says there will be trouble if this is ever posted.

The real Explanation - It's no secret that Naithipe is a puzzle, an acronym and an anachronism. Naithipe is a name within a name anchored in the pages of a book Naithipe holds dear for reasons both fond and fearsome, and will say no more.

Alwayslost - Level 11 Alliance Female Draenei Paladin

First Mention - Apr 23, 2010. "I know the nameplates at the bottom are kind of hard to read, but the blue lady to the right of Naithipe is Alwayslost, and that includes her clothing. She's level 1, by the way." Lost appeared in the Wild Family portrait while still just a toddler.

If Memory Serves - Lost never liked her name, since she feels that Wild saddled her with HIS shortcoming, not hers. She takes solace that she is never lost while conducting the business of the Auction House, and has made enough gold to provide hefty stakes for the newest brace of adventurers joining the Alliance guild.

The real Explanation - "Lost completed her initial paladin training at her home village of Ammen Vale on Azuremyst Isle and then moved up to the marginally larger town of Azure Watch. Lost then made her way to the major city of Exodar on the shoreline of the island as a level 10, where the nearest Alliance Auction House was located. Lost did not come completely out of nowhere, however. While living with her birth family at Ammen Vale she became a local scholar, writing correspondence which got her notice, particularly at the major knowledge center of Wowhead. Finances had always fascinated her as well, and she was eager to try her hand at the Auction House business." Lost's dedication and contributions earned her advancement to Guild Leader of Tea Green - with gracious acknowledgement and thanks to former Guild Leaders Daethbot and Sinstar.

Ezuh - Level 46 Horde Female Orc Shaman

First Mention - Aug 10, 2009. "Ezuh pushed through her early studies at the Orc starting zone in Durator, then in Sen'jin Village, and graduated to the small town of Razor Hill. As a mere level 10 the young shaman pushed on, visiting the big city of Orgrimmar, home of the horde king Thrall."

If Memory Serves - Ezuh is a phonetically mangled miss-spelling of a character from the movie "Clan of the Cave Bear." Laugh if you must, but I actually like that movie. Iza is the mother of Daryl Hannah's character. The name sounds like Eee-Suh.

The real Explanation - I wish I had a better explanation, but it is what it is. Maybe this is why EZ always seems so conflicted. And orcs are sort of like Neanderthals, right?

Slashedhand - Level 11 Horde Male Orc Hunter

First Mention - Feb 12, 2010. "In the brightness of a clear Friday morning, the elusive Naithipe slipped into the riotous Valentine's week crowd in Orgrimmar. The fanciful displays and the decked out in hearts players held no interest. Naithipe hunted a hunter. The hunter, Slash, had arrived in Orgrimmar the night before, staying at the Inn and enjoying the revelry of the big city. The young orc sampled the perfumes and candies, eyeing the lovely women and flexing his farm bred muscles. He partied long into the night."

If Memory Serves - Slash was useful to Naithipe, which can be a terrifying thing. I'm surprised he's still both alive and sane.

The real Explanation - I severely cut my hand on a mirror I broke at a time when Naithipe had surfaced, looking baleful and wanting some help. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking up a name for that helper, or wondering what Naithipe had in mind for him, as I didn't think he would be around that long.

Raktajina - Level 13 Alliance Female Night Elf Hunter

First Mention - Mar 14, 2010. "For the first time, after more than five years of calling Azeroth home, Wild finally rolled a female night elf hunter, by far the most common combination of race, class, and sex in all of the Alliance."

If Memory Serves - Another beverage reference. Rakta is the alliance side go-between in moving stuff through the neutral Auction House.

The real Explanation - "Raktajina means Klingon coffee in the language of that race." Rakta named her first combat pet Dargh, which is Tea in the Klingon tongue. Rakta gets titters and giggles sometimes when the meaning of her name is miss-interpreted. Doesn't everyone speak Klingon these days?

Hapless - Level 16 Horde Female Troll Druid

First Mention - Jan 03, 2011. "Wild learned through Hap, a troll druid recently added to the family, that a young druid with cat form is a pretty deadly killer."

If Memory Serves - I just had to have a troll druid so I could experience the new pre-cata transition in the new troll starting zone. I even had thoughts that Hap might take over for Happy on the Auction House. Happy nixed that idea and didn't appreciate the subtle jibe of the Happyface/Hapless comparison.

The real Explanation - I actually considered changing Happy's name to Hapless. But he fooled me, not by changing his name, but by changing himself from a troll to a goblin. Happy will do anything to get a leg up on the Auction House. Plus, he just loves his new vroom vroom cycle! So, when Happy refused to be Hapless, the "honor" went to the troll druid.

Sistaphilia - Level 19 Alliance Female Worgen Druid

First Mention - Jan 03, 2011. "Sista began her life in Gilneas City. The town was near over-run by wolf-like creatures and the townsfolk were terrified, but there was still the remnants of a city guard, and Sista was drafted to help them combat the menace. "

If Memory Serves - I spent a lot of time trying to think up a good name for a worgen druid. I figured that anything with wolf, werewolf, biting, moon, et al, would be monotonous as a million new worgen were going to have names something like that.

The real Explanation - "Sista" fits the druid culture. "Philia" has a range of generally positive meanings, such as fondness and love, but it can also have a darker side. Given what a worgen is, I thought that the multiple connotations fit. I also thought about SistaCybil - but only after Sistaphilia was already born. A worgen can walk as a human, walk upright in wolf form, walk on all fours in wolf form; and as a druid can shapeshift into a fish, cat, bear, and leopard. That's seven personalities. Cybil, I think, had ten.

2. The Sis/Lao Clan

I have a story behind all my toons. Not interesting stories, but stories none the less. All and all my names have come from books, food, or looks of the toon. I am a very simple woman.

Neekia:

This was my very first toon. She was a warrior, because at the time I thought warriors were the toughest class in anything (which may show that I have never gamed before). She got the name from a sci-fi book series that I read, and like most things in my life I messed up by misspelling the name. I don’t recall the original spelling, but the way I always heard it in my head while reading was knee-kia. It was a term of endearment for this alien race, for their females. It meant beloved one, or only one, or some such mushy thing.

Neekia was and still is a black smith and miner. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for her. She is not a very good warrior, in fact her favorite past times are fishing and cooking. But she is content with her lack of ferocity and always is willing to give it a go when I drag her out for questing.

Cerulean:

This was my second toon and she never really did get far, as in she got past level 5. She was a pally I never really got into, but I choose the name because I thought it was a very pretty one and one that it sounded like it had depth to it. And depth she has, she is very much into banking. Neekia once sent her a monocle as a gift and Cerulean always wears it; helps her examine her books and goods better. But she holds down the coffers of my toons, giving them a budget and demanding them to send any excess for her to tend to.

Almond:

Well, I would like to say that there was a good back story to the name, but as it was there was a bag of Kirkland almonds on my computer desk when I started this toon. Which she was the first of many toons that started that way. But she does have one tick with her name, and that is when people call her Almond joy. Like she has not heard that a million times, poor lass. Unbleached was an ingredient in an organic scone package that I had on my desk, but that turned out well, since she was a shadow priest vs. holy. Arnica was an in ingredient in my tree hugging deodorant.

Zadist:

Zadist was created for the name. There was, again a book series I was reading, and one kick butt guy was named Zsadist. So I figured it would be the perfect name for a sneering, egotistic, antisocial warlock (on the horde side of course) who got pleasure in melting others. Thus, after having to settle for the second spelling since the first was taken, Zadist was born. She later had to become Narcissus, due to the name being taken on her new server, which ironically served to mellow her out.

Laodike:

My new main toon was created with this name to do Erik’s instance of us naming our toons out of a David Grammell, Gramell? book series that we liked. I tried several of the names, and this was one of the only ones not taken. She was a lover of the main heroine and saved her life and sacrificed her own in the process. Tragic.

Fungi and Fungal (retired):

I was Fungal, and a beau of the time was Fungi. We were both priests, or at least I was, he might have been a warlock. We looked alike, dressed alike, did the same dungeons. We almost seem to be growing on each other we were so alike *snicker* They were our fun escape hatch that no one else knew about. Loved their names.

Misc names:

Aged, undead horde, thought it was appropriate to his looks. Jabberless, again undead, and no lower jaw, so no jabbering for him. Nina: small little gnome girl (as if when are gnomes not small).

3. The DER Clan

My names are the most simple of all! Of most of these names I have had at least two characters either named the same or very similar. The most popular name I have used though has always been Sinstar or some variation thereof; at least 10 characters created through my 5 years in the game with a Sin name variation. Very original I am…


Trazom – Lvl 40 Night elf rogue - First real toon, which is Mozart backwards. The name didn’t really fit a rogue…

Sinstar – Lvl 80 Night elf/Tauren druid - A weak attempt to win my partner over to the game of warcraft as she hated it. Needless to say, naming a character after her didn’t win her over… This was my original main that I mastered pvp with and did some end game raiding with. She has been transferred over servers multiple times and been retired. She was eventually changed into a tauren (my favorite race in game) and brought over to join in on the Wild family fun.

Trazy – Lvl 26 Human pally, just a play off of Trazom.

Nagev – Lvl 15 Orc hunter - The name had something to do with a hunters friendship with animals and something that meant a lot to me at the time of creation; being vegan as Nagev is vegan backwards…

Deathbot – Lvl 15 Undead mage - Deathbot was something that was on a line of clothing that I liked at the time. A robot that spreads death. I thought it was an awesome name for an undead mage!

Erikred – Lvl 59 Orc hunter - Named after me and the Viking hero and explorer of lore Erik the Red. This is the first character I created to join up with the Wild family to play together.

Andromache – Lvl 48 Tauren druid – The name of Hector’s (from Trojan fame) wife and also the name of the main heroine in David Gemmell’s Troy trilogy. Some of the finest books ever written and one of my favorite characters ever. I really like animals and nature and I thought bestowing the name on one of my favorite characters of literature onto a cow that worships nature would be awesome. Unfortunately I got excited when creating the character and mis-typed her name and she ended up being Andomache… So tragic…

Deaderikred – Lvl 80 Undead deathknight – The dead version of me.

KireNavillus – Lvl 22 Dwarf pally - Named after me again, but this time taken from the past. My first ever DnD character was a Dwarf warrior of the same name.

Skinnemuva – Level 59 Human Deathknight – skinnemuva is skinny mover, my semi nickname since I was about 14. Has to do with being skinny and liking dance. Basically I am just a skinny guy that moves a lot. This has become my name of use on blogs, twitter, etc, and most of my fantasy sports teams are named “skinnemuvas”.