Selecting a name for your LARP character requires thought. Photo: Aubrey Kirkham
Ask any parent, writer, or LARPer – Selecting a name is a difficult process! Whether you’re naming a child, pet, or LARP character, it’s your responsibility to provide a name that bears meaning.
Here are some things to consider when naming your LARP character.
1) Culture – Most LARPs feature different kingdoms, factions, or groups (depending upon the setting). Is your character part of a specific culture? If so, check out the game’s website. You should get some hints on how to name your character there. For example, your character’s culture might be modeled after a real-life one. If you wanted to play a character from an Asian-inspired culture, you could research real-life names from an Asian culture.
2) Keep it Simple – When it came time to develop a key character for a game, my friend Tina selected the name “Annie.” Tina explained that Annie has a more eloquent formal name and several titles, but this name is something easy for people to remember. Furthermore, it’s a personable name and she wanted the character to be approachable. Want a simple name? Consider these qualities:
• Pick something common, but short for something much more meaningful or elaborate
• Use a title or profession as an actual name
• Select a one-syllable name
• Choose something that is easy to pronounce
3) Choose Something Unique – Most people wouldn’t name a child something too outlandish–but this isn’t a real-world scenario, this is a LARP. Furthermore, you don’t want to duplicate other characters or game elements. If “Ivy” is also a spell, it wouldn’t be wise to name your character “Ivy.”
A great example of a LARP character name that embodies all of these qualities is “Sir Den-gar,” the LARP moniker selected by a character in Justin Calderone’s novel “LARP: The Battle for Verona.”
What are the best LARP character names you have come up with or encountered? Let us know in the comments!
About the Author: Tara M. Clapper is a full-time freelance writer living in the Philadelphia area. A geek culture maven, she enjoys LARPing at Seventh Kingdom IGE based in New Jersey. Tara writes for multiple print and online outlets, including multiple Yahoo! Properties and Sweet on Geek.
5 Comments
It gets easier the more characters you name.
This year I was: Luc, Rene, Slaven, Kain, Vjenceslav, Nikto, Bogdan and Franjo. Fun times.
Or you could just see what color shirt you are wearing when you are building your character. NOT THAT I KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. *innocent whistle*
True 🙂
Here are some of my old
Ragner
Sigmund
Gudmund
Kva Ja
Feral Kalkatan – Archmage
Slashlack – Orc shaman
Toke Orckiller -Human barbarian (died in duel with orc’s)
Tobias Kettle -inn keeper
Tim the Amazing – quack doctor and alchemist
i am a viking..so what is a good name for a viking??
korgen im a hobbit and im henin