XY Playable Character vs. Personal Character

Drohn

Drohn

Wild War Dance
Member
I've seen many players present themselves in different ways when playing Pokémon. There are players that use their own name, the playable character´s name, original names (self-picked and not based on anything or anyone), or names based on other characters. This is also closely tied to gender and customisation; there are those who make full use of the features to change appearance and those who don't care about it.

I have personally most often played the game with the name of the character (although in generation 1 I used Ash instead of Red the first times, because I thought that was his name :p). On the Internet and everywhere else I always use my real name, "Drohn"; I find it weird if people call me by something that isn't my own name, but when playing Pokémon I like it better to use the actual character to make it seem more "canon" and it's something I've grown used to since I played the game for the first time. I played through Pokémon Y once with my real name, but in the second (and current) playthrough I'm using Calem. I've always used the male character and didn't try out customisation. I probably would have given the latter a shot if it was for free in-game, but I would have gone back to the original eventually.

What do you base your character on and do you customise them when possible?
 
I always name my player Emerald, because it sounds cool and that's what I named my first player. Except in Red, because Red should always be Red.
 
I started in gen 1! I always named my player: Ash! As you know Drohn here in the Netherlands the Anime was first and far more populair then the game. So I was sure that de person in de game was Ash. I always tried to built is team. (Catch Pikachu in the forest and stuff) From the later gens I used "Mitch". That is the nickname of my realname Mitchell. I used Mitch because Mitchell never fits.

Since gen 6 we have enough letters and Mitchell fits so I am using Mitchell in my X and Y. But on my YouTube channel were my name is ChesterTMWAC (My gamer tag) so in my pokemon nuzlockes there I use Chester.
 
In Pokémon (and all other games that allow you to name one or more characters), I always use a stage name, though which name(s) I use depends on my mood. If it's just one character and it's allowed to be female, and it's my first playthrough, it'll typically be some variation on an online name of mine though I've never used Athena (or Artemis!) so far. "Mana" was my old go-to (and my old username on the now-defunct AA), followed by "Kirie", which is still a name I use online at most non-PokéBeach sites. For later playthroughs (and also for other, non-Pokémon games that allow you to name more than one character), I'll typically pull names from other franchises I like, or whatever strikes my mood.

It's funny, though, because no matter what, I never use the pre-assigned names if I can help it, and I'll never use my own name, either. Both would serve to hinder my immersion in the game, plus it's just a boring choice in my opinion. I already hear my name several times a day, so I don't need to read it in a video game, and using the pre-given names just feels so generic.
 
I generally use my own name. Not because of immersion, but because I'm unoriginal. Lately, I've been using random names (I believe my character's name is James in Black atm. This is weird, because I don't know anyone named James). Sometimes, if I decide to bend myself, I take my alternate gender name of Taylor. I don't have to think of anything, and it gives me an excuse to slap any of my friends who don't bend.
 
I just kind of use a random named based on whatever I feel like. There is no real common pattern except ever since Crystal my character has been female. Not that, in the case of Pokemon, that gender makes that much of a difference.
 
I try to give all my PCs a different name, so I can remember from where I got certain Pokemon when I transfer them up. I've used my name, names I use for tabletop RPG characters, anime character names sometimes ... heck, sometimes I just go 'Y'know, this guy/gal looks like a (Name) to me'. I think, since I like the female PC design moreso than the male's in ORAS, I'm going to pick the female and name her 'Rose'.
 
Ever since DP I used Tyson as my name because I think its a nice name and it beats having to sit there trying to think of a cooler one. However, I may not do this anymore, especially if I get more into the competitive scene. A while back, I was at a TCG challenge or whatever and afterwards I battled someone in XY. They assumed my name was Tyson because it wasn't too out of this world and that's all he had to go by. So I may start using my real name or the name of the character from now on to prevent this from happening. I like it when people recognize me, and not just the name I go by.
 
I used to just put my name but after some games I wanted to feel like I am playing different characters so here is the short list:

Kenta from Black - I took the japanese name of Jimmy from the Raicku special
Sirius from Black 2 - My favorite character from Harry Potter books
Joey from Y - I took the name from my favorite character in Friends
Korina from X - I decided to go with a female character so I tried to convert my real name into a female name ( Ori - Korina )

And now that I got both Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby I decided to go with a boy for AS and a girl for OR. I called the boy Kyle ( Kyogre ) and the girl Grace ( Groudon )
 
I always name my characters Gaby or Gabriel after myself. I can get away with picking either character because the name is gender neutral.
Although back when i played Fire red i named Red Zack but i don't remember why.
 
ChesterTMWAC said:
I started in gen 1! I always named my player: Ash! As you know Drohn here in the Netherlands the Anime was first and far more populair then the game. So I was sure that de person in de game was Ash. I always tried to built is team. (Catch Pikachu in the forest and stuff) From the later gens I used "Mitch". That is the nickname of my realname Mitchell. I used Mitch because Mitchell never fits.

Since gen 6 we have enough letters and Mitchell fits so I am using Mitchell in my X and Y. But on my YouTube channel were my name is ChesterTMWAC (My gamer tag) so in my pokemon nuzlockes there I use Chester.
Click to expand...

Why hello there, fellow name-is-more-than-seven!

As a kid I really liked the name Jack. Don't know why, but I did. (Don't actually care for it now; not in my games, anyways) When I got Diamond I wanted to use my real name, but it wouldn't fit. My dad suggested that I use Crdavis, my initials. I ran with that for Diamond and Platinum. When I got Black I used Chris, a nickname. Same for Black 2. And then X came out. Now, X had shortcomings in the end (imo) but my face lit up when I saw all the space for typing your name. I pressed C, then h, ri, st, i, I CAN STILL FIT AN, YES! When and if I ever pick up Alpha Sapphire I'll use Christian there as well. I love to actually use my name, and I think it's mostly just because it's so rare to be able to do so. Completely fine with Chris, but when you can use the full thing it feels like a little victory.










oh and then there was LeafGreen where I used the female and named her Jessica. Still love that name.
 
Pokemon games are the only ones I can think of at the moment where I use my real name because the protagonists are silent and act more as avatars for yourself rather than their own characters. Although this isn't the case when I feel like doing a themed playthrough like my Fire Emblem Awakening themed Nuzlocke of Y with the pc being Lucina. I would do the same for other games with a silent protagonist, but the only ones I've played besides Pokemon are Zelda, where anything besides Link just feels wrong. Every other game I've played where I get to choose a name for my character has been in a sci-fi or fantasy setting so it would be pretty weird to have a person named Nick running around.
 
I use my real name, or my forums name. For the sake of being easier recognized at events or on BS.

Themed play through, I tend to always use Ash, or Gary. I'll also either capture a Pikachu or evolve Growlithe for Arcanine. Staying on the theme of the original series.
 
When I first started playing I used "AAAAAAA" as a name because I didn't know how to change to a different letter.

Nowadays I name them based off of food. My ORAS character name is Strawberry.
 
In the first few games I played I used my real name. After that I started naming the playable character after characters from my comic/game projects, which I still do.
 
My name is Rui, which I don't like AND I tend to choose the FEMC(exceptions are Pearl, HG and Black X and AS), back when there were no genders I always named them after the version I was playing.

So:

Crystal: Felicia
Sapphire: Liliane
Ruby: Mayara
Emerald: Amy
Diamond: Sophie
Pearl: Ness
Platinum: Sophie
HG: Starboy
SS: Audrey
Black: Ness
White: Sophie
B2: Usagi
W2: (own it but haven't played)
Y: Amélie
X: Kaworu
AS: Haiku
 
In the first few games, I'd pick names I thought were cool, like "Chris" or "Alex" or something... Pretty awful in retrospect. I usually name the trainers with clever names nowadays though. Something that integrates with the NPC's lines or something like "buttplant". So mature.
 
In Pokemon Silver i named my character after the game 'Silver' and my Rival as Gold.
Now i just use my name, i call my rival Tyrone though.
"Shit tyrone"
 
I always customize them.

Though when I first got Red version I kinda liked the name Brock and named my trainer Brock. Then regretted it when I found out about Brock. I literally sat there going "??? I'm a gym leader? What's a gym leader"
 
My very first game was Ruby, and I used my real name until SoulSilver. The only exception was Fire Red, in which I used Ash (for the same reason as Drohn). Starting from B/W, I started using Regi as my name, because it almost all of my friends now call me Regi (You can probably guess why :p).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top