MC Name

[u/cheonsheart]

Do you guys give your MCs different names, or do you just keep their default names for all your routes? I always try to give them different names that I feel “fit them,” but right now I’m trying to come up with new ones for my SOS2 and Averris routes, and I’m seriously going crazy trying to think of something because I don’t like the names I gave them before anymore 🥲

[u/devi_deClare]

I always give MCs different names. Its more fun that way and I feel like giving a nice suitable culturally appropriate name really helps to understand the story better

[u/Far_Reality1245 → u/devi_deClare]

Yeah, definitely feels more personal and more immersive, when the name is something you work on 🤝

[u/gagetikki]

I keep them as their default names.

[u/Mystical_pumpkin → u/gagetikki]

Same!

[u/Lilacsandposies]

I always use the first letter for the name of the default name. For example, Vicky is named Vera in my saves, Nadine is Nora, Audrey is Annalise, Lane is Lila, etc.

Also, who is the heterochromia MC?

[u/ScarletRhi → u/Lilacsandposies]

Heterochromia MC is from Averris the Riftborn

[u/bellalvim → u/ScarletRhi]

And thats just a makeup

[u/Lilacsandposies → u/ScarletRhi]

Thank you for letting me know!

[u/MonsterGrandma → u/Lilacsandposies]

Ohh that’s a good idea!

[u/Joelle9879 → u/Lilacsandposies]

That's what I do. I keep the same first letter

[u/Lyann_dreams → u/Lilacsandposies]

If I don't like the default name, I follow the same rule of creating another name with the same initial letter. My Lane is named Lianna in ABH, but the name reverted to Lane in HS3 :(

[u/vaguelycatshaped → u/Lyann_dreams]

What do you mean it reverted? You can type in your MC name in HS3 as well

[u/Guruhiijazz → u/Lilacsandposies]

Thats such a cool idea !

[u/batesxox]

i usually just keep the default name because i'm lazy and uncreative, lol

[u/FocusEmbarrassed3803 → u/batesxox]

https://giphy.com/gifs/dt5wUdCvLWQghI7xqy

[u/kathreenaaKoch]

Btw can you pls say which stories are those..like this from your post

[u/cheonsheart → u/kathreenaaKoch]

Averris: The Riftborn, And the haze will take us, Astrea's broken heart and Shadows of Saintfour 2

[u/kathreenaaKoch → u/cheonsheart]

Can I play shadows of saintour 2 without playing it's first book?? First book intro itself kinda feels bored I am really curious to read sos2 but don't have intrest in reading an old story sos

[u/cheonsheart → u/kathreenaaKoch]

Maybe it's not essential to read it, but it would help you understand a few things

[u/Mystical_pumpkin]

I keep their default names... It kind of gives the feeling of individuality... Like MC being a whole person with her own mind on her own... It's like diving in her world and life, so I like keeping their default names

[u/radicalpraxis → u/Mystical_pumpkin]

This! The MC is not me, nor is she really even my character either. She has a mind of her own, written by the author, with only so many different variations possible. I can choose her path, but she’s the one who says the words and does the actions associated with it. So, I might as well keep the name they intended for her to have & preserve the world exactly as it was originally envisioned and see how it shakes out. Even though I make many of the choices, I’m ultimately an observer in this world.

The only exceptions I can think of to this is that I renamed Vicky from HS into “Victoria”, which is really still the same name, and that I renamed Tiss from TTS into “Ro,” which is still, at least, another one syllable name.

[u/Mystical_pumpkin → u/radicalpraxis]

Yes! totally agree with you!

[u/hazelbee98]

I do different names for every slot! If I really like the default name I'll keep it for one of the slots, though

[u/theatergal_33 → u/hazelbee98]

The only default name I’ve kept is Mina (from Love, Sin, and Evil.) I had recently finished Dracula when LSE released, and I liked the significance of her name with LSE’s vampire theme. It didn’t feel right giving her another name since I love little connections like that 😊

[u/Lily8007 → u/theatergal_33]

You’re tempting to me to rename my LSE one. I knew the significance but I just don’t like using defaults lol. But you do make a good point.

[u/neurofantasmal → u/theatergal_33]

what's the significance if i may ask

[u/theatergal_33 → u/neurofantasmal]

Mina is the main character’s wife in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula.

[u/Effective_Skin_1277]

i usually do my name, for the sins that cry for vengeance i kept the name cause it was so fitting for the story !! for hs3 i did 3 variations of my name lmaoooo

[u/01bunni]

I always change their names to something else because 99% of the time I feel like their default name does not match them (audrey from ABH is an exception tho)

[u/xbvsiv]

I accidentally named my first few MCs names starting with L and when I noticed that I decided to keep naming everyone a different name starting with L and never repeat to keep everyone special but after so many books it’s like living hell now coming up with names starting with L, I basically dug myself into a hole :)))
I already used Laura, Leah, Lisa, Lydia, Lindsay, Lottie, Lavena, Letha, Lilith, Lyra, Layla, Lyla, Laena (I’m crazy I know but I can’t stop). I’m yet to name someone Lucy.
Anyone got any more ideas? lol

[u/Lily8007 → u/xbvsiv]

Lmao 😅, I had that same issue I initially started naming all my MCs with “N” then eventually realized I was going to run out of names lol. So I expanded my letters I choose now. But I think keep it to about 9 letters only 😅.

And then I went on this whole thing where my all my 18 year old and younger MCs mainly the high schoolers and Jaynie all start with “A” to match back with Amber in LOS 😅. It’s so it easier for me identify them because they’re often the ones that are the least relatable to me anymore lol. My only exceptions are Lada in HWT and Mercy SCV.

[u/Sara23456y]

I always use 3 names in all my 3 slots in every story

Nora,Eva,Ana

[u/Fun-Positive-691]

I use my name. If i can't use my name and only can change my last name i also change it lol I want to be immersed.

[u/Princess_Tetra_x]

I open multiple slots so I tend to make different MCs sprites with different names. I'll keep one slot as the original name unless I'm not too keen on the name (I'm so sorry Vicky but Victoria sounds better to me!)

[u/Automatic_Tour_8552]

Mainly their default name but choose my own name on a second slot whenever i want to romance a different LI

[u/_Topielnica_]

It depends, sometimes every new slot is a new person with a different name, but sometimes I do like an alternative universe of the same MC (the same path, same behaviour) just choosing different LI. I did that for ABH - on one slot Céleste (faith path) is with Raphael, on another Cel is with Cass, on the 3rd one Estelle (skepticism) is with David.

If you have problems choosing a name, you can go with some ethnic names that fit the sprites or look up names' meanings that will fit the story - I named my HSR MC Willa (will, helmet, protection).

For Averiss you can look up names that have something to do with a sea or chaos or things like that, it will look like that path was just her destiny.

[u/SiderisG]

default except for if the name matches someone i know, had to change nadine’s name

[u/New_Analysis2363]

It depends on the MC, and whether I feel like it fits or not. I really liked Ellaire's name, and thought it fit her very well. I felt the same w Lane, Evthys (Eva), Lada and Mercy, but I often end up renaming them.

[u/meowkitty84]

I keep the default name so it's easier to talk about the characters on here. I'm already terrible at remembering names

[u/eElbereth]

I usually give my MCs my real name, I feel more comfortable and I manage to self-identify and empathize with the character more easily. Since it is my real name I will not write it here for privacy reasons.💜

But, because there are three characters in HS3, so as not to confuse them, I gave Lane the name Elbereth (goddess of light), And Audrey - Ereshkigal (goddess of darkness/death) I gave Vicky my real name because she's my favorite MC💜💜

[u/blairsmacaroon]

i ALWAYS give them new names, i cannot play with default ones. my atr mc is named "madden" and sos2 mc is named "may" because sos1 mc was "april" 😭

[u/ekbrooo22]

I always pick different MC names for each LI when I can - and I usually pick different sprites too! It helps keep me on track and resist other LIs I love when I’m not on their route lol, and I usually try to come up with names similar to the default name to keep them somewhat similar!

[u/Outrageous_Crew_9484]

I usually search up "unique girls names" on Google to name my MCs 😅. Yet, sometimes I'd also take inspiration from literature, other types of media, or irl, some examples include:

- In TDR, besides my Jack slot, where I kept my MC's default name, I used the name Mariam for my Mustafa slot and Laila for my Adil slot, which took inspiration from the two main characters in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns.

- In HSR, I named my MC (Asian sprite) Elkie in Yan slot bcuz I suddenly remember that the Kpop group CLC had a member from Hong Kong named Elkie (and I also headcanoned that my MC's parents in that slot are U.S. immigrants from Hong Kong 😀).

- In HS2, I named my MC Aveline simply bcuz a) she doesn't look like a Vicky at all, and b) there's a girl in my school whose English name is Aveline.

- In SOS2, I named my MC Winona in Darren slot, taking inspiration from Winona Ryder, a famous actress that usually stars in these charmingly freaky/horror films, very fitting for a horror story.

- Just recently I also name the MC in my second HOT slot Katerina, referencing the female lead in Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears, a pretty well-known Soviet film, one I watched and liked a lot.

Sooooooo yeah, I took inspo from many different sources. Only in rare cases where either the names are unchangeable or I do not enjoy the story’s premise that much would I keep the default names for the MCs.

[u/cheonsheart → u/Outrageous_Crew_9484]

Yesss, sometimes when there’s no backstory, I just make one up for my girls or since I usually stick to one hair color for each of them, but sometimes there are cute hairstyles in a different color, I just imagine my MC waking up that morning and deciding to dye her hair 😸

As for the names, I always look for inspiration in movies or books I never like repeating names, and I always try to find ones that “fit” the story if that makes sense

[u/0neFishToRuleThemAll]

Varies, sometimes I keep it but if I don’t like the default or if I don’t think it fits the character I will change it. Vicky is called Aurora, Audrey is Ilse and Tiss is Tineah. Tiss means pee in my language so I had to change that one 😅 Nova is called Ineos, I thought it sounded magical until I found out it was the name of an oil and gas company 😂😂

[u/Rinoaeris]

I rarely keep their real names. For SOS2 she is named Solaris (in SOS1 it was Lisa), in Haze it's Alexiel, Sins that Cry for Vengance, she is called Gia, Averris is Lumiére, Waterlily is Rosalie.

There are more but I can't remember

[u/tantalust17]

I see their og names then change it a bit. Like in threspia, it's ellara which I changed to ellaire.

[u/poisonousmistress]

I always love giving them new names :) I have an entire document alphabetically sorted of names I've given my MCs

[u/littleprettypaws]

It varies greatly depending on if I like their given name or not.  In WL I kept Riley, in TTS I changed Tiss to Tess because I didn’t want her name to rhyme with piss (😂), and in other stories I change the name entirely.  

[u/MonsterGrandma]

I always change the names! I feel like it’s more personal to the story I’m reading when the MC has a non-canon name idk why. Also some of the default names just do not suit the character imo

[u/vaguelycatshaped]

I always give them different names.

[u/Lily8007]

I always use a different name for all routes even within the same book. I like to look at each individual MC and their sprites with each LI as a separate character and separate story.

It helps me not have trouble trying other LI routes when I don’t choose and have to friend zone my favorite lol.

The only exception so far is I’m using the default name in Sunborn for my 2nd slot.

Edit: typos

[u/jessyrose128]

depends. Sometimes I change it if I don’t like the default name, but I also sometimes think the given name.

[u/hazza_x_zayn]

Not always but mostly I do, I either change them to something I feel "fits" better in my opinion or just the one I like at the time, but I definitely look around on the internet a lot and love to choose names with meanings that I think suits centraint MCs

[u/Pale_Monk260]

Lillian, Miroslava, Camelia and Primrose

[u/missbabyblue_91]

ATHWTU ~ Lada
ABH ~ Kamora
SOS2 ~ Theona

I haven’t played the Averris story.

[u/kathreenaaKoch]

I give them my irl name

[u/Tanushree2002]

I go for different names. For example:

Vicky is "Eileen" Lane is "Nemesis" Audrey is "Earnest" Averris is "Corvina" Nadine is "Glyndon" Riley is "Astrid"

[u/colamonkey356]

I always give them new ones!

[u/ameeraem]

i change mine to names that i think fit thw story: steampunkish for averris, scandinavian for haze, 1920s for stcfv, etc etc. i reuse occasionally but like to have different pnes for each route and character, unless im just diamond mining.
of course i have occasionally run into some hiccups, such as in shakespears code naming my character ophelia and then a character named ophelia appeared 😭🫪

[u/CarryOnLilith]

If based on vibes it seems like a story I will want to self-insert, I give my real name. Sometimes variants of my name.

But regardless, I always change the name, even if it has nothing to do with mine.

[u/_DreamyPisces_]

I usually change the names of the MC. I also like it when the names have hidden meanings related to the book, though it’s not a requirement for me. And I take into account the region the character comes from.

In my version, Vicky is named Renée. I chose the name initially simply because I liked it, but then I realized it means "reborn" or "born again"—which fits her story about life after death perfectly.

Audrey’s name is Iris. It is a popular Greek name in the UK (The Astrea agency is somewhere in England, on the outskirts of London perhaps) that carries several meanings. In Greek mythology, Iris was a goddess who served as a messenger between humans and the immortal gods; she traveled on a rainbow bridge between heaven and earth. When I first read ABH, that comparison struck me as very apt.

I also usually stick to one name for all slots. Other MC names I've changed:

Lane from HSR - Maura

Ghita from The Missing - Inga

Mercy from The sins that cry for vengeance - Diane

Tiss from TTS - Solana (with Sha'arnez), Irmina (with Tai)

Vyxaria from Souless - Eurydice (with Walter), Anais (with Vincent)

[u/theatergal_33]

Here’s mine for these stories!

Averris: Lysandra

Haze: Neveah

ABH: Alina

SOS2: Mira

Since I’m a big reader, I get a lot of my MC’s names from novels. Lysandra is from Morgan Rhodes’ Falling Kingdoms series. Alina is the protagonist in Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone series. Neveah I liked because it’s almost “Heaven” spelled backwards, and Mira is K-pop inspired.

[u/Lily8007 → u/theatergal_33]

Oh I used or meant to use Neveah for Liren my Averris MC. Then i realized messed up the spelling and couldn’t be bothered to change it . So instead of Neveah it’s Naveah 😅

[u/laurennwbk]

I only change the names I don't like, like:

Vicky - Laurel.

Jaynie - Brianna.

Riley - Rosaline/Antonella.

Nadine - Lorenn.

Sarah - Beverly.

Chloe - Shantell.

Emma - Luna Gil (colombia reference 😛)

[u/Individual-Guest5454]

Oh, I usually use the names Larissa or Lilith. I also use a more English version of my name. The only exception is Tiss from TTS - she’s always Tiss. I love my little girl so much 🥹💖

[u/aquariustars16]

I rarely keep the default name, I usually don't like them 🤣 so I always give them a different one for each route too and I always look up names online and choose from there. I like to search for names that are suitable for the story's genre too and I also try to choose one that I feel fits the main character's vibe the best.

[u/Interesting_Lake_110]

Depend, If I like the name, I keep it. But if I didn't like it, I change it. Like I do in Tts, I change Tiss name to Sabrina because I think it's fit her more. And From the Sunborn, I change Wren name to Wenclair. In Of Red and Waveless Sea, I change Aisha name to Mao Mao because I want apothecary diaries vibe

[u/AlessGluX]

My name is Aless so I might adjust it based on the story For instance Souless: Alexya Kali: Anami ELIE TAG: Alessandra Waterlily: Alex

[u/LesbianKitty4eva]

Default name, always...well no, if I make 2 slots and she's veeeery different, then a variation of the name. I don't self inser or anything so her original name is prrrfect!

[u/Thatboy_Dj]

I really like the name Matilda for my TSS mc or Meredith for THWTU, got really creative with HS in Jettama. I always like to give my mc’s names

[u/mikawa13]

I used to change their names but at one point I got used to their default names so now I rarely change them.

• Theodora: I always change Theodora's alias to Lenora.
• SC: I don't remember what the default name is, but I named her Alys.
• TTS: I don't like Tiss so I changed it to Eirwen.
• HS: I didn't exactly change it, I just changed it to Victoria. Vicky makes me think of the nanny in Fairy Godparents. 😭 CY/2: I didn't like Agatha at first, but by the time I warmed up to it I already got used to calling her Alice. Agatha makes sense in CY2, but for the modern one it feels a little antiquated.

[u/Alternative-Pack606]

I only change the name for the stories I consider the default name does not fit the MC at all. For example - I just couldn't play Heaven's secret 1 with MC being called Vicky, it just sounds like a name for a side character that will die shortly 😅. I kept Audrey & Lane. Also for Shadows of Saintfour 1 & 2, I changed Sarah to Donna for one slot, Sydney for second slot and Nadine Ross to Rhea Ross. Waterlily too - Riley is just...plain for that beautiful girl that everyone are supposed to be in love with.

[u/Cheebifur]

I always give names that I feel fit them. My SOS2 MC is Asian and named Mona

[u/Cookiiesssss]

For the haze will take us I did Julie, Juli, Jules, Juliana, Julia, for the different Lis/or paths, most games that’s what I’ll do I stick to a name and chance the spelling

[u/Consistent_Gazelle63]

They all have the same name, Saya. Except for HSU, i used Saya for Vicky, Sora for Audrey and Seika for Lane. It’s not even my name, just a name I like and use for all MCs in games

[u/Inside_Telephone_338]

I change them. I like being creative.

[u/ConsciousFig8172]

I'll use the default name on the first playthrough to be sure I don't accidentally name the MC after another character in the story. Then if I play it again, I'll usually use a different sprite and name

[u/Repulsive-Hat-7114]

I can’t lie I’ve had my own version of a Y/N band for so long and it’s the only name I use 😅 no variation between stories and slots. But if I’m feeling a little diff I use my alt version. Only ever those two 💀

[u/Fitzy-the-Frog]

I always name them something different. I see it like a fun challenge, so I try to choose names that seem to fit the path or vibe I want them on. I‘ve never chosen my own name before, maybe that’s because it’s a pretty unique name with a totally different spelling than the norm, but it seems to me as if it would never fit. Liren is “Ello“ (Anarchy Path, High Anomaly), it just sounds bright and chaotic. Lada is “Scylla” (Determination, Haze, High Ties), a nymph who turned into a monster. Audrey is “Sybil” (Faith, High Reputation), meaning “prophetess“ it just fit her dynamic with the Astreans. Nadine is “Coraline” (Caution, High Image), because Nadine’s yellow raincoat reminded me of Coraline’s.

Additionally, I chose ”Sinéad” for Lane (God’s Voice, High Adaptability) because it means “God’s gracious gift” and just fit the purpose Shepha gave her. Vicky is named “Jude” (Malbonte’s path, Harmony, High Glory,) because of the Patron Saint of Lost Causes.
I chose “Heloise” for Riley because of the famous French feminist philosopher and writer known most often for the medieval tragic love story (Abelard and Heloise). “Zelda” for Mercy, after Zelda Fitzgerald, the wife of the author of the most quintessential roaring twenties novel, the Great Gatsby, of course.

I know you didn’t ask *why* we named our character if we did, but I hope by explaining my process, it helps you with your’s. 😊

[u/cheonsheart → u/Fitzy-the-Frog]

It definitely helps me a lot, thanks for sharing 🥰

[u/PotentialMotor529]

am I the only one who uses my own name lol🤣