Naming Children

[The Kingmaker]

In short, I want to have some control over what my character's children are named in CK2. I disliked how my kings would always have kids with absurd names in CK1.

However, one caveat: I don't necessarily want a "fill-in-the-blank" name option either, because that would lead to all sorts of absurdity. Maybe a choice between some of the family's dynastic names along with some of the deviations that were known to happen every now and then?

 

[Calgacus]

Being able to name your own children would be a very small thing that would make the game very much more fun. I would be very surprised if this wasn't done. I'd imagine it would be something like city-naming in Civ4: you found a city, and default name displays in a text form. You found the city by that name by default, but you are able to change the name if you want.

I imagine that for general naming, they are not going to introduce cross-cultural dynasty naming lists (which is, ideally, what they should do). However, in lieu [or in addition to that if possible] it would be nice if the game selected names based on family precedent. This might though be a lot of effort to program for the starting scenarios, but having the mechanism itself would be better than nothing.

 

[LordofSaxony]

In my personal letters thread a while back (links in the sig if you are curious) I wanted something like this, which may be something you would like as well.

 

[The Kingmaker]

Being able to name your own children would be a very small thing that would make the game very much more fun. I would be very surprised if this wasn't done. I'd imagine it would be something like city-naming in Civ4: you found a city, and default name displays in a text form. You found the city by that name by default, but you are able to change the name if you want.

I imagine that for general naming, they are not going to introduce cross-cultural dynasty naming lists (which is, ideally, what they should do). However, in lieu [or in addition to that if possible] it would be nice if the game selected names based on family precedent. This might though be a lot of effort to program for the starting scenarios, but having the mechanism itself would be better than nothing.

I concur.

I really think the small ability to participate in the naming of children will give the player a much greater sense of ownership and immersion in the game. They've named these children -- they're actively choosing how they'll grow up. In addition, giving the player a choice in the naming of children makes the player more likely to remember, personalize and roleplay the kids. Then the players take over for the next generation, playing as the children they named.

 

[Alfredian]

If you are choosing the name you should be able to choose which of the parents cultures the child will follow. This is really just part of their upbringing, like choosing the sort of education they will have.

 

[Raczynski]

If you are choosing the name you should be able to choose which of the parents cultures the child will follow. This is really just part of their upbringing, like choosing the sort of education they will have.

I say culture is something personal that shouldn't depend on player. It would be like picking traits for you characters.

 

[Drachenfire]

I'd be happy with the ai suggesting a name, but then I as the player have the option to change it myself.

Also, later prehaps chose a regnal name for the kid who becomes ruler.

 

[Ruwaard]

I say culture is something personal that shouldn't depend on player. It would be like picking traits for you characters.

I agree, I welcome the ability to choose the names of children, but choosing culture IMHO would be wrong. At least have a short list with family names (from the father's side and mother's side of the family) and popular local regnal names. Marrying a foreign princess could introduce local forms of a name, which is popular in her native country. And with more rulers adapting such a name, it should become more popular over time.

 

[The Kingmaker]

I agree, I welcome the ability to choose the names of children, but choosing culture IMHO would be wrong. At least have a short list with family names (from the father's side and mother's side of the family) and popular local regnal names. Marrying a foreign princess could introduce local forms of a name, which is popular in her native country. And with more rulers adapting such a name, it should become more popular over time.

It should also be possible to have names travel across cultures, provided they are close enough, such as a Norman ruler with a Saxon name (like Edward) and so forth.

 

[monsterfurby]

I agree, naming your children should be in. If not, that won't be a big loss, but it would just be nice to have for the sake of it. Also it does not rule out the letter system (which, by the way, I find amazing), as you could just have a text box on such a letter to enter an alternative name.

 

[LordofSaxony]

I would like the multiple choice option.

A) Is the fathers/mothers name of child
B) Random name
C) Random name
D) Random name

If the option is there to name a child to whatever you want, that's great, but I would prefer it to meet us half way instead, as with the multiple choice option. Otherwise it would feel too flexible if we could name our child to whatever we want, as strange as that sounds.

 

[Ruwaard]

I would like the multiple choice option.

A) Is the fathers/mothers name of child
B) Random name
C) Random name
D) Random name

If the option is there to name a child to whatever you want, that's great, but I would prefer it to meet us half way instead, as with the multiple choice option. Otherwise it would feel too flexible if we could name our child to whatever we want, as strange as that sounds.

Option A) IMHO should also include the names of the grandparents (and other 'legendary' members of both families).

 

[Boblof]

I don't quite understand the aversion towards just writing a name into a blank, surely if someone decides to name their kid "Numa Numa" that is their problem? I would much prefer to have unrestricted control in that respect. Being able, playing as an Yngling or something, to name my firstborn something like Aun or Adils I think would be totally awsome but not a possibility that I expect paradox to realise for me.

Give us the option to name the kid ourselves.

 

[LordofSaxony]

I don't quite understand the aversion towards just writing a name into a blank, surely if someone decides to name their kid "Numa Numa" that is their problem? I would much prefer to have unrestricted control in that respect. Being able, playing as an Yngling or something, to name my firstborn something like Aun or Adils I think would be totally awsome but not a possibility that I expect paradox to realise for me.

Give us the option to name the kid ourselves.

It's preference. I'm not saying "don't do it yourself", but I would like a multiple choice option. How about this?

A) Is the fathers/mothers name of child
B) Random name
C) Random name
D) Random name
E) Write your own

Better?

 

[geiseric]

It's preference. I'm not saying "don't do it yourself", but I would like a multiple choice option. How about this?

A) Is the fathers/mothers name of child
B) Random name
C) Random name
D) Random name
E) Write your own

Better?

I like this way best, I would love to be able to name my own heir to the roman throne, the names I like rarely get chosen anyway in CK.

 

[Ograv]

I really love these ideas!
So:

A) The fathers or mothers name
B) Random name, taken from the child's grandparents, uncles, etc.
C) Random name, taken from the child's culture
D) Random name, taken from the culture of the capital in the court (doesn't influence the kid's culture, only name, and of course no Arab/Turkish names for christians and the other way around. No Hasan de Hauteville popping up in my crusader state, please).
E) Write your own

I'd really love a system like this. The AI could hopefully use it too. So if Alphonso, King of Leon, inherits Castille and manages a reconquista, we'd see his name being used a lot by the next kings. I'm no historian, but a system like this seems historically plausible to me. After all, the French throne counted 27 kings named Louis or Charles , unless I'm mistaken.

Also, I really want to be able to name my own children ingame. If I want to bring the name Alexios into the Komnenos family without waiting for a century or two, why not? This system would give those of us that care the tools to customize things to our taste, and those that don't care an easy way to name their kids somewhat realistically (or a long line of kings named Numa Numa, and why not if they want to).

 

[The Kingmaker]

I really love these ideas! ...
A) The fathers or mothers name
B) Random name, taken from the child's grandparents, uncles, etc.
C) Random name, taken from the child's culture
D) Random name, taken from the culture of the capital in the court (doesn't influence the kid's culture, only name, and of course no Arab/Turkish names for christians and the other way around. No Hasan de Hauteville popping up in my crusader state, please).
E) Write your own

I'd really love a system like this. The AI could hopefully use it too. ...

This system would give those of us that care the tools to customize things to our taste, and those that don't care an easy way to name their kids somewhat realistically (or a long line of kings named Numa Numa, and why not if they want to).

Yes. I would only be averse if the fill-in-the-blank was the only option. If that were the case, players would have to choose names from nothing, rather than having several viable choices presented to them first.

And here's a fun potential example using a modified version of the above system:

Henry II, the (Angevin/Norman) King of England has had a son! Here are the choices presented to the player:

A. Henry (his own name; paternal side of the family)
B. William (his father-in-law's name; maternal side of the family)
C. Richard (random name from either parent's culture)
D. Edward (random name from culture of regions ruled)
E. Write your own

The Player selects "Henry." A few years later, another son is born. Here are the new choices:

A. Geoffrey (his father's name; paternal)
B. William (his father-in-law's name; maternal)
C. Richard (random name from either parent's culture)
D. Edward (random name from culture of regions ruled)
E. Write your own

The Player selects "Richard." A few years later, another son is born. Here are the new choices:

A. Geoffrey (his father's name; paternal)
B. William (his father-in-law's name; maternal)
C. Robert (random name from either parent's culture)
D. Edward (random name from culture of regions ruled)
E. Write your own

The Player selects "Geoffrey." A few years later, yet another son is born. Here are the new choices:

A. Fulk (his grandfather's name; paternal)
B. William (his father-in-law's name; maternal)
C. Robert (random name from either parent's culture)
D. Edward (random name from culture of regions ruled)
E. Write your own

The Player selects "Write your own" and writes in "John."

 

[Veldmaarschalk]

In the game probably at least a 1,000 children will be born every year so each time one gets born the game has to check the name of relatives to see which name has to be chosen. This will most likely result in serious performance issues.

You can of course say, disable this for the AI, but then the whole point of the 'immersion' goes away since then you will still get Pierre Capet king of France or Waleran de Normandie king of England.

 

[Duuk]

I don't quite understand the aversion towards just writing a name into a blank, surely if someone decides to name their kid "Numa Numa" that is their problem? I would much prefer to have unrestricted control in that respect. Being able, playing as an Yngling or something, to name my firstborn something like Aun or Adils I think would be totally awsome but not a possibility that I expect paradox to realise for me.

Give us the option to name the kid ourselves.

Multiplayer. "Marry your daughter SpiffyDaughter to Nutsack Duke of Lancaster?"

 

[Ograv]

In the game probably at least a 1,000 children will be born every year so each time one gets born the game has to check the name of relatives to see which name has to be chosen. This will most likely result in serious performance issues.

You can of course say, disable this for the AI, but then the whole point of the 'immersion' goes away since then you will still get Pierre Capet king of France or Waleran de Normandie king of England.

Of course, I didn't think about that. But even if it can't be done for the AI, I'd love to be able to choose names for my own children in the game. Even if it can't be done for the rest of the europe, it's better than CK, and it's the player court that matters most anyway. If I can avoid having my own heir to the English throne named Waleran, well, success! That's exactly what I want to avoid.

And AlexanderPrimus, I feel pretty sure there will be more names than Edward from the Saxon list and Richard and Robert from the Norman list. Unless I've forgotten something ( I haven't played CK for a very long while now), a name is randomly picked from the child's culture. The suggestions posted (and slightly modified by me) only puts several outcomes in a list, and allows you to choose one. The odds of Edward being the only name from the "local cultures" option for four kids in a row here would be the same as having four Saxon kids named Edward in a row in CK. And with a system like this, you have a choice of more names than that.

Yes, names will be suggested over and over again, but that's part of what I want. It's not exactly unheard of to name kids after their parents, uncles, grandparents or whatever. Just look at the lists of monarchs on wikipedia

And Duuk, if silly online names are a problem, you could have house rules against it, editing Duke Douchebag to an ugly (by modern standards) historical name. Or just not implement "option E" (naming the child whatever you want). I just want some control over my heir's name.