Mm hmm, and then the OP says "Such as different names for a warrior class, rogue class, mage class etc."

It seems the preponderance of the responders to the thread assumed it to be character name that was asked about. Either way it’s interesting. As far as character names are concerned, I like short names that I make up, or conger up, from somewhere I no longer remember. At times I have left a newly created character waiting at the sewer exit for hours while I tried to come up with a name. I have abandoned characters for their looks once they reach the light of day, I’ve also abandoned characters for their name. Some of those I go back to the sewer exit and try again if they seem at all salvageable. Without a name that both of us like, it's hard to get into the game.

I try to think of names based on the story I'll be playing. If I'm going to play as a strong, powerful character then I try to think of strong, powerful names - by meaning or personal opinion. Same for a shy character, and if I'm playing as a loner I may not even bother at all as I won't stick around long enough for you to learn it anyway. Sometimes I'll name them because I'm idolising (or fangirling, whichever applies) someone from a film/tv show/book etc. Though my one of my characters Bernadette was named from a woman walking around the imperial city, Talos plaza District I believe.

Saying that, my current oblivion character was given the first name that popped into my head because I wanted to test that class. 36 levels later Rita is still going strong, but I don't like her name.

I hate coming up with names. Mostly I use a list I keep or search name lists until I spot one that shouts this is it!

I came up with an awesome, totally original one the other day - "Bendu Olo".

Yeah, that's "original' for sure. He's the face that everybody knows, that they don't know they know.

I played my character for a couple of months before I found a name for her. I finally gave up on trying to think of one on my own and went to a random name generator until I hit one that I liked.

Right. I'm confused by this thread. I think the OP was asking how do we come up with custom class names? I usually go for something easy and generic. "Black Magic Witch" is one I thought of for Luci Pheria, for instance. Dyan phor a'Cauz is a Paladin.

For character names, I usually open my mind to the universe. I'll think of names that occur to me in everyday life. Some may think it's sacreligious to use non-authentic names, but I don't even know how to pronounce "Hfarfringar". I'd rather have Claire or Luci or Dyan for a first name. The last name then eventually "clicks". I'll have an "aha" moment. That's it!!! That's his or her name! It'll just occur to my right brain at some point, in other words.

^ Well, there you have the definitive advice from the undisputed Mistress of Monikers!

Aint it the truth, man? If I had a Buffy, I'd probably give her a last name of some sort. Buffy McGee or something.

Since the topic is character names, I hope Azuron (the OP) won't mind terribly if I relay the story behind Buffy's name. I have posted it before, so those well-familiar with it may certainly want to skip over it. Buffy's name is. . . complicated. There are several influences and forces at work:

1. Alliteration. Buffy the blond Bravilian Bosmeri bowgirl. We much preferred the sound of Buffy to, say, Bambi or Barbie.

2. As a child, her parents had difficulty keeping clothes on her. She was always running around 'in the buff', as it were. Water seemed to make matters worse. In fact she was nearly thirteen before the red-face protests of her archery master, Daenlin, finally convinced her to be more discrete and not drop her clothes to go swimming in every stream they encountered while hunting. To this day, she pleads guilty to the refrain, 'Water makes her clothes fall off' - particularly near any waterfall.

3. At the precise moment of sunrise that marked her birth, Buffy was touched by Azura's hand of fate as a Child of Dawn. Although she does not embrace the role, she is indeed one of few women with special abilities to help kill vampires. She is a Slayer, and her bow is so named. The influence of another Buffy with a vampire problem is inescapable.

4. In naming Buffy, I felt the name would be rather tongue-in-cheek and prevent me from taking her too seriously. In that regard. . . I fear I have failed miserably.

I named Hunter from his profession. Telina just came naturally to me, and that is my current roleplaying character

Buffy Duffy. She's a toughie. Very smart, but never stuffy.

Buffy has had poetry written for her before. In each case it sends her into a complete swoon.

Lol glargg.

You're gonna kill me, Acadian, but all this time I just assumed her name came from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Yea, I know...

I use the name Empyreal for almost all of my base, non roleplaying characters. Empyreal roughly translates as "of the sky".
My most recent was Empyreal the Imperial in Skyrim. I thought it seemed silly at first but a story came to me about her once being a slave to the Thalmor and only ever being called "Imperial", when she escaped she made the name her own.
For roleplay characters I sometimes have a hard time. If I have a strong story for him/her names I come up with never seem good enough though eventually one will come. I too often use NPC names from other games. My current OB character is Athenril the Bosmeri Huntress. Athenril was taken from an elven theif in Dragon Age 2.

If you're asking for custom-class names, then I'm afraid I'm not all that imaginative. Rayn is a "spell-sword", because she uses spells and swords. I can't remember what I named the other custom classes, so they can't be that great!

Character-wise, when I was making her Rayn told me she was born in a storm. Arum's original name was Arumel but he insisted on the shortened version. In character creation I named Skarsgard that for a joke- I was making a nord and had just been watching the TV programme True Blood. The character I was making reminded me a little of the character Eric, who is played by the actor Alexander Skarsgard. It suited my character so well I never changed it.

Mynthel was easy- I took a leaf out of Renee's book here with the play on words. Mynthel is insane- his name is a play on 'mental'.

That's the same show I used for http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a160/MrDarkSim/tes4/1fd72f6e.jpg. Vampirism wrecked her face though.


Speaking of jokes I finally made a http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a160/MrDarkSim/tes5/849a6a38.jpg from http://video.advltswim.com/aqua-teen-hunger-force/billywitchdoctorcom.html. He's in the process of learning how to summon Mega-Ultra Chicken. Got the idea when Skyrim reviews were boasting about raising undead chickens.

Undead chickens!?

Undead chickens with machine guns!

We′re doomed! DOOMED I tells ya!

I want them with Frickin' Laser Beams attached to their heads. I would not want to deprive them of a warm meal after all...

Is your character the one with red hair? If so it has to be Arlene, right?!

No the other http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a160/MrDarkSim/5cc6d4db.jpg Oblivion vampirism really wrecked her face.

A lot of the time, my character has Japanese names. I look for a name that has a meaning that has something to do with my character in some way. If not that, it's a name I heard somewhere else that I thought could fit into the TES lore without sounding like it stands out. And if I'm at a complete loss for names, I use the name generator.