Are japanese names overused?
- Thread starter Rathalos
- Start date
What if you had a Japanese sounding name that was explained as a word from a fictional language that sounded like Japanese? For example, if one had a name like "Esaka" which was explained away as meaning "Heart" in a dead language, would that be any more acceptable?
Basically, if you make up an explanation for one or two Japanese sounding names in one family of characters, would that be more acceptable or not?
I agree the Japanese styled names are overused, but I think they have a place.
Basically, if you make up an explanation for one or two Japanese sounding names in one family of characters, would that be more acceptable or not?
I agree the Japanese styled names are overused, but I think they have a place.
Hmm... I don't know Sol. I'm gonna add on to my previous opinion after reading some of these posts:
Really, as long as there is _SOME_ meaning of WHY they have the name, then it's fine. But when you get a billion people picking Yoshiminga just because it sounds cool or to make there 2 map long game look better, then yeah, fail.
Really, as long as there is _SOME_ meaning of WHY they have the name, then it's fine. But when you get a billion people picking Yoshiminga just because it sounds cool or to make there 2 map long game look better, then yeah, fail.
ebhz.Ash.4rm
Member
Mimi Chan":3h7ksd8p said:
It's just you.
I'm using Japanese names in my project but I pretty much have Japan in it so it's justified, I think that they're overused to the point when they're used well people just get annoyed by it as a natural reflex. They may not post about it but for me anyway, when I see it I get a twinge of annoyance.
GreenGreen
Member
It depends. Most of the games tend to enjoy using Japanese names without having an actual background of it, and of course I don't see anything wrong with using any Japanese name when the situation calls for it, but when it comes to most games here, Yes, they do tend be a bit overused (considering most of them are fantasy and don't have a cultural background of any sort)
Japan IS overused, not only in games, everywhere
Please... let Japanese people make games about Japan, you, use something else
The maker only needs a valid/believable argument to get away with almost anything
... except for using Japan XD
Edit: I love it when people start to get paranoid on this kind of discussions and start to defend their projects
Please... let Japanese people make games about Japan, you, use something else
Since its a game maker comunity, its the perfect time to be pickyMimi Chan":4qb2ydy8 said:
The maker only needs a valid/believable argument to get away with almost anything
... except for using Japan XD
Edit: I love it when people start to get paranoid on this kind of discussions and start to defend their projects
Avadan":2ubjss6z said:
Haha yes. I totally agree with you
My recommendation, look over name dictionaries and look names over there. They are way more interesting than Whaiojaqwrwernsjfsf-chan or whatever.
And example:
Ezra - Help
Amadeus - He loves god/who is loved by god.
etc.
WeAreSuperhero
Sponsor
Do people really think about this when they name their kids? I mean, aside from hippies, most people don't call their kids 'Jacob' because it means 'may God protect', they call him Jacob because it sounds nice. Actually, more often than not, they're named after celebrities or deities these days. Kids are called Jesus in America, or Mohammad fairly often in various islamic(?) faiths. I myself was named after Alessandro Zardini (h). I mean, I think its quite nice to name people after other people, but people really dont name each other based on the etymology of the name, moreover on its recent associations.Ynlraey":1k4mcdda said:
WeAreSuperhero":2dweh2vl said:
Australia:
David - about 16 people I know have the same name in the same school
Emily - Same except this time it's 5
etc.
Some christian/religious parents do think of these. But these are games if you want to name your hero BOB feel free to do that. The problem there's a difference between real life situations and game making. In a game you're trying to make your game memorable I mean look at Cloud Strife, he wasn't named Cloud Strife over a whim, the name actually have something to do with the game as Tetsuya Nomura said so himself. The same goes to Tifa Lockheart or other games that you could think of.
WeAreSuperhero":1yjz1d1t said:
In some cultures they do. Like in my country, most people ask the monk to name their babies according to their birth date or whatever. They even have rules for letters that should or should not be in their names. Some people even change their names to a better meaning one, hoping that it'll change their life for better.
I was under the impression that most people do name their kids after the related etymology. In Southern Africa and India it's a fairly common practice to name your children based on the day they were born or events that happened to the woman while she was pregnant.
I used to work with a guy named Justin Fair who was given that name because it sounds like "Just and Fair." My own name, Justen, is a variation of Justin meaning justice and I was given my fathers first name as a middle name to carry on the legacy or what have you.
There's a lot of "power" in names and it kinda pisses me off when people just haphazardly name characters something ridiculous like Amonita Moonblade or Clear Peisswater GOD DAMMIT I HATE MARY SUE NAMES URGHRUGHRUGHGHRUGH
WeAreSuperhero
Sponsor
@ Ynlraey (how do you pronounce that?)
That point about this being in a game and not real life is a good one - I suppose a point would be that its a layer of symbolism regarding your character, as in literature, so the associations you get from it belay some meaning onto it..
@hima, Marcus
I speak from a very narrow viewpoint (i.e middle class England) when I say that. I suppose what this shows is that your game needs a culture of its own for characters to be named in?
That point about this being in a game and not real life is a good one - I suppose a point would be that its a layer of symbolism regarding your character, as in literature, so the associations you get from it belay some meaning onto it..
@hima, Marcus
I speak from a very narrow viewpoint (i.e middle class England) when I say that. I suppose what this shows is that your game needs a culture of its own for characters to be named in?