Name Ressurection?

Hi, I'm planning, with some others, a Rubio Family Reunion in SL. What we've come to realize is that we're all old and mean-spirited.

Any thoughts on occasionally bringing surnames back for a month at a time, to let families get some new blood? I think it would be a nice way for older players to meet new ones.

Yes, in fact we have been considering this. Names are generally retired when 150 people have chosen them, on the theory that 150 is at the limit of how many people you can know. So one option might be to re-open old family names when some accounts have been closed and the total has fallen back below 150. This method would support your idea about introducing new and old members.

Another possibility is to let people choose a 'retired' name, for example to have the same name as a friend already in Second Life. It's possible there would be a fee associated with that option.

I'd love to get other opinions about the question of naming. Please feel free to join a discussion here.

I think re-opening retired names could be fun, but I think it should be voted on by those still active who have the retired name.

Yes doodle.

Noo...don't do this! I am systematically killing off all the other Valentinos, and this would erase all my hard, and bloody, work!

Afterall..there can be only one...

Just think of the fun you'd have killing off all the new ones

I like the idea....be nice to see more morgans around.

I'll speak from a newbie's perspective....I know already I've pegged some family names as more prestigious than others, by virtue of their more illustrious members' public discourse, demonstrations of skill, or history of contributions to Grid society. My thought is, these folks and their relatives rather deserve the exclusivity which has accrued to their family names through their hard work or unusual talents.

And so, I'd suggest an adoption mechanism, whereby avies can be invited into an elder family by some quorum of its active members.

In addition to keeping hard-earned family reputations guarded by those who've worked for them, it might open The Grid to some long-term factional interplay (think House Atriedes vs. House Harkonnen )

-- judah, not yet Siridar-Viscount Jimador

I'd kind of prefer if Miller stays retired. I like knowing that I have a retired name, cause I've been here a while. I like the fee idea much, much better. Let people have the same lastname, even if retired, as a friend, but make them pay for the privledge.

I totally agree. For me having a rare name is desireable. I can also see where this option would be good for others. I think options are good and the remaining family should have a voice/choice/vote.

I kinda like being one of only a few active Lambert's left. Besides Jack - and maybe 1 or 2 more... I don't see too many. Its kinda nice

If a name could be used by "vote" of the active members - I suppose that'd be cool. Just because I'd prefer to be one of a few.... shouldn't mean the Rubio's couldn't open their name up to newbies if that's what they'd prefer.

Travis

i rather like having a retired last name too. also once you play long enough you get a feel for how old someone is just on the basis of their last name. there are some names i know go back to the earliest days of SL, some i know where around when i first started, some i know are very new.
and as judah said ere are some names that have come to be synonymous with quality or success because of the very few very successful people remaining with that last name.



jester



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How about on an invite basis? The only way to become a rubio is to be invited by a rubio.

I mean, you can't get any more FIC than that!

I also like the name system as it is..

I admit, I would like to be able to invite close friends into the "family".. and it would be nice for those that take a partner to be able to invite them to share the name.. For instance, two of my best friends are still waiting for broadband to make it to their area. I would love to have them "in the family" once they can get in here with me.

Perhaps if only those already with the name were allowed to invite someone to join the family. NOT reopened tho..

I like the idea of names being and staying retired. Pico is rare these days and I sort of like it that way.

I like the fact there are only two Nashes: Nexus and Nolan!

Time has a lot to show, and even after reopening closed last names, they'll decay with time again... it's a sort of half-life played with family trees that really aren't. Wow that blows the mind doesn't it?

A problem, however, is with people who are hardly in SL anymore but still have active accounts -- perhaps Basic or Lifetime ones. (I.e. the newer Residents who left for all practical intents and purposes, and the oldbies who may be busy with RL.) They come around once in a blue moon (if at all), so how can they be given an opportunity to rock the vote? Maybe a LL message sent to their email addresses of contact (if they don't bounce)?

In my own case, I'd like Torgeson to be closed, with reopens available after I subject each new candidate to a test of might to see if they're worthy of the Torgeson name. Hee hee -- I kid about that, but really... I'll give an example:

It'd be disgraceful if a bunch of Epochs and Omegas showed up and started bombing sandboxes...

I find you to be selfish, ill-natured, and foul.

The concept of birthrights, as in a name is something you're entitled and that it shouldn't be shared with others, is repulsive to me in RL, and even more so in our world. I find it ugly that people would consider a currently retired name to be something that shouldn't be shared.

What do you think about being able to change a name?

[Dont worry, your Princess still loves you.

This is the way I would like to see it too.

Tito

^ that sounds like Gmail! Hmmm... of course, some would cry FAVORITISM but that is negligible since that was more predictable than cheese coming out of milk curdles. Or bones out of flesh.

That is a good idea though, a way to spread the family "bloodline" by inviting new members and pass it on to new generations.

Would be additionally cool if it'd show which generation of X-name you were in your Profile too.

Ah, ideas.

i like the system as is.

juro's idea of letting the existing family members vote to reopen the name is okay if you can work out who is actually active and set a reasonable quorum.

i also think it'd be nice if you could pay to assign a last name to your partner if they wanted to do that e.g. i could partner with pibbldo hephaestus and change my name to khamon hephaestus.

I too would like Stone to be left retired.

Of all the changes us fetid have had to endure, it would be kind of LL to allow us to retain our unique and personal last names.

I also like the invite only idea.

I am sure there are enough interesting options for last names to leave those that are retired - retired.



fen-

HEY USH Come post here... what do you think? *smiles*

I love the invite-only name thing!

I am for the Invite-Only system... but against the concept of voting. OMG Can you imagine the drama? LOL

I am for a two tiered option..

1. We can invite NEW users to join our family... no name fee. (Perhaps we agree to waive our referral bonus?)

2. We can invite CURRENT members to join our family... with a Name Change Fee (paid by either the inviter or the invitee).