Can I Choose My Own Last Name?

Hey all...

Not sure where this was best placed so here goes...

I am going to buy one sim and likely reserve several more at the start of 2008 and a few questions have been left unanswered.

I've read that I can create a name for my sim that is up to three words. That's way cool if it's true.

What I've not read anything about is custom last name creation/selection. If I engage in the purchase and development of an entire full sim to my liking I'd also appreciate having the ability to have my own individual custom last name too - kind of a signature designation that says "this guy and those bearing the same last name all come from such-and-such sim."

As a business tactic and a means of free publicity I'd think this would be a major factor in the acquisition and development of a full scale sim for whatever business or personal use it is intended for.

So is this a possibility?

I have run OpenSim on my home server and creating custom last names for residents is in that manner a piece of cake. So how about the same in SL?

I thought not but I noticed Intel people have their own name. So I believe they made a deal with LL.

I thought I'd noticed that as well...

Linden Labs only allows corporate clients to choose their own last names. I don't know what the criteria is, but I am certain that one or a few sims would not be given any consideration.

I was afraid of that though it was my inclination to believe that to be the case.

Though I know of a few people here who make a small fortune on just a single sim. But a small fortune is not the same as a large fortune.

Well you could always name your islands after your current last name... or pick a last name you like from those available and name your sims accordingly with a new account.

Heh, that had just popped into my mind before checking back here...

I'm afraid it might backfire though. A friend on here created an Avatar with the last name Habana. He in turn indoctrinated several friends who all took on the Habana last name.

He then created a group and named some land as Habanaland and designated it adult in nature. Turns out a few other SLers with the last name Habana were not so enthusiastic that he was trying to make it appear that all the Habana's in SL were associated with his adult interests.

He disbanded everything not long after that and now doesn't associate anything with Habana any more.

So that kinda makes me a little wary, though my interests are not adult in nature.

Although another friend asserted it was no different than in real life. If someone with the last name Walton were to build a supermarket empire (Wal-Mart) that doesn't mean everyone with the last name Walton is associated with it.

I see his point there. I have an exceptionally common last name in RL so there is really no way anyone can associate it with any one thing, and thus SL is likely the same way I'd think...

From the KB:

That answers another question in the back of my mind. I noticed among the current list of last names that there are some names that instantly remind me of certain famous people.

I'd wondered if it was possible someone might secure a famous person's name in this manner and then lead others to believe they are that person in SL.

I'm thinking now that LL took that into consideration and when adding last names to their roster probably eliminated first names that would correspond to first/last name recognition of famous persons.

BTW, I am listening to the Suzanne Vega/DNA remix of "Tom's Diner" right now...

Herman Miller is just one small corporate furniture shop on a island, there surname is HermanMiller, so maybe if you are willing to pay enough you can get it done.

Since a lot of the SL surnames are common RL names, there must be residents walking around the grid with the same name as RL celebrities but it's unlikely they'd be avatars belonging to the actual celebrities.

FF, what about creating a first name that you want and basing your sim name on the first name of your choosing?

On SLNameWatch.com, for each available last name there are convenient links to several web resources to help you find RL famous people who share the name. LL used to, and still may, release batches of last names with a certain common thread in RL, for example famous composers, bankers, or Canadian hockey players. Therefore, for each last name there is often a RL person that is the origin of the idea for the SL last name. If that person's first name is still available for the given last name, you can register it yourself. I don't believe there is a rule against this, as long as you don't actively assert that you are that person i.e. pose as that RL person fraudulently. You can join a mailing list that auto-alerts you when the available name list has changed, which maximizes your chances being the one who gets the particular famous name (if you're into that).
Returning to your particular situation, since you are not a huge corporate client with a special deal with LL, you are limited to the pool of last names currently available. I have tried to create a website that helps you make an educated decision regarding your last name. I hope you find it useful.

Marry someone with the last name of Ogood. Then you can combine your names and become the FelisOgood family. Name your island chain after yourself. You can have islands like FelisOgood 2BeHere, FelisOgood WhenIStop, FelisOgood Allover...

That's what Garth and Pituca FairChang did. Although their islands don't have as much flavor in their naming as my idea.

I believe that a Corporate account can purchase a block of 20 or more accounts at once, and if they do, Linden Lab will allow them to create a custom surname, available only for those accounts. The cost was something outrageous, however, that only a Corporation could afford.

Good suggestion, as are a number that follow your post.

In RL I have a very common last name. Brown.

I've been diligently checking the name list hoping against all odds that the name Brown will appear because I have a slightly unusual first name so it's quite unlikely somone else would get it before me. I'm not interested in grabbing a famous person's name, but would get a kick out of having my RL name in SL.

Although, I AM a published author of several books... If that amounts to being famous.

And the idea of coming up with a unique first name and then capitalizing on that over the last name in SL is a good idea and I like that.

I chose my present first name in SL from a lyric I heard in a mashup song (where two songs are mixed together to create a unique combination of the two). Someone the other day actually asked me if I realized I'd misspelled "phenomenon" and um, duh, yeah... That was the point.

So it looks like I may have to name my first sim as Funkisland just so people will wonder if it's "Funk island" or "Funk is land."

Bring on the funk! That's as good a name as any.

When you add an urban sim theme you can name it Funkitown. Then as you build your empire: Funkified, Funkuntildawn, GettheFunkouttahere, Funkforest, Funkenstein, Bride of Funkenstein, etc.

LOL


I've noticed alot of escorts have custom last names..hmmm

My name on SL is so close to my real name its a perfect fit. I dont think I want to use my actual name in SL.... and not willing to give up this account just to get a more interesting name... although I might use Funk if available and I bet that family name would become large!

And when I'm feeling less than willing to receive guests on my island I can tell them all to "get the funk off my island!"

I've lately bought and sold some land here and just finished packaging a large two-story building I designed from scratch. I purchased Rez Faux and had a blast learning how to encapsulate the whole structure into it. Was neat.

But I'm quickly realizing that 2,048 and 4,096 SQ. M. is not big enough for this. I realized, as the Rez Faux instructions clearly stated that it's a good idea to try to rez the package to insure it works perfectly before deleting the original structure. But that single act instantly doubles the prims used to build the structure.

So I'm definitely going to make good use of a whole island to myself for sure.

My Own Private Funkaho

As far I understand it, the requirement for a group last name is something like:

- You have to pay a yearly fee of something like US$1000, comparable to an island.
- You have to have a certain number of people already guaranteed and ready to take that last name, and possibly they have to be Premium members.
- You have to be able to register people who'll have that name yourself (ie, LL will not add it to the list on their website for you)

Brown has already been retired as a last name
http://slnamewatch.com/index.php?action=list_records&status_filter=all&sort_order=ASC&order_by=last_name&cur_page=6
416 avatars share it.
The name is retired. You will never be able to create a new avatar with the last name Brown, according to LL Last Name FAQ, available in the Knowledge Base.

Awe, now that totally sucks...

nah, I like your name

Groovy. Thanks...

I think its fine as it is for common avatars and the corporations and famous people can have the customs. Unfortunately so many users don't think too hard about their name when first signing up not realizing they are stuck with it (so you get a lot of Michael1234s) but with a bit of time reading the list and thinking about what personality you wish to convey you can get a pretty creative name from the stock list. I'm particularly fond of mine now, 13 has become a kind of trademark