How do you name your dolls?

My doll was named from an OC I created before I even knew bjd’s were a thing, I had been considering names while I waited for him to arrive and even if his looks don’t quite match how the character he was named after, his name (Ryuu) was decided when I first saw him properly out of the box

my new boy (just ordered so not home yet) is currently planned to be based around Naruto so I have the name Naru in mind for him but that could change when he arrives

 

I always try and let the names come to me or I look through lists of interesting names with meaning that connects to my characters. I try to avoid religious names or names with religious backgrounds. Recently I finally decided to give in to name my new YoSD Dorothy, despite the religious background to the name she actually reminded me DC's universe Dorothy from Doom Squad

 

I find naming dolls so hard. I always struggle to find something that fits. I find something I think I like, then due to me changing bits in the story, the character is affected and thus the name just doesn't fit anymore.
My Olathe (featured in my profile pic) went through different characters. I think she went through at least five names already. For her current character she needs an elven name so I'm think Elinmaaru right now. We'll see if it sticks.

I find names through nameberry and magic name. I like to find similar names. So for instance "names like Elin" and then on the magic names site it provides so many names that in one way or another resemble the one you gave. Then I just start taking notes of the ones I like. I tend to just say them outloud to the doll I'm trying to name. If it seems to fit it stays on the list. If it doesn't then I move on. Sometimes a name just keeps swirling in my mind and so I just test the waters by refering to her as that name. If I like it then it stays. If I don't then we move on to searching more names.

 

I really, really love names. I've had hypothetical baby names planned out for hypothetical future children since I was 14. I love finding the perfect combination of first names and middle names, although usually for my dolls I stick to first and last names only. I spend a lot of time picking out their names. I spend a few days scouring baby name websites and making a list of names that I think have potential, and over the course of several conversations with friends, I choose one.

I'm really picky, also. The name has to flow just right. If my doll is from a certain country, I try to stick to names that reflect their heritage. I've noticed that my YOSDs all have similar name patterns (a long first name that I can shorten to two syllables)— for example, Ludovica Amorosi ("Ludo"), Holiday Noelle ("Holly"), Abreshmina Mawar ("Mina").

 

None of my dolls save for one really have defined characters or stories, so I don't worry a whole lot about a name making "sense" in that specific way, but I do try to make it "fit." Usually I want the name to have a specific or relevant meaning somehow, so I come up with that idea first, and then I look up name ideas that might suit that. If the doll is human, the rules are stricter; I try to come up with something that would suit the ethnic/cultural background that I think they look like they have. (For example, I was convinced that my Bambicrony Judy in tan was a little Latina girl, so I ended up going with the name "Lucia.") For non-human/fantasy dolls, I tend to play a lot looser. Sometimes I'll name them after plants or objects that I think are suitable in meaning or symbolism (Snowdrop, Kinako), and sometimes I'll pick a name that doesn't mean anything but that I like the sound of (Janis, Shyreth).

 

For me most don't get named till I settle on eyes, wig and I get a feeling of their personality. I also name with themes in mind, relation to other dolls, and around something memorable from when I purchased them.

 

If they are my ocs then I will name after them, but usually I'm bad at names so I just end up calling them their sculpt name

 

My primary set of dolls is intended to shell a set of OCs I've had for a very long time, so naturally, all the names are already there and ready to go. The secondary set is shelling a bunch of fan characters (with a couple of added OCs), which means, for the most part, those names are ready to go, too!

Of the remaining sets, one is just a reduced number set of the fan characters in chibi form, one is a pair of... sort of OCs maybe (they're odd), one is a child version of one of my OCs with a couple of "imaginary friends," and one is a memoriam to pets who have passed away. So for the most part, they already have names ready to go, too.

The rest of them... oh who knows. I have one set that's getting their names from the album "Imaginos," but there aren't enough names in there to go around, a bunch of them just seem terribly uninterested in telling me their names until I start zeroing in on their looks, and one just got completely stuck with her sculpt name. It's all very random in that group!

 

Pick a nickname and an era, research for 5 hours for a historically accurate fullname, make a list of possibles, decide I hate everything, vent to a friend, and then make a list of the dumbest names that my brain pulls in association with the previous list, pick my favorite and revel in my stupidity as I name my doll that...

 

If I managed to pull of a nice face up with a coherent hair and outfit, I will then start to name my dolls. Usually it is inspired by the styling concept, but sometimes I will just come up with a sound first and then pull some random letters to make the name.

Oh and if I like the original sculpt name, sometimes I will just call them by that. (e.g. Sezz, Jaeii)

 

i chose names afther character of the book that i am reading!!

 

I really am the worst at naming things, any thing. If I have to name a game character, username, anything, I am so stumped. It takes me forever.

My first doll I named Alessa because I thought the name sounded pretty, even though I stole it from the creepy girl in Silent Hill, the movie. Second doll I kept the name the company gave her, Cygne, and the third doll is based on the Chinese Moon goddess, Chang'e, so no new name necessary.

Once upon a time I used to choose made-up names by putting two words together and then taking letters from each one.

 

I wish I even named my dolls. I’ve tried but it never sticks!

 

It’s so hard to name my dolls! I’m glad you brought this up. I have a list of beautiful names I love and a bevy

Omg this is such a good topic to bring up! it is so hard to name my dolls! I have a list of beautiful names I love and a bevy of dolls that I want to personalize but I’m so scared to commit lol so I just keep the name of their sculpts. I could definitely use help in this department.

 

Luckily, at the moment, I just have dolls to represent my ocs- so I haven't had to be particularly creative, haha.

 

I usually name them from mythology but one time I tried a random name generator and named my doll totally random

 

I visualize the character in my mind's eye, both appearance and personality wise, and then head on over to 2000-names to see if anything speaks to me. sometimes I jumble the letters or focus on a theme (poisonous plants, natural elements, constellations) but otherwise it's cracking open a database of names.

 

I tent to keep the original company name until the doll "tells" me her name (sometimes it never happens so I just stick with the company name)
Or if I make a doll base on a character, then it's easier and I just use the character name!

 

I have no idea yet what I should name my dolls or even how to got about naming them... it's great to read all the ideas in this thread. maybe I can find something that works for me.
I've never had trouble naming my pets something that fit them but It's different with dolls. pets have a individual personality form their birth on, a doll gets the personality I give it due to wig, eyes and clothes (+ association with a character from an existing story).
I guess I'll stick to "wait for them to arrive and 'tell' me their name once they are set with outfit and wig/eyes"

 

I watch stuff, or if I read something, if I'm lucky enough to remember in the moment. I add a name to my ongoing list. Laters, when struggling with naming someone consult list. If nothing on list fits, try another method.