Personal names all the way! I have characters in stories, characters for rp's (old, not used any more, but fond memories) and characters to draw and possibly one of the first two. So many characters, and if I didn't shell one of them I'd definitely want to make my doll into another oc. So to my surprise I kept the sculpt name of my first fullset, as it happens I have always loved the name and wanted a character with that name, so I thought, why not keep it? Now I have a character with that name, tada! (Orion). I'll probably give him a middle and last name to be more unique. Of the dolls I have named so far, the other fullsets took names heavily inspired by their sculpt names, but I might change that. It feels too limiting. It's got to be only tangentially inspired or even not at all. Dolls I will be painting/face uping myself have unique names not related to sculpt names. I like the idea of the doll "choosing" the name as you interact/finish them more, with clothes, wig, face up, eyes, etc. It feels very natural and it sticks! It's happened once so far, waiting for it to happen again!
I really want to give my doll a personal name, but it's such a struggle atm as I don't want to change it a bunch of times (tho I don't think there's anything wrong w that, I'm just a bit perfectionist). So far I refer to her as her sculpt name, but I tend to say she's "a Chiyo" instead of just Chiyo I also do not know yet wether I'm going to give her a story or a personality, which might influence the naming thing
I've named my lillycat ninon "Roslyn", sort of to set an intention for her design as I work on her, since that name reminds me of listening to Bon Iver on the bus and watching trees go by and feels very foresty to me. I'm not one hundred percent certain I'll keep that name, but I hope she grows into it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping the sculpt's name. It's a name that was chosen by the artist because it fits the doll after all. It doesn't make the doll any less yours.
I'm more inclined to go with a personal name for my dolls because I have a specific character & backstory in mind for them.
I always use my own names for the dolls with half an exception. The doll in my avatar has a first name I choose for him, but I kept the sculpt name as his surname since it really suits the character But he's he exception. No one else in the collection have any part of the sculpt name left.
Because all my dolls are OCs, I never keep the sculpt names, I need my own names that suit my characters. Sometimes I have a proper name immediately and some other times I spend months trying to figure out what name would match the character's personality, etc. When my OC is realistic and his story is set in a real world I tend to give them a last name after real-life musicians.
100% Sometimes I just really like the sculpt name. Often times it's perfect for the character that I have in mind. If I really like the name I don't feel a need to change it. Ringdoll Alice was one of those for me. I liked her because she was 'Alice' based off Alice in Wonderland. I can't see changing her name to anything else. The sculpt name has even inspired me at times to come up with names that somehow feel related to it. Dollzone Gray reminded me of Oscar Wilde's book 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray. So he ended up with the name 'Dorian'. I've even bought dolls because the name of the sculpt along with the look of the doll inspired me to make anew character for my story. My Xaga Doll Zoe is one of those. I saw the doll and entire situation and story flooded me. I had to have that doll, and keep the sculpt name.
Personal all the way for me! I usually have a character in mind to create when I buy dolls, so I buy the body and heads separately to fit the image I want. The sculpt name usually refers to the head, not the body, anyway, from what I've seen if the customer is not buying the full set (if that makes sense). BJD are intended to be customised, it's definitely encouraged, so I don't see anything wrong with having a different name. Though if someone asks me what sculpt, it's useful to have the company and the sculpt name to refer them to!
Well said. There is absolutely nothing wrong at all with keeping the sculpt name and it doesn't make the doll any less your own. This is something I can relate to from personal experience so it really hits home I love coming up with names for my dolls. When I got my Ringdoll "Air Force Wolf" in 2013 it wasn't a super long wait and originally the plan wasn't to keep the sculpt name. I knew he would be named David when I bought him. But during the months it took before he was delivered he was always referred to as "Wolf" when talking about him, and the name just got so attached to him that it felt wrong to pick something else when he arrived, so he got to keep the name as surname and nickname. And the character and doll feel no less of my own because the sculpt name is still attached to him There's also the fun times when you have named a doll, but when talking to other collectors you keep referring to them by the sculpt name and their own name. So, for example Iplehouse Arvid, named Rikard........ tends to be referred to as "my Arvid, Rikard"
It's funny, isn't it? I just call my dolls by the given name when I'm not specifying what dolls they are exactly. When I have a doll on order and I don't have a name yet, I refer to it by either the sculpt name or some sort of codename, and by the end of the wait I'm used to call the doll that way so it's hard to decide.
Even if I like the name of the sculpt I always give them their own names. Naming them is part of the fun for me
It is It makes perfect sense like you describe and since the wait can often be quite long it also means any code names or nicknames while waiting will have an easier time getting attached to the doll I would say that when waiting for a doll I usually think of them as the sculpt name, even if I have a name for them but especially if I haven't yet figured out a name. When they get home, I switch and refer to them by the name I intend for them, and when talking about them with other collectors the sculpt name shows up again since no one who doesn't already know the character/doll will know which sculp I am referring to if I only use the character's name.
I never keep the sculpt name because it feels like renaming them is part of the customization, but I end up forgetting every sculpt name I own . . . I should make a list !
