Blizzard naming policy too harsh?

[Asmekiel]

If they let the name Pollon slide, what else should they let slide. If I wanted my character to be named weirdlordbonerhitler would that be acceptable?

Personally, I think Blizzard could alleviate the name change problem if they would allow spaces. If my character could have a first and last name, I would be a lot happier person.

So offensive, how do you go from a cartoon to Hitlers dick?

[Didacticus Syntacticus]

Its most certainly punishment.

It's not punishment at all. It's a free renaming service provided to you so that you are not walking around with a character name that pointlessly offends other players or disrupts the immersive nature of the game, neither of which any decent or reasonable person would want.

You might have "free service" and "punishment" confused but I assure you, that misconception is 100% on your end.

[ramjb]

The naming policies are completely ridiculous.

I still can't find a name for my latest toon I'm leveling up. Every month or so I get an e-mail from Blizz saying that I have to change my name.

Here have been my names:
Callofduties (clever allusion to Blizzard being related to Activision)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Legolasthelf (sendup of all the people that name themselves Legolas, and funny/gets a lot of people sending me confused tells because my character is a dwarf)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Callofduties (because this name is awesome and screw you Blizzard it's my name)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Thefappening (current events, took the first headline I saw in the news for inspiration because I can't think up a good name after Blizzard blocked all my ideas)
NOPE BANNED OBSCENE LANGUAGE CHANGED TO
? (will rename when I log in tonight)

[talann]

instead of blasting people about the naming policy and "not properly reading the OP" just change the name. Who cares if the naming policy is ridiculous? you play on a T for teen game. Realize that Blizzard has more power to make people change there names. If my name was flagged I would be angry but inevitably change it because its just a name and does not break my "immersion". You gain nothing by having that name. Your notoriety does not increase and your significance in the world, of warcraft, does not change. Its just something over your head.

A name in a game is not more important than your own. Even if you name your child Poopfeast420, it can be changed.

[-Superman-]

The naming policies are completely ridiculous.

I still can't find a name for my latest toon I'm leveling up. Every month or so I get an e-mail from Blizz saying that I have to change my name.

Here have been my names:
Callofduties (clever allusion to Blizzard being related to Activision)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Legolasthelf (sendup of all the people that name themselves Legolas, and funny/gets a lot of people sending me confused tells because my character is a dwarf)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Callofduties (because this name is awesome and screw you Blizzard it's my name)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Thefappening (current events, took the first headline I saw in the news for inspiration because I can't think up a good name after Blizzard blocked all my ideas)
NOPE BANNED OBSCENE LANGUAGE CHANGED TO
? (will rename when I log in tonight)

Maybe you could just follow the naming policy?

[Graeham]

Maybe you could just follow the naming policy?

This. If you're going to deliberately go out of your way to create 'funny' names that breach the terms of service then you shouldn't be surprised when you're punished for it.

[zolok2.0]

When the rename prompt comes up, just hit escape and it'll go away without making you change your name. I did that on my DK in wrath named Urnjlacker (no fucking idea why that wasn't an okay name, It's an inside joke between me and my brother about Brian Urlacher)

[judgementofantonidas]

Hey everyone!

One of my guildies was recently contacted by a GM about a character name "Pollon". Apparently it's in violation of the Naming Policy, because in Spanish slang it means "big dick". The "owner" of the character is an Italian person on an English speaking realm. Furthermore, the name was taken from a 30 year old cartoon for kids (it's even doubtful whether it constitutes pop culture at this point).

The GM handling the case showed zero flexibility, and in fact in two very cold messages made it clear that the decision will not be overturned, regardless of all the evidence supporting my guildie's case. It's probably worth mentioning there are well over 100 characters on EU and US realms with the same name.

The person has been a customer for the past 9 years, which is how long the character in question existed. In that time no one was bothered by the name. It was pointed out that name reporting might have been a retaliatory action by someone seeking vengeance for something that might have happened in PvP (which is a relatively new activity for the person).

What do you guys think? Did the GM drop the ball in this case? Was the decision to force rename justified?

Thanks for your feedback!

W

yeah. because it would be so cool if all the little nine year olds playing the game could have the freedom to name their toons, mikehockeeslarge...............

[Didacticus Syntacticus]

This. If you're going to deliberately go out of your way to create 'funny' names that breach the terms of service then you shouldn't be surprised when you're punished for it.

Again, the free rename is a service, not a punishment.

However, blatantly offensive/insulting/demeaning names will get your account actioned the very first time (up to and including a temporary ban) along with a name change, and multiple violations of the renaming policy will eventually get your character a randomly-chosen name from Blizzard (which you may or may not ever be allowed to change) possibly also accompanied by an account action.

[Deleted]

I've seen a guy called Hitbycockirl with an accent above the o in cock. I suppose you can have a name as funny/stupid(depending on how you look at it) as you want till someone reports you.

[Lochton]

The naming policies are completely ridiculous.

I still can't find a name for my latest toon I'm leveling up. Every month or so I get an e-mail from Blizz saying that I have to change my name.

Here have been my names:
Callofduties (clever allusion to Blizzard being related to Activision)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Legolasthelf (sendup of all the people that name themselves Legolas, and funny/gets a lot of people sending me confused tells because my character is a dwarf)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Callofduties (because this name is awesome and screw you Blizzard it's my name)
NOPE BANNED TRADEMARK VIOLATION CHANGED TO
Thefappening (current events, took the first headline I saw in the news for inspiration because I can't think up a good name after Blizzard blocked all my ideas)
NOPE BANNED OBSCENE LANGUAGE CHANGED TO
? (will rename when I log in tonight)

Well, not sure of them all, I see at least one that shouldn't have been passing your creation screen

[lamps]

I named my pet Gorilla, Jamal. Not because I'm racist, but because it's funny to me.

I had a hunter named Mikelitorus then I server transferred and it was taken. I also currently have a priest named Sunaeros. Neither of which was reported. My brother did how ever get they pet monkey with the red hat and named it 'Porch'. I got a chuckle out of that.

[Buichi]

Other than your own name please create something using their ToS. I don't think it's possible. Their ToS covers every name for a reason and that's to make sure if someone has a name that "was" or "is" a problem it could be changed on a whim. The internet is constantly changing with new information about anyone or anything meaning that words will change face value at any moment. Unfortunately that means we get caught up on stupid things people do and Blizzard is no exception to this and we will be forced to name change even if we have a somewhat legit name.

[ComputerNerd]

Your lack of knowledge of its meaning in another language cannot be proven one way or another by blizzard.
The policy has to remain equally applicable whether it is believed to be accidental or not, since the meaning remains even after an "explanation".
It is just unfortunate when you come up with that through what is intended to be an innocent name.

[Rivellana]

Also to add insult to injury, our guildie changed her name (since she gave up) and someone registered another char named Pollon on the same realm

Noticed this comment slide by without anyone replying to it...

It could be a coincidence, but that really sounds like people reported her because they wanted the name for themselves. That's entirely possible, because unfortunately some people do things like that. They have to realize that they could get reported for it and have it changed as well. Just have multiple people report them for the same reasons your friend had to have her name changed for.

Also, completely random...I was telling my husband about this thread one day and he's since decided to incorporate "pollon" into conversation whenever he wants to refer to someone in a negative manner. :P

[Monekop]

I had to rename my Paladin ive had since day 1 of WoW. Was called Monkeynuts.... and I lost count of the times ive talked to GM's with that toon in the 9-10 years since I made it.

Anyway, its called Mónkeynuts now...

[Raelbo]

What do you guys think? Did the GM drop the ball in this case? Was the decision to force rename justified?

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages on the planet. I don't think it's unreasonable to force a name change if it is potentially offensive to a significant number of players. Even though she is on an English server, consider that when you participate in groupfinder content - LFG dungeons, LFR, LFG scenarios, Battlegrounds, Arenas etc, you are often going to be grouped with (or against) people from other servers, including that with significant numbers of Spanish speakers.


I don't think it would have been reasonable to assume your guildie chose her name with any kind of intention of being offensive, and I think it's only fair to assume it was an innocent mistake. However there also didn't seem to be any kind of punishment attached to this action, so I can't see how the GM was out of line.

It was an innocent mistake fixed in a non-punishing manner. The only real issue I see here is your guildie taking it personally, which is not going to help her in any way whatsoever. While she might have success in her petition to have the ruling overturned, she might also escalate a more severe response from Blizzard's customer support.

Either way, it is likely that if she does pursue this matter, it will negatively affect her enjoyment of the game. She should just shrug it off as "one of those things" and get on with playing the game.

[Deleted]

As I said, in Spanish slang it means "big dick".

Interesting that even some Spanish people who chimed in weren't aware of the meaning. Could be due to the fact that it's spelled differently.

Dude, that's BS right there. Some spanish people weren't aware of the meaning? yeah right.
I'm not from Spain, but I've been living here 4 years, I am aware and I'm not even that social, a native will 100% know...

[Raelbo]

I had to rename my Paladin ive had since day 1 of WoW. Was called Monkeynuts.... and I lost count of the times ive talked to GM's with that toon in the 9-10 years since I made it.

Anyway, its called Mónkeynuts now...

Well good luck to you if you get reported again. I mean seriously, it's one thing to choose a dumb name once, why go and do it again? What exactly are you trying to prove?

Several years ago a friend of mine playing our RP server named his hunter Rexxar. He was asked nicely by a GM to change his name. So he changed it to Gasmaskguy. A few months later he was told to change it again. This time the GM told him bluntly that if he chose another bad name he would start climbing the penalty volcano.

[Didacticus Syntacticus]

Dude, that's BS right there. Some spanish people weren't aware of the meaning? yeah right.
I'm not from Spain, but I've been living here 4 years, I am aware and I'm not even that social, a native will 100% know...

The "obscenity" of individual words of Spanish slang varies greatly from country to country.

In English, we have "fuck/feck" not being a big deal in Ireland but the f-bomb elsewhere; "fanny" being a synonym for derriere in the US and not at all polite in the UK; "wank" being a word that no one in the US had even HEARD until Phil Collins used it on Miami Vice; "rubber" being an eraser in Australia; "stuffed" being a word you need to use very carefully in the UK/ANZ; and so on.

Except in Spanish-speaking countries, the range in insult is vastly greater, the innocuous interpretation of a word in country X being "just a body part," and in country Y, using the same word will cause the person you say it to will immediately attempt to kill you if the opportunity is there.