Naming conventions for characters with a code name and a real name (last name only)

Shadzane·5/15/2019 in Policies

I've seem this come up in discussions, and I suppose we need to hash it out and then have the Admins make a ruling...

If a character has both a real name (John Doe) and a codename (Powerfoot), it is policy that we use the real name for the pagename (John Doe (Earth-Blah), not Powerfoot (Earth-Blah))

If a character has only a first name (John) and a code name (Powerfoot) however, the policy is to use the codename for the pagename (Powerfoot (Earth-Blah), not John (Earth-Blah))

If a character has only a last name (Doe) and a codename (Powerfoot), it is current policy that we use the partial real name for the pagename (Doe (Earth-Blah), not Powerfoot (Earth-Blah)). However, I know there are some here that don't like that policy and would like to reverse it (so we use Powerfoot (Earth-Blah)).

So, should we change the pagename policy for characters with only a last name and a codename? Discuss....

(Edited by Shadzane)

Tupka217·5/15/2019

Yes, we should use the alias on #3. I think a lot of ones with just the surname are results of the Answerguy/Dpeattie cleanup.

(Edited by Tupka217)

Koavf·5/15/2019

I think the current option is probably best, since surnames are a lot more likely to be unique than personal names. I can easily imagine more than one "Frank" being a recurring character who could warrant an entry before multiple "Caglioni"s. If there is some clash like two characters named "Smith" then some kind of code name identifier (if it exists) would be helpful. Otherwise, we may have to resort to the dreaded "Name I (Reality)", "Name II (Reality)".

(Edited by Koavf)

Shadzane·5/15/2019

But we are already seeing how non-unique last names are. One of the drivers of this conversation is the fact that we have two "Chang (Earth-Two)"s to deal with... One could become "Green Dragon (Earth-Two)" if we change the rule

(Edited by Shadzane)

Koavf·5/15/2019

Hence, "If there is some clash like two characters named 'Smith' then some kind of code name identifier (if it exists) would be helpful." In the case of a common surname like Chang, then one can be "Chang (Earth-Two)" and the other "Green Dragon (Earth-Two)" and then if we find another somehow, we'll have Chang I, Chang II, and Green Dragon.

(Edited by Koavf)

Tupka217·5/15/2019

The problem with single names is always that there are going to be more. There are probably a dozen characters named Chang in the Golden Age alone. I think in this case, if he's consistently referred to as such and it even appears in the story header, we could just go for "Mr. Chang"? We have several relics from the Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurtz! *shakes fist at sky* days, like Miss Hart (Earth-One).

(Edited by Tupka217)

Shadzane·5/15/2019

Since we are now getting into specifics, I agree that the first "Chang (Earth-Two)" could be "Mister Chang (Earth-Two}" because in his case Mr. Chang was kind of a codename (it was the name of the feature).

(Edited by Shadzane)

Shadzane·5/15/2019

Getting back to generalities, I agree with the proposed rule change because I think pagenames with just a last name are not aesthetically pleasing. If given a choice between "Doe (Earth-Blah)" and "Powerfoot (Earth-Blah)", I choose Powerfoot!

(Edited by Shadzane)

Stoop Davy Dave·5/16/2019

"Powerfoot" is hella easier to remember, and would most likely (than "Doe") be the search term used by an inquiring reader. Stoop Davy Dave (talk) 01:45, May 16, 2019 (UTC)

(Edited by Stoop Davy Dave)

What do you think?