Is it allowed to request a name change to switch continent?

[vonGenf]

I wanted to have my EC character emigrate to Dwilight but there is already a character of the same name there. Will a name change request for this reason be accepted?

[Anaris]

No. Name changes are only permitted for the reasons outlined in the name change request page.

[vonGenf]

:-(

Thanks for the quick answer.

[Psyche]

It's a bummer.  Has it ever been considered to allow it with an additional name to allow passage, or is it a troublesome process?  For example, adding an adjective, middle name, or place of origin so that though Marcus couldn't go, Marcus the Meek, Marcus Benedict, or Marcus of Keffa could.

[Chenier]

It's a bummer.  Has it ever been considered to allow it with an additional name to allow passage, or is it a troublesome process?  For example, adding an adjective, middle name, or place of origin so that though Marcus couldn't go, Marcus the Meek, Marcus Benedict, or Marcus of Keffa could.

Or patronyms.

Or, just nothing at all, there already is the family name to set everyone apart.

[Sacha]

I might be mistaken but wasn't the rule against two of the same first names on on one island made back when letters were only signed from nobles using their first names, to avoid confusion?

[Indirik]

For a game-play simplicity standpoint, I like the part of only having one character with each name per island.

Having said that, I think that relaxing the name change rules to allow a minor change in order to allow a character to emigrate should be acceptable. The idea of only allowing certain name changes is to prevent people from changing their name at will, and thus attempting to hide from their history with a simple name change. But if you're changing islands, why not allow the addition of a middle name to differentiate so they can move?

[Anaris]

Simply adding a middle name or inoffensive epithet to be allowed to immigrate is an interesting idea, and not one that's actually come up before—the only times I've ever seen name change requests with the intent of getting around an identical name before, they were complete name changes (like from "Alexander" to "Siegfried").

Since this rule is one that comes direct from Tom, I'll send him this topic and see if I can get him to weigh in.

[Tom]

Unique names are an artifact of the game, so changes to the name that retain identity (adding an initial, etc.) would be ok in my book, but keep in mind they have to be done manually by admins.

[vonGenf]

Adding an initial is something easy that I'd be willing to do. Should I simply use the normal system or write down a feature request? There's no real hurry, I can live with playing elsewhere for a while.

[Anaris]

Adding an initial is something easy that I'd be willing to do. Should I simply use the normal system or write down a feature request?

Submit a name change request through the normal system.