Checking if a character name is already taken

[ChadCloman]

How do I check to see if a character name is already taken, before buying the character rename?

[Eternalnight]

Create a new character

[JediCounsular]

To check to see if a name is taken, just write the name in and add the name to your friend's list on both faction sides. If the name goes into your friend's list, then it is already taken. If the name does not exist on either side, then it is available.

 

NOTE:

Some names may not be available, due to lore, story, etc per B/W or EA. As such, under SWTOR RULES OF CONDUCT, the naming policy is stated as such below:

Naming Policy

When creating a character or guild name for Star Wars: The Old Republic, it is encouraged that you select a name that reflects the theme of the game. The guidelines listed below outline the types of names that you can NOT use, and apply to both player or character names, as well as guild names.

 

You may not use any names that violate the General Rules. This includes the use of names that are hateful, defamatory, racist, ethnically offensive, obscene, vulgar, sexually explicit, or any other language that is offensive in nature.

 

You may not use names that are harassing or defamatory to other players or employees of EA, BioWare or LucasArts, e.g. EASUX, Timsretarded, and Biowaresux.

 

You may not use names of any EA, BioWare, or LucasArts employee or service related to Star Wars: The Old Republic.

 

You may not use names of copyrighted or trademarked characters, materials or products, e.g. Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper.

 

You may not use names from popular culture or media, e.g. Lady Gaga or George Lucas.

 

You may not use names that are religiously or historically significant, e.g. Jesus, Winston Churchill.

 

You may not use proper names of areas within Star Wars for character names. Guild names, however, MAY use the proper names of specific areas to help promote role-playing and realm pride, e.g. Defenders of Tython or Protectors of Hutta.

 

You may not use proper names of non-player characters within Star Wars: The Old Republic, e.g. Darth Malgus, Satele Shan, Yoda, Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker.

 

You may not use names containing titles or ranks within them, e.g. General Supertrooper, Captain Tim, Darth Timmy, Knight Wakey.

 

You may not use names that refer to drugs or that are drug related.

 

You may not use names that contain an inappropriate phrase, sentence or any fragment of a sentence or Leet speak, e.g. uberhaxer, xxspeederxx, lolface, rofl, Noobwhacker, TimmyF**k, kock, fuk.

 

You may not use misspellings or alternative spellings of names that violate any of the above rules, e.g. Hamsolo, Yooda, DorthVader.

 

You may not use gibberish names when creating character, e.g. ajsdu, rifndsw, qweszs.

 

If you violate any part of the above Naming Policy you will either be assigned a new name, or given the option of changing the name. In addition to this, your account could incur a penalty up to and including account closure.

[Icestar]

How do I check to see if a character name is already taken, before buying the character rename?

 

You can create a new character and use the name.

 

When you are ready to change name simply go to character screen, delete the new character and log in your character you want to change name with.

 

This way you can make sure you get the name and nobody else takes the name if it is available. The process of deleting a new character and changing your name will take about a minute, depending of your computers loading time ofcourse.

 

You will also find out as stated above if the name is valid or not.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Icestar

[dr_mike]

When you are ready to change name simply go to character screen, delete the new character and log in your character you want to change name with.

 

I was thinking there was a time delay on reusing names (like 10 minutes or an hour) but from a forum search it appears there is not.

[Derfburger]

Good information on the name rules. I know I have seen the misspelling of lore characters used a lot (HandSolo is a personal favorite lol), never new that was against the TOS.

 

Never really affected me since I try to keep all my name RP ready just in case I want to RP.

[Icestar]

I was thinking there was a time delay on reusing names (like 10 minutes or an hour) but from a forum search it appears there is not.

 

No there is no delay, many players sign up names they will use in the future and then deletes the character when the name is about to be used.

 

This is one reason some games does a name whipe, we have had one in SWTOR for example to free up names players are not using.

[Aeneas_Falco]

The devs really need to implement a system where names are automatically wiped if on an account that hasn't been used in a certain amount of time. To be on the safe side, lets make it a year. There are some names that are unavailable because they're attached to characters that haven't been used since 2012, and are likely to never be used again.

 

Creating new characters is frustrating in that nearly every name you can come up with, triggers a message that it's already in use. You can see evidence of this problem in the sheer number of toons that are using names with special characters or an apostrophe thrown between two random letters. The majority of the normal names without the apostrophes or special characters are on abandoned toons, from players who have long since left the game.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Aeneas_Falco

[PlagaNerezza]

Try using the auto-generation name.

 

The names are not taken out of the rotation. I've used this and found it to be a very frustrating experience as I get an auto name already taken.

[Icestar]

It will be possible tomorrow to use a space in the name so it is a new opportunity to get new names, perhaps even the one you have wished for a long time.

[branmakmuffin]

Try using the auto-generation name.

Or they can try going beyond the Stark, Lannister and Stormborn families. I never have trouble finding names because I don't box myself into a preconceived ... box.