text; un: 0123

[scension]

Those of you with familiars, I have a question - how do you name them? Did it give you any trouble?
What happens if they don't like it?

It doesn't feel like naming a pet, or some future family member. Waiting for inspiration to strike hasn't worked yet.
And now I'm starting to feel like I have to give this phone a name, too.

Comments

Audio | un: Birdie

[skybound_knight]

Huh... I just picked a name that seemed to fit my familiar?

If your familiar can't talk, why don't you give him the option to choose it for himself with- [There's a short pause.] Maybe two colorful buttons that say yes and no? Or you could try writing some big letters somewhere and have them spell what name they want for you.

I'm not sure it can work but... it's worth a try?

audio

[scension]

Well, he talks. A lot. [Kind of.] He just won't tell me what his real name was.

un: redhood

[awooligan]

Do you need to name it? Like you said it's not a pet.

And only nerds name their phones btw

[scension]

It's just practical. "Hey, you" doesn't work on any mission with another person around.
That goes for the monster and the phone both. I'm not a nerd.

[The last part was important to clarify.]

text, un. angel

[schmisse]

My familiar is a creature from my world - a foe I've defeated and have called to my aid. I've never really had to interact with it in this manner before, so I don't call it anything.

[scension]

Never? So it's not the clingy type?
Mine is a kind of monster from back home too, but it turns out he really likes following me around. That's why I feel a little bad having nothing to call him.

text

[scotch_egg]

I'm not going to name it. It's dangerous to get too attached to the bloody things if you ask me.

[scension]

I thought the whole point of them was to get along with them.
Mine isn't dangerous, anyway. He just looks like it.

[rediscovering]

i named my dragon zunyan
"dignity"
and i call him zun for short
"honor"

he doesnt talk so if he has a name of his own already i have no way of knowing it
but he responds to the name i gave him so he must like it i guess
i gave it a lot of thought though. he's not a pet or a baby youre right so he deserved a respectful name

[scension]

Right, that's what it feels like it should be - a respectful name.
Thank goodness. I thought I was going crazy for a minute there.

I like the ones you chose! The meanings are a nice touch.
How did you pick what to name him after?

text; un: wolfcountry

[impostorsyndrome]

We don't exactly talk, so I've got no idea what his real name is or if he even has one. Maybe he's even a she.

But I just started calling it something as a joke, and it answers to it. That's probably as good as I'm gonna get.

I assume it's got its own way of referring to itself that's none of my business, so whatever works.

[scension]

Yeah, mine never talks in words either.

What kind of a joke name did you settle on? I'm just looking for ideas.

Text | un: scientistatwork

[doctorintern]

My familiar and I actually discussed what she wanted to be called. Since we're supposed to bond with them, it felt like coming up with a name together was a good idea.

[scension]

That makes sense. If they care about what they're called, they should get first dibs.
What did you settle on?

text; un:dellacacy

[sos_pilot]

I named mine after one of my personal heroes, Amelia Earheart! She was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Sorry I can't help you much more than that. It's a bunny sooooo it can't really cause much trouble.

[scension]

Across an ocean? Is that on her own wings? That does sound pretty impressive.
It sounds like heroes and inspirational figures are a common theme. I wouldn't have guessed.

text; un; deku

[fullgauntlet]

It took me a while to decide on a name because I felt like if I picked a name that didn't suit my familiar that it would be a big mistake. They deserve something that suits them, right?

I ended up going with a name that was important to me after someone who inspires me a lot. He seems to like it? Then again, my familiar isn't one that talks...

[scension]

I'm glad he likes it!
I bet whoever you look up to would be flattered too.

Maybe worrying too much about making a mistake with mine is where I'm going wrong. I just don't want him to take a poor fit of a name as an insult.

text; un: adler

[disasdeer]

I named mine Wyn. It just felt right when I spoke with him. Why don't you speak with yours?

[scension]

He doesn't use words. It's obvious when he's upset or calm, but hard to gauge whether he's ever happy about anything. I don't want to pressure him.

I think yours is a good choice, for what it's worth. It's short and easy to say.
Maybe you're a natural?

text; un: ruffestrabbit

[zunge]

I picked the first thing that came to mind. He didn't veto it.

There's no reason to complicate it further than that. Doing so would be a waste of time.

[scension]

Even if all the first things that come to mind are unflattering?

text; un: nyakira

[fooligans]

Whatever but "cat" seems to work with mine.

[ The point is...Akira keeps calling him a cat most of the time, so this leads to, well, arguments. ]

What does your familiar look like? You could give them a name based on the appearance or maybe their character.
Or use a name generator.

[ 10/10 advice. ]

[scension]

A name generator?

[He is 100% picturing some sort of clunky machine with pipes on it.]

You could say the problem with naming him after his appearance *is* his appearance. Attachment.jpg

[In this photo it's just sitting quietly on a sidewalk in the rain, but yeah. "Horrible gangly demon with tentacles" doesn't roll off the tongue, "afterling" feels too generic for one so weirdly attached to him despite it being the actual description of the creature... he's stumped.]

text; un: bakugou

[apshot]

I didn't. Some loser asshole suggested it and she just took to it.

[scension]

Is it at least a good name?

[floatsaway]

Mine actually gave me her name when I was fighting.
It was the first time I ever was able to use my magic, too.
I heard her voice calling out to me in my heart, and I called out her name and summoned a big burst of magic all at once.

[Though, really, it's been a roller coaster since then of being able to use it well, and Ochako's white dire wolf spirit, Aludra, has been on and off in terms of being cooperative. When Ochako is in real danger, yes, the wolf will come through but...any other time it's just trying to move mountains.]</small.

[scension]

Wow, like a real life storybook. That sounds like a lot!
And hey, it works. If she already had a name, of course that's what you'd call her by.

I think mine must have had a real name too, once upon a time. It's none of my business why he doesn't want to tell me, but it would make things simpler.

text, un: alsoagun

[redfightinghood]

Uhhh, been trying to figure that one out myself. Calling it "hey, you" doesn't seem to endear me to him.

But he's also, like. A killing machine back on my world so it feels a little weird to be that familiar...

...on the OTHER hand, we're kinda stuck together.

So, yeah. Still working on that one, myself.

[scension]

Actually, your situation sounds similar to ours.
I fought a lot of monsters that look just like him. Now I have to put all that aside and treat him fairly.
Giving him a name feels like it should be a big step in the right direction - but that's way too much pressure for one name.

What if we swap? I'll give yours a name if you give one to mine.

[It's a joke idea that just happened to flit into his head just now, but that would solve his problem for the time being, so... why not?]