Dollieh Sanctuary

This week's Dollieh Question from our list. (viewtopic.php?f=41&t=6677)

1. How do you come up with names for them?

I kind of just throw names at them till one sticks really.

Some of them are existing OC characters and hence using their own names. In the case of Helen its nickname +name (Chibi Helen, Neko Helen and Helen for her different forms)

Some of the media based characters are either using their own names or sculpt name + own name (this applies to two characters that I have a few dolls of, ie Obi-Chun and Megu-Chun are the same character at different age, one is an Obitsu and the other is a Parabox Megu)

Hazel was named because of her eye color. Elidor came from a favorite book. Some of the dolls came with names already since they were adopted, some of them refuse to answer to anything but the sculpt name, a couple are actually manga characters, and some I think named themselves and decided to tell me. The fairies in the household tend to have flower or plant names. Friends have helped name them also.

Sort of depends. Sometimes I have a name already picked out before the doll even gets here. Then sometimes they get here, and I realize that the name is all wrong for them (not to mention the character), so I have to find something more suitable. Some of my dolls are already pre-established characters (IE: the Shadow King and Gabriella). In that case, I search for a doll specifically suiting their characters and names. The rest of the time I just sort of ... try a few on and see which one seems the best. Most of the dolls I buy are fantasy sculpts, so I get to figure out fantasy-type names for them.

Most names just came to me automatically. Sometimes once a doll had a faceup and wig, sometimes even before the doll had arrived.

Some of my dolls are based on characters of mine, so I name them that. Others hit me over the head with telling me who they are before they arrive (I'm looking at you Mort!). Then there's those that didn't let me name them until I got a face up on them, like Diuris and Rose.

I had a giant list of names prepared for my first doll, and I picked the one that fit him best once I actually had him in my hands. My second doll's name just came to me the instant I saw her.

And just recently I came up with a second name for both of them. I just took the original meaning behind their names and searched up more names with the same meaning.

Mostly random likely sounding names get thrown about until they click. But by the time the name thing comes up I've usually gotten a good idea of the backstory/setting for the character... Anon. is an exception - he technically doesn't have a name... But the placeholder stuck! And Lord Vetinari is his own character really...

Most of my dolls are also based on characters I've created either for roleplay or for stories One notable exception is Megumi, my first Obitsu. I don't even remember how I came up with her name, but I deliberately did not name her or come up with her character until she arrived home.

Like most, my dolls are already created characters. Elijah, Gabriel, Colum, Jack, and Jacob have Biblical/saints names, Mohana's name was chosen for its meaning (loosely translated to "bewitching jewel"), and Ridley is just a name I like.

Tock has that name because she stole a clock-piece headband, and Iris has that name because she's Jack's messenger.

My RS minis are all named for flowers.

Aaaaand my last dolls - Electra, Estella, Coralina, Evienne, and Myrddin are all named for other characters who influenced the way I write their personalities. Coralinas the biggest exception to this only because there was already a character in the mythos with her most common name, so she got a name from an adaptation. (Confusing, I know.)