What's in an obscene name?
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Feb 2nd 2007 at 4:52PM
After a snow day and a night of staying up way, way too late getting to level 68, I felt in the mood for something light-hearted today. And thus I stumbled upon this thread in the Guild Relations forum, where the guildmaster of "Two Dollar Horde" complains that Blizzard made her change her guild's name.
What follows is a rollicking discussion of sexual innuendo in WoW. Many people come to the guildmaster's defense, arguing that Blizzard itself has more innuendo in the game (i.e. the /flirt emotes) than what was in the guild's name. Rising and Tori of the guild "One" on Blackrock take the opposite position -- according to them, prostitution is a much worse evil than the mild stuff Blizz puts in the flirt emotes. And it just kind of ... goes from there, in many weird and wonderful directions, about defiling sacred unions, frost mages named "Hoar", and the existence of certain establishments in Nevada.
At the end, Rising and Tori are revealed to simply be cleverly trolling. I kind of suspected this, since both of them are usually informed and intelligent contributors to the Guild Relations forum, which in itself is like the big soft teddy bear of the WoW forums. However, one of the last posts -- by the guildmaster of the former "The Spreading Taint" on Proudmoore -- made me start laughing all over again.
I know a couple of people and guilds on my server who have been forced to change names. A guild called "Domestic Violence" was reported, and Blizzard sent them a tell saying that their guild name had been deemed inappropriate. For the next few months, "Deemed Inappropriate" was one of the top guilds on Magtheridon. A druid formerly named Fukanocturna was complaining in Nagrand general chat that Blizz made him change his supposedly computer-generated name. In protest, he changed his name to something involving the phrase "your mom."
Have you known of any forced name changes on your server? Do you think this is a good policy of Blizzard's, or should people be able to make all the juvenile guild name jokes they want?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Guilds, Blizzard, Humor
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
scotje Feb 2nd 2007 5:19PM
Happened to me. They deemed "Joekickass" an inappropriate name when he was somewhere in the mid 30s. Although when I made the character, I kind of expected to be forced to change it sooner than that.
It was fun while it lasted, especially when you completed a quest like the VC chain that involved a zone-wide NPC yell: "Three cheers for Joekickass" etc.
zak Feb 2nd 2007 5:27PM
ive had this happen to me twice with the same character.
my warlock was originally named "autistic" until i was reported and told that it was offensive (because i guess disorders are offensive) so i changed it to autism and was forced to change it once again. after the second time of me being reported, i sent an email into blizzard and told them that the only thing that was offensive was the way they were acting over a disorder.
while my character was named that, i had numerous people praising me about my name, because they had autistic children and telling me about their children. blizzard and the idiots that reported me acted like i meant the name in a negative way and was making fun of autism, which i wasnt doing in the slightest.
and about the mage named hoar...i have a warrior alt that has been named "hor" all the way up to level 61 and i still have had no issues with it. i was once reported for it, but told blizzard that it was short for my name "horace" and they left it alone.
Mortoria Feb 3rd 2007 11:42PM
There was a guild named 'STDS ARE BOP' and 'BBQ Baby Fetus' on my server (STDS - Darkspear, BBG's - Scilla)
Needless to say that didn't last long.
Tim Small Feb 2nd 2007 5:51PM
My characters name before they made me change it was "eatsheetmate".
Apocolipto Feb 2nd 2007 5:33PM
I have a Friend with a char name Seniordikk, And or course a of my chars iv had Poontang for one. But blizz never messed with them. We just get reported for "verbal abuse" so whatever. If this was the REAL World you would just have to take it and keep on walker or I'll cut head off with my +3 to humanoid killing sword.. haha
2 dollar horde is a clever play on words they should have got to keep that.. i mean come on unless you really read it and understand what a 2 dollar whore is then you would have never known
runiclaw Feb 2nd 2007 5:35PM
i ahvea hunter named Buggerinpete, have been waiting to get wacked for it.
Shat Feb 2nd 2007 5:46PM
one of my rogues, "Buttsecksor" got picked up within 5 minutes of his creation.
John Feb 2nd 2007 5:50PM
I personally was forced to change the name of my Hunter on Kirin Tor. I was Kraptacular. I was told it was a reference to a bodily function and was inappropriate. So I changed to Skraptacular, not as good as before but I guess its OK.
Now I don't really believe Kraptacular is a bodily function, I can't for the life of me figure who reported or complained about the name.
Greg Feb 2nd 2007 5:49PM
On the same server as "Two Dollar Horde," the guild "Die in a Fire" just had their guild name forcibly changed. Seems a bit like we have a morality-police GM running rampant on this particular server (Malygos)
Sporkle Feb 2nd 2007 5:54PM
Cowlover the Dwarf Priest didn't make it past 18. He's now Cowliover.
I then turned around and reported 15 level 60s who had DBZ names on an RP server. None got changed.
James Feb 2nd 2007 5:56PM
Wow, all of Warcraft's finest really came out for this post.
Asking people to report in with offensive character names was risky--typically these folks don't have the greatest grasp of English, typing or coherent thought, and are at best, immature. But look at this, several managed to write in make a go of it. However,
#3, I'm not sure you qualify for the coherent thought, and definitely not a good grasp of English ("keep on walker"). I have a feeling the high quality responses for this thread are going to make my
afternoon.I had expected people to write in and talk about other players with offensive names. I never imagined the comedy gold mine of people writing in with their own offensive names, and being either
a) clueless as to why its offensive b)rationalize why it isn't offensive or c)knowing its offensive and thinking they are clever. Yeah, Joekickass, I'm sure everyone in the zone stopped what they were doing and marveled at your wittiness when your name got yelled
across the zone. I know I personally almost blacked out reading about your zany idea here in the thread. And #3, wow, Poontang. How long did that one take at the character creation screen. 1, maybe 2 seconds?
I'm guessing you're 13 or so, so it probably didn't even take 1 second. Congrats. Hey, roll an alt and name him Seymourbutts. I hear that's REALLY original.
TommyWan Feb 3rd 2007 6:04AM
had it happen to my hunter Emwolb who was doing fine and upset no one until I took part in a raid on a horde town and like 4 of them reported me for my name. which i think is BS since they really didn't have a problem with my name it was all about me raiding their town
Tony Feb 2nd 2007 7:49PM
Worst by far my guilds name Your Mom is a Horde was reported on laughing skull and told that it was offensive. We had to change or risk disbanding o.o
oldbear Feb 2nd 2007 6:34PM
Some of my character's names maybe offensive and could be banned - if other players are fluent in ancient Hebrew or Greek.
I dislike the offensive names that take no skill...
But that all that aside, an ex-guildie had a troll named "Ibedead" and he was forced to change it - twice - so a month later I created an undead mage named, "Ibedead" - I've had it for over a year with no problems.
Since the piece found here about funny guild names, we now have "Exalted with your Mom", "Gank me and I'll Log My Main", and "Fluffly Bunny Slippers" on Terenas (H)... Very, very funny.
Sam Feb 2nd 2007 6:39PM
I had a dwarf named "DarkBeavis" that lasted to about level 13 until it got nuked. Not sure what's "offensive" about that name though.
Chaosdragon Feb 2nd 2007 6:58PM
#10 I totally agree with you. Most of the names are offensive or just plain stupid. But still, I got to say, Two Dollar Horde is an awesome name. But I can understand why it was forced to be changed.
Psyclerk Feb 2nd 2007 6:52PM
#10 pretty much nailed my comments. It doesn't take much thought to come up with a decent name, either for a guild or a character. Of all the bad experiences I've had in WoW, I would say the vast majority occur with a player (or group of players) using a stupid name that they think is cute/clever, or are in a guild with a stupid name.
In a five man group consisting of four regular players and a guy named Joekickass, take a wild guess who is most likely to cause a wipe? Hmmm....
As for guild names, I don't know which is worse. The vastly unorginal ones (Knights of Valor, Champions of the Horde, etc) or the idiotic ones. (and Two Stealthed Rogues) was slightly humorous for about thre seconds. Seeing it over and over again? I deduct 100 IQ points from every player sporting that tag.
Bunny Feb 2nd 2007 6:51PM
Blizz is not consistent with their policies. i once spent half an hour arguing with a GM about how the name RAPAGE is offensive to a percentage of humans to no avail.
j b Feb 2nd 2007 6:55PM
had a character named molesta, it lasted until lvl 15 or so, then they randomly changed it and DIDNT let me change it to anything else. so i was stuck with the name "ardtusy." horrible, i know, i made a new char.
Chaosdragon Feb 2nd 2007 7:10PM
Another comment, I still understand why they forced Two Dollar Horde to be changed. But I realized Bliz are being hypocrites. Example: Night Elf /flirt - "Wana bring out the animal in me?" And others. Still though, props to the name of Two Dollar Horde. I for one don't care much and wouldn't report if I saw the Guild name.