Character Naming Guideline

[spid]

I wanted to see if we could put together a standard naming guideline for character entries so we could have a more uniform feel. I know we have an informal convention, but I thought we could all agree on a more official one. So here is what I think has become the unofficial one

Code Name of the Character (Publisher or Name of Unifying Universe)(Secondary Descriptor)(Character Real Name)

* First, Middle, and Last Name: Sufficient if character does not fall into the "superhero" genre or if character is a normal citizen. Include the Publisher after the last name if the character has a common name.

* Code Name of the Character: If the character does not have a common name then this is all that is necessary

* (Publisher or Name of Unifying Universe if character spans multiple publishers) If the character has a common name then place a Publisher/Unifying Universe to separate the entries. Please do a search before creating a new entry to see if there is another character with the same name. Typically Unifying Universe are licensed properties so the characters could have been published by Multiple Publishers. (Mandatory if there is a common name)

Examples of Unifying Universes: G.I. Joe, Transformers, Buffyverse (includes all characters in the shared Buffy The Vampire Universe), or Conan.

* (Secondary Descriptor): This could include Imprint of Publisher, team, or alternative timeline. The secondary description should always have a Publishers/Unifying Universe in front of it for ease of use. (Optional, but if used there must be a Publisher/Unifying Universe placed in front of it.)

* (Character Real Name): If there are multiple characters who share the same Code Name within a Publisher/Unifying Universe then a real name, if known, is required to distinguish the two entries. Numbering these entries are optional.


So that is what I have so far does any one have any other additions or any suggestions? How should the numbering be listed for multiple people sharing the same name within a Universe? Should it be by publishing history or story?

Thanks

[Soda]

I vote for publishing history.

[spid]

Does any one have any more comments on this guideline? I will probably start adjusting character names as I see them.

[mikebo]

Forgot about this. I'd go with publishing history as well.

[spid]

So if no one has any objections I will consider these the formal listing and will start correcting older entries. This may mean you will get an email pointing you to these guidelines in the future. The optional number system should be sorted by publishing date not continuity date.

[Chris]

Looks great to me

[aaronmoish]

After seeing the mess the DC characters have become and the difficulty in adding them to issues due to the New 52, there are two changes I would suggest to this format. I understand I may be a bit late on this, but here goes:

1) The Secondary Descriptor should come after the Character Real Name for easier search and addition to issues.
2) If characters have the same identity, but are from different realities, they should have the same identifying number.

Here, for example, is how i think it would ideally look if you wanted to add or look up Batman as a character (based on entries already in the Database):

Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(DCAU)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-0, post Crisis)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-0, post-Flashpoint)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-1, pre Crisis)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-19, Gotham by Gaslight)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-2, pre Crisis)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-21, New Frontier)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-22, Kingdom Come)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-30, Red Son)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-31, Dark Knight Returns)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-37, Thrillkiller)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-40, Liberty Files)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-43, Red Rain)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Earth-51, Utopia)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(First Wave)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(Golden Age/Undefined Earth)
Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)(non-continuity)
Batman (DC)(02 - Brane)(31st Century)
Batman (DC)(03 - Brane Taylor)(31st Century)
Batman (DC)(04 - Unknown)(Earth-A, Lawless League)
Batman (DC)(05 - James Gordon)(Digital Justice)
Batman (DC)(06 - Bruce Wayne XX)(Robin 3000)
Batman (DC)(07 - Jean Paul Valley)
Batman (DC)(08 - Dick Grayson)(post Crisis)
Batman (DC)(08 - Dick Grayson)(post-Flashpoint)
Batman (DC)(09 - Sir William)(Earth-9, Tangent)
Batman (DC)(10 - Unknown)(DC One Million)
Batman (DC)(11 - Terry McGinnis)(Earth-12, Beyond)
Batman (DC)(12 - Wayne Williams)(Just Imagine)
Batman (DC)(13 - Damian Wayne)
Batman (DC)(13 - Damian Wayne)(Generation Lost future)
Batman (DC)(14 - Jason Todd)(Earth-15, Utopia)
Batman (DC)(15 - Darkseid Clone)
Batman (DC)(16 - Unknown)(Earth-44, Metal Men)
Batman (DC)(17 - Impostor)
Batman (DC)(18 - Jiro Osamu)(Batman Inc, Japan)
Batman (Strontium Dog)
Batman Jones (DC)(Earth-0, post-Crisis)
Batman Jones (DC)(Earth-2, Golden Age)
Batman Jr. (DC)(Bruce Wayne Jr.)(Earth-154)
Batman Robot (DC)

Thoughts? Like it? Hate it? Spid, I understand you've already begun making changes...

[masoud]

I like it, Aaron. The only thing I would suggest is getting rid of the numbers. The real name and reality should be distinguishing enough. The numbers don't seem very helpful in this context. It can be debatable who should be Batman II, III, etc. And Dick Grayson listed as Batman 8 just seems wrong to me. Otherwise looks great.

Masoud

[spid]

The biggest issue is I do not believe your suggestion would fit in the Character Alias text field. How would switching around the order improve the idea in your mind?

[mikebo]

Yeah, we have to work within a 50 character limit. Aquaman is over the limit at the moment for example, and displays only "Aquaman (DC) (Earth-1/Post-Crisis) (01 - Arthur Cu"
http://www.comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=193

[Chris]

I don't think I realized there was an issue where the Alias field was running out of characters. I can probably increase that maximum limit if it needs to be done without any problems.

[Soda]

I know that it's like talking to a wall but I still root for 1 entry per character no matter what continuity.

[spid]

The other issue I thought of with aaronmoish's idea is you would have to do a lot of typing before you would get to an additional selection point. So you would have to type

Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne)

before you get a decision point.

[aaronmoish]

Thanks for the good points and discussion, everyone!

The only thing I would suggest is getting rid of the numbers. [...] It can be debatable who should be Batman II, III, etc. And Dick Grayson listed as Batman 8 just seems wrong to me.

I put the numbers in the example based on first appearances by publication date. Personally, I prefer going by story continuity (so Dick Grayson would be numbered 3 or 4), but will of course go with the decided policy on that.

How would switching around the order improve the idea in your mind?

Having the number between the Publisher/Name of Unifying Universe and Secondary Descriptor, and the same number for alternate versions of the same character (i.e. Bruce Wayne) would list the characters in order of the "root" characters' appearances rather than whatever letter happens to be next in the Secondary Descriptor. It may just be my OCPD (which is why I like this Database over the others out there... ), but I feel it would make the entries more organized and easier to search. (I also like the idea of using "Earth-0, post-Crisis" and "Earth-0, post-Flashpoint" as opposed to "New Earth" as Secondary Descriptors to keep with the numbered Earth theme for DC characters.)

Yeah, we have to work within a 50 character limit.

Oops. I forgot about the character limit for Aliases. I suppose you could get around that with abbreviations for DC characters (E1 for Earth-1, E2 for Earth-2, etc.) but i can definitely see how that could get confusing.

I don't think I realized there was an issue where the Alias field was running out of characters. I can probably increase that maximum limit if it needs to be done without any problems.

I like that idea.

[...] you would have to do a lot of typing before you would get to an additional selection point. So you would have to type Batman (DC)(01 - Bruce Wayne) before you get a decision point.

Wouldn't the first decision point, overall, be at Batman (DC)( ? After that, typing a number would narrow it down pretty quick. If numbering characters is ever abandoned, you'd just type Batman (DC)( then the first couple letters of the real name. About the same amount of typing as you would have to do now to enter a specific Batman.

A compromise would be to just number the characters that are from the "Earth-0" realities and their alternate counterparts. So, only Batmen named Bruce Wayne (01), Jean Paul Valley (02), Dick Grayson (03) would be numbered, and the rest would just use (DC)(Secondary Descriptor), as is done now.

Again, these were all just suggestions. I'll, of course, abide by majority rules and the site's policies. I wouldn't go changing things based on my personal whims.

[spid]

If their is a "root" character then I would swing toward Soda's thought and ask why you would need a separate entry.