1. GrandJury

    GrandJury Member

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    Need help with character code-names! (Military, sci-fi)

    Discussion in 'Character Development' started by GrandJury, Dec 16, 2015.

    Note sure if this is the right place to post something like this, but oh well.

    I am writing about a group of mercenaries in the nearish future.

    Their (real) names are (for now, at least):

    • Axel
    • Duke
    • Rocco
    • Maverick
    • Gus
    • Jett

    They have are to have some really killer code-names, but I can't really think of any. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm thinking of titles such as:

    • Warhammer
    • Badger
    • Hornet
    • Lynx
    • Reaper
    • Raptor
    • Ghost Rider

    ...and so on. Essentially nicknames that'd sound cool over a walkie-talkie.

    (i.e. "Come in, Ghost Rider. This is Overlord 12. I've got a visual on the target."
    "Copy that, Cobra. Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage. Area is too hot."
    )

    ^ something like that. Any suggestions? Thanks!
     
  2. NeighborVoid

    NeighborVoid Active Member

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    Location:
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    -Mesa
    -Helios
    -Zeus
    -Tesla
    -Jet Stream
    -Zero
    -Sunstorm
    -Safari
    -Argon
    -Blizzard
    -Storm Surge
     
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  3. misteralcala

    misteralcala Member

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    * Shit-Stain
    * Fart Weasel
    * Ginger Bread Man
    * Lunch Lady
    * Bootyfunk
    * Sloppy Seconds

    Ok. I got that out of my system.

    * Boomer
    * Black Magic
    * God
    * Savage
    * Sweet Death
    * Charon (Greek mythology character who transported souls to Hades, pronounced Kay-ron)
    * Pain Train
    * Ripper
    * Venom
     
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  4. Lew

    Lew Contributor Contributor

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    These codenames sound like real fixed radio callsigns, in fact "Ghostrider" is I believe a navy attack squadron fixed callsign.

    Real military nicknames are often deprecatory, often assigned due to memorialize something the recipient would rather not have remembered. Think "Boomer, Goose, Iceman," the like. "Five-wire": there are only four wires (arresting cables) on a carrier, etc.
     
  5. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Agreed with @Lew. Real military nicks will have a meaning known to those who coined it and especially to the recipient. Even when they sound "awesome", trust that scathing sarcasm is in play.
     
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  6. RDD1977

    RDD1977 New Member

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    Storm Surge, I like that one it's cool.
     
  7. Lew

    Lew Contributor Contributor

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    Mine is "Zig-Zag" and I used to hate it, totally untrue legend behind it, but after forty years it has had staying power
     
  8. Sack-a-Doo!

    Sack-a-Doo! Contributor Contributor

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    Just go to a biker bar and listen to what they call each other. If you survive the experience, you'll have all the macho you need to pull this off and you won't need anyone's help with this.
     
  9. Fighting Kentuckian

    Fighting Kentuckian New Member

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    Heck, those strike me as nicknames in of themselves. Maybe use those and give them different real names like John or Bill.
     
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  10. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    I think the best way for you to come up with some good code names, is to write out character sheets with some backstory, and then base some of their code names off of that.
     
  11. BrianIff

    BrianIff I'm so piano, a bad punctuator. Contributor

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    Tell us, Lewdog, for old time's sake, the backstory for your codename. :D
     
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  12. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    Well that's pretty easy. My last name is Lewis and when I was working at the prison I was called several names like Sweet Lew, Big Lew, and Lewdog. I just used Lewdog as my name on all the forums. My REAL nickname that my old friends and family call me is Chico. I got that one when I was in third grade because I was so dark complected and chubby. I looked like the little Latino kid on the Bad News Bears (the original one) and the sponsor of their team was Chico's Bail Bonds. So my peewee football coach just started calling me Chico and it stuck.

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. BrianIff

    BrianIff I'm so piano, a bad punctuator. Contributor

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    Ah, I see, I thought it had something to do with being a lewd dog :supertongue:
     
  14. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    Well to be honest, when I feel comfortable around people I would compare myself to being a male version of Amy Schumer, or maybe a Seth Rogan. I just have one of those semi-crude senses of humor.
     
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  15. BrianIff

    BrianIff I'm so piano, a bad punctuator. Contributor

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    Why wait till you're comfortable? Just talk like Schumer would to moms with their children at the grocery store you're doing part-time at.
     
  16. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    Yeah, that would make for a short lived career as a stock boy. :superlaugh:
     
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  17. GrandJury

    GrandJury Member

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    I wanted some more unorthodox names.

    Also, the idea of my hardened sci-fi mercenaries with names such as "Bill" doesn't sit well with me I guess. But I can see where you're coming from.
     
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  18. Lewdog

    Lewdog Come ova here and give me kisses! Supporter Contributor

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    There are so many nicknames out there, but as I said you need to tie it into the features of the characters. You could have a guy with a big scar on his face, and his buddies could give him a mean nickname like "Adonis." That's just an example, but if you just want a list of nicknames it could take forever.
     
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  19. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    From West Wing:

    C.J. Cregg: What's your secret service code name?
    Sam Seaborn: They just changed it.
    C.J. Cregg: I know. What's yours?
    Sam Seaborn: Princeton.
    C.J. Cregg: Mine's "Flamingo".
    Sam Seaborn: That's nice.
    C.J. Cregg: No, it's not nice.
    Sam Seaborn: Flamingo's a nice-looking bird.
    C.J. Cregg: A flamingo is a ridiculous-looking bird.
    Sam Seaborn: You're not ridiculous-looking.
    C.J. Cregg: I know I'm not ridiculous-looking.
    Sam Seaborn: Any way for me to get out of this conversation?
    C.J. Cregg: I'm going to talk to someone.
    Sam Seaborn: Excellent.
     
  20. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    I'm voting for funny/sarcastic/mocking, rather than "awesome", names. Just to express how sarcastic I want the names to be, the first one I thought of is "Pixie Sticks".

    Edited to edit your example:
    "Come in, Growler. This is Snoopy. Pixie Sticks has a visual on the target."
     
  21. Mr Badger

    Mr Badger New Member

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    • Axel- Battleaxe
    • Duke- Grand Duke
    • Rocco- Rockhard
    • Maverick- (I'm lost on this one)
    • Gus- Windy Man
    • Jett- Jet Plane
     
  22. GrandJury

    GrandJury Member

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    I'll keep that in mind! Perhaps I'm trying too hard.
     
  23. Illandrius

    Illandrius Member

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    Well I had a nickname when I wasn in the Airforce. I was called squirrel. Why...that's not important.

    I will tell you that you cannot just assign nicknames to people. It's like the Big Bang Theory you can't pick your own. Its something that develops. So look at the story and assign them names based on who they are as people.
     
  24. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    I'd stick to one name for each guy, then assign an obvious codename - Maverick/Mav1Rick kind of thing, or none, no code-name at all.

    Otherways you'll spend a 1000 words explaining, re-inforcing these 'pointless' tags. Exhausting for you and the audience, reckon.

    Yeah, I've been Woolfy a long time in different places, or Mat, Hugh, Prick, currently Worm.
     
  25. The Mad Regent

    The Mad Regent Senior Member

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    It's like the literary version of Top Gun!

    That's right, Ice ... I'm dangerous!

    :superagree:
     

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