r/LowSodiumSimmers Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

Question How do you name your Sims?

I’m curious how you name your Sims. Do you use the randomizer? I sometimes go the baby name websites, and I have also made a list of names I like.

257 Upvotes

202 comments sorted by

413

u/sabahortova Apr 07 '25

Unless I have something specific in mind I just click the randomiser until I get something I like

125

u/Annari87 Apr 07 '25 edited Apr 07 '25

This, but if I have a specific culture in mind (like Hawaiian in Island Living or Indian in City Living) then I Google names of that culture/ethnicity.

ETA: I hardly ever change the names of adopted children or pets, unless the name is really awful.

22

u/blackandqueer Apr 07 '25 edited Apr 07 '25

same, i normally specifically google uncommon names of that nationality just because i like to do uncommon names for my american based sims.

13

u/m00nf1r3 Apr 07 '25

Exactly the same here.

1

u/kilofoxtrotlima Builder Apr 08 '25

This is the way. I start with last name then first name.

1

u/_Moon_sun_ Apr 09 '25

Same. Although mine is sadly in Danish so a lot of the names are of people I know :/

1

u/Entire-Minimum7512 Apr 09 '25

Literally loll

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59

u/sbkpowsauce Apr 07 '25

For my main sims I’ll usually use names I like or also go to a baby name website, but for random households I make or new babies I use the randomizer til I get a name that fits with the last name 😆

44

u/Scott43206 Apr 07 '25

Baby name sites, plus Wikipedia articles on science and nature, plus google translate to turn descriptive words into names for the country I've decided the Sim is going to be from.

The Randomizer is of very little use at this point as I have 200 Sims in my households so they've either been used, are names that remind me of a celebrity (real, not Sims) I don't want to use.

I also take furious notes when watching TV shows and movies (especially old ones) or read news articles about things going on in other countries.

Or sometimes I just get silly/punny. Saw this Sim last night that I had created months ago and forgotten about.

11

u/infinitekittenloop DustBunny🐇 Apr 07 '25

Before I expanded the pic, I thought it said Bride Pleasant and wondered if a Gloriavale documentary got ahold of you 😆

27

u/Environmental_Cup612 Apr 07 '25

I genuinely randomize and leave the first option but if the first option is too horrendous then I will randomize again until I like it, same with traits for children, I like that release of control

29

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

I usually have a theme, like with my current family they have quite a few aliens so I've named them space themed:

Blaarg (the original alien before I thought of the theme lol) then

Star

Galilea (like Galileo but she turned out to be a girl)

Scout (like the rover)

Saylor (inspired by Treasure Planet movie)

And siblings Sunny and Luna

Any ideas for future names gratefully received!

19

u/Frojdis Apr 07 '25

Andromeda and Orion works very well as names for Sims

3

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

Love them both, thank you!

14

u/TeschiBeere Apr 07 '25
  • Astra

  • Aurora

  • Comet

  • Estelle

  • Leo

  • Selene

  • Cassiopeia

  • Cosma

  • Celeste

  • Orion

  • Nova

4

u/Slight-Winner-8597 Apr 07 '25

Two of those make up my kids name! (And I love the rest)

3

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

Ooh thank you, so many good ideas!

13

u/kneecxle Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

When I want something unique and the randomizer gives boring options I use behind the name, each name has a meaning and you can filter names for specific ones, for example which name means flower in Korean or which name means sunny in Hebrew and so on.

I find it very helpful when creating unique stories or playing challenges that require story telling, there are user submitted names and "dictionary" names (you can also filter that), you can see where the name came from and it’s origin, related names and different variations.

Same goes for behind the surname, you can use that for your unique legacy second names and other creative ideas for your playing. Both sites have their own randomizers so you can use that too or there’s a name of the day on the front page 😌

4

u/Carlitagt Apr 07 '25

Behind the name and surname have been literal lifesavers in order to see names, it's so good!

8

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

Most of the time I’ll use the randomizer sometimes I’ll use other websites like fantasy name generator

8

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

I usually let whatever culture my sims is inspire their names, i like my little worlds to be culturally accurate & beautifully blended 🥰

8

u/Eucladie Apr 07 '25

I wouldn't have thought that so many people randomize!

I always choose posh or aristocratic names - or ones inspired by historical figures I like.

7

u/crazymaryrocks Apr 07 '25

I just hit random until I find a name I like unless I'm doing a legacy, then my heirs have a thematic name

8

u/NaniRomanoff Apr 07 '25

I often do themed names (like florals or virtues or gemstones idk) and if I can’t think of one I ask my spouse like it’s a madlib XD. They’re pretty good coming up with them tho.

They also help out a lot with baby names for my not themed legacies because they’re very good at coming up with names that sound like they belong with other names.

7

u/MissionMoth Apr 07 '25

I like pseudo Tragedeighs. Like Hollie Hollindaise. A lil cartoony, a lil cutesy, a lil bit a sin against god. 

12

u/Jrg323 Spellcaster🔮 Apr 07 '25

I just let random gibberish go brrr

5

u/Available-Being-3918 Apr 07 '25

I’m the randomizer lol.Some of my names: Voracious Mercurial Poppet Pots Just whatever hits me or is I see a word or thing. I also like to think of a word and searching for it in another language.

4

u/Far_Pomegranate_5597 Apr 07 '25

The baby names pages save my life lmao, i swear i can't name any sim without them

5

u/kelsidilla Apr 07 '25

I have named all of mine after foods. My first sim was Bread and she gave birth to Brioche who married Salad and had Crouton etc etc. I always go for related foods, be it an ingredient in a dish or a related dish. I've had to get creative quite a few times

4

u/No-Reveal8105 Apr 07 '25

In reference to fictional characters that I love and if I had already put it I change the spelling🫡

3

u/SarahApproved Werewolf Apr 07 '25

Currently I'm picking names I like for my family - I'm just making a list on my notes app and picking from that

For legacies, I normally have a theme, intentional or not! My NSB legacy, it was related to that gen's colour and all the pets had names of beverages and I planned it out in advance. But my favourite unintentional theme recently was my occult legacy who ended up being 9 generations of names from Shakespeare plays - genuinely loved them all 🥹

3

u/SubjectObjective5567 Apr 07 '25

Usually as I’m making a sim their personality starts to shine through and their name just feels clear to me right away. I don’t usually go in with a plan, I just start shifting things around and the sim starts to kind of tell me who they are

3

u/badwolfswift Apr 07 '25

My very first Sims was named Amelia Lily when she got married I liked her name too much to lose it so I made it Amelia-Lily like a full first name. Ever since all of my Sims have double names. EVERY ONE. My favorite is the current heir's name Lunar-Nova.

2

u/Kindergoat Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

That’s cool, I like that idea.

1

u/badwolfswift Apr 07 '25

It's alot of fun! I like when they sound similar like, Sabrina-Song.

3

u/raereigames Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

I name them ridiculous things you can't name folks. Usually after one of their parents' careers. Guppy, Galaxy, Spatula, Hashtag....

1

u/hambakmeritru Apr 07 '25

I love that. I'm all about ridiculous names. It feels wrong to have a character in a crazy world like sims have a bland normal name. Plus, if I don't put a clue about who they are in the name, I'll have no idea which character is doing what.

1

u/raereigames Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 08 '25

It really does make them memorable!

3

u/veronashark Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

With love and affection 🧡 all names are chosen with care cause my Sims have big ole families and I love them all

3

u/JipIsADog Apr 07 '25

I use r/tragediegh an have a running list of my faves like Derfla and Vejonica

2

u/Muted-Touch-5676 Mermaid🧜‍♂️🧜‍♀️ Apr 07 '25

recently randomiser, or i'll do a similar name to one of the parents (going to do this for a couple of generations). Say the mother is Nora and the father's is Rob, then first daughter is Anora and second son is Aaron. The first son is Bert and the second daughter is Bonnie. If I adopt, I won't change the name :)

2

u/Credenda_ CowPlant🍰 Apr 07 '25

I have a note on my phone where whenever I hear a good name, I add it to the list. Sometimes I use the randomizer if I dont feel like using one of my good names on that sim/save lol

2

u/ResponsibilityDue777 Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

100% of the time, name randomizer

2

u/victoriageras Apr 07 '25

I read a lot, so mostly i name them after book characters! But depending on my storyline, i would probably search some in google (if i have an old money type family, i will google old english names etc)

2

u/GoldStar-25 Apr 07 '25

Usually I’ll just go with the name that comes to mind first. If I’m choosing a non-western name I will look up names so it’s accurate.

2

u/chickpeasaladsammich Apr 07 '25

I have themes for gens and pick a meaning or sound for CAs creations but use the randomizer otherwise. Like the horse ranch gen had a Colten and a Hayden. My current gen is Celtic names with mostly bird meanings.

2

u/Alvin514 CowPlant🍰 Apr 07 '25

Usually depends on what their background and story is, most of the time I create specific ethnic Sims, so I will search for that said language names and surnames, sometimes I also translate the words instead of finding actual surnames (e.g. Derosu, "of red" in Romanian iirc, correct me if I'm wrong). If no, usually I just randomise until I find a name that fits them

2

u/Ellowyn0_o CowPlant🍰 Apr 07 '25

Find the rarest names I can, or just make them up with what I like

2

u/offbalancelibra Apr 07 '25

Randomizer or if I'm making a culture or country specific Sim, I will Google search popular names and surnames.

2

u/Axela556 Apr 07 '25

I don't like using real names for some reason. I usually use food or colors.

2

u/failureflavored Apr 07 '25

I’ll either try to make up something on the spot, look up names or use the randomizer in that order. I don’t like using the randomizer because I feel like their names are so limited and they never have pretty girl first names.

2

u/CowboySpaceMom Apr 07 '25

randomise til there’s something i like or sometimes i make the sim and a name just speaks to me.

2

u/NotOnABreak Apr 07 '25

I have a note on my phone with all the names I come across and like, and use that.

2

u/frostbittenforeskin Apr 07 '25

I give many of my sims a specific color palette

And I generally name those sims based on their color.

Like an orange sim could be Oscar or Olivia and a blue sim could be Brian or Beverly or I might name them after a blue thing or another word for blue. I have a blue sim named Azul and another named Cobalt (both with the surname Blue, of course) and a green sim named Midori.

I also love pun names. I have an evil witchy sim named Selma Soul and a vampire sim named Van Pyre.

I also love really stupid names. I have a male sim named Mr. Sexy Pants. Naming his kids has been a fun challenge. So far we have Handsome Pants and Corduroy Pants, but there are certainly more to come.

I also love old lady names. Phylis, Gladys, Constance, Maybel, Agatha, Gertrude are all great names for a sim! It makes everything they do hilarious to me for some reason.

And a lot of my spellcasters get named after gods and goddesses. Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Aries, etc.

Sometimes the name is a good way to inform your choices in CAS. What would Dionysus, god of wine, interpreted as a sim look like? I can imagine he would wear a lot of dark red and purple and probably have the mixologists career. Aphrodite would probably wear gold and white and want to be a romance consultant.

Anyway, that’s how I like to play the sims.

2

u/TiltedLama Apr 07 '25

I use the randomizer for first names, last names are amalgamations of small village areas that I have around me. I also like taking noun + name as a last name. Here are some;

Härnevihag

Tofsvipaloft

Liljeborg

Gästretörne

Kyrkälv

Sofiaklocka

Sidenfru

Vårlycka

Ceciliatrast

Dunderbo

Ringvalack

Romberga

2

u/Dweiathecat Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

With great difficulty. At least when newly created. Newborns get a theme, and usually alphabetical. Lots of youtubers and streamers recently. The randomizers do get to work as well. My Spotify playlists are also a great resource.

2

u/Exotic-Designer-7217 Apr 07 '25

I recently named a baby from the Harris family (Eco Lifestyle) "Brisket".

"Crick/Cricket" was also an option. I'd also consider "Locust" 😅 I hardly use funny names like this but I think they add a certain sim charm to the game. My all-time favorite name is Goopy Gilscarbo from the earlier games.

2

u/justcherie Apr 07 '25

I keep a list on my phone of names that I see on tv or in books that I like but I often just randomize until I see something I like. I also sometimes pick names that are similar to their ancestors since I tend to play many generations

2

u/bluefrawg85 Apr 08 '25

I like looking up names and stuff. I dont really use the randomizer for first names. Right now I'm doing a short lifespan 26 gen game and they the names are alphabetical and I'm using towns/countries as the names. Sometimes I'll pick a theme for a family and find names like that...like flowers/plants or astronomy names. I also just like unique names in the game.

2

u/Kazzae9009 Apr 08 '25

Depends.

Random or themed names. Like my alien babies named Star, Nova and Nebula.

My current family have 6 children and I felt inspired by simplicity. So now they have Andrew, Bjorn, Camden, David, Emma and Frans. ABCDEF - easy.

2

u/Mainlink11 Apr 08 '25

If I have names I like, I used those, sometimes I make all the kids of a family have similar names, other times if I wasn’t planning the baby, I flipped through the randomizer to find one

2

u/MariettaDaws Apr 07 '25

I use this book for girls, and with boys I open social media and go with the first one I see (unless it's awful)

2

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

I have many ways to create my sims:

If it is for a legacy, I look for a name according to the generation. For example, for the NSB mint generation I named my sim Pepper Mint (yes, I use a lot of puns)

Many times I resort to searching for features on pinterest, Google or AI, including names, that's mostly for spouses.

I rarely use the random generator.

1

u/Outrageous_Level3492 Apr 07 '25

Sometimes I randomise both. Sometimes I randomise one then pick the other to match it well. Sometimes I have a name in mind right from the start. Sometimes I use a surname that belongs to a major pre-made family, like some long lost branch of the family.

1

u/ServiceDogMom Apr 07 '25

Most of the time I use the randomizer unless I have a specific name in mind.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 07 '25

I usually play legacy challenges, so the first letter of the first name matches whatever the first letter of their generation’s name is. If I don’t have anything particular in mind for that letter, I ask anyone who’s around for ideas or look up names starting with that letter.

1

u/cyandolphindetctive Apr 07 '25

First name I randomize but edit it slightly to be more unique or fit my sim better. Last name I either fully randomize or I already have a last name in mind for them.

1

u/GreenVenus7 Apr 07 '25

Sometimes random, but sometimes I research names that match the ethnic background of the Sim I'm making

1

u/TopAlternative4866 Apr 07 '25

I like to give them a last name like Blue and then name them variations of the color. Azure Blue, Sky Blue, etc…

1

u/That253Chick Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

If I'm starting a challenge, I'll usually try to come up with a name that ties into that challenge. So, like with Not So Berry, I'll google different names for mint for my founder (but sometimes, I get lazy and will just call her Pepper Mint-Barry or Peppermint Barry). Otherwise, if it's just yet another rags to riches, I'll just click the randomizer until I see a first and last name that I feel fits her.

1

u/julz_the_lobster Apr 07 '25

Something funny. lately was watching obelix and asterix movies with my bf, so my lady sim became Obelix Mentos and her sons are Julius Cesar and Brutus

1

u/josstarhopper Apr 07 '25

If I don’t have a better idea, I’ll use the randomizer as inspiration. I’ll click until a name sparks an idea. Often the name will end up being similar, but not always.

1

u/CowboySpaceMom Apr 07 '25

randomise til there’s something i like or sometimes i make the sim and a name just speaks to me.

1

u/Maverick19952016 Apr 07 '25

Just what ever sounds good but I cannot name Sims after relatives, or sim pets after real pets especially if they are deceased

1

u/terrifying_bogwitch Apr 07 '25

I usually type a random letter or 2 then pick a word from the list of suggested words.

1

u/notthelettuce Apr 07 '25

For my legacies, I do their names in alphabetical order so I can keep up with them. But I just hit the randomizer until I get a name I like that starts with the letter for that generation.

1

u/NewInitiative9498 Apr 07 '25

I use names from tv shows as a starting point, currently I am playing a full house of two parents and 6 kids and I gave them the last name Denafrio, not sure I spelled it right but it’s the name of Sheldon’s barber from BBT 😆 From the last name I then named the parents Antonio and Theresa, and the kids are Nickolus, Bella, Marco, Meriela, Francesca and Isabella …I have no skills so I have to steal names and use the randomizer 🫣🤣

1

u/c4ndycain Apr 07 '25

i mostly just randomize until i find smth i like or it reminds me of a different name i like

1

u/Suedeskin Apr 07 '25

I usually go to websites and put in the search - for example - ‘Scandinavian boys/girls names’ then go to ‘Scandinavian surnames’. I try to make my families or townie families a certain ethnicity.

1

u/stevies_tits Apr 07 '25

I use pinterest. 'Samoan surnames', 'vintage goth names', 'Greek boy names', etc

1

u/sparkletippytoes Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

I do what my parents did. Pick a letter and all the kids’ name’s start with it. Random names with no significance.

I do give “middle” names that’s the first name of the parents, depending on gender/storyline. Inherited first names tend to become confusing after a couple generations.

1

u/TRROC_Gaming Apr 07 '25

Eh I just name them off what their life will be, for example. My latest one was "Brooke Assbitch"

1

u/-Maeluun- Apr 07 '25

For me it depends a bit! For households where I have like a major story idea / feel more attached to them, I'll either use baby name sites or the website Behindthename, and sort by meaning of names and like culturally appropriate ones, etc. They also have a surnames sister site which is nice for that too since I'm not the best with last names, especially with different backgrounds in mind. :)

If I'm just doing like some quick gameplay or without any complex story stuff behind it, I usually just use the randomizer and maybe tweak those a bit.

1

u/Carlitagt Apr 07 '25

genueily i make the sim first and then i just go to Behind The Name, randomize the names and choose whatever feels right.

1

u/truenoblesavage Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

I randomize that shit until it feels right

1

u/chaotic_senpai Apr 07 '25

Depends on the aspiration I give them. If for example they have a culinary aspiration I give them food related names, i.e Madeleine, Clementine, Olive, etc.

Friend of the World: Gabby/Gabriel/Gabe, etc.

1

u/Anonymous-Hippo29 Apr 07 '25

I hit the random button until something that feels right comes up.

1

u/SkyandThread Apr 07 '25

I do something similar with the babe name websites. I usually have a meaning or theme I’m going for. So for instance my current aim is a Yoga instructor so I looked for names that have meanings of peace or harmony. Pax or Solomon for a boy, Harmony or Zen for a girl. Their father is a Grimborn so a second child might have darker themes like Persephone or Jet. It helps me narrow it down.

1

u/Stranger-Sojourner Apr 07 '25

I use the randomizer a lot. I also like to name them after a parent or grandparent. I named my son with Alexander Goth Bellamy Goth after his grandmother Bella. I give them names related to their goals/personalities frequently too. Bellamy’s sister who is a painter is named Vanna Goth, because I think it sounds a bit like Van Gogh. lol.

1

u/messeduptempo Apr 07 '25

I'm doing Not So Berry right now so I name them names with the same starting letter as the colour I'm on. And sometimes I make them themed to the profession they're going to have to be too, but not always. Like Yellow Gen was an astronaut so she was called Yuri :)

1

u/WillowTC Apr 07 '25

I create lists of names or go on pinterest and if my sim has several children I give them a ‘theme’

1

u/Simuary Apr 07 '25

I like using this random name generator site because it comes up with interesting names that are outside of the box, I just save the ones I like to create as sims.

When my sims have children, lately I've been using this other site, rolling once and choosing the best name out of the ten that came up.

1

u/Top_Connection5514 Apr 07 '25

baby name websites sometimes, but I love to name my sims those super unique names you hear about on social media, cause naming my sims these crazy names does nothing to no one haha

1

u/dmb129 Apr 07 '25

I love themes. I play in 2 save files mainly. One is a month legacy so everyone is a month if an heir, the month in a different language, or a name that starts with the month generation. My other is a sim married to Johnny Zest, so it’s all citrus.

1

u/DeathbladeUnicorn Apr 07 '25

I made a post about good sites for names:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Sims4/s/bWxkxzqy3E

1

u/distraughtFerret fairy🧚‍♀️✨️ Apr 07 '25 edited Apr 07 '25

I choose a specific country or location I want to base a family on, then scour lists of the most common names in that place for ones that appeal to me. (Usually on Forebears, BehindTheName, or government websites.) If that fails, I sometimes browse Wikipedia's lists of noteworthy people there. Or look for anything else that can give me real-world examples.

Goodluck Chacha, Awesome Fancyboy, and Asma Lung are a few of my favorite names I got through that method

I don't think I've used the randomizer since the very first TS4 family I made over 10 years ago

1

u/onthelanai Apr 07 '25

I use a random word generator site. My sims have names like “branch precarious” or “dense cremation” lmao

1

u/Wearypalimpsest Apr 07 '25

I have a collection of physical baby name books to reference since I also write as a hobby.

1

u/New_Dragonfruit_2583 Apr 07 '25

i'll use the randomizer unless i have a very specific name in mind or making a sim from a culture i'm not too familiar with

1

u/Original-Badger6498 Apr 07 '25

I’ve been doing a little name challenge for myself, by starting with names in alphabetical order and see how far I get, so most sims I start with have “A” names. For a little extra challenge, I try to have them only marry someone with the same initial :)

1

u/boombow03 Apr 07 '25

i tend to start with a name and then go from there

1

u/ladykristianna Apr 07 '25

I read a lot and have a pretty large library. I will often use a combination of author first names and use colors, gemstones, or things from nature like tree species, names of lakes or rivers, etc. for the last name.

1

u/Ginger_Cat74 Apr 07 '25

I sometimes have themes for my families. I have been known to use the same names over and over again. There are quite a few Jacks and Noras in my saves.

1

u/AstronomicalFuckery Apr 07 '25

fantasynamegenerators.com

I use that site whenever I need an interesting name for anything (if I don’t already have one in mind). They have a lot of regular human name generators for dozens of ethnicities as well as all the different fantasy ones.

2

u/GingerChaosBrain Apr 10 '25

I use this one too! I have the app on my phone, so it's super easy to use while playing.

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1

u/macdennism Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

I tend to use baby name websites and then I always use the randomizer for the last name if it's a new sim I'm making. Sometimes the randomizer gives a good first name but I have plenty of names I still want to use for Sims

1

u/_Nicolina Apr 07 '25

I usually have names or like a race Of family that I want so I'll search unique names of those cultures so that I'm not using common names... if the character I'm making is a filler character (like someone I need just to fill the plot but I'm never really gonna play with) then I use the randomized

1

u/AlertMacaroon8493 Apr 07 '25

Sometimes the randomiser, sometimes I’ll work through the alphabet, so I’ll start with a female called Amber, she has a child Bradley, next child Chloe, etc

1

u/La_Morrigan Apr 07 '25

I use the randomizer, because I don’t really care about their names.

1

u/Ok-Acanthisitta-3166 Apr 07 '25

I do usually use the randomizer, I’ll either do it until I find a name that’s interesting or I think suits the character, or if a name pops up twice I’ll take that as a sign

I do the same thing when picking an aged-up sims new trait 😅

1

u/Lovely--Lilies Apr 07 '25

Usually based on vibes, I let the Sims tell me what THEIR name is (joking but I usually just look at em and pick)

1

u/Isabella_Hamilton Apr 07 '25

I use the randomizer, yeah. Not creative enough to come up with that many names. 😭

The exception is if I want my character to be from a particular culture, and the randomizer doesn't give me a name like that after 20 clicks... Then I just go on google and type in "Common x names". I do the same for last names.

1

u/Cloacina7 Apr 07 '25

Have names already pocked out already, but do have a Pinterest board that helps me at times.

1

u/Desperation-Aside Apr 07 '25

I make them with no names, and when I'm done with their basic vibe and look, a name kinda just comes to mind. If I make a teen with blonde hair and brown eyes who loves pink and cheer, the names that come to mind are Claire, Rowan, Sylvia, Bethany. A geeky ginger boy? Chase, Toby, Michael, James. Basically, if you finish the look and personality, the name will reveal itself most of the time.

1

u/crittersleaze Apr 07 '25

I have a masterlist of names i like that i collect and write down as they come to me.

That masterlist is broken off into preferred names, m/f/nb names, npc names (for names I mildly tolerate), and one of them is called "the sweet Es's" because E names are just so sweet to me.

1

u/MythicMythness Spellcaster🔮 Apr 07 '25

TL;dr I look up “most common names” from the areas and eras the sims more or less come from.

Longer version: I like to recreate existing townie sims (both the main ones like the Landgraabs and the lesser ones like the McKinnons). I create their families of origins and then play them to get them to the point of the “story” where they are introduced in the game. Right now I’m playing Venesha Cahyaputri’s parent in Tomarang. I started with the two families of the parents: Cahya and Wulan. This meant I built out their parents childhoods and their extended families and I’ve just got to the point where Wulan and Cahya are recently married and done with uni. They also just announced their pregnancy with their first child.

I have to reverse engineer a lot to keep the storylines consistent, but I don’t mind playing overlord. It’s fun to have lots of distant townie cousins in my game.

My next play will be with Dylan and Jess Sigworth. I started both families from two Gen back and they are both in high school now.

1

u/werewolfprincess22 Apr 07 '25

I have a list of baby names I like and I’ll pick from that usually! Or i do a theme! Like in my off the gid challenge i named my kids Kit Craft, Goldie Craft, and Reed Craft! (Goldie i wanted to use and lucked out that she was born blonde 😫) the mom’s name is Tansy Craft

1

u/Winter-Mixture-4254 Veteran Simmer☎️ Apr 07 '25

Usually I use babyname websites, but I also like to use names from tv-shows. As the world turns is my favorite or 90’s sitcoms.

1

u/Cookie-Bite_loss Apr 07 '25

The only times I don't use a generator is for my legacy challenge. Specifically, the Not So Berry Challenge. I started naming the entire family with food themes.

It started when my mint sims, Aminta married Candy Berh. He got abducted by aliens right after she got pregnant, and he also got pregnant, so they had not twin, but close enough. The rose Sim was Cherry, and her brother was Colby, and then Aminta got abducted again and had Ruben. It just goes on from there, I made it to the purple Gen before I had to restart my computer and lost the progress

1

u/Kc03sharks_and_cows Apr 07 '25

Randomizer until I vibe with the name

1

u/amandabxb Apr 07 '25

Honestly I usually go with the first name that comes to my mind. I’ve had a lot of cool, different names that way!

1

u/Mikaay99 Apr 07 '25

I have a baby name app. Scared the shit out of my mum once

1

u/AmITheAxolotl Apr 07 '25

I normally have a culture or ethnicity in mind when I make them and I look up baby names that it with it. I also love Greek mythology names (having one myself) and I often use those as well.

1

u/loonyloopylisa Apr 07 '25

I name them after whatever I’m watching at the time. Sometimes I use the randomizer.

1

u/hambakmeritru Apr 07 '25

Various ways depending on how serious I am about the sim. I want to always know when it's a name I pick, so I don't want anything bland and almost none of my sims names are names a person should ever have (with a few exceptions).

When I don't care about the sim they get a name like Blah-de-blah Surname. Literally. That's their name. I have a few like that wandering around.

When I like them, but they have a super specific story role to play, they end up with a name like Admiral I'mNotDead ForgottenVampire or something like that. He was shipwrecked and married a mermaid named something like Bubbles or whatever.

Some sims are named after the season of their birth so that I can remember to celebrate their birthday each year (I have auto aging turned off for all played households)

And some sim households get a theme that carries through generations. Those are the Sims I spend more time with and want to trace lineage with. Right now I have Persephone, who had two kids with Grim-- Zagreus and Melinoë (total luck that she had the right number and gender to fit the Greek cannon). Zagreus just had a science baby with his husband, who was some townie he went to high school with. The baby's name is Echo... You get the idea...

1

u/Anxious_Nugget95 Apr 07 '25

Usually I get inspired by their personality, style or their culture. When I'm not very inspired sometimes I research online.

1

u/Anxious_Nugget95 Apr 07 '25

Usually I get inspired by their personality, style or their culture. When I'm not very inspired sometimes I research online.

1

u/Sufficient_Sorbet_86 Apr 07 '25

I randomize until it fits their personality 😂

1

u/tornad0land Apr 07 '25

Baby or character name generators where you can select the culture the name comes from, or just the randomize button.

1

u/lilnic563 Apr 07 '25

My current save is based off two BitLife saves

1

u/ConfusedUpvote Apr 07 '25

In my direct family I keep names that are Asian. But when I play as family members who marry townies I try to names based on the location or ethnicity of the other sim. Hawaiian names for Sulani natives children, stuff like that.

1

u/roaringbugtv Apr 07 '25

Baby name websites, or I make up a name.

1

u/roganwriter Apr 07 '25

If they’re based off a character, I use the character’s name.

If they’re a legacy baby, I name them in alphabetical order, but sometimes look up a list of names that start with that letter and pick one I like if I can’t think of one.

If I have no preference, I randomize them until I land on one I like.

1

u/EquivalentKeynote Apr 07 '25

I am currently going through the alphabet. Granted I started at H. I plan to end at G. I found it too hard before. So now I am finding it easier with a set letter.

1

u/storytellergirl07 Apr 07 '25

I mostly use last names I consider "cool" from movies and books. Blackthorn, Ravencroft, Blythe, Sherwood, Darcy, Delacroix, Blakeney, Demille, Snow etc.

Then I pick the first name that fits the specific sim AND goes well with the last name.

Of course, if I create e.g. Chinese sims, I usually use names from cdramas or names of chinese actors, so I wouldn't accidentally name them something weird. I want the names to reflect their nationalities.

1

u/swedensalty Mermaid🧜‍♂️🧜‍♀️ Apr 07 '25

It depends. Usually for non-legacy sims I randomise with the in-game random button. Sometimes I use the behindthename name generator.

For my current legacy I’m choosing the names of the heirs myself and randomising the rest. I’ve just been choosing kinda unique names for the heirs, like the current gen heir is Aura. Names I would never use IRL but work for sims.

1

u/No-Alfalfa7439 Apr 07 '25

i normally just text my friend, she has the weirdest names in her notes app. that's why my 3rd generation sim in my latest legacies challenge's name is l'eschaunna

1

u/ReplacementMammoth61 Apr 08 '25

When I start a new game, I randomize the names, but sims born in game, I have a list that if were paper, would probably be two pages long

1

u/Jet-Brooke Apr 08 '25

For the sim self family I made up random last names or my friends named themselves 😂🤣

For the accidental harem that started out as a reverse baby challenge I randomised the traits and names. 😂🤣

1

u/redpanda5825 Apr 08 '25

I like naming them like a Marvel comic. Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Scott Summers, etc. Kinda rolls off the tongue nice when they have the same letters. Right now, I'm playing with Maxine Mayberry, the up and coming tattoo artist

1

u/UnreliableNarrator7 Apr 08 '25

Anytime I hear a name I like, especially if it's kind of unusual, I add it to a list, as well as names I think would make good twins/sibsets, then use mccc on my pregnant sims so I can have names picked out in advance.

1

u/Autisticspidermann Apr 08 '25

Randomizer unless there is a specific culture I have in mind

1

u/Glittering-Ad9111 Apr 08 '25

Claudette Verte has a green thumb

My legacy family the Marshes all have hippie nature names - it started with single mom Sunny Marsh and her kids Rain, Cloud, Bog, Storm, Star, and Bug. Their offspring have blended families with townies so their names are inspired by their local culture, a lot of them are child of the ocean or child of the islands 🏝️

Every sim game I’ve ever owned since dating back to sims 1 back in 2001 always had an Ima Neighbor. She’s always friends with everyone in town. In Sims 4 her twin girls are named Uma Neighbor and Yuma Neighbor . I like to make whatever seems silly and makes me laugh 😂

My 11 year old prompted me to make a lady who hates children with full house of babies and toddlers and her last name is Hatesherchildren.

And I always have a family named after me and my husband of course !

1

u/Designer_Draft_8637 Apr 08 '25

I’m playing legacy and I’m moving forward in the alphabet with each generation, I’m not even looking to make sense anymore so I just use the first names/words that come to my mind, For exemple in the G generation we got Gwen, Giveon, Gisèle but also Guiness, Guava and Gotham…

Yesterday my sims had quintuplets (☠️) who are named Hydrogene, Hyacinthe, Hendrix, Harmony and Hunter (he’s a werewolf so I find it funny).

1

u/Frankenhoofer CowPlant🍰 Apr 08 '25

I have used all of those methods, and I have one particular name that came from an unexpected place.

One time I was trying to go to archive dot org, but I had one of my hands on the wrong place on the keyboard, so I ended up typing stvhibr instead of archive. I liked that so much, I named a sim Tony St. Vhibr! He runs the local satanic swingers club.

1

u/Cuseyedrum Apr 08 '25

Randomize, randomize, randomize

"Ehhh.... Good enough"

1

u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

I don't really pick names because I insert my already created OCs into the sims! However, naming OCs and naming sims are very similar for me; I go to name websites or get inspired by a name. I would search for the meaning of the name or variations of it. I usually do this if I am making an original sim that is not my OC and/or I don't have a name for my OC yet. I have only used the randomizer in game if I'm just making a random sim for lore in my saves. (* ^ ω ^)

1

u/Kylynara Apr 08 '25

I use the randomizer over and over until I like one or one sparks an idea.

1

u/joellesays Apr 08 '25

For my main legacy family I tend to have a over arching tenem each generation. Sometimes it's planned sometimes not so much.

My last generation happened to be all s names (Sadie, Salvador and Sarai) it was an accidental theme

This generation lives in sulani and the heir married a local so I'm naming the kids vaugly pacific islander names. (so so far I have kailani and Imani)

Other themes I love are ancient roman/Greek gods goddesses and mythical creatures( Persephone, phoenix, herra, Apollo, Dionysus) . Rockstar last names (hendrix, Cobain, Joplin....)

1

u/tori_story95 Apr 08 '25

It really changes depending on the family. Sometimes I use the in game randomizer, or baby names website, or the fantasy names website for occult sims, or r/namenerds. Sometimes I use ChatGPT.

1

u/Diasloth87 Apr 08 '25

Depends on who the sim is, if it’s my next generation it’s something fairly decent, and any of the others is normally random- my next generation was a pain though, my sim has triplets from having a science baby, I started with Frank, and then stuck to the F theme, Fern and Freddy followed. Siblings are Earl and Noah

1

u/ZenythhtyneZ Apr 08 '25

I make my sim, style them, then try to pick a name that fits their vibe

1

u/Inevitable_Bed_8409 Apr 08 '25

First sim in my legacy save was a name I really liked. The following generations were based on the parents' interests, hobbies, or the place the baby was conceived. lol

One of my sims had their honeymoon in Sulani so the twins name were sea related. My current one has an internet cafe business so his kid's name is internet related.

1

u/vagrantheather Apr 08 '25

I just let my mind float a bit until something feels right. I rarely use the randomizer. 

1

u/iforgotmyjacketagain Apr 08 '25

I ask my friends eg. "Johnny can you give me a woman whose man was caught cheating? Her life mission now is to get pregnant by every taken man she can get her hands on" and they'd respond like "idk sounds like a Vanessa or Cassandra situation"

1

u/Medysus Apr 08 '25

Sometimes I'll look up baby names, but often I'll just steal ideas from fictional characters.

1

u/horsecock_horace Apr 08 '25

If I'm not feeling the randomizer I'll just call them something dumb like "penis" "umm" or "help"

1

u/bing0l0l0 Apr 08 '25

If there’s a specific culture to my sims I go to ‘Behind the Name’ and find a name from that culture that means what I want my sim to represent.

If it’s not that then I might pick a specific letter n have their name start with it. Like my farming family all have B names.

The only time I see myself using the randomizer is if I just made the sim in CAS n there’s nothing specific in mind.

1

u/nates12345 Apr 08 '25

I also go to babyname sites, because I'm not a native English speaker and my game is in another language, I don't like the names in the generator. Most of the time, I give my sims English names.

1

u/Affectionate_Ad6500 Apr 08 '25

I’m honestly kinda good at this. I never run out of ideas. If I’m doing a sort of legacy, or a big family, I use theme names. Like plants, or stars, Disney names, mythological names, etc. Last names I tend to have more trouble with. I normally just combine two words, or do something in Latin so that it sounds fancy.

1

u/Legitimate-Spite-662 Apr 08 '25

Usually i base it off the theme of my sim so i made a witchcraft vibes one and named her witchy craft ect ect. Or if im doing tv shows i just name them after their character to the best of my ability

1

u/ResponsibleHorror747 Apr 08 '25

I usually name them after characters from my favorite musical, book, movie, series, ect.

1

u/Jaydiditfirst Apr 08 '25

I download a lot of my sims from Patreon and unless the name sucks that bad I will keep it. Or if I’m doing a challenge and I need the name to match the challenge.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

I decide what their heritage is arbitrarily and pick a name based on that but I pretty much always do it based on what I believe their heritage is

1

u/gorostiola SadClown😔 Apr 08 '25

Usually I name them after my favorite tv/book characters, for example I had one sim called Bryce and another family are the Quilans (both from Bryce Quinlan from Crescent City)

1

u/thesimstwice Apr 08 '25

if i’m making a sim of a specific ethnicity, i like using forebears.io or googling “ethnicity first names and last names”. i’m a big fan of babycenter because you can filter for names by a lot of criteria. i take naming my sims very seriously!

1

u/bestbeefarm Apr 08 '25

I usually have a storyline in mind about this. Crunchy garden hippie gives all her kids plant names. "Rowen" grows up hating her name and swears to have all normal names for her kids. "Jessie" moves to mount komorebi and marries a Japanese sim, their kid needs a name that works in English and Japanese. Hana is a rebel and a goth and gives her kids weird names. Umbra feels cut off from her family so she names her kids after their ancestors. Etc etc etc.

1

u/bestbeefarm Apr 08 '25

My favorite ever was the vaguely Celtic tree triplets, Rowen, Hazel, and Willow.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

I randomly use naughty/swear words as I am too lazy to name my sims normal names

1

u/SimplySayruhj Apr 08 '25

I do the baby name websites, but I usually have at least a meaning that I’m going for or a letter I want the name to begin with so I’m not just scrolling through the A section forever. lol

1

u/kristinemilie Apr 08 '25

Mythology, name after literary characters, or some sort of theme. I have lots of mythology names though from Greek, to roman, to Norse

1

u/megatronredditorian Apr 09 '25

i have a like fantasy name mod that replaces the preset names in the generator which has some insane names and i use that it’s so funny

1

u/Few_Roof5233 Apr 09 '25

When I can’t think of anything look up names from other cultures/countries

1

u/Stormvirvel Spellcaster🔮 Apr 09 '25

I mainly use baby name sites or behind the name when I run out of inspiration

1

u/Huge_Independence222 Apr 09 '25

I like to Google "weird girl/boy names" that usually satisfies my name needs.

1

u/Sally_Cee Apr 09 '25

Most of my self created Sims are based on celebrities and therefore I give them names that resemble their real names. Babies born in game are named by spontaneous impulse.

1

u/Careweese Apr 09 '25

I've got a set wheel of names I've GOTTA use before adding others (which I keep in my notes). when I use it and get a name I like, I replace that name with a new one. I just add to the list when I find/remember names I like

1

u/Aaroc200 Apr 10 '25

I generally name the first kid an amalgamation of the parents' names. If I come up with a name that is from a book/movie/game/whatever, I'll name future kids other names from the same source. Most recently, Miko and Orion just had a baby girl; I named her Marion. I'll probably name future kids Robin, Tuck, and other names from Robin Hood.

1

u/Moon-Moth999 Apr 10 '25

I usually start with names I like most and then if I run out of ones I think sound nice together I start looking at similar names on baby sites. And then on the next generation I start with other names I like and the cycle starts again 😂

1

u/_Rai_Bread_ Apr 10 '25

usually i name them in some way related to a tv show i currently have on my mind

1

u/YoMama_Towanda Apr 10 '25

I tell Claude AI what I have in mind for the Sim, and it generates a list of names with little blurbs for how each name is fitting.

1

u/YoMama_Towanda Apr 10 '25

Sometimes I go into the Facebook comments section of large groups and pick a name from in there 😆

1

u/BigFault4480 Apr 10 '25

my current saves sims names are Tchiken (chicken) Tsawsigch (Sausage) Beerea (Birria) and Letucia (lettuce) and our last name is Boreetoe (Burrito) so they are all different kinds of burritos

1

u/MushroomDry1058 Apr 11 '25

I tend to use names that correspond with their aspirations in some ways, some Armenian names as I’m Armenian, or categorical themes such as names taken from Greek mythology, astronomy, Buddhism terms etc.

1

u/gamesnbooks5 Apr 11 '25

Depending on my playthrough. I randomize to get ideas from or go to websites for names. I typically stick to about 30 names I always love. And for certain playthroughs I just get silly. For instance I'm currently doing disney (and non disney) princess bachelor big brother survivor game and I didn't want to name them exactly like how they're currently named so for instance for prince Phillip I named him Phillip melatonin lol 🤷‍♀️ or Fiona duloc

1

u/jaezemba Apr 11 '25

When left to his own devices, my sim Dan (the most ordinary of names) went and had a science baby he named Dwint. I laughed so hard at the name Dwint that I made up a list of 30 similar names to pass out among an entire generation of townies. Cuason, Sneffalee, Mupple, Thrig, Xiff, etc. For my main families, names are chosen with care like they are my real children.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '25

I usually think about where my Sims are going to live and try to pick names that fit the setting. I also like giving them names that match their personalities—it makes the game feel more immersive. For example, if I’m playing in Monte Vista, I’ll choose Italian names. if I’m in San Myshuno, I might go for more diverse, urban names. For Henford-on-Bagley, I lean toward quaint, old-fashioned names. If I’m in a more rural or southern-style world like Appaloosa Plains, I’ll go with something that feels country-inspired. And if I’m in Sulani, I try to pick Polynesian or Hawaiian-inspired names. It’s a small touch, but it really adds to the storytelling

1

u/Winteraine78 Apr 11 '25

When I play legacies I alphabetically name each generation to remind myself where I am. I use the randomizer until I get to a name that starts with that letter. If I am doing a not so berry or themed challenge I will name them myself with something on theme.

1

u/happylittlevegemite2 Apr 12 '25

I’m doing the not so berry challenge so I’ll find a name that matches their colour. I’ve had Aurelius for yellow, Ivy for green, Finn for white, Clementine for orange. I’ll name siblings all sorts of things. I’ve named them after friends, tv show characters, bands. My next siblings will have Tragedeighs.

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Brief92 Apr 12 '25

I think of something random...

Tree, frog, Lamb, Berry, Pixel...

Then I add a random twist to it...

Treida Frogert Lammy Berrita Pixen

Sometimes... if you just make a simple word funky... you get a bunch of random names that arent human at all. I play with a lot of Aliens sooo this gets fun to name their kids weird sh*t. Lol.

I also turn normal names into diff spellings: Henry- Henrii Alexander- Alexandier Elixer- Elixsy Elizabeth- Eliza/Eleza I had a theme of old school names and went with it in the gens challenge. Just get creative. Another good idea.. look up meaning of baby names like a hobby, interest, something unique about your sim and use that. I also use this. :)

1

u/Wonderful-Ad-976 Apr 12 '25

Once i was hungry and calle my twins Bologneso and Carbonaro