Forced character name change

Andy.1943

#1 - Feb. 4, 2013, 10:24 a.m.

The game suddenly prompted me to change the name of one of my characters, a character I hade made and named since the headstart. The character name in question is Hyoscyamus Niger, the binomen for henbane or stinking nightshade.
The ‘Niger’ part without context, might hint toward or resemble the racial slur, however it’s quite obvious that in this context, that it’s the Latin word for dark, black.
So I really don’t understand why I’m being forced to change the name when it doesn’t breach any of the rules in the naming policy.

Gaile Gray

#7 - Feb. 4, 2013, 3:44 p.m.

I’m sorry if you are distressed by the required name change, but although I agree that Niger is perfectly legitimate in most settings, in the game world it is generally a misspelling (intentional or otherwise) for a racial slur. If other players could see context, there’d be no problem, but all they can see is a word that catches the eye and raises an eyebrow. And that’s unfortunate, but that’s fact. Just as it’s fact that a perfectly legitimate, even common word in Spanish — kitten — is often misused to cause offense.

And yes, your name is a concern, because it was reported by a player or players, which is what prompted the change requirement. I understand your comments, but the name truly must be changed. I hope with this greater explanation you’ll understand and comply without too much unhappiness.