What's with a lot of Ellies in 2013 video games lately?

[Altercator]

Can't help but notice there's a lot women characters starting with two letters E & L; Elizabeth in Bioshock Infinite is obvious. Then we move to Elizabeth Darling in Blood Dragon, Ellie in Last of Us and finally Ellen Page in Beyond Two Souls (OK, so her character's name is Jodie, but it should count, right? Right?)

Is there any reason behind the ELs? Something symbolism that binds these names together? A mere coincidence? Or is just that game devs are just lazy in naming these days?

 

[Terminate421]

Coincidence?

I don't know, maybe it just there are alot of El names for women than there are for men. (Elijah is the only one I could think of for men)

 

[Magnum700]

There is also an Ellie in Dead Space.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Whatever the reason, I bet it's the same that caused so many characters to be named "Nathan"

Nathan Drake, Nathan Copeland, Nathan Hale, Nathan Vargas, Nathan Spencer...

 

[go-10]

its a conspiracy by the Illuminati who are working together with... wait for it... ANCIENT ALIENS!

 

[Ryotknife]

Game industry likes to reuse names?

See Nathan, Shepard, and Mason

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

There is an Ellie in Borderlands 2, too.

You know, the very...erm...ample woman who unlocks usage of the Bandit truck for you?

 

[sanquin]

I figure it's because of studies/focus groups. They try to find out what names appear to be popular, or 'cool' sounding for their characters. (And let's face it, Nathan Drake or Elizabeth Darlin sounds pretty good.)

 

[Toxic Sniper]

For a moment I thought this thread was about cheap "emotional companion" characters like Ellie, Elizabeth, and the Call of Duty dog Riley, to which I would reply writer laziness.

For the actual name Ellie, no idea. It's probably because the name feels natural while being more distinctive than "Rachel" or "Susan."

 

[DoPo]

Game industry likes to reuse names?

See Nathan, Shepard, and Mason

Hmm, of the list Eclipse Dragon had[footnote]Nathan Drake, Nathan Copeland, Nathan Hale, Nathan Vargas, Nathan Spencer[/footnote] I only knew Nathan Drake (Uncharted) and I thought I recalled a Nathan Hale, though when I looked him up, it turned out he was some historical figure, so dunno which game has him (AC3?).

For Shepard, I can only think of Mass Effect, and I suppose Opposing Force (though, he's Shephard, it's still the same thing).

And I only know Alex Mason who is...from CoD (somewhere), I believe.

Who are the others that share these names?

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Game industry likes to reuse names?

See Nathan, Shepard, and Mason

Hmm, of the list Eclipse Dragon had[footnote]Nathan Drake, Nathan Copeland, Nathan Hale, Nathan Vargas, Nathan Spencer[/footnote] I only knew Nathan Drake (Uncharted) and I thought I recalled a Nathan Hale, though when I looked him up, it turned out he was some historical figure, so dunno which game has him (AC3?).

For Shepard, I can only think of Mass Effect, and I suppose Opposing Force (though, he's Shephard, it's still the same thing).

And I only know Alex Mason who is...from CoD (somewhere), I believe.

Who are the others that share these names?

There's Alec Mason from Red Faction: Guerrilla, Darius Mason from Red Faction: Armageddon and Garrett Mason from L.A. Noire, but those are the only Masons I know.

 

[Ryotknife]

Game industry likes to reuse names?

See Nathan, Shepard, and Mason

Hmm, of the list Eclipse Dragon had[footnote]Nathan Drake, Nathan Copeland, Nathan Hale, Nathan Vargas, Nathan Spencer[/footnote] I only knew Nathan Drake (Uncharted) and I thought I recalled a Nathan Hale, though when I looked him up, it turned out he was some historical figure, so dunno which game has him (AC3?).

For Shepard, I can only think of Mass Effect, and I suppose Opposing Force (though, he's Shephard, it's still the same thing).

And I only know Alex Mason who is...from CoD (somewhere), I believe.

Who are the others that share these names?

I was about to list the Shepards off the top of my head, then realized some of them came from sci-fi shows >_>

whoops. So scratch Shepard off the list.

As for Masons, Red fraction (I refuse to call them a faction) 3 and 4, CoD black ops, LA Niore. Some others im sure, but I cant remember for the life of me.

EDIT: found some others, Harry Mason from Silent hill 1. Jack Mason from Pariah (although most people probably don't know that game exists)

Mason just screams "American" to me.

EDIT2: just remembered another one, General Shepard from CoD MW2.