There are only so many cool names out there.

Or: Why NB had so many guys called Marcus.

Repost from 2011: 

So I'm naming Vampire NPCs, and they generally have Anglo-Saxon names as the game's set in Britain, and they really need names the players will take seriously. Sure, the Prince could be called Fred, but no.

(For the record, the Prince is called Michael. Scary angelic reference, hard K sound in the middle. Sure, it could be shortened to Mike - or Mickey - but none of the other NPCs will do that...)

Not a problem for those I can just give nicknames to, or those who get non-Anglo-Saxon names, and less a problem for those who only really need a first or last name, but I'm already flipping back and forwards to see if I already have a Simon. And yes I do, damn it.