How to Pick a Pirate Name

So, ye think ye've got what it takes to be a pirate, eh, matey? Sure, ye've got the clothes and ye can say "Aargh!" with the best of 'em, but any respectable treasure stealing swashbuckler has to have a proper name. So before heading out on the open seas, use these tips to pick the perfect pirate name to inspire awe and fear in all yer landlubbing enemies.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Decide if you are a leader of men to be awed and revered or a lowly deckhand. Your natural disposition will determine what kind of pirate name you are worthy of.
2. Choose your favorite color, such as Red, Black or Blue, as the first part of your new name. Or, select a really colorful adjective, such as Dirty or Bloody. For born leaders and the more refined, give yourself a title, such as Sir, Lord or Captain.
3. Dub yourself with a new first name. Just about anything British or exotic sounding will do. Names of dead monarchs work well, as do biblical names. Some examples of tried-and-true pirate names are Jack, Johnny, Richard, Bartholomew and Davey for men and Jenny, Eliza, Mary, Rose and Scarlet for women.
4. Pick a surname from the realms of medieval chivalry. If it sounds like a name Shakespeare, or even Harry Potter, might have used, you're on the right track. Falstaff, Cruikshank, Flint, Smythe and Goodfellow are all worthy surnames for a pirate.
5. Throw the name of a bird somewhere into your title, such as toucan, finch, sparrow or cardinal.
6. Add a "the" to your name: Garrett the Ghastly or The Dread Jane Smythe.
7. Try switching around the positions of the names in your new title to see which has a heartier ring to it: Black Will Flint could just as easily be Flinty Will Black. Aargh, matey, ye're on yer way to becomin' a real pirate now!

Who Can Help:

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Tips & Warnings

• Replace the "i" in the middle of a name with a "y" or try adding an "e" to the end of an otherwise common name. This change may not make your name sound any different, but it still lends an air of authenticity, and true pirates can always tell the difference!