World of Warcraft: Forever name reservation: 27 October to 3 November, and how two names work
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Early name reservation for World of Warcraft: Forever runs from 27 October to 3 November 2026, Blizzard's post of 21 September says, for "eligible upgrade purchases". Names go first come, first served, and none is guaranteed. Every character will have two names, and it's the full pair that has to be unique in your region.
Name reservation timeline: when it opens and closes
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 27 October 2026 | Early Name Reservation opens |
| 3 November 2026 | Early Name Reservation's last day |
Which purchases count? The post doesn't say. It names "eligible upgrade purchases" and stops there, so we won't guess. The window is on our calendar, and our release date piece covers launch day.
How the two-name system works
Each character has two names, which Blizzard compares to a first name and a surname.
- The pair is what counts. Somebody else taking the first name you love doesn't necessarily rule it out: two characters can share a first name as long as their full names are different.
- Unique across your region, not one realm. Forever is realmless: a name is no longer tied to one realm, one of the separate game servers, so your full name has to be free in the whole region.
- Shared surnames are fine. Blizzard's own example gives Asha, Thalen and Mira the same family-style second name, Brightvale. A guild could use a shared naming theme too, as long as each full name is free.
Will my name pass? A checklist
- Is the full pair free in your region? Only the pair has to be unique.
- Does it follow the code of conduct? Names still have to meet the in-game code of conduct for names.
- Could it confuse people, pose as Blizzard or the World of Warcraft team, or clash with existing naming policies? Those may be restricted.
- Does it use certain words, spellings or repeated-character patterns? Some of those may be restricted too.
- Did you split a restricted word across the two names? Blizzard can check both halves together, so that won't necessarily get through.
- Did you get there first? Reservation is first come, first served.
If the pair is taken or fails the rules, you pick another one, or roll the in-game random name generator.
What happens when a name breaks the rules
A Blizzard staff post of 24 September says the beta, the test version before launch, is getting forced name changes for characters that broke the naming policies. Some testers whose names were far outside Blizzard's code of conduct lost beta access altogether.
The post says the World of Warcraft development team carried out those actions itself, and each one was individually reviewed. Customer Service can't and won't help with appeals. The post adds that Blizzard's system for enforcing naming standards will come online "very shortly", and asks testers not to go poking at it, because that risks losing beta access too.
How to hide your second name
- Press Escape to open the Game Menu.
- Pick Options, then Nameplates.
- Click the checkbox for "My Secondary Name".
Your second name no longer shows in the game world, but it still shows in chat.
Our take: easier names, one open question
Our reading is that two names make a favourite first name much easier to get, because nobody can own it outright anymore. The open question is who gets to reserve early. Blizzard's name post doesn't list the eligible purchases, so we'd plan a few backup pairs either way.
Planning the character itself? Our talent calculator and hunter pet reference help with that.
Common questions
When is World of Warcraft: Forever name reservation?
Early Name Reservation runs from 27 October to 3 November 2026. Blizzard's name post says it's for eligible upgrade purchases and doesn't say which ones count. Names are reserved first come, first served, and no name is guaranteed.
How do the two names work in World of Warcraft: Forever?
Every character will have two names, like a first name and a surname. The full pair has to be unique in your region, so somebody else can share your first name as long as the second name is different. You can hide your second name in the game world, but it still shows in chat.
What happens if my World of Warcraft: Forever name breaks the rules?
If the name you want doesn't meet the naming rules, you have to choose another combination. In the beta, the test version before launch, Blizzard is forcing name changes on characters whose names broke its naming policies, and some testers whose names were far outside its code of conduct lost beta access. A staff post says the development team carried out those actions, each case was individually reviewed, and Customer Service won't help with appeals.
Written by 0hp from the publisher's own announcement, linked above, and every specific in it was checked against that page by a second pass before it published. Independent, and not affiliated with the publisher. Dates are announced or labelled as estimates. How this site is written, and how to correct it.
