SLer Survey: Will You Pay to Change Your Avatar Name?

At long last Linden Lab has announced plans to let SLers change their first and/or last avatar name -- but it comes with a revenue-generating catch:

We heard you loud and clear. Soon it will be possible to change the name of a Second Life account. This is one of our Residents’ most requested features and we’re working furiously to make it available by the end of January.  Name Changes will be exclusively for Premium members at an additional fee. Changing one or both of your First and Last Name will be available as a single transaction. Last Names will be picked from a list, which you can help us curate.

Hence this survey above -- please share with other SLers! Results posted right before Thanksgiving next week. 

... and do discuss in Comments! I do like, example, that Linden Lab is returning to a curated list of last names, which they ended many years ago (7? 8?), but I wonder if current users miss the nostalgia of having a limited selection. But maybe I'm wrong?

Comments

[Jupiter]

Maybe. I'm happy with my legacy name, but I would consider it for a Premium alt. Otherwise, display names work just fine for me.

[Rybbon Nikr]

A curated list is fine with me, if I don't like them I'll wait till they change them up. I assume that's the gist of it.

[Eleri Ethaniel]

I had a premium account, and a legacy name. They would need to do a whole lot more to entice me back into a premium account.

[Acacia Merlin]

I love having the limited selection as long as it's long enough, like in the old days. I can hardly wait to see the list of names and to see avatars that aren't stuck with "Resident." Currently I'm happy with my avatar names, so there's no reason to pay for new ones. I just wish that all those stuck with "Resident" could, without charge, add a last name from the list. So much nicer.

[Kitty LittleGhost]

If it’s only for Premium what happens if/ when we cancel that account?

[Kam Shiro]

Only Premium accounts? That's not right! Should be for both Free AND Premium accounts like it was many years. Why only offer it to Premium accounts? With my free alt, I'd pay for the name change but I'm not willing to go Premium and pay double fees. That's just wrong marketing.

[kedvenc ivanovic]

Please do not make us choose from a List of names.. i doubt we will get what we want that way! Custom name is worth a fee, otherwise.. unless you have my last name i want, ill keep the old one!

[Aislinn]

No, I'm already a premium member and it's just not worth paying, even more, to get the name changed, in my opinion. I personally think though that for those who were stuck with the Resident name, they should be allowed to get a name change, at a nominal fee, regardless of if they are premium or not. To me, they got the short end of the stick, when the last name option was taken away.
Also, if new accounts come in, are they going to get stuck still with the last name Resident or will they be given the option of having the last name, like we use to have?

[Lillian]

I don't know why they stopped Surnames to be honest. I did read somewhere, that LL said that finding the original coding for Surnames was almost impossible to reinstate as it was lost in all the upgrades *raised eyebrow*

[James McMillan]

I do not have a premium account, but I will not get a premium account just to change my name. And then on top of getting a premium account, there is still yet a extra charge just to change the name. Not worth it. I would suggest just make this available for everyone premium and non premium, and just make it a fee to do a one time name change. I would consider that more than having to get a premium account, then paying extra on top of that for the name change. But if i was able to just pay for example 4.99 to change my name once, I would consider that more. Or whatever the fee is. Just my thoughts.

[Jenny8675309 Resident]

Sorry we took all those profits we collected from your $300.00 imaginary lands and used them to make a gigantic VR bonfire and dissed you in the process.

Luckily, in the ashes, we finally hear your pleas. Our little elves are working like mad to make a doohickey that will take us back in time to the days when we knew how to give people names. You'll need to pay a fee to pay a fee to get this amazing regifted fruitcake. Happy Holidays!

"Names" was on my 2011 Christmas List. In 2019, I want justice.

[Ava]

I would pay, but only for the right name. I want rid of my Resident one. I have a specific one in mind and wouldn't bother if I couldn't have that one. So I don't like the idea of a list.

[Ck]

Why do we have to pick from last names already provided? Where is the fun in that? People build families. How will we differentiate from families if people randomly walking around with the same name?!

[Baron]

LL is just not very creative. I don't know why they haven't charged people to allow their Avs to breath. I mean they could just flip a switch and those who haven't become premium would just start choking and die a virtual death. "Subscibe to Premium today and Breath a little Easier"

[sirhc desantis]

In my case, nah I have lived with it for far too long, plus the premium fee change put the kibosh on me going back there anyway. (Well done the Lab there - 2 annuals and one plus one possible 3 months locked in to 3 annuals at the old rate ah well I guess we can live with our group 3x1024).

I liked the curated list in a way and surname there appealed - I only got stuck with the first out of frustraion that all I tried were taken.

Now, if 'DidntQuiteWorkOut' was made available I might be tempted.
One clever part of course is that even a single month premium secures your shiny new chosen name. Nice way to score 15 bucks from those who really want it :)

[Susan Wilson]

Your poll is going to be skewed because it doesn't include an option for those who are happy with their name already. I have a legacy name and wouldn't change it if it was free because I like it.

[Adeon Writer]

I ended my 12-year premium subscription when they hiked the price earlier this year. I don't want to change my name and this wouldn't make me re-subscribe to premium.

[Vichonette Constantine]

I thought long and hard before choosing my SL name, and although I have a premium account, I have zero intention of ever changing my name.

[Arwyn Quandry]

All of my accounts which I use regularly have names I like. Two are legacy, one is a very short unique username created on the first day of usernames being available. Even if name changes were free, I would have no intent of changing mine.

The question I have is whether the ability to create an account with a first and last name will be available from signup without a premium account, and if you'll be able to maintain your new name if you stop paying for premium. Are they essentially making it so all newer accounts with surnames are premium accounts as a way of showing off premium? Or are they doing away with new-old usernames and just adding name changes as a benefit?

[Jim]

Nope

[Cyn]

Not in a pink fit!

After reading that the heads of LL facilitate and turn a blind eye to simulated child porn in Second Life, money laundering and actively discriminate against race and religion at LL HQ, I won't be funding their criminal mentality - and may all their dirty laundry now be exposed in every corner of both worlds.

I don't buy their denials one little bit - they're the typical denials you hear from every corporate nob on the planet:

https://www.wired.com/story/second-life-plagued-security-flaws-ex-employee-says/

[Blaise Glendevon]

I like my name, and I was lucky enough to sign up while last names were still a thing. There are very few Glendevons still on the grid, but it tickles me pink when I bump into one of my 'cousins' when I'm out and about shopping.

But I love the idea of Residents getting the chance to get a real name!

[Lilith Ivory]

I love my name and will never want to change it.
I would love to give my Alts last names too and I enjoy picking them from a list. But as they are just Alts going premium just to get rid of "resident" is not worth it. I also wonder what happens to the new names when one goes back to basic afterwards

[pixels is sideways]

Name changes should not require a premium account since LL is charging a name change fee on top of the premium membership account fee.

If someone wanted a name change and not an ongoing premium membership account, what would prevent people from signing up for a month or two, doing a name change then canceling the premium membership account? Would LL then reverse the name change which would require the same amount of work they are charging a fee for the initial name change? Though that would not surprise me since LL does not think a lot of things through before they dive in.

You should be able to pick your own name as long as it's not infringing on a copyright/trademarked brand name or the same name that has already been issued to a SL resident.

I understand why LL is looking for ways to generate more revenue since Sansar has become a money pit anchor that is not self-sustaining and requires the revenue that SL generates to keep it afloat however the fee based name change service should not be exclusive to premium membership accounts since it is a separate fee based service.

[Idealistic Dreamer]

What I'd like to see is a single account which owns my main account and all of my alts with shared inventory. That would be wonderful.

[Jenna]

No don’t do this it’s bad idea cus then people gonna change names to mess with people act like a whole different prrson

[Amelia Mitchell]

To upgrade to Premium and besides to pay a fee? No, wrong idea, I hope LL will think things better. For me, the right approach to this subject would be just to sell the change of name for a fee and that's all. Let people buy a name, free of hassle, same as they/us buy a mesh head a hair style or any other service or goods in SL. This of forcing people to pay twice for a name looks quite greedy to me, do you hear us, Linden Lab?

[Ima Cow @milkme.com]

Well, it does cost money to advance platforms to cutting edge performance with drop-down menus for name changes and getting all of that information co-ordinated. It all works much easier when there is monetary transactions involved. The more the better. The cash helps boost the circulation.

In fact, the technological mysteries of how to change mainland land textures or update system avatars may end up being solved by turbo-boosting these improvements with a syphon hose directly to your credit card. Sansar was able to change system avatars overnight by using a similar pump from SL cash reserves. It works.

[Fionalein]

Well, the Lindens rely on a skewed perception generated by the cheerleaders on the official Forum...

They still have not learned how to do a proper market analysis or to avoid the pitfalls when listening to demands of fans.

The name change fee will IMHO turn out to be a major self fullfilling disaster. Sure, that coding costs and the database entries might involve extra manpower on the server maintenance side. There will for sure be people willing to pay the price...

...but with a price so high I really doubt the number of users who will bother to change will be high enough to bring back in enough revenue to break even with the money invested.

If free or at least free for premium uswers once every year (or even just once on going premium) It could have improved how Lab work is percieved.

The way it is done right now rather adds to the image of LindenLab being on the brink of financial ruin and desperately gripping for the last straw. Even if this is completely wrong the image the Lab paints of itself will make people reconsider making mid- and long-term investments into SL. Investments the Lab will need for long time survival.

[Judith Engstrom]

I don’t mind paying to get my name changed but to become a premium member too!
Bit steep if you ask me.

[Vlogi Mo]

Change it we don't mind that:)!

[André Tachor]

Hello, we are in march already and and still no notices about. When Linden Lab we will can change our Legacy Name ? Thank you

[Alex Pascal]

A curated list of last names was not what I wanted, and definitely not at a $40 USD premium on top of premium membership. I won't be considering it until they change how it works to make it worth the cost.