Bethesda proves it's really serious about Skyrim baby name contest

by Justin McElroy on Feb 22nd 2011 3:25PM

Bethesda wants your baby to be named Dovahkiin if it's born on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's launch date of November 11, 2011. The company is offering up an unspecified prize pack for those who take up the challenge. We frankly thought it was a joke until an update today to the company blog specified one of the prizes up for grabs: A Steam key granting free access to "every ZeniMax/Bethesda game - past, present and future - for life."

Note to the sort of parents who would name their kid Dovahkiin for free Bethesda games: If we were making a list of the times when it would be the least prudent for you to have a baby, the day the new Elder Scrolls game comes out would be like, right near the top. Just right up there.

"My parents were great," said 10-year-old Dovahkiin in 2021. "I didn't meet them in person for the first few months, but after that, they were swell. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have three appointments to be savagely beaten during recess today, because my name is Dovahkiin."

Source: Bethesda

Tags: elder-scrolls-5, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, skyrim, the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim, xbox

Reader Comments (115)

Reminds me of some of those horrible Acclaim "contests".

Was going to mention that.

They wanted people to rename themselves Turok for a year, and they got $1000.

I guess if you really wanted the games, you could name your kid, and if the rules didn't specify that the name must remain permanent, rename him or her as soon as you get the games. Just hope they don't find out before the next game comes out.

@Drakkenfyre Funny thing about that is... it's not cheap to change your name.

The last time I knew anything about changing your name, it was like $250. But that was a long time ago.

@Drakkenfyre I think it is the earlier, the less costly. If it is so early they have little to no files on you, it probably wouldn't be that hard to rename the child. If you are fifty-something, you probably have many files, bank accounts, etc that need to be changed, therefore, more work.

@Drakkenfyre
I would change my name to turok for a year for $1000......so long as it cost me less than $500 for the name change and the change back...

this is absurd!

@pedasn crap i should have conceived 11 days ago.... o honnnnnney.....

@pedasn Absurd? This... is SKYRIM!

@pedasn Sounds like I need to get home and start some baby making with the wife.

i hope no one actually does this, its fun to read, think and laugh but another thing if you name your (poor) kid to win a contest, especially if its to get free Bethesda games for li-

...nevermind

*turns on candles, Barry White music*

@PR0F3TA I shall name him count cheydinhal ortiz.

@PR0F3TA

silly PR0F3TA, you should know by now that masturbating to barry white will not make women pregnant.

This reminds me of that little girl in Egypt that was named Facebook.

:'-(

@bunnyraven

i hope that's not true .. if it is those parents need to be separated from their child

@HardBoiled2009
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20034931-93.html

@swooded Oh it's on the internet - TRUTH CONFIRMED!

HAha, sorry couldn't resist.

@bunnyraven

Or if you were Jermaine Jackson's kid, your name is Jermajesty.

@HardBoiled2009

somebody's kid somewhere is named AK-47? That tops facebook....

@kentuckyfried I think this list of kids names from the state of Georgia will rival lil' AK

http://projects.ajc.com/names/list/trademarks/

@kentuckyfried

There was a whole rash of people naming their kids ESPN or Espen after the network a few years ago:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/15168029/

@kentuckyfried

if that is true, he's probably not a very straight-shooter... he sure is reliable though!

@bunnyraven

Hi I'm Dovahkiin, this is my brother Turok and this is my sister Facebook as you may have guessed we were all the product of unwanted pregnancies.

@bobcat

perusing that list makes me think of all those celebrities who have to name their kids the most ridiculous shit on the planet...like apple, or wallet, blanket, ocean, orchard, asshat, or something else that makes me facepalm.

@bloudyhell
"Is that a boy or a girl? You don't know. I think Jermajesty is a good name for a hermaphrodite. Got tits and balls? You're Jermajesty." - Lewis Black

@bunnyraven

There's a girl here called Vuvuzela. Yes, she was born around the World Cup time.

I'd be really pissed off if my parents would name me that. For a Contest!

It's not that bad of a name. It sounds European. The only issue is that it's from a game. If I had a kid and they were bound to look the fit for the name then..maybe.

@Arsenic13

Um... "sounds European?" You do realize that Europe is a rather diverse continent, don't you? For example, the names Smith, Dubois, and Puholovich all "sound European" in their own way.

@Arsenic13

Now that you mention it, it does sound exactly like how foreigners pronounce Finnish surnames.

@ComicShaman

you just proved his point with that last name. europe is very diverse and this name fits in. nobosy would ever hear that name and think that's american.

@eat it

Er... "American" names are just as diverse. To prove the point, all three of those names came from Americans. As in citizens of the U.S. An American name can be pretty much anything.

"Dovahkiin," however, sounds suspiciously like the usual mish-mash of syllables that so many fantasy writers throw together when they're naming the places and people of their fictional worlds.

@Arsenic13

imo, "Skyrim" actually sounds like a much better name for a person. kinda reminds me of "Skyler."

I think anyone who's tempted by this ought to hold off on having kids. It's a good sign that you're not ready.

Stay classy, Bethesda.

This contest is creepy.

SWM seeking SWF for baby making.

Poor kids. I'll lol for you for your parents idiocy.

I would prefer naming him The Vault Dweller. But clearly this proves that my ending to The Shivering Isles was cannon and that in my role as the new Sheogorath I have created a contest that would inspire mania in a human family for generations.

I wouldn't be complaining if my name was Dovahkiin. I would be able to kill dragons!

@Ospov

Unless it shoots ice beams at you.

@thisredengine

How crazy would it be if real live dragons actually came out of like the center of the earth or something and the one kid named Dovahkiin was the one to defeat them all?

I'm just saying...if that ever happens, I really hope somebody takes this contest seriously.

The sad thing is. you know someone is going to do this for the prize

* facepalm *

@HardBoiled2009
seems Typhonic is already on it.

Your child will be an instant Internet celebrity.

Actually, how old IS little Turok now anyway? Or did he get his name changed already?

That wasn't for a baby. That was for an adult to legally change their name for one year. They wanted a man and a woman to do it, for $1000, and all previous Turok games.

I THINK a man did it, but I am not sure.

@Drakkenfyre

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/turok-name-game-20020829/
rules for that contest.

Naming an unsuspecting human life after a publicity stunt. Gotta love capitalism.

@Vespene I do love it. F U Commie!

@Vespene. Booo Capitalism! "Im an angry young male who just discovered Noam Chomsky and The Dead Kennedys! Boy do I hate that capitalism, but man do I love to post on a videogame blog that promotes the buying and selling of things! I sure am full of myself and very hypocritical!"

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Bethesda proves it's really serious about Skyrim baby name contest

Reader Comments (115)

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 3:29PM thisredengine said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 3:45PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 4:08PM oJMan240o said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 4:46PM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 7:37PM BlackLuigi7 said

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Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 3:40PM HardBoiled2009 said

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Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 4:32PM Burritoclock said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 4:33PM bloudyhell said

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Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 7:30PM LENSconcept said

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Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 3:32PM Arsenic13 said

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Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 5:16PM eat it said

Posted: Feb 22nd 2011 5:50PM ComicShaman said

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