Names and name reservation

Every character in Forever has a first name and a second name, and the pair is unique across the whole region rather than a realm. That solves the classic-launch problem of “Legolass” with three esses, and it gives the guild a chance at a visible shared surname in the world. It also means name reservation is a real event: a one-week window before launch, gated to people who bought a pack, with three characters per account. verified

Two-part names

Official rules from Blizzard’s “Create a Name of Your Own” post: verified

Every character has a first name and a second name. Both fields are required; Wowhead reported both mandatory in the demo client. unverified via expcarry
The full combination is unique per region, not per realm, because there are no realms. Two characters can share a first name if their second names differ, and two can share a second name if their first names differ.
All normal naming policies apply to both parts. Splitting a banned word across the two names does not get around the filter. Names that impersonate Blizzard staff are banned.
If your combination is taken, pick another or use the random generator.
You can hide second names on nameplates via Escape, Options, Nameplates. The second name still appears in chat.
Name length limits per field are unpublished. expcarry notes this explicitly. verified as unpublished

What a second name is not: it is not a guild tag, not a title, and not tied to your race or faction. Any two words that pass the filter. verified by omission

A guild surname

Because uniqueness is on the pair, a shared guild surname works: “Bob Yeeterson” and “Alice Yeeterson” can both exist. Two members cannot both be “Bob Yeeterson.” If the guild wants a visible family identity in the world, agree on the surname before October 27 and post first names in the reservation thread so nobody collides. The Road to launch page has the guild’s step list.

Name reservation window

Fact	Value
Opens	October 27, 2026 (Pacific). Exact hour unpublished
Closes	November 3, 2026 (Pacific)
Launch	November 4, 2026, 3:00 pm Pacific (23:00 UTC, 6 pm Eastern)
Characters	Up to 3 per account
Order	First come, first served, “no guarantees”
Who	“Included with any upgrade purchase”: Heroic Pack ($29.99), Epic Pack, Warcraft Forever Collection, Collector’s Edition
Subscription only	No early reservation. You create at launch

verified

Blizzard Watch’s roadmap transcription phrases October 27 as “early name reservation and character creation,” so expect full character creation (race, class, looks, faction, ruleset) during the window, not just a name lock. That means ruleset and faction get locked a week before launch for anyone who reserves. Decide first. See Rulesets and Races and classes. verified reading

lfcarry claims the earliest-created character keeps a contested name. That is how first come, first served would work, but no Blizzard source states it. unverified

Whether reserved-but-unplayed names are ever released is unpublished.

Who in the guild can reserve

Only members with a pack. The cheapest path is the $29.99 Heroic Pack, which also unlocks Skyborne and gives one Invite-A-Friend code. See Editions and pricing. Members on subscription only will create their characters on launch night, so their chosen pair is at risk if a stranger takes it first. A pack holder cannot reserve a pair for a friend: characters live on the account that made them. The honest answer is that subscription-only members roll the dice at 3:00 pm Pacific on November 4, and a distinctive guild surname makes a collision unlikely.

Invite-A-Friend launch codes

A code lets a friend play Forever November 4 to 11 with no subscription or game time. verified
Distribution begins October 20. verified
Codes do not include beta access and are excluded from gift purchases. verified
Heroic Pack: 1 code. Epic Pack, Collection, Collector’s Edition: 3 codes total. verified

Use: lapsed friends who want to see launch week before resubscribing. A code does not grant name reservation; the friend creates at launch like any subscription player.

Unknown as of 2026-09-24

Name field length limits.
The opening hour on October 27.
Whether reserved-but-unplayed names are ever released.
Whether a paid name change exists at launch and whether it can change the second name alone.
Whether the earliest-created character wins a contested pair (implied, not stated).