If I remember correctly, I named Link “Dog” in A Link to the Past. It’s been decades, though.
Recently, I found myself thinking about how I used to always rename characters when given the choice but that I rarely do anymore. My first thought was that this was somehow sad and I’ve become less creative. But I think it’s just as much about the elimination of “blank slate” characters. Like Ymer said, when your character has a defined personality and talks a lot it doesn’t make as much sense to change the name (as opposed to just the save file slot). Why customize a character if you don’t get to make up (or fill in the gaps in) the character’s story?
I did the same thing when I finally registered at IC so that I could see the hidden forums. This was simply what I had named Squall in Final Fantasy 8. I think that was the last time I used an alternate name in a Final Fantasy game, maybe in any RPG.
