Do you need a surname in WoW Forever?
Wowhead’s Q&A liveblog reports that the second name field is required. A full name must be unique across the region, including across rulesets.
This article uses the published liveblog because a transcript was unavailable when we checked the replay. We have not tested name creation or reservation ourselves.
Prepare a complete name and a backup
Choose a full name you are happy to use in group invitations and guild messages. Keep a second option in case your first choice is unavailable. Do not assume that choosing another ruleset creates a separate chance to claim the same full name.
A suggested name in a planning document is not a reservation. Mark a roster entry as provisional until the player has successfully created the character. Do not advertise a name-reservation date, fee or transfer service without a specific current announcement.
Record people separately from their characters
For guild organisation, keep the member’s familiar handle alongside the exact full character name. Ask players to copy the accepted spelling after creation. That reduces confusion when someone uses a different name from their usual community handle.
Example: a member known to the guild as “Ash” may create two characters. Keep one attendance entry for Ash and attach both character choices to that person. Otherwise your roster can appear to contain two available players when only one can join the raid.
- Member handle: the name your group already recognises.
- Full character name: copy the accepted in-game spelling.
- Ruleset and faction: confirm these before arranging a group.
- Status: proposed name or character actually created.
- Availability: record the player’s hours, not a separate promise for every alt.
Questions this answer does not settle
The naming answer does not provide a complete naming-policy reference. We have not verified character limits, punctuation rules, accent handling, reserved words, rename options or when a deleted name becomes reusable. Check the creation screen and Blizzard’s applicable policy before treating any of those details as settled.
For invitations, test the actual process with a willing guild member. Record what worked rather than guessing whether an interface accepts a first name, full name or another identifier. The aim is a joining note that a newcomer can follow without an officer having to interpret it.