Linden Lab Official:Second Life Last Names FAQ

Can I create my own last name? The one I want isn't on the list!

Under certain circumstances, you may choose your own last name. If you do not qualify for a Custom or Vanity last name, remember that last names are retired pretty quickly and new ones are continually added, so keep checking back!

When are last names retired?

Kind of like Beanie Babies and other special rare collectibles, a last name is retired -- which means it's cycled out of active usage and no new Residents can choose it --after a certain number of usages.

Last names are currently retired manually after being picked in the high hundreds on average. It used to be much smaller, but we've been growing pretty fast!

Can I unretire a last name? I really like one but it's long-gone!

Sorry, no. Generally speaking, once retired, a last name can't be revived.

When are last names created?

There isn't a set schedule to them. As soon as old names are retired and the list of choices gets shorter, we replenish and add them in batches. Traditionally, we've done themes, like hockey players, economists, food, and rock stars, but sometimes we'll add new ones without a theme too.

Last names aren't announced ahead of time.

How can I suggest a last name?

You can make casual suggestions to a Linden because it's fun to share, but please understand they likely will not be added because we'd be flooded with requests. There are just too many great ideas out there for us to keep track of.

The good news is, in the future, we'll hopefully have the "create your own last name" system in place so you have the power to make your own last names!

But wait, I've seen some Residents with what looks like custom last names?

There are some special circumstances in which we've made rare exceptions: One is for members of academic institutions, so they can be recognized as such while doing activities such as conducting studies in Second Life. We have an Education page with more info if this is applicable to you.

Also, at our discretion, we make allowances for those with a real-world, professional reason to assert their actual identity inworld. For example, Suzanne Vega. If you're interested in this, please Tell Us About Your Business.

Can I change my last name?

We've gotten requests from lovebirds, as well as people who decided a new last name would suit them better at a later point in their Second Life.

Currently, we don't have a system in a place to change last names. This involves both policy and technical reasons. After all, we'd want to make such a system easy to use and broadly accessible to the community.

We previously had inworld meetings as well as forum discussions about the topic, and after having gathered so much feedback, we've learned a lot about what our Residents want, and are leaving possibilities open for doing this in the future. While nothing's confirmed yet, expect any changes to this to be communicated on the Official Linden Blog.

Can I have the same last name as my Second Life family?

This question usually comes up in situations such as: a Resident couple have adopted another Resident as their kin, and may wish them to carry on "the family name".

We unfortunately don't have a way of doing this at present, because we don't have simulated biological processes where a child automatically inherits the name of their parents.

Nor can we revive retired last names, so you'd need to start accounts at around the same time with the same last name. Some Residents create alt accounts for this purpose.