As long as it’s a paying customer, they’re allowed to do that.
So you think the topic “Character Name”:
Would somehow attract the person who has the name “Highborne”, on your particular server?
I bet you buy lots of lottery tickets 
Is there a shortage of viable names on certain realms? Why wouldn’t people want to come up with unique names for their characters? Is it lack of imagination? Discernment? Self-determination? Confidence?
And why would Blizzard release in-use names? Does the character disappear when they do this?
I am so confused.
Some people are attached to a name. I won’t play on a realm where I can’t be “Tovi.”
If the person hasn’t been subbed for four years, they’ll let paying customers use the name.
No, they’re just flagged for a rename.
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This is not a poke, it is a real question:
So you don’t create a unique character each time you create a new character?
I mean I just need one character named “Tovi.” I have a ton of alts on Moon Guard and only this one has that name.
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If this becomes a thing, I can see Blizzard taking action, like applying cooldowns to when the name can be re-used, etc.
So then, for you, each realm is a completely separate place.
Okay, that makes sense. Thank you for your reply.
I hope not.
When I create a character sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right so I erase one that doesn’t work for me and then create another with the same name right away to try out.
(Of course sometimes it is the name that is the issue which is why it took me four tries to get a viable night elf druid 
.)
Especially now that hw just told the entire player base the exact name that he wanted. Someone is going to take the name when it frees up just to prank him Im willing to bet.
I just mean if it becomes an issue. I doubt Blizzard wants players to turn character names into an in-game enterprise.
I mean is Highborne really a RP friendly name? You’d have to argue it is or someone might flag you anyway.
We need more ways to name our characters in this game. On Moon Guard and Wyrmrest Accord most lore friendly names are taken. On MG especially it takes me ages even if I’m being creative.
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No matter what they are saying, release of names happens very irregularly. I got this name last year after reading in the forums that they had released a wave of names.
I’d like to get my hunters name Goretex back, that a level 30 druid took 
Highborne is a pretty nice name, I see nothing wrong with it other than what it represents in game. But it’s moreso about being unable to ever… ever really find the person and ask them nicely “Hey do you still want this name?”
Did…did he wear thick winter clothing as well?
I’ll sell you Heiborne, Highborn or Heiborn plus there are probably six other variations I didn’t try.
The “release” is token and practically useless. Have to be gone for 2 expansions and Trial Accounts count? Gee I wonder why so few names get released!
On RP realms getting a decent first name is a struggle and we’re running out of surnames that fit. Especially for Humans, Kul Tirans, Worgen, Dwarfs, and Forsaken because you can’t just slam a couple random good-sounding syllables together (and even with those, most are gone now)
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I would like to be the Original Marilyn… but I have to have a Y. Tough luck
All you can do is try the name every now and then. If the person actually isn’t playing it might get released. You never know. I got Bless on my server that way, it used to be taken by a higher level toon (can’t recall exactly what level, think in the 70s) so I doubt they deleted it, they probably quit playing.
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