WoW Forever name reservation: opening times, three characters and the two-name rules

When is the WoW Forever name reservation?

The WoW Forever name reservation opens on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. CET in Europe, 6 p.m. in Paris, and at 1 p.m. PDT in North America; Korea and Taiwan follow on October 28 at 7 a.m. local time. It ends on November 3, and Blizzard has given no closing hour. These times come from Blizzard's article of October 20, 2026.

Each region opens at its own hour, and you reserve in the region you will play in, since names are unique per region. Europe is back on winter time from October 25, so 6 p.m. CET is 5 p.m. UTC; the North American opening, 1 p.m. PDT, is 9 p.m. in Paris.

Who can reserve a name in WoW Forever?

Owners of a WoW Forever upgrade: Blizzard's article of October 20, 2026 names the Skyborne Heroic Pack, the Skyborne Epic Pack and the limited-time Warcraft Forever Collection, and its footnote adds the Collector's Edition. The benefit only applies to the account the upgrade was bought for. An Invite-A-Friend launch code does not make you eligible, and Customer Support said there isn't any early access.

On October 23, Kaivax wrote that Blizzard will "open access to the character creation system on Tuesday, October 27" so that players can pick a ruleset and a name before launch: "You won't have to wait until the game launches to make these big decisions." Blizzard's article still limits the reservation to pack owners, and as of October 25, 2026 it has not said whether an active subscription or game time is needed to reserve. To play from November 4, you need one either way; see the launch checklist.

How many names can you reserve?

Up to three characters in total across all WoW Forever rulesets, Blizzard says: create two on PvP and only one is left for Normal or Roleplaying. The limit only applies to the early reservation, and names are "available on a first-come, first-served basis, and desired names cannot be guaranteed." Reserving means creating the character: you pick the ruleset, the name and the look, then play it at launch.

1. Update your graphics drivers and the Battle.net app.
2. Select World of Warcraft, then World of Warcraft: Forever in the Game Version menu, and install it.
3. Launch the game and choose a ruleset: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying, or Roleplay-PvP, which Blizzard plans to open for reservations from October 27.
4. Create up to three characters with the names you want.

How do two-part names work in WoW Forever?

Every WoW Forever character has two names, a first name and a second name, and the full combination must be unique in your region, since Forever has no realms. Two characters can share a first name if their full names differ, and several characters can share a second name like a family: Blizzard's example is Asha, Thalen and Mira Brightvale. You can hide your own second name in the world, not in chat.

• Unique per region: the full name is checked against the whole region (Europe, Americas…), not a realm.
• A taken first name is not lost: pair it with another second name.
• Families and guild themes: a shared second name works as long as each full combination is free.
• Hide your second name: Game Menu (Escape) > Options > Nameplates > "My Secondary Name". It still shows in chat.

Which names are refused?

Names must follow the in-game code of conduct. Blizzard says some names, words, spellings and repeated-character patterns may be restricted, including names that impersonate Blizzard or the WoW team. Both parts are evaluated together, so splitting a forbidden word across the two names does not make it valid. On the beta, developers forced renames and removed beta access for names far outside the code of conduct.

• Beta enforcement: on September 24, 2026, developer Fwoibles announced forced name changes and beta access removed for some players, adding that Customer Service "cannot and will not assist with any appeals".
• NPC names: some are blocked and others not; Customer Support said on October 10 that someone "decided to add certain NPC names to a list and others were forgotten about".
• No guarantee: if the full name is taken or refused, choose another combination or use the game's random name generator.

How to prepare your names before October 27

Write down five to ten full combinations per character before the window opens, because the reservation is first come, first served. Check each one against the rules: no forbidden word split across both parts, no repeated characters, nothing that imitates Blizzard. Decide your faction, race and ruleset first, and keep a shared second name in mind if you want a family of characters.

• Choose the ruleset first: Normal, PvP, Roleplaying or Roleplay-PvP, added for launch on October 22; see our rulesets guide.
• Pick your class: our six-question quiz suggests three.
• Race and faction: the new race needs a pack, see the Skyborne guide.