Seeking a character name for a Puerto Rican teleporter

[rjcurrie]

I am working on a possible new character for SuperSquad America. He is a teleporter (the abilities are in a battlesuit not natural) and I need a name. Since he is Puerto Rican, the name could probably be either English or Spanish.

[Doomed Prophet]

What kind of teleportation? Does he "Bamf", step into shadows, teleport through phone lines, etc? Power effects have alot to do with hero naming...

[Enforcer84]

Sidestep

[rjcurrie]

Basically, the character glows a bit, there's a sound effect like "schooooop" and he disappears. The same glow and sound effect occur where he reappears.

[rjcurrie]

Sidestep

For some reason, Sidestep seems to imply a degree of shadiness and avoidance which doesn't quite feel appropriate.

[Captain Obvious]

"schooooop"

I have no grand ideas for names, but as a piece of background, this guy's friends (or enemies) can rag on him by making the connection that his teleport sound is very similar to the Spanish for "suck".

[freakboy6117]

El Morro he started off calling himself The Castle after the ability of the chess piece but the Puerto Rican locals renamed him after the famous castle that over looks San Juan.

[Doc Shocker]

El Morro he started off calling himself The Castle after the ability of the chess piece but the Puerto Rican locals renamed him after the famous castle that over looks San Juan.

Repped for a great idea and being yet another person that seems to be able to read my mind.

[Enforcer84]

I concur, a much better name.

[NestorDRod]

Wow. It just never occurred to me to think of hero names in Spanish.

El Morro is certainly a recognizable icon of Puerto Rican culture, but I'm not sure it fits the character concept. To be honest, it's like a speedster calling himself the Chrysler Building.

Off the top of my head, Portador comes to mind as an immediate derivative (basically 'Porter in Spanish).

I could steal my wife's 'porter hero name: Dodger. Or its Spanish equivalent, Tramposo.

Hmmm, I may need some time for my Swiss-cheese brain to come up with some more possibilities.

[rjcurrie]

Actually, I should clarify that the character is Puerto Rican in ancestry (his parents came from there) but he was born and raised in New York City, so the El Morro name probably doesn't work -- although perhaps the Puerto Rican community in New York might suggest the name.

However, I'm not sure that he would call himself the Castle-- the chess move does not really suggest teleportation to me but rather switching places -- but that might just be me.

As for Portador, I love the sound of it -- it brings to mind the flamboyance of a matador which is appropriate for a superhero. However, online translators seem to indicate that Portador translates as "carrier" or "bearer". But such translations are not perfect and I have to wonder how a Spanish speaker would interpret the name "Portador".

[Alibear]

Matador is all I could come up with.

[The Arc]

How about El Tiburón or the Shark. As in the Sharks from West Side Story. The Sharks being a Peurto Rican gang in the movie.

[NestorDRod]

Actually, I should clarify that the character is Puerto Rican in ancestry (his parents came from there) but he was born and raised in New York City, so the El Morro name probably doesn't work -- although perhaps the Puerto Rican community in New York might suggest the name.

However, I'm not sure that he would call himself the Castle-- the chess move does not really suggest teleportation to me but rather switching places -- but that might just be me.

As for Portador, I love the sound of it -- it brings to mind the flamboyance of a matador which is appropriate for a superhero. However, online translators seem to indicate that Portador translates as "carrier" or "bearer". But such translations are not perfect and I have to wonder how a Spanish speaker would interpret the name "Portador".

Well, the accurate translation of "porter" (as in a baggage handler) is "portero", but I figured you wouldn't want the name to sound that common, hence the more formal "portador". Essentially, I was going for a "pun" name (teleporter = 'porter = porter).

<shrug> Yeah, I know the name connection isn't strong, but, to be blunt, it's still closer than calling him a castle, bullfighter or a shark.

A modest note: bullfighting is not a part of Puerto Rican culture in any way or form. If you're looking for animal sports and Puerto Rico, what you'd find is cockfighting. And I don't think that's quite what you'd want.

Then, again... Make his battlesuit be colorful and he could go as El Gallo.

[Vondy]

Blink, in Spanish, is centelleo.

Other than that: I got nothin'.