Character name is "available and reserved", but "assigned to another player"?

[Bleak Sun]

Out of perverse curiosity, I clicked "Create Character" on the character select screen and tested the original, intended name for my main, waaaay back in the original NCSOFT version (it wasn't available then, on any server, and when I recreated the character in Champions Online and DCUO, I had to settle for something else as well). The server response was "Available and reserved". ASTONISHED!!! It absolutely was not available when I recreated the character for Homecoming. I backed out of character creation and tried to rename my main to that name, only to be told that "name is assigned to another character".

 

Thinking I had just "reserved" the name by doing that, I quit the client, waited a few minutes, and relaunched. Tried again to rename my character, but still no go, "assigned to another character". Clicked "Create Character" and tested the name again, and AGAIN the response was "available and reserved".

 

Quit, rebooted, tried again. "assigned to another character", until I tested it for a new character and was again told "available and reserved".

 

What the H is going on? It's either available for use or it isn't. In every other attempt over the many years I have been involved with any version of CoX, if it's not available it's not available either way, and if it is available it's available both ways. Is this bugged now?

[lemming]

When the name release happened,  NEW characters could grab a name that was used by someone else if the char had not logged in for a period of time.  That is probably what is happening.

 

What you need to do is:

1. Create a new character with that name on that account
2. Logout
3. Change name on newly current character
4. Change name on character you want that name on.

[Bleak Sun]

Just now, lemming said:

When the name release happened,  NEW characters could grab a name that was used by someone else if the char had not logged in for a period of time.  That is probably what is happening.

 

What you need to do is:

1. Create a new character with that name on that account
2. Logout
3. Change name on newly current character
4. Change name on character you want that name on.

Thank you for the FANTASTICALLY quick response. I will try that and post what happens.

[Bleak Sun]

That did it. Thanks lemming! First time in almost two decades my main has her "correct" name!