Why do some of the G4's have two names?

[Esbayne]

Why do a few of the G4's have two names? Like for example, Pony Hooves/Ditzy Doo, Dr. Whooves/Time Turner, DJ Pon-3/Vinyl Scratch, etc.
I think I heard once that before they were given official names, the fans gave them names, but I'm not sure if that's true and wanted to know the real reason why.
If that is true though, I call them by the "fan names", lol.

[MilkyTaroMochi]

I believe it's because of fans giving certain ponies names before they get "official ones". Like with how (IIRC), Lyra got her name from the fans and then Hasbro made it legit, along with adding a "Heartstrings" to the end of it. Somewhat the same with the ponies you mentioned earlier.

[melipuffles]

Well, you're pretty much right on target actually.
The fans gave them names, and a lot of the time, Hasbro or the animation team embrace it and it becomes their official name.

Some of them with two names like Vinyl/DJ...I like to think of DJ Pon-3 as her stage name and Vinyl Scratch as her normal name. Haha.

[PurpleCheeseStick]

I think it's pretty much considered canon for ponies to have either one or two names, ponies in every generation have sometimes had two names, like Glittering Gem from G1, Berry Bright from G2, Twinkle Twirl from G3 and etc. I guess the fans figured that since it was done in previous generations, and since there was of course Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, that there would be other ponies with two names as well?

-goes back to reread original post-

OHHHHH YOU MEANT THE FAN NAMES 

well then I second pretty much what everyone else has said. /killed 5ever for being so silly

[hathorcat]

Yes as others have said - the difference is between "fan names" and "official names" - ponies end up with even more than 2 names sometimes as occasionally there are multiple fans names due to disagreement. I have seen and heard quite a few FiM characters who seem to have multiple names!

The problem is if HB doesnt have a need to name a pony in the cartoon, they wont bother naming him or her until they are actually releasing a toy of that pony. And in the time between the character appearing in the show and then being made into a toy, fans will have named them in order that they can actually be discussed.

[Leopard_Print_Unicorn]

Some of them with two names like Vinyl/DJ...I like to think of DJ Pon-3 as her stage name and Vinyl Scratch as her normal name. Haha.

This! I used to be a DJ, and I only knew two DJ's who used their real name as their DJ name

[Cherry_Sunset]

Some ponies have different names because of legal concerns. Such as Bon Bon being called "Lemon Drops" or something in her Blind Bag incarnation, because there was a G1 Bon Bon and they lost the right to most of those names. And Dr. (W)Hooves is called Time Turner because they are not in an agreement with the owners of Dr. Who and it would be crazy expensive to get the rights for that name for a generic background pony that they don't use for much more than filler. I hope this helps (I'm not the best at explaining things, sorry)

[Spike]

DJ-PON3 is a fan made name. Not the official name which is apparently Vinyl Scratch. Same with others ^_^

[Tupin]

Some ponies have different names because of legal concerns. Such as Bon Bon being called "Lemon Drops" or something in her Blind Bag incarnation, because there was a G1 Bon Bon and they lost the right to most of those names. And Dr. (W)Hooves is called Time Turner because they are not in an agreement with the owners of Dr. Who and it would be crazy expensive to get the rights for that name for a generic background pony that they don't use for much more than filler. I hope this helps (I'm not the best at explaining things, sorry)

I've always thought it was crazy about Dr. Hooves. Yes, he is known as both Dr. Hooves and Time Turner. Notice the lack of the "w" in the first name. They can go as far as to show him with a TARDIS, Weeping Angels (pegasi), using phrases like "timey-wimey" and heck, even a Sonic Screwdriver, but not using the "w." Must be an expensive "w."

Anyway, it's because fans of the cartoon named every background pony and spread their names around before they got toys based on them.

Plus there are ponies that they can't name at all, but are still popular. I think the original poster alluded to her from the very beginning. I just think Hasbro's attitude to her at this point is, "You can call her whatever you want, just give us the money." Honestly seems like the way to go.

Post Merge: December 29, 2012, 09:53:54 PM

DJ-PON3 is a fan made name. Not the official name which is apparently Vinyl Scratch. Same with others ^_^

I'm pretty sure it's canon that DJ PON3 is her stage name and her other name is Vinyl Scratch. They use both.

[Esbayne]

DJ-PON3 is a fan made name. Not the official name which is apparently Vinyl Scratch. Same with others ^_^

I'm pretty sure it's canon that DJ PON3 is her stage name and her other name is Vinyl Scratch. They use both.

I think so, too, I bought a box of ponies the other day with her in it and on the back she was listed as DJ PON-3.

[Leopard_Print_Unicorn]

Some ponies have different names because of legal concerns. Such as Bon Bon being called "Lemon Drops" or something in her Blind Bag incarnation, because there was a G1 Bon Bon and they lost the right to most of those names. And Dr. (W)Hooves is called Time Turner because they are not in an agreement with the owners of Dr. Who and it would be crazy expensive to get the rights for that name for a generic background pony that they don't use for much more than filler. I hope this helps (I'm not the best at explaining things, sorry)

I see your point on Dr. Whooves, but for Bon Bon, doesn't that mean that someone else would actively have to be using the name for a pony or similar character for it to be a concern? Or did someone else snap up the G1 pony licenses when Hasbro let them lapse?

Like, I also collect Uglydolls. They made a character named Toodee. All their characters' names are made up by their creators. Then they found out that a kids show (Yo Gabba Gabba, I think) had a character by the same name, so they retired their Toodee rather than go through legal wranglings, because they were friends with the people at the show. I see how that is similar enough to cause concern, but I don't understand how because the copyrights to the G1 characters lapsed means they can never name another pony character the same thing. Not arguing with you, just genuinely confused?

[starrypawz]

I think like someone pointed out there's quite a few ponies that get named by fans but then when and if Hasbro make them official they can't use the name for whatever reason.

[hathorcat]

Its not so much that Hasbro lost the rights - that was very much an excuse offered at the start when HB and all needed an excuse to tell collectors why we got Twilight Sparkle and not Sparkler and Pinkie Pie and not Surprise etc. There are so many holes in the argument they offered but hey it was their rights to name ponies as they wish of course!

It is a trademark issue though but its more to do with what is easy to trademark rather than a loss. "Surprise" is harder to get rights to than "Pinkie Pie". Its the reason we see a lot of double barrelled pony names. Twilight is tough to trademark but stick Sparkle after it and that's much easier!  Same with Bon Bon - Sweetie Drops is a much easier combo. Look through G4 and even G3 names and you will find many of them are either completely random gobbledygook [Scootaloo, Ploomette] or 2 common names thrown together [Flutter & shy, Rainbow & dash]. The glaring exception to the rule is Rarity of course. In addition names which may have worked a couple of generations ago may no longer appeal - you can bet Hasbro did a massive amount of market research before FiM hit our screens and shelves - names like Fluttershy probably played better than names like Posey.

The Time Turner/Dr Whooves argument - we need to remember that its not all over a W. It is not Hasbro who are showing images of this pony with a TARDIS and a sonic screwdriver, its a licensee. Its them who are taking the risk on it. I can walk into my local Forbidden Planet and purchased different t-shirts which have popular culture references built into them but the licensee is for a different brand altogether. WLF sale close to the wind and they probably rely largely on the Fair Use Doctrine in what they do. But its a clever balance as long as they don't go too far they will continue to get away with it - i.e. have the TARDIS, have the screwdriver, have the "Dr" but dont push your luck by then naming him so specifically.

[Saiko]

I believe (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong):
'Dr Whooves' is a fan name, the first official name for the pony was 'Time Turner' on the collectible cards; but since then 'Doctor Hooves' has been copyrighted.

'DJ Pon-3' and 'Vinyl Scratch' have both been used officially. The stage name / real name theory is practically canon.

'Ditzy Doo' was a pony created by Lauren Faust who never appeared on screen. Lauren intended to make a background pony who created trouble and was generally ditzy, but abandoned Ditzy as a separate pony when she learned of the fans' characterization of the wall-eyed background pony. Pony then filled the role of adorable clumsy pony. Ditzy Doo is still the name Dery is most likely to be sold under though.

[Tupin]

As I've said before, Hasbro will never sell her under a name because they don't want to step on anyone's toes, but also know a cash cow when they see one. Hence why they never say her name. Even on her trading cards, they say "I just don't know what went wrong!" and "Untitled."

Once again, their attitude seems to be "Call her whatever you want, just give us money."