The age-old tradition of naming Pokémon has always been accompanied by crafty trainers with minds in the gutter. Pokémon games uphold family-friendly guidelines and Game Freak aims to keep it that way. However, the developers are struggling with a suitable formula to determine acceptable terminology in a world inhabited by 10-year-old monster catchers.
While seemingly innocent nicknames don't fly with Game Freak's standards, other indisputably derogatory terms are able to slip under the radar. The inconsistencies have prompted players to take up discussion on across the web to decipher what policy the naming guidelines are adhering to.
Game Freak Tries To Avoid (Some) Homophobia
The emphasis on policing Pokémon names is centered around homophobic slurs. The header that sparked a long list of do's and don'ts came from u/ZiraFox, who, when attempting to name their Whimsicott "Poof," found the name didn't meet game regulations.
Apparently "Poof" has been coined into a derogatory slur towards gay men. Game Freak has previously recognized this by changing a bit of in-game dialogue that used to read "1...2...Poof!" when a Pokémon forgot a move, to "1...2...ta-da!" Poof can be a derogatory term, but it can also mean something appeared or disappeared out of thin air. Likewise, when playing the game in Spanish, players could not name their Orbeetle "Mariquita," the Spanish translation for ladybug. It turns out this term can also double as homophobic slang similar to the use of "poof."
While it's great that the developers are taking steps to support the LGBTQ+ community, they should be sure to cover all of their basss. When innocent terms with possibly derogatory connotations don't meet guidelines, it's hard to understand how naming a Fairy-type "Twink" is more acceptable.
Some Swear Words Are A-Okay
The contradictions don't stop there, Game Freak's tolerance for demeaning swear words is all over the place. One player claims they were traded a Dreepy who's name craftily spelled out the N-word using 1s and Bs. While this foul slang made it through undetected, simple terms like "Con" are a no-go. In French, "con" means stupid, therefore it's demeaning and unacceptable. Rightly so, however, the aforementioned term should've taken precedent, correct spelling or not.
Players have gotten away with far more blatant terms, without such creative spelling. "Fat Bas***d," "Fat B**ch," and a Coalossal named "f***charizrd" are among some of the sailor-mouthed names deemed appropriate in-game.
When Will Game Freak Draw A Line?
Names such as "Mona" and "ChiChi" are inexplicably unacceptable and no one has thought of a good reason why. While cute pet names like these haven't earned a seal of approval, juvenile puns such as "DeezNuts" get a free pass. Trainers have also been surprised to find they could nickname Appletuns "Applebutt" or a Bronzong "Bronze Dong." The nicknames lack class, but they're virtually harmless and some grade-school humor should be expected in a game developed for children.
Judging by this conglomeration, it looks like Game Freak's prioritizing an anti-homophobic agenda over derogatory slurs or grade school genitalia puns. However, the developers overlooked just how creative the player base can get with spelling and terminology. Precautions were taken where they weren't necessary, while it seems like the developers turned a blind eye to blatant slurs.
Source: Reddit