Surname reservations are not going to be locked anytime soon, so you don't have to lock one in right away if you don't want to.

Once you lock it in though it is pretty solidly locked in. Surname change tokens are going to be a thing prior to launch, but we don't have a day yet.

You will have to use your surname reservation during exposition (to my knowledge). If you miss this window then you will only start the game as someone with a predetermined name based on your family, or no surname at all.

Just get your friend invested in your surname sometime between now and launch and you will be alright!

Posted By Labbe at 10:29 PM - Fri Dec 21 2018

Surname reservations are not going to be locked anytime soon, so you don't have to lock one in right away if you don't want to.

Once you lock it in though it is pretty solidly locked in. Surname change tokens are going to be a thing prior to launch, but we don't have a day yet.

You will have to use your surname reservation during exposition (to my knowledge). If you miss this window then you will only start the game as someone with a predetermined name based on your family, or no surname at all.

Just get your friend invested in your surname sometime between now and launch and you will be alright!

I already reserved mine. Are you saying you need to reserve by exposition?

Made sure I got a source for this so I didn't give out false information.

Q28: Will the surname reservation become unavailable at some point in time? When would that be and would the name generator disappear with it?
A28:New surnames will be available through the end of Exposition. The name generator may persist afterward.
Source

So yes. You will have to reserve your surname prior to the end of exposition. I'm not sure when the cut off is to Use it, but it stands to reason that if you don't use it during the world building phase (exposition) then you will have missed your chance and will have to settle on an in-game one, or earn one yourself through gameplay.

You don’t have to use it right away. Might have to create something in kingdoms of Elyria of a family or let the game create it with the name. But it’ll always be a name that is unlocked to you when creating your character just like unlocked surnames you get via achievements and stuff in game according to Snipehunter via Discord.