Names like Optimus Prime, Megatron, they're too tough on the brain. So I keep it simple. On my shelf I have Dave, Bob, Pete, Ralph, Paul, Rob, Tim, Tom, Pat, Jon, and so on...
I usually only change the names in the obvious cases, i.e. Shockblast is Shockwave, Rodimus is Hot Rod, etc...but, the most unexpected name change came from my wife, who thought Thunderblast was a dumb name for a boat...so now we call her "Siren" and she has sonic Autobot brainwashing abilities.
Like others, I rename the obvious. Skyfire, Hot Rod, Shockwave, Bluestreak, Jazz. However I also have a nasty habit of thinking any Nemesis Prime is Scourge. I also shortened names that sounded a little ridiculous to me. Most notably, Mega Octane ---> just Octane.
Cybertron Metroplex = Fortis Cybertron Drill Bits = Auger TM2 Dinobot = Carrion Snow Cat = Coldsnap TM Scavenger = Gouge BW (Magna Boss) Prowl = Lioncharger, Silverbolt = Powerdive & Ironhide = Rockslide Big Convoy = Maximus Primal Universe Nemesis Prime = Nemesis Primal Scrapmetal = Scraplet TM2 Sonar = Siphon
I've done a bit of renaming with some of my Alts/BTs, mostly to give a few of them more distinct (and different) personas: red Meister = Zoom yellow Tracks = Rage white Hound = Outlaw (Decepticon) yellow Lambor = Detour (Decepticon)
I'm going to pad out my classics with several of the Unicron trilogy homages. As a result there are several I'll rename like Downshift (Wheeljack) and Shockblast (Shockwave). Otherwise I don't worry about it. Oh and of course Rodimus (not Prime) is always Hot Rod.
Classics Rodimus - Hot Rod Cybertron Exceliion - Rodimus/Hot Rod Classics 2-pack Megatron - Gigastorm Energon Divebomb - Wingspan Energon Ravage - Pounce Energon Shockblast - Shockwave Armada Predacon - Megastorm Alt Nemesis Prime - Scourge Energon Downshift - Wheeljack
This is what I was going to say! I used to try to give every transformer a unique name, but it just got to be too difficult to keep track of them. I can't even come close to remembering the names of all the Minicons and Micromasters so I don't bother keeping track of any of their names longer.
Most renaming I do is for my Fanfics; there are some repaints that deserve better then what they got and some of them are just too damn idiotic because honestly how many Prowl's does Transformers Universe need? So here's the stuff I've done... Transformers Universe Re-Names Sentinel Maximus' Mini-Con Apelin-Q = Hyperlinq as 3H originally intended. Cyberjet Air Raid = Air Ride Strange Name, but it fits. Armada Smokescreen Repaint = Grapple Armada Liftor Repaint = Hoist Spychanger Optimus Prime = Torque Spychanger Prowl 1 = Fixit Spychanger Ultra Magnus = Overhaul Armada Firebot Repaint = Flywheels Armada Thunderwing Repaint = Strobe Armada Makeshift Repaint = Whisper Armada Terradive Repaint = Low-Light Armada Prowl Repaint = Sentry Armada Gunbarrel Repaint = Tornado Armada Mirage Repaint = Tail-Light (Hasbro re-released the Armada Mini-Cons in Energon Packaging, but their classified as Universe so...) Armada Downshift Repaint = Nightbird Armada Dirt Boss Repaint = Axel Robots in Disguise Prowl = Checkpoint Botcon Shadow Striker = Nickname Shade Nemesis Strika = Just Strika Night Slash Cheetor = Just Cheetor Armada Thunderwing Repaint 2 = Shuriken (From Ramjet.) Armada Terradive Repaint 2 = Trachea Armada Gunbarrel Repaint 2 = Grenade Armada Thunderclash = Raven Un-Released Armada Astroscope Repaint = Sky Spy Un-Released Armada Payload Repaint = Turnstyle Un-Released Armada Skyblast Repaint = Blast Off (Each of these were planned for the Spacewarp Exclusive.) Armada Grindor Repaint = Dirk Armada High Wire Repaint = Blade Armada Sureshock Repaint = Leeway Armada Perceptor Repaint = Reflector (The Street Action Team that came with Sunstorm.) Armada Inferno Repaint = Sunspot (Come on Sunstorm with Mini-Con Partner Sunspot, it's too good of a joke to pass up.) Armada Refute Repaint = Shrapnel Armada Nightbeat Repaint = Nightrider As for Cybertron and the rest I didn't do much renaming there; although I do have one or two... Megatron T-Rex is now called Fangry and Optimus Prime Gorilla is called Gouge. I have plans for Classics Megatron Tank to be called Quake; everyone was calling him Bludgeon I figured why not give him an underused name instead, besides Bludgeon shouldn't be all green it just doesn't look right to me. So that's about it; at least for now, I can't recall if I ever gave anyone else a different name yet.
I refer to my Alt Meister as Jazz, Shockblast as Shockwave, Decepticharge as Drag Strip and Autolooper as Streetwise.
Alt Riccochet=Stepper Classics Jetfire=WST Skyfire('Cuz I gota Banpresto Valkarie that I repainted into Jetfire, and he's in scale with the WSTs, so he and "Skyfire" work as a team.) Me=Unicron sometimes.(...What?)
by the dates of paychecks just kidding the only one i have changed the name of when i write a list of what i have is classic rodimus to hot rod
I could also mention (and I will) that I refer to Alternator Optimus as Optimus Minor because I've got my 20th Anniversary OP leading my army of 'bots.
My list would take forever to make, since, with the exception of Classics and Alternators, I rename every character with a re-used name so it all fits in my G1 universe.