diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index de9d09aba..23d623bfb 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -2063,6 +2063,13 @@ class DefaultCharacter(DefaultObject):
         # If no typeclass supplied, use this class
         kwargs["typeclass"] = kwargs.pop("typeclass", cls)
 
+        # Normalize to latin characters and validate, if necessary, the supplied key
+        key = cls.normalize_name(key)
+
+        if not cls.validate_name(key):
+            errors.append("Invalid character name.")
+            return obj, errors
+
         # Set the supplied key as the name of the intended object
         kwargs["key"] = key
 
@@ -2112,6 +2119,37 @@ class DefaultCharacter(DefaultObject):
 
         return obj, errors
 
+    @classmethod
+    def normalize_name(cls, name):
+        """
+        Normalize the character name prior to creating. Note that this should be refactored
+        to support i18n for non-latin scripts, but as we (currently) have no bug reports requesting better
+        support of non-latin character sets, requiring character names to be latinified is an acceptable option.
+
+        Args:
+            name (str) : The name of the character
+
+        Returns:
+            latin_name (str) : A valid name.
+        """
+
+        from evennia.utils.utils import latinify
+        latin_name = latinify(name, default="X")
+        return latin_name
+
+    @classmethod
+    def validate_name(cls, name):
+        """ Validate the character name prior to creating. Overload this function to add custom validators
+
+        Args:
+            name (str) : The name of the character
+        Returns:
+            valid (bool) : True if character creation should continue; False if it should fail
+
+        """
+
+        return True # Default validator does not perform any operations
+
     def basetype_setup(self):
         """
         Setup character-specific security.
diff --git a/evennia/objects/tests.py b/evennia/objects/tests.py
index 75f91cba3..5944ee5aa 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/tests.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/tests.py
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ class DefaultObjectTest(EvenniaTest):
         self.assertFalse(errors, errors)
         self.assertEqual(obj.db_home, self.room1)
 
+    def test_character_create_weirdname(self):
+        obj, errors = DefaultCharacter.create("SigurðurÞórarinsson", self.account, home=self.room1.dbref)
+        self.assertTrue(obj, errors)
+        self.assertFalse(errors, errors)
+        self.assertEqual(obj.name, "SigurXurXorarinsson")
+
     def test_room_create(self):
         description = "A dimly-lit alley behind the local Chinese restaurant."
         obj, errors = DefaultRoom.create("alley", self.account, description=description, ip=self.ip)