They have said a merge is not on the table, but never explained why and there could be several valid reasons
Duplicates in my opinion are not one of those reasons.
Creating a unique identifier for each character would be a simple script.  Combine two existing fields that creates a unique combination.
For eg. Where a name is shared, the toon gets renamed Tarzan-Thelanis and gets a free rename token in the mail.
If the outrage is unbearable, make the unique ID a combination of firstnam-surname, with surname defaulting to server name if you don't have the latter.

Hell if you wanted to get sexy with the scripting, give priority to recent or active toons over many year dormant ones.
You're not taking away dormant account's names, you're just letting your existing clients have first access to the toon name without surname.

Hell, allow more characters in names such as numerics and symbols.

I just can't believe they would let something this simple get in the way (because it is just a mask to say "too hard/expensive").

Donno where I got the duplicate issue from, but I recall a dev mentioning it somewhere. And now you're just assuming that Turbine knows how to write proper code... they don't even have enough ppl on bug fixes as it is, nor do they test properly.. and as seen they don't have version control. How on earth do you expect them to do a server merge with the current tools?

Yes, bringing someone in to do it, could be something... but that again would cost money I don't think they're willing to spend.

Oh, I remember something else about the duplicates. Someone wanted to allow guild transfers.. but the devs replied that also creates duplicate issues that they're not willing to work on... not worth the money to do it.

I wasn't questioning the veracity of your statement as I rea the duplicates are too hard excuse somewhere.
I'm just suggesting that duplicate names are probably the least of their technical issues.
And God no, I would never suggest that the graduates from the coding school for clowns 2014 go anywhere near that task.  When I made those suggestions, I had in mind someone competent and experienced.

Can't one of you clever DB boffins here put in a proposal to do it for them?  Make it reasonable and do it for the players?  Please?   

I'm sure there would be lots of little annoying technical issues.
That's why you have a PC - to help spot some of them, and even suggest solutions.
WB must have some decent in-house people to help with the planning.  Just hire someone who has done it before and get on with it I say.

OMG

Imagine giving access to DDO code to some of the people in here.

Quite sure you can forget about a server merge. Merging servers, they'd have to worry about all the potential duplicates, and a lot of ppl would have to change toon names etc etc. Look at what happened with Lama, they tried to allow you to re-transfer your toon without a wipe, but it failed (unless they've somehow fixed it now, but I doubt it). A server merge would mean lots and lots of work and potential problem... all of which would cost them money, not make them any. In a dying game, that just isn't something they are going to waste money on.

And yes, the devs have said multiple times that a merge is not on the table, and the duplicate problem has been mentioned.

The server merge is already happening. Just look at the mass exodus from Orien. I know of at least 20 that have moved to thelanis in the last few months and I see even more toons with a -1 after their names.

Are you one of them?

yeah I heard OR moved to Thelanis, and myths is almost totally gone among others. I even got invited to join a couple if the large guilds still left.

Just so you could pass it off to me because you wouldn't know what the fuck to do with it.

It did not used to be this way. I ran many raids and dungeons with folks  from other countries. It was commonplace to have an Aussie or Kiwi, a European or an Asian in the group. sometimes all of the above at once.

So many left or waned off ddo with motu...

I haven't been saddened by anyone leaving Orien so either I truly didn't know you or you were one of the handful of cunts I wished would play in traffic