In Dark Souls, what title is given to the player character by the game’s opening narration?

In Dark Souls, the player character is called the Chosen Undead.

The opening cinematic presents a prophecy about an undead human who will leave the Undead Asylum and travel to Lordran. This figure is identified as the Chosen Undead, a title rather than a personal name. Players create the character’s appearance, gender, name, starting class, and starting gift, so the game does not establish one fixed identity for the protagonist.

The title is connected to the recurring prophecy surrounding the Age of Fire. The Chosen Undead is expected to ring the Bells of Awakening and eventually confront the major powers tied to the First Flame. However, the game deliberately leaves the prophecy open to interpretation, and the player can choose how the story ends.

A common mix-up is confusing this title with names from later FromSoftware games. The Ashen One belongs to Dark Souls III, while the Bearer of the Curse is the protagonist of Dark Souls II.