@Gnomeshatecheese @Piss_Ant You can give nicknames (and titles) to your pregenerated colonists.
Nickname takes priority over first name if present. Title comes up when you select the colonist. I renamed my pawn from "Ant Senlebiar, Digger" to "Ant (Pissant) Senlebiar, Mousekeeper."
I'm brand new to the game myself and haven't made custom scenarios or anything of the sort yet. This is my tutorial colony.