I haven't played FFIX but if it's better why aren't it's characters fan favorites, by that I mean why do I see FFVII's Cloud Strife and Sephiroth everywhere but not the main hero and villain of FFIX?

Or maybe I do see them around on lots of people's avatars but just don't realize who they were... What're their names again?

FF9 > FF 7, 8 AND 10

Of the ps1's Final Fantasy's, 9 is the most memorable to me. Vivi, Steiner, Zidane, and Freya were my favorites in that game. The overall tone of the story was not as dark as 7's, but I still enjoyed it.

Cloud and Sephiroth seem "cool" to impressionable kids because of their design. However, they're actually flat, static characters with 2d personalities.

9's characters are deeper, better developed, and just more interesting. However, "interesting" came at the cost of looking "cool" (in a mainstream sense), so all the impressionable kids who played it didn't decide to idolize Zidane and co. the way the do cloud.

The characters are more...quirky. Unique.

If I could I would hug you. FFIX is an incredible game, and IMO one of the greatest RPGs ever made. It's so sad that it wasn't appreciated by so many of the FFVII and VIII fans.

IX has unquestionably the best character development in the FF franchise.  It's the most character driven of all the games, and although the overall plot isn't the best, the characters are amazing.   

You'll see Legend11: Final Fantasy VII had more of an influence because of various reasons:

- It was the first Playstation FF.
- VII was the first RPG for many people.
- VII was the first game for other people, especially younger ones.
- It's seen as an iconic Playstaiton game that put it apart from the Nintendo ones.

And Legend, there is no way that you haven't seen any FFIX characters.  Vivi is one of the most iconic characters of the franchise even today:

Also, the reason it's so underappreciated is because it's the only 3D FF that was made in the style of the SNES FFs.  Because so many SNES FF fans were upset that Square switched the franchise over to Sony, they never bought Playstations and tried it, and because it was barely even related in style to FFVII and FFVIII, the "new" FF gamers just didn't "get it."  So basically FFIX has the unfortunate circumstance of its target audience (the fans of the classic FF style) never playing it.  It's still IMO one of the greatest achievements ever in the RPG genre. 

to me that title belongs to Suikoden II.
have you ever played that game Naz?

What about this character, eh legend?

No other FF character quite like Quina