Name
- See also Language for more related content.
Names for Kingdoms, cities, places, titles, families, people and things have cultural heritage. These have an "original language" in Hökaland, but is conveniently translated to English for this wiki.
Translation to English
Languages in Hökaland are the results of culture and historical events in the world and is obviously not English. For this story setting the languages have been simplified and shortcuts have been made to use English to represent the "common" language, so a town like Southshore has a "label name" in English that represent a name meaning "southern shore" in common. Similarly, words and other names are used with labels. In cases where a name is "odd" in our own world, it can be seen as the actual name in Hökaland.
If a name has an English meaning, its real sound is what it would be in the Common tounge. Examples include The Fork or Westwatch.
If a name has non-English sound, it's a name closer to what it would be in the world, like "Greenweald" literally means "Green Forest" in many Old English or related languages.
Many names are bastard mixes of different schools of thought, much like in our world.
People's Names
Generally, individuals in Hökaland do not have additional names other than their given name and any nicknames. Sometimes a nickname stuck and becomes like a surname, but only noble houses REALLY have proper surnames (or House names). The most common names are:
- Birthplace - "of birthplace" (like "Clara of Wellbarrow").
- Parentage - "son of father" or "daughter of father" (like "Johnson" or "Johnsdottir").
- Daughters usually take their father's name, but will infrequently take their mother's. This is mor common in the Northrealms.
- Profession - "<prof> of workplace" (like "Roric Smith of Wellbarrow" or "Roric Smith"
All of these "surnames" work like a second given name and children by said person is usually not going to inherit it but instead gain their own names.
In all cases, "surnames" are very subjective and varied. It makes bookeeping hard but nobles have still not "approved" regular people using surnames, feeling that it would make their own names "common".
Merchant families are living in a vacuum between crafting and nobility. They lack the same advantages as a noble person has (less tax, etc) but still see themselves as "more" than most others. Often they do take a surname, hoping to elevate themselves to peerdom eventually. Some families even start using heraldry-like econography, all in preparation for their "destined" noblehood.
If a person comes across someone who introduces themselves with first and surname you can be fairly sure they are of noble birth or at least a well-to-do merchant family. Depending on the person, merchant families often have more to prove and can more often use their "surname".
Noble Names
| Order of Precedence [e] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Addressed | Description | ||
| Male | Female | |||
| King* | Queen* | Majesty | Leader of House & Kingdom | |
| Prince | Princess | Highness | Possible heir to House & Kingdom | |
| Archduke | Archduchess | Highness | Royal family | |
| Duke | Duchess | Grace | Royal family (extended) or given | |
| Marquess | Marchioness | Lord/Lady | Border houses (more important) | |
| Count | Countess | Lord/Lady | Leader of a county | |
| Viscount | Viscountess | Lord/Lady | Good province, small county and/or city | |
| Baron | Baroness | Lord/Lady | Province/Majordomo/hold/city/town | |
| Baronet | Baronetess | Sir/Dame | Majordomo/hold/town/village(s) | |
| Castellan/Captain | Sir/Dame/Title | Captain of guard | ||
| Peer/Hereditary Knight** | Sir/Dame | Low nobility - Estate/village | ||
| Knight** | Sir/Dame | Firstknight*** | ||
| Squire** | Mr/Mrs/Ms | Servants of Knights | ||
| Esquire | Esquire/Sir/Dame | Gentry person such as a third son or daughter | ||
| Freeman/Franklin/Citizen | Mr/Mrs/Ms | Land owner ranked below gentry | ||
| Villein | Given name | An unfree man working the land | ||
| Cotter | Given name | An unfree man with no land | ||
| Slave | First name/"slave" | An owned person with no rights | ||
| * Royal titles are lent to the spouse of the title's true owner, but their actual rank is that of "Spouse/Consort of King/Queen". ** These are required to fight (or assist), but can also perform heroic deeds to gain | ||||
Noble families generally have a family name in addition to a given name. In the cases where there isn't such a line, they are often identified by some anscestor's first name, and, in essence, do have that as a surname.
In the cases a non-gentry individual is raised to nobility (usually through knighthood) they can create their own name. Usually this is taken from some attribute they feel they have or aspire to or some ancient forefather they look up to (who may or may not actually be a physical relation).
Quite often a family will have several individuals with the same name over a few generations. In those cases there are two main ways to differentiate them.
- By a unique epiteth, like "the Strong"; usually associated with very old houses like Vasj, Wyrd & Wyny.
- It's also used by young houses that want to seem more esteemed. This, in turn is often made fun of by others: "Know thy place".
- By a numeral, like Hanna Asmeagan I.
- For more humble very young houses, like Tally, they wait with adding numerals until they have a few generations of heads of house.
Name and title convention
For most families of the Realms, naming is done in a particular pattern:
- <Title (Gentry)> <Title (Military)*> <Title (Religion)> <Title (Sickle)> <Title (hypernatural Diploma)> <Tile (feudalistic admin)> <Title (education)> <Given name> <Epithet> <House name> <nth> <Sickle circle name>
Most of the time you will not find an individual who has many of the titles listed, but even when there are multiples, people are generally not considered obligated to mention them all. Usually the title with the highest significance is used.
Some examples:
- Grand Administrator Macharned of the Hunter - Any mundane titles removed to emphasise the Sickle.
- Sir Professor Harnell the Precocious Caedmon of the Green - Full title and name of Harnell; never actually used in public.
- Baron Mayor Tred Arthorn I - Full title; used on official occasions.
Though this is part of a standard way to write names and titles, some parts may move around and be omitted to focus on others and some changes due to local customs. Especially the numbering can vary.
The Register prefers for people to follow a standard but will register any information presented from a valid source and with due payment.
Simplified titles
Full titles are a bit of a mouthful, and outside of official introductions, a shorthand is used to address members of the gentry, based mainly on Order of Precedence, which can be seen on the right.
Notable exceptions
Some regions use compounded house names where both parent's names are used. Generally the first family name will be that of the father and the second one of the mother, but a "power leaning" generally occurs and the parent with the higher social standing is the name used first. If a title was inherited, the parent which provided the title will provide the first surname.
Barbarian & Tribe Names
- Full article: Northern tribe: Names
Naming in the Borderlands is similar to the "civilised" world. Northern tribes have some differences in naming, however. Usually after their lineage, tribe and homeland, like "Gunnar Wolfheart Berntson of the Molar Crow Tribe".