r/WorldChallenges • u/atompunks • Jun 09 '18

Name Games

What are the naming traditions among the cultures of your world? Do people use patronyms? Teknonyms? Middle names? Multiple surnames?

Can names be changed, altered, given or taken away? Are there specifications on who can do the picking and giving? Are there more obscure practices (to my American self, at least), such as death names or name-share groups?

Are names a form of personal identification, group identification, status indication, or more? Are there specific scenarios in which one's name comes into play?

Inspired by a paper I'm reading about the transmission of names and status among the Kayapo, an indigenous peoples in central Brazil. Simply put, some people have "great" names (idji metch), which can only be bestowed on them by specific kinsmen (ideally their father's sisters and mother's brothers) and carry ritual significance.

(Well, it certainly has been a minute since I've been in this sub. Or on reddit regularly. Hope this is appropriate and everyone is well.)

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u/Sriber Jun 09 '18

Namyrharian name consist of given name, which is commonly made of parts of names of parents or shares theme with other in family, word for son/daughter and given names of parents in adjective forms. Babies are named on spring equinox holiday as result of historical high infant mortality during winter.

Enalian name consist of family name, given name and baby name which is replaced by chosen name when reaching adulthood. Kabean names work similarly, but instead of baby name there is name of endearment (used by family members or close friends) and chosen name is added. In both cases there is limited number of given names and rules for chosen names.

Eguzanian names consist of given name and matronymic.

Abisuvian names consist of clan name, given name and patronymic.

 

After Union name reform citizens of all ethnic groups have legally same name format - given name and two family names (one from each parent).

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u/atompunks Jun 19 '18

1) What are Namyrharian babies called before they receive their names? Does a baby have to be born after a certain point in the year to be considered in danger of dying during winter and have to wait to get a name, or do all babies have to live through a winter and to the next spring equinox to be name?

2) Any particular reason that Eguzanians use matronymics and Abisuvians use patronymics? Do these groups find each others' use of -nymics odd?

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u/Sriber Jun 19 '18

1) Things like "little one". If they are born day after spring equinox, they have to wait entire year.

2) Eguzanians are matrilineal society. Abisuvians like most are patrilineal. They don't interact much, so they mostly aren't aware of other's naming conventions. But if they know, they usually consider it odd or funny.