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horus42
2009-09-10, 01:04 PM
So, I've recently been getting into Exalted, and I have a question about the way you choose names. Is it just a "you can have whatever name you want" kind of thing? I know that Dragon-Bloods have the whole "family name first, then your given name" thing going on for them, but not much else.

For example, I started getting into Exalted when I started reading the webcomic "Keychain of Creation" http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html (which is fantastic, btw) In the comic, there are people with relatively normal names, like Ben and Karen, and yet there are also people with names like Thrice-Radiant Misho and, (and it's a doozy of a name):

The Most Secret and Sorrowful of the Bearers of the Endless Destiny of all Creation which wander amongst Forgotten Sights and Fallen Tears along the tread of Ashen Footsteps through the Shadow of That Which Comes and into the Riotous Cacophony which births all fools and steals all beauty, who heralds through Her Silence the Stillness and Chill of Those Who Were Not Born and Who Will Not Fade Until All Things Fall and in that Most Grim Harvest form the Final Restful Tomb of all Awakened Life and all the Sleepless Dead. (or Secret, for short)

So, in short, are there any conventions for coming up with names for your Exalt, or is it just anything goes?

Kylarra
2009-09-10, 01:08 PM
I go with the most absurd thing I can think of. Then add a few pretentious adjectives.

tyckspoon
2009-09-10, 01:10 PM
Short answer: You're an Exalt, you can call yourself whatever the hell you want.

Longer answer: It depends a little on what kind of character you are. Misho is a direct reincarnation of a First Age Solar, and he knows it and has some access to the memories of that first incarnation. So he takes the name and title of that Solar. Marena and Karen use their given names from their Dragonblooded lives pre-Exalt; they could give themselves fancier Exalted-style titles if they wanted to, but they'd have to get everybody else to agree to use them first, and they're not the kind of people to want them anyway. IIRC, Secret had her name actually taken away, and then her Deathlord gives her a new title. Apparently they favor really long florid stuff.

The Demented One
2009-09-10, 01:10 PM
Most of the time, people either go with something pseudo-Asian or an [Adjective][Name] combination, or something like that. Longer, more flowery titles are usually, albeit not always, reserved for Abyssals. For reference, a few character names from games I've run:

• Zephyr Scales-of-War
• Invincible Maiden Yomiko
• Ivory Eyes
• Watcher from Behind the Mirror
• Rising Echo
• Meteoric Hashi
• Sarena
• Jerewen
• Forgotten Ivory Scripture
• Scattered Sands of Time

horus42
2009-09-10, 01:12 PM
Alright, so basically my "anything goes" theory was right. Coolio.

Thanks for the help.

Kylarra
2009-09-10, 01:15 PM
Random aside ben has a long name too (http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0040.html).

horus42
2009-09-10, 01:18 PM
Oh yeah... I forgot about that. I guess it's just becasue they call him Ben most of the time, and I think he only gets called his overly long name once, right?

kamikasei
2009-09-10, 01:28 PM
Most Exalted have titles that they use in place of names, essentially. Their actual name, the one they were born with, will depend on where they come from. I'd be curious to know if there's any guide to regional naming schemes of Creation, actually.

Weimann
2009-09-10, 01:29 PM
I think that Secret's name is a parody on Abyssal's names, since they tend to be the most extreme cases of naming quirkiness.

The characters I've created have been called Jack of Unravelling Stories (Night caste Solar) and Wild Roses (Zenith caste Solar, and I considered adding "Queen of" at the start, which I didn't find to extravagant).

I'm not too familiar with Terrestrials (in fact, I just got the Terrestrial book yesterday), but they seem to favour either their family name, followed by a personal name (such as Sesus Rafara, Tepet Arada, Mnemon or Peleps Deled... they seem to like vowels), or a name related to their element (see for example Ten Winds from Keychain).

I think it's fun to make up names, and I try to make names long and strange without making them something you'd rather not be called :P

horus42
2009-09-10, 01:30 PM
Most Exalted have titles that they use in place of names, essentially. Their actual name, the one they were born with, will depend on where they come from. I'd be curious to know if there's any guide to regional naming schemes of Creation, actually.

That's part of what I was wondering. But since most seem not to go by their real names, I suppose it wouldn't matter very much, as it probably wouldn't come up in play. But then again there are all the mortal NPCs who would have "normal" names.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-10, 01:45 PM
Basically the anything goes style. Only dynasts and abyssals have any kind of theme to their naming, as others have mentioned. Just look at the three Exalted characters i'm playing at the moment, they are called Graceful Lotus, Iris von Bergzabern and Gao Shu. So translated Chinese, German and actual Chinese. I have also had two characters with Indian names in the past. I would suggest picking something you can at least pronounce though and that you feel confident that the people you play with can pronounce too.

Agrippa
2009-09-10, 02:11 PM
So does that mean you can have a Zenith Caste Solar named Emperor Norton? If so I'd like to try that.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 03:20 AM
By the way, if there is a family name mentioned, it always comes first, with the given name second. In the Realm and elsewhere.

pasko77
2009-09-11, 03:30 AM
AFAIK, Solars and Abyssals always use "descriptions" as names, while Dragon blooded use their nobiliar caste and Lunars have names similar to Native Americans. I don't know about sidereals.

NeoVid
2009-09-11, 03:34 AM
Exalted Name Generator. (http://www.voidstate.com/name_generator)

A lot of fun to play around with, actually.

ZeroNumerous
2009-09-11, 04:02 AM
Abyssals actually have a valid reason for having a non-name. The Black Exaltation requires you to surrender your name to Oblivion. As such, saying your name draws the ire of the Neverborn(as with Resonance Ben). Ben was his normal mortal name before Exaltation, but after Exaltation saying Ben would give Ben Resonance because he surrendered his name(Ben) to the Neverborn and cast it into Oblivion.

Solars generally adopt names to distance themselves from who they used to be. An Exalt is no longer mortal, and a puny mortal name is restrictive when describing the Exalt in question. There are exceptions, of course. The same thing is practiced by Lunars, as far as I know.

Dynastic Terrestials use the [House Name] [Given Name] format, Immaculate Terrestials use a title and Lost Egg/Outcaste Terrestials use whatever they like.

Sidereals, naturally do not use their pre-Exaltation names due to lacking the Fate attached to that name.

In short: Only Abyssals and Sidereals have a valid reason for not using their given names.

The_Snark
2009-09-11, 04:14 AM
Abyssals are the only ones with a strict naming convention; they're given titles by the Neverborn, and using their old name (or any false name they get attached to) invites punishment.

Everybody else varies. The Great Houses of the Realm have their house's name followed by their personal name, as other people have noted. But not all Dragon-Blooded come from the nobility, or even from the Realm; outcastes could have almost any name, depending on where they came from. Solars sometimes have fancy titles, but only if they want to rename themselves (or if, like the Bull of the North, they become famous under a title). I think Lunars are given a spirit name when they get their tattoos, but nobody's going to make them use it if they prefer their birth name.

It varies by region, most of the time, not Exalt type. And to my knowledge, the Exalted books don't really discuss regional naming conventions (with the exception of the Realm nobility), because the authors want to let players make up whatever names they like. In short: yeah, anything goes.

... unless you're an Abyssal, in which case you need to start getting used to your life sucking anyway.

Edit- Sidereals have to rename themselves? I can't recall anything like that in the book; they might not have their old identities anymore, but nothing's keeping them from using their old names.

BobVosh
2009-09-11, 05:06 AM
That name generator is awesome.

Most of my names are absurd titles, or Greek Gods/Goddesses for my alchemicals for some reason or other.

Yuki Akuma
2009-09-11, 05:10 AM
Sidereals can call themselves whatever they like. Just because their mortal self doesn't exist anymore doesn't mean they can't use their mortal name.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 09:13 AM
When sidereals are not under a resplendent destiny and going around as themselves, such as when they are in Yu-Shan, they can use whatever name they feel like, just like solars and abyssals. When under a resplendent destiny they pick a name that fits the role, which generally means one that fits the naming conventions of whatever place they are pretending to be from.

More general naming conventions are largely left for the player and the GM to work out. Two naming conventions are given, however, dynastic names that have the format of [house name]+[optional household name]+[given name] and the [adjective]+[noun] pattern used for a lot of sample characters both mortal and Exalted. This is not to say that other possibilities are not there, if you want to going with real world naming conventions from whatever language you want is certainly a possibility as is making something up on your own. And use whichever order of family and given name you want if not a dynast. Or use a name and a descriptive phrase. Really unless a dynast or an abyssal you can call yourself whatever you want. Though it is of course a good idea to try to aim for some consistency so you don't have an isolated village with Flowering Orchid, Ben, Khalid Hosseini and Phuong Quan Thai.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 09:56 AM
And use whichever order of family and given name you want if not a dynast.

But all the names in Creation follow the family name first, given name second format. Including the North, the South, the East and the Lintha.

((I have no idea what the other people of the West do, really. I rarely concern myself with that direction unless the Silver Prince is involved.))

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 09:59 AM
Where do you get this? We have Lintha naming and Dynast naming and a few random names. That is not exactly something to generalize the complete naming conventions of an entire setting from. Remember that directions are hardly single, unified cultures with single, unified naming conventions.

kamikasei
2009-09-11, 10:20 AM
AFAIK, Solars and Abyssals always use "descriptions" as names

IIRC, all the example solars for the various castes in the core rulebook use proper names, not titles. The Night Caste might not.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 10:54 AM
IIRC, all the example solars for the various castes in the core rulebook use proper names, not titles. The Night Caste might not.

Dace, Panther, Arianna, Harmonious Jade and Swan, to be precise.

Panther and Swan were always called Panther and Swan, even before Exaltation, and their anima banners are... a panther and a swan. Even in their First Age incarnations.

@Terraoblivion: Even before the Dynasty in the First Age, the given name is apparently always used second, if the family name is mentioned. In Lookshy, the same is also true. Anyone with a family name in the South uses the family name first (with only one exception in the entire book, who is named family name first elsewhere in the book).

In fact, anyone with a family name anywhere uses the family name first, including non-Dynasts. Regardless of the direction or nation. Unless you point me to a canonical example of someone doing otherwise, I'm going with my interpretation.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 11:51 AM
I can find several examples of given name first. In fact i have found examples from all directions, as well as one from the first age, also at least in first edition i couldn't find a single character with a family name and a given name from the North and the West who had the family name first. I have not checked my second edition books, because they have generally fewer NPC write-ups-

Macha Pethisdottir, Pethisdottir is a pseudo-Icelandic female patronymicon used in place of a family name, Dawn caste solar from the north, page 95 of Caste Book: Dawn.

Moray Darktide, Dawn caste solar from the west who doesn't require any specific source i hope, but i remembered him by seeing him on page 93 of Caste Book: Dawn.

Yurgen Kaneko, The Bull Himself has given name followed by last name, unless WW decided to use a German given name as a family name and a Japanese family name as a given name.

Lyr Unnan, the book calls him Lyr for short later on so i take that to mean it is his given name, Eclipse caste solar from the West, Caste Book: Eclipse page 93.

Jiunan Nightwarden, again called Jiunan for short, Night caste solar from the East, Caste Book: Night page 91.

Ayesha Ura is called Ayesha for short in Cult of the Illuminated and is from the South during the first age.

Maduka Shin, called Maduka for short, Chosen of Battles and master of Kether Rock, Cult of the Illuminated born somewhere in the south five hundred years ago, Cult of the Illuminated page 115.

However, the real thing here is why you would need to insist on there being such a rule unless it is explicitly stated. I mean not only does the 40 or 50 NPCs with names of that sort represent the totality of cultures in Creation, i really don't see the point in establishing such a rule. Let people be called what they want unless it breaks the mood.

Kyeudo
2009-09-11, 12:10 PM
In fact, anyone with a family name anywhere uses the family name first, including non-Dynasts. Regardless of the direction or nation. Unless you point me to a canonical example of someone doing otherwise, I'm going with my interpretation.

Not true. Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North, has his surname last. I can find other examples if you want, but naming conventions in Exalted vary wildly by region.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 01:55 PM
Not true. Yurgen Kaneko, the Bull of the North, has his surname last. I can find other examples if you want, but naming conventions in Exalted vary wildly by region.

I'm pretty sure Yurgen Kaneko is named Kaneko, since the books refer to him as Kaneko when only one name is used. Moray Darktide is a name like Harmonious Jade, I believe. And the others I couldn't know about since they are all First Edition examples.

Though I do admit I completely forgot about Ayesha Ura.

((Though strangely enough, the Sidereals book also refers to "Ura's parents", which would be awkward if it indeed is her family name, since the parents would be Ura themselves.))

Kylarra
2009-09-11, 01:57 PM
Exalted Name Generator. (http://www.voidstate.com/name_generator)

A lot of fun to play around with, actually.
That is amazing.

*bookmarks*

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 02:04 PM
Seriously, there is no way that Kaneko is the given name and Yurgen is the family name. If they have wanted to keep family name first they would have called him Kaneko Yurgen, there is no reason whatsoever to intentionally confuse people speaking Japanese or German by using a family name as a given name or vice-versa.

And to me at least Moray Darktide sounds more like a pair of given name and family name that just happens to have a nautical theme than the adjective+noun or noun+noun patterns, though i might be wrong on that.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 02:07 PM
It could also be like Ingosh Silverclaws, who has a name and a title.

I mean, it probably is a title since his next incarnation (Anja Silverclaws) also retains it. It would be pretty coincidental if they both had the same surname despite not being related.

((Then again, a man named Panther turns out to have a panther anima banner, so it isn't that contrived compared to other stuff.))

kamikasei
2009-09-11, 02:07 PM
Moray Darktide is a name like Harmonious Jade, I believe.

I don't see any reason to think that's so. As to your other points, it's extremely common to refer to someone by their family name. "Christopher Walken is a famous actor. Walken has starred in..."

Indon
2009-09-11, 02:26 PM
To my knowledge, Darktide is an island in the Skullstone archipelago - so it's probably shorthand for "Moray of Darktide".

Which is another perfectly legitimate naming convention in any number of places in Creation - ditto "<Givenname>, son/daughter of <Givenname>".

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 02:33 PM
As well as one derived from the process by which a lot of the family names in Europe came to be. So would one with a given name followed by a profession, there is a reason there are so many Smith's out there after all.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 02:35 PM
To my knowledge, Darktide is an island in the Skullstone archipelago...

You're thinking of Darkmist.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 02:37 PM
It would still have been a perfectly legitimate naming pattern if he had been right. Among all the characters i looked at when compiling the list earlier there were several people with that naming pattern too.

Indon
2009-09-11, 02:40 PM
As well as one derived from the process by which a lot of the family names in Europe came to be. So would one with a given name followed by a profession, there is a reason there are so many Smith's out there after all.

That wouldn't be very interesting on the Blessed Isle, though, since the mortal populace is dominated by serf farmers.

Though, it makes "Gordon Freeman" an especially meaningful name.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 02:40 PM
It would still have been a perfectly legitimate naming pattern if he had been right. Among all the characters i looked at when compiling the list earlier there were several people with that naming pattern too.

It would be a legitimate naming pattern, but it wouldn't be given name + surname.

I'm suddenly reminded that not all Dynasts follow the given name + family name pattern. For example, Mnemon has simply one name, due to being the founder of her house and a daughter of the Empress. So does V'neef.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 02:44 PM
Which would make it all the more relevant for those who possess a specialist skill, which is a fair amount given that the Blessed Isle still has the highest living standard for mortals in Creation, to be known for it.

And the house founders only have their own name. Their children gets a given name put after it and if they found an established household their children put that in front of their given name too.

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 02:48 PM
Of course, some house founders are consorts of the Empress, rather than her children.

That also begs the question: what happens to the family names of those consorts? Does association with the Empress simply overcome their previous family ties? It's not like the Gens of the First Age disappeared after the Usurpation, and the consorts (except Nellens) are known to have high Breeding, so they probably had an important family.

Terraoblivion
2009-09-11, 02:52 PM
That is a very good question. The Gentes mostly collapsed under the weight of records being lost and most members dying, i'd imagine. So while the name was carried on, there was no coherent Gens left. Another good question is how it is decided which house two dynasts who marry belong to. Who marries into which house, so to speak?

The Rose Dragon
2009-09-11, 02:55 PM
That is a very good question. The Gentes mostly collapsed under the weight of records being lost and most members dying, i'd imagine. So while the name was carried on, there was no coherent Gens left. Another good question is how it is decided which house two dynasts who marry belong to. Who marries into which house, so to speak?

Well, it doesn't matter in terms of naming conventions most of the time, at least for the married couple, since both sides keep their own House names (Ledaal Kes and Ragara Szaya being one example that comes to mind). The House of the children are probably chosen by the House leaders, who write the terms of the union.