What's in a name? - Choosing an SCA Name

What's in a name? Well when you are talking about picking a name in the SCA there is a great deal of time and research and often more than a little frustration involved. And although a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet a badly picked name in the SCA, even if you change it later, will follow you around like a stinking rose (the nickname for garlic... imagine that.) So here are a few hints to help you pick a name that is right for you. When picking a name choose a culture first then choose a name from that culture that way you avoid trying to get a name you like to fit into a culture to which it might not belong. Pick names that were used by many cultures within period and postpone choosing the particular culture until you are able to learn more about the cultures of the time. Christian names such as John, Peter, Mary, and Elizabeth, and names of Frankish origin such as Richard, Henry, or William were adopted into many European languages by about the 14th century. Picking such a name will allow you to fit into a variety of cultures with only minor changes with few problems. Do not try to make up a name out of whole cloth or string together syllables until you get something you like. Heralds are busy people and really don't appreciate this. Part of the enjoyment of the SCA is the study of cultures and time periods and the herald will appreciate the fact that you actually took the time to research your name. The internet is a great place to begin your research if you have access but it is nor always clear where to look or how and searching randomly can waste time and make you tear your hair out. The following is a very short list of places to start your research. The Laurel Sovereign of Arms' Heraldic Education page The Academy of Saint Gabriel Library Arval Benicoeur's Medieval Names Archive If you find a name that you like get as much information about it as you can. Culture, time period, the meaning of the name if any, and any other relevant details are very important to authenticating your choice. It is very important to record the title, author, and publication data of the book, and the page number otherwise you will be very frustrated when you find the perfect name and then forget where you found it. If you can, try to learn a little about the naming practices of the culture you have chosen before trying to create a name. This will help ensure an authentic name and may even spark your interests in other aspects of your chosen culture. It is best to use a single given name and a single byname. The use of middle names, confirmation names, compound surnames and such came into popular use after our period in most European cultures and only very late period in others. The culture you have chosen may use middle names or complex surnames, but you would do well to avoid them unless you are sure that they are appropriate for your culture. Names found in the Bible are not necessarily good choices for period names. Certain biblical names were used, such as Adam, John, Mary, etc. but most biblical names were not used until after the Reformation and then very late in period. Many of the rare late period names are Old Testament names, such as Elijah, Hephzibah, and Jedediah. Avoid the names of gems, flowers or plants. With very few exceptions, these names were not used in period. Names like Amber, Pearl, Ruby, Sapphire, Daisy, Ginger, Heather, Iris, Ivy, and Jasmine did not come into use until the 19th century. Common words and place names were almost never used as given names in the middle age cultures. The best way to ensure that you have an authentic given name is to choose one that you know was used in the culture you're trying to re-create. There are many good articles that have been written on this subject. Here are a few. A Brief Introduction to Medieval Bynames Scottish Names 101 Quick and Easy Gaelic Bynames <---Back***Home--->