| 1 | [[quoteright:290:[[Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/secret.PNG]]]] |
| 2 | [[caption-width-right:290:Let's just call her "Secret"...]] |
| 3 | |
| 4 | ->''"Lord Wingus Eternum is short. My true name would begin with a dawn, end with the moon, and ravage your mind like a nightmare."'' |
| 5 | -->-- '''Lord Wingus Eternum''', ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'' |
| 6 | |
| 7 | When you introduce someone, you probably add a brief title and description so that each person gets a little more information than, "[[AliceAndBob Bob, this is Alice.]] Alice, Bob." One might say Bob scuba dives, or Alice just got her pilot's license. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | ''These'' people cut out the middle man. "Runs with Bulls", [[Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation "The Forgotten Flame of Endless Unmarked Years"]], [[TabletopGame/{{Exalted}} "The Princess Magnificent with Lips of Coral and Robes of Black Feathers"]], [[Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons "82 White Chain Born in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil"]]... you get the idea. [[MeaningfulName Appropriate]] or [[IronicName not]], the name is a full description. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | See also OverlyLongName, PurpleProse, AwesomeMcCoolname, and TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard. Compare TheNounWhoVerbed, PreppyName, TranslationYes, and TheTropeWithoutATitle. BurlyDetectiveSyndrome is when this is habitually applied to many characters who also have a real name. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | ---- |
| 14 | !!Examples: |
| 15 | |
| 16 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 17 | |
| 18 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 19 | * ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasGreatAdventureIntoTheUnderworld'' introduces a new character into the gang, the MagicalGirl Miyoko Mangetsu whose name unfolds as "the Beautiful Night Child of the Full Moon". |
| 20 | * ''Manga/WithTheLight'': The titular character is given a name on the first page meaning "Light of the East"; his surname, Azuma, is the nanori (proper name pronunciation) of "higashi," meaning "east." Not to be outdone, his little sister Kanon's full name would be, loosely translated, "the sound of eastern flowers"; her mother decided to give her the name Kanon, written with the kanji letters for "flower" and "sound," after hearing a canon playing on the radio while giving birth. |
| 21 | * ''Manga/DrugAndDrop'': Kazahaya lists off Rikuou's name as being one of the many stupid things about him because it sounds like a religious landmark, but then has to acknowledge that his own does too. |
| 22 | * Happens sometimes in ''Anime/KillLaKill''. [[PluckyComicRelief Mankanshoku Mako's]] surname means "Full-Dressed Battleship", while [[KnightTemplar Kiryuuin Satsuki's]] means "Palace of the Spectral Dragon". |
| 23 | * ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'' has many examples. |
| 24 | ** On top of being something of a MeaningfulName, [[TheHero Kamijou Touma's]] name has many translations though the one used is "He Who Purifies God and Exorcises The Demon" due to his [[AntiMagic Imagine Breaker]]. |
| 25 | ** His younger cousin Tatsugami Otohime could be translated, if done in the Western order, as "Youngest Princess of the Dragon King/God". Although, due to the fact that she has only appeared Angel Fall arc, it's not really known if her name has any other meaning than just being something cool Kamaji chose. |
| 26 | ** Some magicians employ a magic name during combat as a way of announcing their [[LetsGetDangerous intent to kill]], while the name is [[GratuitousLatin somewhat based on Latin]], to the point of being a PretentiousLatinMotto. Their "translations" can come off like this, such as Index's ''[=Dedicatus545=]'' "The Lamb who protects the knowledge of the Strong", Kaori Kanzaki's ''[=Salvare000=]'' "Be The Salvation of Those who Cannot be Saved", and Stiyl's ''[=Fortis931=]'' "I Prove why My Name is the Strongest". |
| 27 | [[/folder]] |
| 28 | |
| 29 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 30 | * ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist'': The seven Immortal Weapons have names like Tiger's Beautiful Daughter and Bride of Nine Spiders. Technically these are titles, but in some cases we never learn their personal names. |
| 31 | * ''The Great Ten'' were a Chinese superhero group in the pre-new-52 DC Universe. Most of its members had names that fit this trope. The members are: Accomplished Perfect Physician, August General in Iron, Celestial Archer, Ghost Fox Killer, Immortal Man-in-Darkness, Mother of Champions, the Seven Deadly Brothers, Shaolin Robot, Socialist Red Guardsman, and Thundermind. |
| 32 | * Likewise with DC's Japanese superhero team, the Super Young Team. Introduced in ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'', their names were meant to sound transliterated. The group included Most Excellent Superbat, Sonic Lightning Flash, Shy Crazy Lolita Canary, Shiny Happy Aquazon, and Big Atomic Lantern Boy. |
| 33 | * DC Comics' ''Lobo'', although his name sounds like a common word for "wolf", actually took his name from a Khundish word meaning, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "He who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it."]] |
| 34 | * ComicBook/TexWiller's Indian name Eagle of the Night was given to him because, at the time, he was doing just that to some criminals: appearing from nowhere (possibly from upside) to prey on them, and did it mostly at night. He was a bit bemused when Lilyth (his ''wife'') first sprang that on him, but as soon as she told him the reason he decided it was fitting and started using it himself. |
| 35 | * ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': It's implied that all cats have unusually long and descriptive names used by themselves, separate from whatever names they're given by their owners. Main character Dream, who is fond of cats, addresses every cat he encounters by its real personal name (such as Walks the Night Alone, a white kitten he meets in the desert). |
| 36 | * ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'': In contrast to the typically plain names of characters in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' universe, the Asian-inspired Lynx clans have this kind of name. Most notable is recurring antagonist [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Bride of the Conquering Storm]]. |
| 37 | [[/folder]] |
| 38 | |
| 39 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 40 | * ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/4642155/chapters/10789586 Adventures in Dimension Hopping]]'': Harry, Tom and Spike meet a Naga whose name translates roughly as "she-who-wanders-in-darkness-unworried." |
| 41 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12296472/15/Against-My-Nature Against My Nature]]'' has a Chinese Fireball whose name translates roughly as "the glow of light through scarlet flowers at the water's edge in sunset." |
| 42 | * ''Fanfic/Arrow18MissionLogs'': Canterlot's proper name translated to English is "Cantered Slopes Cliffside City of the Rising Sun". Twilight lampshades that a lot of Equestrian names become rather long when translated to English. |
| 43 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4942221/33/Broken-Wings Broken Wings]]'' has a viridian rainforest boa whose name translates as "Sparkly green treasure hidden in the treetop." |
| 44 | * ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'': [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti The Forest People]] have names like these, although they don't mind diminutives, such as Dresden's friend, Strength of a River in His Shoulders, being quite comfortable going by either "River Shoulders" or just "River". Likewise, the Forest Person that Sunniva meets in the distant past, Patience of the Hills in His Heart, is quite comfortable as "Patience". They call her "Fire of the Stars in Her Heart" (or just "Fire-Star"), and Harry initially gets [[TheGadfly nicknamed]] "Listens and Asks Endless Questions", before being dubbed "Starlight in His Eyes". |
| 45 | * ''Fanfic/CobysChoice'': Billy's names for everyone tend to be descriptions of them. Luffy is "Alpha-Immune-to-Shock", Zoro is "Angry-Moss-Cuts-Things", Chopper is "Deer-is-Person", etc. |
| 46 | %%* ''Fanfic/ADiplomaticVisit'': Chapter 24 reveals that the wolves' full names, in their native language, have hidden and much longer meanings. %%needs more context |
| 47 | * ''Fanfic/ElementalsOfHarmony'': Among the rabbits, names are fluid summaries of achievements and ignominies. Examples include "Compassionate Steward of the Glorious Future", "Clear-Eyed Sage, Who Sees Beyond the Horizon", and "Stalwart Paragon, Who Literally Spat in the Darkhearted's Eye". |
| 48 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13237372/6/Hold-your-Breath Hold your Breath]]'': The merfolk chieftain in the Black Lake is called "Sunlight-passing-through-Sharp-Corals." |
| 49 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6225855/18/Jade-Green-Eyes Jade Green Eyes]]'' has an Alaspinian minidrag whose name roughly translates as "she who flicks her tail at what her elders believe" and her mate, whose name roughly translates as "he who spits a venom hotter than fire''. |
| 50 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10996537/15/Lady-Black-Lord-Potter Lady Black, Lord Potter]]'': The American member of the International Confederation of Wizards has a name which translates as "Wiggles with Grace." She insists on Harry referring to her simply as Grace. |
| 51 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11437578/3/Mary-Potter-1-the-Call-to-Adventure Mary Potter 1: the Call to Adventure]]'': A boa constrictor in the zoo tells Mary that its name is "The Sound of Wet Scales on Small Stones" and a garden snake she meets at Hermione's house is called "The Scent of Air After the Storm." |
| 52 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13138757/6/Music-Beneath-the-Mountains Music Beneath the Mountains]]'' has a thestral called "Black Hair Going Down the Spine in a Short Strip." |
| 53 | * ''Fanfic/ANewWorldANewWay'': The Volcarona from the Volcarona Incident is named "Fire Wing the Incredibly Fiery Who Causes Storms To Flee In the Terror Of My Existence And Power Within All Eternity". X calls him Hornswoggle for short. |
| 54 | * ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'': Some [[MeaningfulName meaningful first and last names]] form a phrase or sentence. |
| 55 | ** Kyril Sutherland -- "Lord / Master of the Southern Land". |
| 56 | ** Alicia Arcturus -- "Noble Guardian of the Bear". |
| 57 | ** Shamuhaza ([[SpellMyNameWithAnS Samyaza]]) -- "The / My Name has Seen", "He Sees the Name", or "I Have Seen". |
| 58 | * In ''Fanfic/NjalGetsBurned'', some nicknames of background characters in the genealogies can get quite extreme. One man is known as Hraerek Who Dropped His Keys Over The Side Of The Boat That One Time, And Everybody Laughed. |
| 59 | * ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/6199150/chapters/14230852 The Power of a Well-Organized Mind]]'': Harry acquires some Parseltongue books written by a Naga whose name translates as "Warm Breath of Morning." |
| 60 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8831374/2/The-Power-of-the-Press The Power of the Press]]'': One of Harry's tutors, Julius Augustus Murphy, has an Indian name which means "He Who Soars with Eagles." |
| 61 | * ''Fanfic/RiskItAll'': The only reason why Ren doesn't snicker at the name of [[spoiler:his family's Qi cultivation technique, the Heavenly White Tiger Fist, is because his dad is saying it dead seriously while explaining his family's history.]] |
| 62 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11999343/1/Snapped Snapped]]'': The snake that Draco summons during the dueling club meeting in the second year is called "Bane-of-all-rodents." |
| 63 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11064905/3/Unbecoming Unbecoming]]'': Voldemort's snake Nagini asks Heather for her name. In snake language, "Heather" ends up translating as "Soft-Thing-Under-the-Belly". |
| 64 | -->Heather translated passably as Soft-Thing-Under-the-Belly, which pleased the snake more than the name of Master, which, really, was closer to He-Who-Can-Kill-All-Others-But-Is-Warm-Place. |
| 65 | * ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14106323/2/The-Task-of-Being-Emerald The Task of Being Emerald]]'' has an adder named "Death-to-Small-Frightened-Animals". |
| 66 | * ''Fanfic/TravelingTutorAndTheLibrarian'': Full griffon names are elaborate and poetic, but are shortened for common use, such as "Gilded Clouds Rising Gloriously Into the Dawn Sky Signifying Upcoming Storms" being shortened to Gilda or "Flays the Flesh From the Bone With Amazing Speed" being shortened to Flay. |
| 67 | * ''Fanfic/TheWeaverOption'': |
| 68 | ** The name the Imperium uses for Taylor's sword, the Nebula's Shard, is a loose translation of the Eldar name Elsar'bryn. The literal translation is something closer to "Song of the Nebula Tearing through the Heavens". |
| 69 | ** The simple translation of the Eldar title given to Taylor, Maelsha'eil Dannan, is "Angel of Death". The literal translation is "the Burning Angel Governing the Cycle of Entropy". |
| 70 | * ''Fanfic/{{Xenoethnography}}'': The one-word names that Franchise/{{Transformers}} use with humans are shorthand for the longer and more poetic names they have in their own language. Ironhide's name, for instance, is more fully "That Which No Destruction Shall Penetrate", while Wheeljack's name is "Motion That Lifts Aside the Barrier to Success" (or "Violent Removal of Difficult Obstacles", depending on who's translating and in what context). |
| 71 | [[/folder]] |
| 72 | |
| 73 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 74 | * ''Film/TheFifthElement'' has Leeloo, whose full name translates as "Precious Stone of the Earth, Defender of Light and Life, the Honorable". Her sobriquet means "Stone". |
| 75 | * ''Film/DancesWithWolves'' includes Native American characters with names like "Stands with a Fist" and "Wind in His Hair"... also averted in one instance, with one character who's simply named Otter. |
| 76 | * ''Film/SusannahOfTheMounties'': The named Indians are Big Eagle, Little Chief, and Wolf Pelt. Creator/ShirleyTemple[='s=] character is christened "Little Golden Hawk" by the Indians. In RealLife, during the production of the movie, she was made an honorary member of the Blackfoot tribe and given the name "Bright Shining Star." |
| 77 | [[/folder]] |
| 78 | |
| 79 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 80 | * ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil is almost entirely referred to as Ax or Ax-man by everyone else for the entire series (save for a single FullNameUltimatum). Ax never takes issue with it or even explains what his full name means. |
| 81 | * ''Literature/{{Berserker}}'': In "Pilots of the Twilight", Holt was [[RaisedByNatives raised by the 'Reen]] who named him, translated roughly, "He-orphaned-and-helpless-whom-we-obliged-are-to-take-in-but-why-us?". Upon return to human society he was given the name Holt Calder. |
| 82 | * ''Literature/{{Dreamspeaker}}'': One of the First Nations guys who takes Peter in is named "He Who Would Sing". |
| 83 | * ''Literature/TheHost2008'': [[PuppeteerParasite Souls]] choose their own names, which are often the old names of their host bodies; sometimes they change them when they get a new host, sometimes not. As such, the Souls in the book, who are inhabiting humans, can have names like "Kathy," or things like "Fords Deep Waters," "Sunlight Passing Through the Ice," and "Rides the Beast." |
| 84 | * ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'': |
| 85 | ** A being's true name in the language of magic is a true and comprehensive description of themselves, although how long they do or don't get isn't clear since none are explicitly described in the text. |
| 86 | ** The ancient wild dragons didn't have formal names as such, as they were more animalistic in mentality that humans, elves or bonded dragons. Instead, the "name" of the dragon who negotiated the end of the elf-dragon war is given as a running description of his attributes, history and notable deeds. |
| 87 | --->''Queen Tarmunora of the elves and the dragon who had been selected to represent us, whose name--''he paused, and conveyed a series of sense impressions to Eragon: long tooth, white tooth, chipped tooth: fights won, fights lost; countless eaten Shrrg and Nagra; seven-and-twenty eggs sired and nineteen offspring grown to maturity--''cannot be expressed in any language, decided that a treaty would not suffice.'' |
| 88 | * ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'': |
| 89 | ** ''Literature/ReaperMan'': Mrs. Cake's spirit guide is One-Man-Bucket. He's the ghost of a man descended from Howandaland natives whose tribe's naming convention is to name the baby after the first thing the mother sees looking out of the birthing tent after delivery. His full name is One-Man-Pouring-A-Bucket-Of-Water-Over-Two-Dogs. His slightly-older twin brother is mentioned, whose name is guessed by an outsider to be Two-Dogs-Fighting. One-Man-Bucket corrects this guess, saying he "would have given his right arm to be called Two-Dogs-''Fighting".'' |
| 90 | ** There are some residents of Lancre who are accidentally named in this fashion, because they are literally named whatever the priest at the ceremony says -- there was even a King My-God-He's-Heavy the First. Magrat herself is so-named because her mother couldn't spell Margaret; her own daughter ends up with the name "Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling" after a technically-successful attempt to avoid the same mistake results in a different one. |
| 91 | ** Discworld also parodies the Puritan convention, with Omnians having names like Mightily-Praiseworthy-Are-They-Who-Exalteth-Om, Smite-The-Unbeliever-With-Cunning-Arguments, and [[KnockingOnHeathensDoor Visit-The-Infidel-With-Explanatory-Pamphlets]]. There's also Sam Vimes's ancestor Suffer-Not-Injustice. |
| 92 | ** ''Literature/{{Snuff}}'': It's revealed that goblins are all named like a cross between {{Magical Native American}}s and ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' characters -- "Tears of the Mushroom", "Regret of the Falling Leaf", "Shine of the Rainbow", "Sound of the Rain on Hard Ground", "The Pleasant Contrast of the Orange and Yellow Petals in the Flower of the Gorse," and so forth. This poetic/artistic streak in a species that [[FantasticRacism most people treat like intelligent vermin]] is significant to the plot, although their exact naming conventions are never precisely explained. They're apparently loose translations, and only [[TranslationYes a word or two]] in Goblin. Abbreviating a goblin's name is a good way to make it violently angry unless it is ''very'' well disposed towards the negligent human. However, some of the young ones (particularly the ones who've joined the City Watch) are okay with nicknames. In the case of the aforesaid watchmen, because you need a name your buddy can shout in the same breath as "duck!" or "look out!". |
| 93 | * ''Literature/{{Embassytown}}'': The alien Hosts mark certain human residents as similes to be used in their everyday language; the main character is formally named "there was a human girl who in pain ate what was given to her in an old room built for eating in which eating had not happened for a time," or "the girl who ate was given to her" for short. |
| 94 | * ''Literature/MotherOfLearning'': The aranea are all telepathic, and thus their personal names are compressed bundles of images and impressions. Zorian roughly translates the matriarch's name as "Spear of Resolve Striking Straight at the Heart of the Matter". |
| 95 | --> '''Matriarch''': As good an approximation of my real name as any. |
| 96 | * ''Literature/ShiShiEtko'': The titular character's name, "Shi-Shi-Etko", means "She Loves To Play In The Water". |
| 97 | * ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' has a character known as "Rock" whose real name (Nuhumukumakiaki'aialunamor) is an entire poem in his native language about a rock his father found just before he was born. Apparently everybody in his culture has names like that, which leads to some confusion later when his family is introduced and he introduces his son as "Rock", as he is also named after a rock, but clarifies that it is a "different kind of Rock". He also introduces both his Wife and daughter as "Song" although again presumably different kinds of songs. |
| 98 | * Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium: |
| 99 | ** ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'': In Entish, all names, possibly all nouns, are comprehensive descriptions of the person or thing in question. They consider anything else to be "hasty". Treebeard only uses that name for the convenience of non-Ents. His true name is apparently his entire biography, and given that he's one of the oldest living things in Middle Earth, it's basically an epic-length novel. In other words, when you ask someone "Who are you?" they will tell you their name. When you ask an Ent his name, he will tell you who he is. |
| 100 | ** Melkor, the BigBad of ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' (and Tolkien's entire cosmology), has his name translate as "[[TheNounWhoVerbed He Who Arises in Might]]". After his fall from grace to become the GodOfEvil he was renamed Morgoth, "Dark Enemy of the World". |
| 101 | ** Galadriel's name translates to "Maiden Crowned With Radiant Light" in Sindarin. This though is a nickname, given to her by her husband Celeborn (awww). Her real name, however, is Artanis, which means "Noble Woman." Most elvish names end up being this trope if translated (with a few exceptions like Gil-galad "Brightstar" and Cirdan "shipwright"). For example, Aragorn's name means roughly "Noble Eagerness", a rather accurate description. [[note]] actually, all Elves have two "real names": a "mother-name" given to the baby at birth by its mother and a "father-name" given in a ceremony during childhood. Artanis is Galadriel's father-name. Her mother-name is Nerwen, meaning "man-maiden" i.e. {{Tomboy}}.[[/note]] |
| 102 | * ''Literature/WarriorCats'': The cats of the Tribe of Rushing Water are named after the first thing their mother sees when the cat is born, e.g. Brook Where Small Fish Swim, Night of No Stars, etc. [[LampshadeHanging One character remarks that, in his mind, this should have led to a lot of cats being named Roof of Cave, Wall of Cave, or Floor of Cave]]. Even the tribe itself is like this, seeing as it was named after the waterfall guarding its cave. |
| 103 | * ''Literature/KeysToTheKingdom'': In ''Lady Friday'', the Winged Servants of the Night all have names like this. For example: "The One Who Survived The Darkness". |
| 104 | * ''Literature/HonorHarrington'': The non-human sentients known as Treecats have descriptive names giving an insightful view of them. Notable names have included "Laughs Brightly", "Swift Striker" and "Echo of Time". Humans have also been awarded names by treecats, such as "Death Fang's Bane", "Darkness Foe", and "Dances On Clouds". In fact, treecat names are critical to [[spoiler:the formation of the Grand Alliance; it's the revelation of Eloise Pritchart's and Thomas Theisman's treecat names, "Truth Seeker" and "Dreams of Peace" respectively]], that convince Honor [[spoiler:the reborn Republic truly can be trusted]]. |
| 105 | * In [[Creator/IainBanks Iain M. Banks]]' ''Literature/TheCulture'' setting, names function as characters' addresses (although the full forms are rarely mentioned in the novels). As [[http://www.vavatch.co.uk/books/banks/cultnote.htm Banks explained]]: |
| 106 | -->'''Banks:''' Culture names act as an address if the person concerned stays where they were brought up. Let's take an example; Balveda, from ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas''. Her full name is Juboal-Rabaroansa Perosteck Alseyn Balveda dam T'seif. The first part tells you she was born/brought up on Rabaroan Plate, in the Juboal stellar system [...]; Perosteck is her given name (almost invariably the choice of one's mother), Alseyn is her chosen name (people usually choose their names in their teens, and sometimes have a succession through their lives; [...]); Balveda is her family name (usually one's mother's family name) and T'seif is the house/estate she was raised within. The "sa" affix on the first part of her name would translate into "er" in English (we might all start our names with "Sun-Earther", in English, if we were to adopt the same nomenclature), and the "dam" part is similar to the German "von". |
| 107 | ** At the end of the piece, he dubs himself "Sun-Earther Iain El-Bonko Banks of North Queensferry". |
| 108 | * Anyone and everyone associated with the Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice in ''Literature/BreakingTheWall.'' Up to and including the "Lands Born of Smoke and Sacrifice." Among actual characters we have Flying Claw, Honey Dream, and Righteous Drum. |
| 109 | * [[Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy Bartimaeus's]] full name ([[MilesGloriosus according to him, anyway]]) is "Bartimaeus of Uruk, Sakhr al-Jinni, N'gorso the Mighty and the Serpent of Silver Plumes". |
| 110 | * The [[MagicalNativeAmerican Hawkbrothers]] in the Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar series choose (or are given) two-word "use-names," which can signify personality or important attributes (Steelmind, who [[PhotographicMemory never forgets]]), recall a memorable occasion from the person's life (Starfall, who dove from a cliff at the moment a meteor flashed overhead), or simply be poetic (Wintersky). These [[MeaningfulRename can be changed]] at adulthood or after life-altering events (Darkwind was known as Songwind in happier times). |
| 111 | * In ''Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths'', Mildmay's name is short for Mild-May-Your-Torments-Be-At-The-Hands-Of-The-Wicked. |
| 112 | * The Hiths in the ''Literature/DoctorWhoNewAdventures'' novel ''Original Sin'' all changed their names once their society was destroyed by [[HumansAreBastards the Earth Empire]]. They now call themselves things like Powerless, Friendless, Afraid And Alone, so every time they give their ID to an Earth official they're making a political point. |
| 113 | * The ''Franchise/FactionParadox'' novel 'Newtons Sleep' features a character named Lord Yellow Dog of the Thirty-One Cuts. |
| 114 | * ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': |
| 115 | ** The [[EldritchAbomination Outsider]] known as "[[TheNounWhoVerbed He Who Walks Behind]]." Its full name is [[StarfishLanguage a two-minute montage of unfathomable fear, helplessness and pain.]] Naming conventions are unknown, but he has a brother named "He Who Walks Before." Incidentally, both of these names are at least partial descriptions of literal traits: He Who Walks Behind is always behind you, no matter how quickly you turn around. He Who Walks Before is the herald of an Outsider invasion. [[spoiler: It turns out that the entity called [[GreaterScopeVillain Nemesis]], whose MO is corrupting people into serving the Outsiders, is truly named "He Who Walks Beside".]] |
| 116 | ** In a trilogy of short stories, Dresden has dealings with [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti a Sasquatch]], more properly known as one of the Forest People, who are actually highly intelligent. The Person in particular is named Strength of a River in His Shoulders, or as Dresden usually calls him, River Shoulders. Another Forest Person who is much less friendly named [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "Blood On His Soul"]] appears in the 15th book. |
| 117 | ** While not a ''long'' name, but Uriel gets ''quite'' angry the one time Harry tries to shorten it to "Uri". This is because Uriel is a literal angel whose name means "Light of God", and the way Harry shortened it makes it sound like Uriel is claiming to be "Light" in his own right, leaving out the mention of God, which he understandably dislikes. He's okay with "Mr. Sunshine", though. |
| 118 | * In the ''Literature/StarCarrier'' books, [[StarfishAliens Turusch]] names are most closely translated as this. An example would be "Emphatic Blossom at Dawn", referring to an ambush hunter on their homeworld. Since the name in question belongs to a tactician, it's appropriate. |
| 119 | * A demon lord or perhaps some sort of quasi-deity named "The Prince Who Dreams in the Void" is mentioned in the passing in ''[[Literature/WarOfTheSpiderQueen Dissolution]]''. |
| 120 | * Wolves in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' communicate telepathically, so their names are not words but a jumble of sensations and images that are usually summarized in human language by a single descriptive word. For instance, "Hopper" is actually "A cub on a hilltop leaping repeatedly into the air as he tries to fly like an eagle", and Dapple is "Sunlight dappled through autumn trees onto piles of dead leaves with the smell of musk and earth". [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Wolfbrothers]] are adopted in the same manner: Perrin is known as Young Bull, that is "a brash young bull with gleaming metallic horns" which represent the axe that is his weapon, while Elyas who prefers a long knife is Long Tooth, or "a wolf with one long, metallic fang." |
| 121 | * Literature/{{Flashman}} is adopted by an Apache tribe and, due to his horseback skills, is named White-Rider-Goes-So-Fast-He-Destroys-The-Wind-With-His-Speed. Unfortunately for convenience it's shortened to He-Who-Breaks-The-Wind or Wind Breaker. Given how Flashman farted his way down the Valley of Death at Balaclava, you could say it's appropriate. |
| 122 | * In ''Literature/ChildrenOfTheCorn'' the children worship an unseen demon known as "He Who Walks Behind The Rows." |
| 123 | * [[TheVamp Ayesha]] in H. Rider Haggard's ''Literature/{{She}}'' is also known as "She-who-must-be-obeyed." |
| 124 | * Translating the ''Literature/PillowBookOfSeiShonagon'', written by a medieval Japanese court lady and one of the earliest diaries still in existence, Ivan Morris said he didn't feel he should transliterate the names, "for fear that they might produce a false exoticism of the 'Honorable Lady Plum Blossom' type." This is actually a dig at Creator/LafcadioHearn who used that exact name in an example of women's names and how their honorifics work in Japanese. |
| 125 | * In ''{{Literature/Remnants}},'' the species that humans name the "[[DescriptivelyNamedSpecies Blue Meanies]]," who call themselves "the Children" (of [[SapientShip Mother]]), all have names in the style of "[Number] [Positive Adjective] [Natural Feature]," such as "One Perfect Mountain" or "Four Divine Streams." This is to honor the artificial environments within Mother. [[spoiler:When [[ManipulativeBastard Yago]] starts a cult among the Meanies, members still follow this trope, renaming themselves things like "Yago's Catlike Grace"]]. |
| 126 | * Mostly averted in ''Literature/TrailOfGlory''. The Cherokee characters tend to have this type of names, but drop them in favour of more anglicized versions. A good example would be Kuhnungdatlageh, which translates to "He Who Walks Along The Peak Of The Ridge", but who usually signs his name "John Ridge". |
| 127 | * A [[FootnoteFever long footnote]] in ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1'' explains that Ford Prefect's father was the only survivor of Betelgeuse Seven after its inhabitants were destroyed in the Great Collapsing Hrung Disaster, and during Ford's childhood on Betelgeuse Five he was nicknamed Ix, which is Old Betelgeusian for "Boy Who Is Not Able to Satisfactorily Explain What a Hrung Is, nor Why It Should Have Chosen to Collapse on Betelgeuse Seven." |
| 128 | * In ''Literature/GirlOfFireAndThorns'', every Invierno has a name like this, and every one demands to be addressed by their full name. The most prominent is "He Who Wafts Gently with the Wind Becomes as Mighty as the Thunderstorm", nicknamed Storm for convenience. Unlike most instances of this trope, these names aren't tailored to the person and can be passed around like other names, as Storm mentions his name is popular back home and we see some names that apply to multiple characters. |
| 129 | * In ''Literature/TheCrocodileGod'', the Tagalog mythology of the story is fused with {{Mythopoeia}} due to the [[DeathOfTheOldGods centuries-long conquest by Spain,]] and most of the gods' epithets heavily [[InvokedTrope invoke this.]] Haik is the title's Filipino crocodile-god with a whole string of epithets: "Whale-rider," [[SeaMonster "Haik who breaks the ships in his teeth,"]] and [[BornUnderTheSail "son of voyagers."]] His cousin is "Lumawig the last-born" whose older brothers are [[AnthropomorphicPersonification the Four Winds,]] Haik's older sister is "Hina who follows the moon," and another goddess is named [[AnthropomorphicPersonification "Mayari-who-is-the-moon."]] |
| 130 | * In ''Literature/IslandOfTheBlueDolphins'', Karana's people keep their birth names secret, claiming [[IKnowYourTrueName said names have a magic that is lost if it becomes well-known]], and instead assign public names, which are this trope. Karana's public name is "Won-a-pei-lei" ("girl with long black hair") which she tells to the Aleut girl, Tutok, that she befriends. When Tutok leaves the island later, Karana reveals her real name to her friend. |
| 131 | * ''Literature/TomcatBlueEyesDiaries'': One of the tomcats from Blue Eyes' neighbourhood in the city is called "Tore-his-li'l-ear". Unsurprisingly, he has a partially torn ear. He's a bruiser and tries to pick up fights, but Blue Eyes also notes that he sings exceptionally well and with lots of feelings, so Blue Eyes doesn't really think him evil. |
| 132 | * The Sothōii in ''Literature/TheWarGods'' tend to favor incredibly fancy names for their warhorses. The mare that Baron Tellian gives to Kaeritha is called Dark War Cloud Rising which she shortens to Cloudy. |
| 133 | ** Coursers tend to have shorter but similarly poetic names. For example Walsharno translates as "Battle Dawn" which, as the characters note, is extremely appropriate for a courser who is bonded to a champion of the god of war. |
| 134 | * In the ''Literature/XandriCorelel'' series, the Psittacans have names like Many Kills and Day Dawns Red (Many and Dawn for short). |
| 135 | * ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}'': |
| 136 | ** The T-Rexes in ''Dinotopia Lost'' give these to the protagonists. Chaz's is Slays With Words, Will is Thinks Through Fear and their Struthiomimus companion Keelk is Walks Through Stone. |
| 137 | ** Newcomers are even referred to as "Dolphinbacks." |
| 138 | * ''Literature/XWingSeries'': In ''The Krytos Trap'', Rogue Squadron visits the planet Ryloth, where Wedge learns about some peculiarities in their language, such as how they run names together to get one meaning, but changing the pronunciation also alters the meaning, with some of these translations being rather long. Wedgan'tilles means "slayer of stars", while the Basic version of Wedge Antilles roughly translates as "One so foul he could induce vomiting in a Rancor". |
| 139 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter'': BigBad Lord Voldemort is such a complete bogeyman for the rest of the wizarding world that every decent witch and wizard is too afraid to say his name out loud, instead calling him "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". His followers and sympathizers, also afraid to speak his name, call him "The Dark Lord". |
| 140 | * In ''Literature/LambTheGospelAccordingToBiff'', most of Balthasar's concubines have long and elaborate names (for instance, "Tiny Feet of the Divine Dance of Joyous Orgasm," who for obvious reasons just goes by "Joy"). |
| 141 | * The "Flame-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter", eventually renamed [[Literature/ShakuganNoShana Shana]]. That one is a bit zigzagged, because that's not actually a ''name'', it's [[RedBaron a title]]. One that has had several bearers in the past. The character herself was raised with NoNeedForNames and considered the title sufficient identification in of itself. |
| 142 | * This causes a bit of a DubInducedPlotHole in ''Literature/{{Durarara}}''. One of the main characters is named Mikado Ryugamine, which means "Emperor of the Dragon's Peak". It's pretty much ''exactly'' as strange as if someone walked up to you and said "Hi, my name is Emperor of the Dragon's Peak." Unfortunately, we don't translate Japanese names, so English readers are left confused as to why everyone is making such a big deal out of his name. |
| 143 | * ''Literature/PrincessesOfThePizzaParlor'': The [[OurKoboldsAreDifferent kobolds]], who appear in ''Princesses in the Darkest Depths'', have names like Tukhara-ara-bada-bunki-mali-tali-Jaka-hila-laki, which, for that instance, is implied to mean something like "Clan Tukhara's Jaka of the fast feet", with the last words being a descriptor, such that Tukhara-ara-badi-bunki-mali-tali-Kuarl, is just "Clan Tukhara's Curls", with bada / badi, as "male / female" indicators. |
| 144 | * Creator/AlanDeanFoster's [[Literature/HumanxCommonwealth Flinx and Pip]] novel ''The End of the Matter'' features a strange alien named Abalamahalamatandra--universally referred to simply as Ab--who eventually turns out to be [[spoiler:an activation mechanism for an extraordinarily powerful weapon built by an alien race that has been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years]]. Ab speaks in apparent gibberish--sing-song and rhyming--which in reality is often (or even always) meaningful, but "garbled through maybe a dozen languages at a time". As one character finally observes: |
| 145 | -->"I put our Ab vocabulary to work on something we ought to have worked on first--his name. Abalamahalamatandra. A composite from four different languages, two being derivatives from other languages, one derived from yet a third. Together they form a couplet in a language three hundred and fifty thousand years dead, which the computer then compressed according to the rhyme scheme Ab used when announcing his name. I got one word I'm pretty positive of out of the whole business." He paused, then said anticlimatically: "[[spoiler:Key]]." |
| 146 | * ''Literature/TheBookOfTheDunCow'': The rooster who created Cockatrice was named "Senex With His Back To The Mountains". |
| 147 | * ''Literature/JuniperSawfeather'': In ''Whisper of the Woods'', June learns that her father, a Chinook Indian, was born Peter Clark. When he was twelve, he and his siblings were joking about how Indians in movies always have poetic names while they were stuck with a boring one. They decided to give each other new names that were a combination of a noun with either a verb or an adjective. They became Peter Sawfeather (he saw an eagle feather and pointed it out to the others), Amelia Climbing Vine (she used a rope to climb a tree), and Nathan Trips in Brook (self-explanatory). Peter liked his new name enough that he legally changed it when he grew up. |
| 148 | * In ''Literature/TheMermaid'', the titular protagonist originally had a name that translated to "Breaking the Surface of the Sea." When she came on land to live as a human, she started going by Amelia. |
| 149 | [[/folder]] |
| 150 | |
| 151 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 152 | * ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': Introducing the Gits -- "A Snivelling Little Rat-Faced Git", his wife "Dreary Fat Boring Old", and their unseen son and daughters: "Dirty Lying Little Two-Faced" (son), "Ghastly Spotty Horrible Vicious Little" (daughter -- the youngest), and "Ghastly Spotty Cross-Eyed" (daughter). It's possible that Terry Jones (A Snivelling Little Rat-Faced Git) misspoke by changing "Horrible Vicious Little" to "Cross-Eyed", thus accidentally creating a second daughter. |
| 153 | * ''Series/KamenRiderKiva'': the Fangires all have true names in that fashion. Even the one-episode MonsterOfTheWeek have names like ''The Sincerity and Melancholy that the Twin Impostors Dream About'', ''The Lady Portrait Torn in a Full Moon'', ''The Clown Dances with a Turkey at a Fireplace'' and so on. |
| 154 | * In ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'', [[InsectoidAliens Than-Thre-Kull]] names translate to Common as a haiku. We never hear the haiku, as they tend to shorten it for the non-Than as a key phrase from the haiku (e.g. Refractions of Dawn, Twilight, Clarion of Loss). Naturally, humans tend to shorten the names even more (e.g. Dawn). The Than don't appear to mind. |
| 155 | * In ''Series/{{Knightmare}}'', Treguard's sidekick Majida has the full name 'Daughter of the Setting Moon Whose Eyes are like Daggers in the Hearts of Men who guard the Great Caravan of the Sultan'. |
| 156 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'' has a being whose true name can only be understood by children, if their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are too. [[SomeCallMeTim They're more commonly known as "the Doctor".]] |
| 157 | * ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'' had the episode "Whodunit?" where Rosalie "Hotsy" Totsy claiming one of the Sweathogs made her pregnant. Feeling sorry for her, Horshack offers to be the baby's dad and notes the nobility of his namesake: In his lineage, Horshack means "The cattle are dying." |
| 158 | [[/folder]] |
| 159 | |
| 160 | [[folder:Myths & Religion]] |
| 161 | * The [[Myth/JapaneseMythology Japanese god]] usually referred to as Susano'o-no-Mikoto is sometimes translated as His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness. Similarly, one of the first gods in existence was known as "Kotoamatsukami", or "Distinguishing Heavenly Fire". However, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugayafukiaezu Ugayafukiaezu]] has to take the cake -- not only is "Ugayafukiaezu" a pretty long name to begin with, in at least one text he's referred to as Amatsuhitaka-hiko'nakisatake-ugayafukiaezu-no-Mikoto ("[[WordSaladTitle Lord Heavenly Star Sun High Sun-Child Wave's Limit Currency Cormorant Grass Reed Not-Together-Life]]"). |
| 162 | * [[Myth/AztecMythology Aztec mythology]] is full to bursting with this. "Quetzalcoatl" means "quetzal-feathered serpent", and "Tezcatlipoca" means "smoking mirror". "Huitzilopochtli" literally means "hummingbird's left" (although it's usually translated as "hummingbird ''of'' the left/south"), with the "hummingbird" part being due to the Aztecs belief that hummingbirds were the reincarnations of warriors who died in battle. "Xipe Totec" means "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast our lord the flayed one]]", most likely in reference to how maize loses its outer coating to reveal the edible part. |
| 163 | [[/folder]] |
| 164 | |
| 165 | [[folder:Podcasts]] |
| 166 | * ''Podcast/TheHiddenAlmanac'': |
| 167 | ** Mole people have names like this, as demonstrated by the famous poet Worms-Moving-Sideways and the saint Flower-of-Dark. |
| 168 | ** There are also several mentions of a "whale wisewoman" named Six Notes Returning From The Western Stars. |
| 169 | * ''Podcast/TrialsAndTrebuchets'': |
| 170 | ** The party meets a StreetUrchin in Nebulosis who goes by the name Rat-Licker, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin because she licks rats]]. |
| 171 | ** A Kobold named [[OverlyLongName The Cobalt Butterfly Kissed The Dew-Wet Rose in the Morning Sun]], who quite understandably goes by "Duet" for short, is a student at [[WizardingSchool Wildcliff]]. |
| 172 | [[/folder]] |
| 173 | |
| 174 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 175 | * ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': |
| 176 | ** ''TabletopGame/{{Dragonlance}}'': Each individual gnome's name is his entire family history from himself going back to the beginning of the gnomish race. They talk fast. They apply much the same principle to other things as well. Famously, Mount Nevermind (where a lot of gnomes live) got that from a human hastily cutting off a gnome starting to launch into its gnomish full name. |
| 177 | ** ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'': [[CatFolk Tabaxi]] tend to have poetic, somewhat long-winded names determined by a mix of astrology, prophecy, family history and various other factors, which are usually pared down to nicknames for casual conversation. Default examples include such things as Cloud on the Mountaintop (Cloud to their friends), Jade Shoe (Jade), Left-Handed Hummingbird (Bird), Seven Thundercloud (Thunder), Skirt of Snakes (Snake), Two Llamas Running (Two Llamas) and the like. Of course, many of those example names are just English translations of [[Myth/AztecMythology Aztec deities]]. |
| 178 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'': Everyone and everything of note has a long, poetic and sometimes more than mildly unwieldy name. Some examples are the Princess Magnificent with Lips of Coral and Robes of Black Feathers, the First and Forsaken Lion, Seven Devil Clever, and Strength of Many. One might be inclined to think that this is because you are playing as divinely-empowered entities and the governments/organizations they form/unite under, but only in the [[VastBureaucracy Thousand]] [[BadassBureaucrat Scales]] can something as mundane as being a member of the ''postal service'' get this treatment (you get a job as one of the Infallible Conveyors of Official Messages and Heartfelt Expressions, in case you are wondering). The Realm may be forgiven for that particular overly-flowery name -- their state religious body, the Immaculate Order, has its roots in the Immaculate Order of Postal Carriers. Even Charms (special powers of the characters) and Evocations (special powers of their ''gear'') get these. |
| 179 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Ironclaw}}'': Being set in a Wuxia-esque Asian mashup, the characters in ''Jadeclaw'' tend to have names like this, such as "Bitter Storm", "The Little Mountain", or even "Number 21 Mouth" (so named because she was the 21st child of a peasant farmer, and another mouth to feed). |
| 180 | * ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': |
| 181 | ** The Kamigawa block, based on Myth/JapaneseMythology, has That Which Was Taken. |
| 182 | ** The ''Rise of the Eldrazi'' set has the card It That Betrays, a powerful Eldrazi that resurrects and mind-controls creatures it kills. |
| 183 | ** ''Shadows Over Innistrad'' has two more Eldrazi that get this kind of name: the corrupted centipede called It of the Horrid Swarm, and the [[BodyHorror nightmarish fusion]] of knight and horse called It That Rides As One. |
| 184 | * ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': |
| 185 | ** Tau names include the individual's caste, rank, sept of origin, and any adjectives they've picked up during their career (though they often use a shortened form that's just the rank and the first of those adjectives). Hence Shas'O Tau Kai / O'Kais from ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' is "Fire Caste Commander from the Tau sept called Skillful". |
| 186 | ** Some orks also add epithets to their names to commemmorate their feats. While it's not the canon ending, Warboss Gorgutz 'ead'unter ends the Kronus campaign as Gorgutz 'ead'unter Ghostkilla Gunsmasha Daemonkilla Bloodspilla Ragescreama Deffkilla. |
| 187 | * ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse'' and ''TabletopGame/WerewolfTheForsaken'' use deed names, wherein a werewolf's name among the Garou/Uratha usually reflects what they've done or what they do. Some examples from ''Apocalypse'' include Evan Heals-the-Past and Mephi Faster-than-Death. |
| 188 | [[/folder]] |
| 189 | |
| 190 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 191 | * ''[[Theatre/{{Africa}} Africa, or Czechs among Cannibals]]'' from [[Creator/JaraCimrman Jára Cimrman]]'s Theatre, penned by Ladislav Smoljak and Zdeněk Svěrák, presents an extract from ''The Feathered Snake'' which is a play within a play. It's used to demonstrate why this play by fictional dramatist Cimrman would fail in Europe. This trope is exaggerated for various characters.[[note]]The shtick of the group is that the actors are amateur-like and act either wooden or hammy. They read this extract from notes and remain absolutely deadpan, which is hilarious.[[/note]] |
| 192 | ** "Jumped over the Fire and Burned Holes in his Moccasins" is the hero of the play. |
| 193 | ** "Danced like Crazy till the Bright Day" is a fiancée of "Jumped over the Fire and Burned Holes in his Moccasins". The chief "Feathered Snake" asks whether their relationship is steady. |
| 194 | ** "Doesn't Like Washing Herself" is another Indian girl of the tribe. Our hero wouldn't wish to live with ''her'' in one tent. |
| 195 | ** "Petted a Marmot against the Hair" is a reputed beauty, but "Jumped over the fire" wouldn't be able to cope with her mother. |
| 196 | ** "Screamed so much that Leaves were Falling" is the mother of the beautiful girl. |
| 197 | ** The girlfriend's father is named "Shouldn't have Angered your Aunt" who likes her boyfriend a lot. |
| 198 | ** The girl's mother died and her name was "Gouged her Uncle an Eye". [[EyeScream Ouch]] |
| 199 | ** "He Who Steals" is a trader. "Jumped over the Fire and Burned Holes in his Moccasins" has bought buffalo skins from him. |
| 200 | ** The audience is also informed who played some parts in the première: "Jumped down from the Red Rock and was Winded" played the Indian chief, the female lead belonged to "Hunted Squirrels in Treetops with a Slingshot" and her boyfriend was portrayed by "Smoked a Peace Pipe even though he was not the Elder". |
| 201 | * In the B-movie horror parody ''[[Theatre/FarndaleAvenue The Haunted Through-Lounge and Recessed Dining Nook at Farndale Castle]]'', the medium at the seance has an Indian spirit guide named Big Chief Running Water Softener. |
| 202 | * In the children's book version of ''Theatre/TheMikado'' adapted by W. S. Gilbert, he explains that Yum-Yum's name means "The full moon of delight which sheds her remarkable beams over a sea of infinite loveliness, thus indicating a glittering path by which she may be approached by those who are willing to brave the perils which necessarily await the daring adventurers who seek to reach her by those means." He goes on to explain that [[TranslationYes the Japanese language is remarkably compact]]. |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 206 | * Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Pus-filled, Malformed Slug-For-A-Butt from ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim''. |
| 207 | * Every single Sammer Guy of ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' has one, each more ridiculous than the last. |
| 208 | * ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'': |
| 209 | ** The full-blooded Adepti all have long names that are shortened in the English localization; for example, the Perfected Lord Who Retains the Clouds by Borrowing the Wind's name is shortened to "Cloud Retainer". |
| 210 | ** The Japanese characters used in Kujou Sara's personal name essentially mean "a sword slashed diagonally from over the shoulder like a kesaya (Buddhist monk stole) woven from fine silk". |
| 211 | * ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'''s Forerunners have these names, generally; examples include Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting, Glory of a Far Dawn, Splendid Dust of Ancient Suns, and Genemender Folder of Fortune. If not, they either have more traditional names like Calyx or Soma (though the belated reveal of Faber of Will and Might's full name means that those might have just been shorthand names), or they're known primarily by their title, like Librarian or Didact (though the original names of those two do fit the trope: First-Light-Weaves-Living-Song and Shadow-of-Sundered-Star respectively). |
| 212 | ** The Engineers/Huragok inherited this tendency from their Forerunner creators, though their own names are specifically themed around their buoyancy qualities at the time of birth (since Huragok are basically floating gasbags), resulting in names like Lighter than Some, Far Too Heavy, Quick to Adjust, etc. |
| 213 | * In ''Franchise/MassEffect'' universe Hanar soul names seem to fit this trope (e.g. Regards the Works of the Enkindlers in Despair), while salarian names take a page out of Literature/TheCulture's book and use them as an address (e.g. Rannadril Ghan Swa Fulsoom Karaten Narr Eadi Bel Anoleis). |
| 214 | * In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series, this is common in the [[FantasticNamingConvention naming convention]] of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]]. According to series lore, they are named (in Jel, the native language of the Argonians) for unique traits they display as hatchlings. Should they leave their homeland (either voluntarily or [[SlaveRace by force]]), they take on rough Tamriellic translations of their Argonian names. (For example Haj-Ei becomes "Hides His Eyes".) Other examples include Scouts-Many-Marshes, Stands-In-Shallows, and Watches-The-Roots. A quest in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' involves assisting a bounty hunter in tracking down an escaped Argonian slave. [[spoiler:It turns out the Argonian guide he has hired ''[[HiredToHuntYourself is the escaped slave]]'' going by his translated name. You can turn him in for the reward, or agree to keep his secret]]. In other cases, their name in Tamriellic is based on their profession. "Quill-Weave" is a writer, "Makes-One-Soup" is a chef, and "Lights-Sparks" is a mage. |
| 215 | -->'''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Hauls-Ropes-Faster]]:''' They call me "Hauls-Ropes-Faster." Eh, I don't care. [[TheUnpronounceable They can't pronounce my Argonian name anyway]]. |
| 216 | * The Friendly, Happy Roaches in ''[[VideoGame/{{Exile}} Exile 3]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/{{Avernum}} Avernum 3]]'' all have names that describe their jobs. However since they are roaches this gives them names such as Filth Spreader. |
| 217 | * ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' features Emhyr var Emreis, the current emperor of Nilfgaard, who is also known in his native language as "Deithwen Addan yn Carn aep Morvudd". This translates rather elegantly to [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast "White Flame Dancing on the Graves of his Foes"]]. It should be mentioned that this isn't quite a name: "The White Flame" is an honorary title for Nilfgaardian Emperors, and "Dancing on the Graves of his Foes" is a reference to the time when he built a new palace on top of a cemetery where a large number of executed rebels had been interred, and used the headstones as floor tiles in the ballroom. |
| 218 | * ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Anytime a character is overtaken by or working with Orochi, be it a Hakkeshu or Riot of The Blood, they gain a name like this, bar Yamazaki. [[ScrewDestiny But he doesn't care anyway.]] Examples include: [[TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard Insane Iori with Blood of Orochi Under the Night of the Moon]], [[DrunkOnTheDarkSide Awakened Orochi Blood from the Darkness Leona]], [[BlowYouAway Goenitz of the Wildly-Blowing Wind]] and [[DarkIsEvil Ash Crazed by the Spiral of Blood]]. |
| 219 | * In the ''Forgotten Cults'' expansion for ''VideoGame/TalesOfMajEyal,'' there's a friendly [[EldritchAbomination Horror]] named "That Which Teaches History." |
| 220 | * ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' plays with this with the exotic fantasy-sounding names of several characters, some of which are derived from ancient languages of [[VestigialEmpire Shurima]]. [[HunterOfMonsters Kassadin]]'s name is an anglicization of the modern Shuriman "Kas sai a dyn", meaning "Whom does the desert know?" ([[MeaningfulName marking him as an overseer and protector of the Shuriman desert]]). The champion [[WorldsBestWarrior Jax]] also gives a dive into Icathian name schemes, as [[OverlyLongName his full name, Saijax Cail-Rynx Kohari Icath'un]], consists of family names and info on his heritage[[note]]Given name, Mother's name-Father's name, occupation/social standing, and clan name[[/note]], and translates to "Jax of the desert, son of Cail and Rynx, warrior of Icath'un". Several [[EldritchAbomination Void monsters]] also get their names from Shuriman languages -- [[TheAssimilator Kha'Zix]] loosely means "you face yourself", and [[MadScientist Vel'Koz]] loosely means "to understand by unmaking". |
| 221 | * ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' has main character Connor Kenway, Mohawk name Ratonhnhaké:ton which means "Life that is Scratched", a poetic symbolism to the struggles he went trough during his journey. |
| 222 | * ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}}'' has [[KnightInShiningArmor Sir Roland]]. Or rather "Lord Sir Roland Somerset Montgomery, Duke of the Three Isles, Lord of Havershant, Slayer of the Bilious Dragon, Protector of the Illythians, Victor of the Siege of Alsburg, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Haver of a great beard]], Defender of the Danes, Conqueror of Guilardia, Prince of the Glorious Summer of ’14, Knight of the Order of the Exalted Lion, Honorary Abbot of Canterbury Cathedral, Champion of the City of Bath, Marshall of the Eastlands, Knight of the Crimson Buckle, Admiral of the Northern Seas, etc." |
| 223 | [[/folder]] |
| 224 | |
| 225 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 226 | * ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'''s full name is Digger-of-Unnecessarily-Convoluted-Tunnels. Apparently wombats follow this kind of naming convention but are more prosaic about it. The other wombat we meet is called Descending-Helix, which is probably a reference to his construction habits but is also a pun relating to the fact that he is Digger's ancestor. |
| 227 | * In ''Webcomic/DraconiaChronicles'', we have the dragon Princess Luminia, who was given the name "Chuki" by her [[RaisedByOrcs adoptive tiger mother]] Kilani. "Chuki" is a word in Tigerspeak that means "A gift from an enemy," in the sense of a sincere gift, eg, a peace offering, rather than a "white elephant." Luminia's Governess was mortally wounded during a raid, and was discovered by Kilani in her final moments. [[ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacguffin She gave the princess' egg to Khilani and died]]. |
| 228 | * Thundering Engine Woman from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' was a famous and powerful American [[ScienceRelatedMemeticDisorder Spark]] who befriended and traveled with the Heterodyne Boys sometime before they disappeared and the Americas became inaccessible. |
| 229 | * Almost every goblin in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' is an example of this trope, being given their name by their tribe's shaman to reflect their destiny. The actual quality of the name can vary -- one the one hand, there's Chief Kills-A-Werebear. On the other, there's [[UnfortunateNames Dies Horribly]]. Not every goblin tribe follow this tradition, though, and not all goblins are happy about it -- just ask Complains-of-Names. |
| 230 | * ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'', being set in the world of ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'', has many examples of this trope. Elegant Nova of Progression, for instance, is an [[ArtificialHuman Alchemical]] MadScientist. Resident Abyssal "Secret" has an OverlyLongName[[note]]The Most Secret and Sorrowful of the Bearers of the Endless Destiny of All Creation which Wander Amidst Forgotten Sights and Fallen Tears along the Tread of Ancient Ashen Footsteps Through the Shadow of That Which Comes and into that 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 'Till All Things Fall and in that Most Grim Harvest Form the Final Restful Tomb of All Awakened Life and All the Sleepless Dead--''and it goes on''[[/note]], spoofing the standard Abyssal naming practice; she uses "Secret" as the short form. She ''has'' to; due to [[PaintingTheFourthWall having a]] [[DumpStat Stamina of 2]], as seen in the [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html first comic]], she ''passed out'' when she tried to say the entire name. |
| 231 | * In ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'', the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]] have particularly grandiose names with a number tacked on to signify how many times they’ve [[ResurrectiveImmortality reincarnated]], such as 82 White Chain Born in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil, or 6 Juggernaut Star Scours the Universe. Humans get in on the act, too, such as [[spoiler:Allison]], whose real name is [[TitleDrop Kill Six Billion Demons]], and the monk Mathangi Ten Meti, a.k.a. [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Murder the Gods and Topple Their Thrones]]. |
| 232 | * ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'': [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2018-11-27 When Ufuimaele reclaims his ship:]] |
| 233 | -->'''Ufu:''' This ship had a name long before you called it "breath weapon." "Hear and hearken to the war-cries which now descend from the furious throat of the sky, for they are a precipitation of blades." |
| 234 | * ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'''s protagonist, usually referred to as Bam, is actually fully named "Twenty-fifth Bam" or "The Twenty-Fifth Night". This is made more obvious in the Japanese translation, where his name is transliterated. |
| 235 | [[/folder]] |
| 236 | |
| 237 | [[folder:Websites]] |
| 238 | * There's a website called ''Seventh Sanctum'' which suggests randomized long names for your character called [[http://www.seventhsanctum.com/generate.php?Genname=weirdname the Weird Name Generator]]. |
| 239 | [[/folder]] |
| 240 | |
| 241 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 242 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Nibbler's true name. |
| 243 | -->'''Leela:''' So your name is Lord Nibbler? That's a coincidence.\ |
| 244 | '''Nibbler:''' That name is for your sake. In the time it would take to pronounce one letter of my true name, a trillion cosmoses would flare into existence and sink into eternal night. |
| 245 | * ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'': "[[Recap/MollyOfDenaliS1E3CabbagezillaNameGame Name Game]]" reveals some of the characters' native names, several of which translate to whole sentences, like Layla's native name Dak Niighit ("she is rising up in the air"). |
| 246 | * ''WesternAnimation/MoonGirlAndDevilDinosaur2023'': Devil Dinosaur's real name is a long series of roars that translates to "[[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Terrifying Fire Beast Who Will Bring About The End Of All Things]]". Lunella calls him Devil for short. |
| 247 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 248 | ** In one of the segments of "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS17E18TheWettestStoriesEverTold The Wettest Stories Ever Told]]", on the ''Mayflower'', Homer meets a woman he gets smitten with. |
| 249 | --->'''Homer:''' What do you say, Miss...?\ |
| 250 | '''Marge:''' Constance Prudence Chastity Goodfaith.\ |
| 251 | '''Homer:''' D'OH!\ |
| 252 | '''Marge:''' My friends call me Marge.\ |
| 253 | '''Homer:''' Oh?\ |
| 254 | '''Marge:''' Marge Obedience Temperance Sexwon't.\ |
| 255 | '''Homer:''' D'OH! |
| 256 | ** One of the Spucklers' kids in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS19E17ApocalypseCow Apocalypse Cow]]" is called Stabbed-In-Jail. |
| 257 | --->'''Cletus:''' We always figured someday Mary would marry. That's why we called her Mary. We name all our kids after what we think's gonna happen to 'em. Ain't that right, Stabbed-In-Jail?\ |
| 258 | '''Stabbed-In-Jail:''' ''[sharpening and wielding a spear]'' We'll see who stabs who. |
| 259 | [[/folder]] |
| 260 | |
| 261 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 262 | * Essentially all names mean ''something''. Even the incredibly generic AliceAndBob could also be called Noble-Kind and Bright-Fame. |
| 263 | * Most Native American names sound like "Running Bull" or something similar in their native language, so it's usually translated in media to make sure everyone knows exactly what they were named after. This actually started with the Bureau of Indian Affairs' attempt to take Indian census. Traditionals may have [[IHaveManyNames several names plus assorted nicknames]] throughout their lifetimes. The BIA started making people use assigned names at least when dealing with the U.S. government. |
| 264 | ** A particularly amusing Native American example is the 19th century warrior whose name was translated as "Young Man Afraid of His Horses." Apparently a more accurate translation is "Young Man Whose ''Enemies'' Fear His Horses"--in other words, the minute they see his horses coming it's BringMyBrownPants--but either way the name belongs here. |
| 265 | ** Actual Indigenous names tend to be a lot less poetic than the fictional version. For example one old Comanche woman was known as 'Carrying Her Sunshade', and one Crow is recorded as being named 'Crazy Sister-in-Law'. |
| 266 | * Related to this trope, in the German language (and perhaps others), an official title or name has its spaces removed and all the constituent words are pushed together into a single ''run-on word.'' Germans who hold noble titles can't use them in Germany and must instead convert their title into their surname. Winemaker Prince Donatus of Hesse's legal name is Donatus Prinz von Hessen, while Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband Prince Frederick of Anhalt is known in Germany as Frederick Prinz von Anhalt. |
| 267 | * Names of Germanic origin are often this, if translated. While not NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast, there are many that are names to back away from slowly with your hands up -- you wouldn't want to mess with a woman who is called Spear-in-Battle, for example. |
| 268 | * Old Norse masculine names ending in ''-arr'', and there arr many, mean ''warrior'' (or ''army'', depending on the etymologist) combined with whatever the prefix means. |
| 269 | * Some English Puritans of the 17th century made something of a habit of giving their children over-the-top religious names, like Praise-God and Fly-Fornication[[note]]which doesn't refer to flies having sex; newer translations of the Bible translate the line as "flee from sexual immorality"[[/note]]. One child--Praise-God's son, actually--ended up being called Nicholas If-Christ-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned Barebone. Unfortunately, when he grew up he proved to be of loose morals and was generally known as Damned Barebone for short. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Barbon He's actually kind of important]]. (For that matter, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praise-God_Barebone so was his father]].) |
| 270 | ** This sort of name is still current among Christians in sub-Saharan Africa, giving us names like Goodluck Jonathan (a recent president of UsefulNotes/{{Nigeria}}). |
| 271 | ** Fly-fornication Bull, incredibly, became pregnant out of wedlock by a yeoman named Goodman Woodman(!). |
| 272 | ** Other puritans named their children Fight-The-Good-Fight-of-Faith White, Kill-Sin Pemble, and Much-mercye, Sin-denie, and Fear-Not Healy (these last three are siblings). |
| 273 | * Translations of Literature/TheBible frequently spell out the meaning of a person's given name in its original language. One of the most famous examples is the name of the angel Michael, which is actually a complete question: "Who is like God?" |
| 274 | ** The "el" ending is very common among both traditionally Jewish names and the names of angels as it refers to God. For example: Daniel is "God is my judge", Raphael is "God Heals", Uriel is "God is my light". In fact for many the only thing we know for sure is that the name is some poetic allusion to God with the proper translation of the rest being unclear because of how Hebrew has changed over time. |
| 275 | * Almost all Christian names do have a discrete meaning in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek or Latin; however, most are simple words or phrases (e.g. Benjamin=Hebrew Bin-yamin, "Son of the Right [hand]"; James/Jacob=Hebrew Ya'aqov, "Heel"; Mary=Hebrew Miriam, "She of Strong Will"; Dinah=Hebrew, "justified"; Ruth=Hebrew Rut, "Companion"). However, some names are in fact full sentences: "John" is short of Hebrew ''Yehonahan'' which means "God is Merciful", and both "Joshua" and "Jesus" are Anglicizations of "Yeshua" which is itself a shortening of "Yehoshua": "God is salvation." Rather fitting for its [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} most famous bearer]], don't you think? |
| 276 | ** [[Literature/BookOfHosea Hosea]] takes the cake, though. He marries a harlot, and names two of their children "Unloved" and "Not Mine". It's part of a bigger bit of symbolism and prophecy, but still - harsh. |
| 277 | * The registered show names of dogs and horses are often long-winded and rather ridiculous--[[JustifiedTrope justified]], in this case, since registering show animals is like registering a username, i.e. they have to be completely unique with no duplicates. Naturally, most people give the animal a "call name" that's much shorter and more pronounceable, and only use the long name at shows or for formal identification. A horse's name must include elements of both parents' names. |
| 278 | ** For example, in the late '90s and early '00s, one American Kennel Club dog-agility championship front-runner was a Australian-shepherd registered under her showname "[=SlideRock's=] Solar Power" but went by the call-name "Suni" (pronounced "sunny"). |
| 279 | ** Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop2012'', where there's a show dog whose full name appears to be "Princess Stori (Heart Over The First I)", describing how it's supposed to be stylized when written. |
| 280 | * On a simpler level, this is also where Europeans got most of their surnames. A lot of them came from the family profession, a person's lineage, or the town a person came from. "Smith" meant "the blacksmith". "Miller" was the guy who ran the flour mill. "Hanson" was literally "the son of Hans". "Norton" was "the guy from North Town". And "Brewer" or "Brewster", naturally, was the lady who made all the ale and beer for them to drink.[[note]]In former times, most beer was made by women including nuns, kind of a side occupation to baking. Beer has hops for a preservative because St. Hildegarde von Bingen recommended them. Owning pubs and bartending were also female occupations, including in pre-Revolutionary America. Leading to a joke from ''Website/{{Cracked}}'' that sexism was invented when men panicked that women were too powerful because they controlled both beer and vaginas.[[/note]] |
| 281 | * After he took control in the UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo, Joseph Mobutu [[MeaningfulRename changed his name]] to Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga--meaning something like "the earthy, the peppery, all-powerful warrior who, by his endurance and will to win, goes from contest to contest leaving fire in his wake" (translations differ). Most people just stuck to the first three names. |
| 282 | * Almost all Chinese names classify as this (or a {{downplayed|Trope}} version at most) as Chinese names are typically made up of Chinese characters (traditionally one or two of them), with each character (can be obscure, poetic, common, or both) having its own meaning(s). For example, the most common Chinese names in Mainland China include 麗/丽, 偉/伟, and 秀英, meaning "beautiful", "great", and "outstanding flower/bravery/etc.", respectively. |
| 283 | * The popular japanese folktale and rakugo story of "Jugemu" tells of a boy with the amusingly long name:"Jugemu Jugemu Gokō-no Surikire Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu Kūnerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro Yaburakōji-no Burakōji Paipopaipo Paipo-no Shūringan Shūringan-no Gūrindai Gūrindai-no Ponpokopii-no Ponpokonā-no Chōkyūmei-no Chōsuke". Each part of the name is steeped in deep symbolism of good fortune and long life, which makes the boy's death of drowning in early versions of the tale deeply ironic. |
| 284 | * Javanese Indonesian used to include simplistic birth-order-based names from Sanskrit, such as Eka for first, Dwi for second, Tri for third, etc. While it goes on until the tenth, today's nuclear family means it's quite rare to find someone with more than one sibling. There are also some very poetic names from Sanskrit such as Adityawarman (He who has a shield (varman) the Sun (adhitya)), while the more religious modern parents might choose instead to use names with Arab or Hebrew roots. |
| 285 | [[/folder]] |
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/context.php
FollowingContext Main / NameThatUnfoldsLikeLotusBlossom
Go To
- Show Spoilers
- Night Vision
- Sticky Header
- Wide Load
