Operative Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Hi Everyone, When thinking up names for characters I began to wonder what patterns were there in the naming of each legion's legionaries. I would like to know from what cultures, languages, etc do the names of the different legion's characters come from. So as I get comments and help I will edit this list to create the full picture: +LEGION+ +Name Origins+ +Place of Recruitment+ Dark Angels Hebrew, Medieval Europe Knights, Angelic Emperor's Children Byzantine, Greco Roman, Armenian Iron Warriors Greek, Mycenaean White Scars Mongolian, Chinese Space Wolves Norse/ Scandinavian Imperial Fists Germanic, Teutonic Knights, Visigoth, Frankish Night Lords Greco Roman, Oriental, Latin, Persian, (Use of Titles) Terran Prisons Blood Angels Roman Iron Hands Hebrew, Roman World Eaters Modified Nouns Ultramarines Roman, Death Guard Turkish, Hebrew, Various European (Middle Ages) Thousand Sons Religious, Egyptian, Zoroastrianist Sons Of Horus Hebrew, Middle Eastern, Nordic Word Bearers Biblical, Demonic, Middle Eastern Salamanders African, Zulu, Zoroastrianist Raven Guard Spanish, Various Asian Alpha Legion German, Russian, Greco Roman, Persian Also suffixes and prefixes for names might help and if anyone knows of any difference between the Terran and Native Names of legionaries then that would help too. Thanks, Operative Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif Bearclaw Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Well, for the XX, all are Alpharius Otherwise, the Wolves, like their 40k descendants just seem to use any cool sounding norse/saxon name. As for the Terran recuitsfor the VI? Who knows, we'llneed to wait for Inferno, then we might get some detail on the pre-Russ VI. Scars, generally use Mongolian (or at least Mongolian-sounding) names, Again, I don't known about the Terrans. In a similar vein, the Fists use Germanic/Teutonic naming conventions, the Blood Angels go Renaissance/Italian, and the Ultramarines of course use Roman names. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908327 Share on other sites More sharing options...
depthcharge12 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Dark Angel names are usually either Old Hebraic (Hebrew) names of angels or Arthurian knight sounding names (i.e. Corswain and Alajos). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908330 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Operative Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 Well, for the XX, all are Alpharius I don't know, there are a few examples of notable Alpha Legionaries: Ingo Pech, Mattias Herzog, Armillus Dynat (is there a noticeable pattern?) I don't know any of their ship's names but I seem to remember them having names of people (as well as the greek alphabet) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908351 Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBA Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Raven Guard: Deliverance born: From the HH novels, a lot of the names are Spanish. Terran born: Forge World put their roots as 'asiatic', but this isn't really reflected in any of the names of the terran born we've seen. Arkhas seems to come from the Enoch story from the Bible, and Torisian appears to be made up. Unspecified FW named legionaries: All sorts of origins really. Ghelt seems to be Bulgarian, Khalen is English-American, Sallahn may be Islamic, Heklan may come from Nepal, and Krahzen sounds made up. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908358 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Operative Posted January 3, 2015 Author Share Posted January 3, 2015 Raven Guard: Deliverance born: From the HH novels, a lot of the names are Spanish. Terran born: Forge World put their roots as 'asiatic', but this isn't really reflected in any of the names of the terran born we've seen. Arkhas seems to come from the Enoch story from the Bible, and Torisian appears to be made up. Their surnames also seem to be quite short too: Hef, Nev, Tev and An are the ones I found from deliverance lost, the only exception is Sharrowkyn (which just seems to be a subtle change on the words "shaddow" and "kin") Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908371 Share on other sites More sharing options...
helterskelter Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I'd say night lords have some oriental mixed in there, with a complete and total lathering of whatever the funk the authors want. Talos, for example, is greek in origin, where Sheng is more of the Orient i feel. Emperor knows where you get jago sevatarion from, though from jago I'd throw old persian in there Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908378 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Eremon Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I don't know why, but I always pronounced Jago like 'yah-go,' which makes me think slavic, but I honestly wouldn't even know. It does remind me of a modified 'Diego' for some reason, just dropping the 'D' and messing with the first syllable. Looking it up, Jago is a Cornish variation of Jacob. Can't find a pronunciation, and I'm not sure if this is the same name as AD-B used. Could be a coincidence, and even if not, it doesn't seem to be his main source of inspiration. I'd say he comes up with random names that 'fit' his idea of the Night Lords, and likes to Latinify them every now and then, such as Talos and Sevatarion. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
helterskelter Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I think he has said something about his naming conventions somewhere. Whether it's somewhere on the forum or his blog, can't remember the specifics currently Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908403 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrannicide Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 I don't know why, but I always pronounced Jago like 'yah-go,' which makes me think slavic, but I honestly wouldn't even know. It does remind me of a modified 'Diego' for some reason, just dropping the 'D' and messing with the first syllable. Looking it up, Jago is a Cornish variation of Jacob. Can't find a pronunciation, and I'm not sure if this is the same name as AD-B used. Could be a coincidence, and even if not, it doesn't seem to be his main source of inspiration. I'd say he comes up with random names that 'fit' his idea of the Night Lords, and likes to Latinify them every now and then, such as Talos and Sevatarion. I use to think "yah-go", as well, but in the new audio The Long Night, Sevatar's first name is pronounced "jay-go". Doesn't close the case by any means, that's the beautiful part of different dialects. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908404 Share on other sites More sharing options...
helterskelter Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Also gotta throw in Egyptian for the thousand sons, Ma'at means truth, found this when I've been studying hieroglyphs. Though Ahriman is a really old god/deity/daemon thing. Zoroastrianist. Angelic/demonic names pop up heavily throughout Abaddon for one, the more modern DA moreso than heresy maybe. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908430 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Rohr Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Ma'at is also a transliteration of the Arabic root مات. Which can be expanded into various forms, all having something to do with dying. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908486 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlson793 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Salamanders names are Greco-Roman & African (according to Nick Kyme). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908507 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praefectus Invictus Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Space Wolves would be Nordic, and have a very viking feel to their names. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908528 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigal Son of Magnus Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Thousand Sons have a lot of names from Middle Eastern and Egyptian Religions. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908578 Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathspectersgt7 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Out of my skull and on to paper. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908583 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 For all terran Marines anything goes. With the exception of the Salamanders, Wolves and Alpha Wizards, the marines were recruited planet wide. and some legions have their members adopt new names where joining the Legion (seen in scars) WLK Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908605 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theredknight Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Imperial fists - Ancient Greek (Lysander etc) and..they love shields like hoplites. Some are other cultures/knights. Emperors children - roman after a fashion, cult of bachuss (?) (lucius, vespasian) feasting and wine a plenty. Iron warriors - some roman culture based, they wear togas on Olympia and play chess. World eaters - roman themed- (triarii) Cult of mars, and gladiatorial rituals. Space wolves - Viking mythology/Norse raiders Thousand sons - as someone said, middle eastern mythologies/naming. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3908902 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skalpynock Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Iron Warriors are mostly greek for Olympians, with a few bits of persian and undefined guttural sounds here and there, mostly in the names of Terrans. The Iron Hands are, as far as I know, just random guttural names. Emperor's Children are late Roman Empire and Byzantine. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909199 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theredknight Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 In angel exterminatus perturabo has a 'dream' I think where he's playing chess with his daddy sat in a toga on Olympia. It could be however Italian Greek in that case, still wear togas, but with a Greek twist. they used to inherit Southern Italy before Roma subjugated them all. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909215 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Rohr Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Imperial naming conventions are difficult to pin down, but the most unusual thing I've noticed is just how few Anglo-Saxon and Biblical names there are. You don't see a lot of Johns, James', Or Davids. Thankfully, you don't see many American names either, because I don't know how seriously I could take Admiral Jalen, Guardsmen North West, or Canoness Apple. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909222 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Imperial naming conventions are difficult to pin down, but the most unusual thing I've noticed is just how few Anglo-Saxon and Biblical names there are. You don't see a lot of Johns, James', Or Davids. Thankfully, you don't see many American names either, because I don't know how seriously I could take Admiral Jalen, Guardsmen North West, or Canoness Apple. for the record, Jalen, North West and Apple are hardly common enough to be called North American names. they are purely the creation of few egocentric individuals with more money than sense. WLK Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909271 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Rohr Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Imperial naming conventions are difficult to pin down, but the most unusual thing I've noticed is just how few Anglo-Saxon and Biblical names there are. You don't see a lot of Johns, James', Or Davids. Thankfully, you don't see many American names either, because I don't know how seriously I could take Admiral Jalen, Guardsmen North West, or Canoness Apple. for the record, Jalen, North West and Apple are hardly common enough to be called North American names. they are purely the creation of few egocentric individuals with more money than sense. WLK Legionary Bryce Johnson of the Night Lords Legion always felt like he should've moved to Nova Hollywood to pursue his music career. Disappointed by being forced to join the VIII Legion, and hating how his adoptive Primarch father wanted him to become a psychopathic murderer like all his other brothers, decidedly stayed loyal after the events of Isstvan V. He no longer speaks to his father or siblings, saying nonsensical things like 'they wouldn't let him grow as a being' and 'he felt like he was drowning in bourgeois life' to the Terran Investigators during his detention. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909300 Share on other sites More sharing options...
depthcharge12 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 IF have some Spanish names like Camba-Diaz (and later Pedro Cantor). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909319 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theredknight Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Crimson fists have them post Heresy though, when the second founding chapters and took up home worlds of their own? Names would change also then. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/301406-where-do-the-names-for-legion-members-originate-from/#findComment-3909337 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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