Tyranid naming convention

[logan_grimnar18]

How do the tyrnaids get their names? 

 

There are some obvious ones. the race is based on tyran, hive tyrant, Tyranid warriors are pretty evident

 

I think carnifex is latin-adjacent to murder king?

 

but things like the trygon or exocrine. Are these named after the planet they were first encountered?  

[Ramell]

Carnifex is Latin for butcher, "flesh maker". King is Rex. 

Exocrine glands are things that release things outside the body, like tear or sweat glands. The Tyranid Exocrine expels stuff as a weapon, so that's probably why.

Trygon is an Ancient Greek word for rays, and is still found in the scientific names for some rays. Not sure why the 'Nid is named that though. 

 

Many of them are named in Latin or Ancient Greek, or at least something that vaguely looks like it, in some way that makes a bit of sense for the specific creature. 

[Iron Lord]

13 hours ago, Ramell said:

Trygon is an Ancient Greek word for rays, and is still found in the scientific names for some rays. Not sure why the 'Nid is named that though. 

 

 

Maybe because the Trygon's schtick, making it fairly unique among Tyranids, is its electric field - and one family of rays has evolved the ability to deliver massive electric shocks.

[Valkyrion]

A Lictor was a Roman magistrate or judge type.

A Haruspex was a soothsayer type back in the day who divined whatever needed divining by reading entrails

A Hierodule was an ancient religious (sex) slave.

A Hierophant was an ancient priest.

 

You can google what a Dominatrix is for yourself, just make sure your safe search is on....!

 

The names generally don't correspond to their role in the Hive though.

[lansalt]

15 minutes ago, Valkyrion said:

A Lictor was a Roman magistrate or judge type.

Roman lictors were basically bodyguards and enforcers armed with axes. The old Ultramarines honour guard and the HH Suzerains are based on them, but GW gave that name before to tyranids for some absurd reason, despite that 'nid monster being nothing like their namesake.

[Xenith]

On 1/5/2023 at 9:21 PM, logan_grimnar18 said:

How do the tyrnaids get their names? 

 

All are naturally from an Imperial Perspective, and are a mix of latinate names, mocking the greek/Latin names given to real life animals, or based on their behaviour, or where they were first encountered. Some of the genus were...often unflattering descriptions of women, or names given to women:

 

Dominatrix, harpy, termagant, crone, etc. 

 

The Parasite of Mortrex, Deathleaper, Old One Eye, rippers, raveners, hive/tyrant guard are all colloquially named based on their attributes, however only the latter 3 are genus names. 

 

The Psychic Awakening book has a tyranids name generator in there if you like, though this is more for a specific, individual formation you field in your army as opposed to a genus.