| Laurel: | Date: (year.month.date) | Precedent: |
| Given Names (including Regina, Cwen, etc.) | ||
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.05 | Submitted as Shajarat ad-durr al-Mãhdukht al-Zarqá, the phrase Shajarat ad-durr is the regnal name (not given name) of the first Sultana of the Bahri Mamluks, who came to power in 1246 upon their overthrow of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. This is a type of name used to denote royalty; its use in an SCA name is a claim to rank. Furthermore, this particular regnal name appears to be unique, which also makes it inappropriate for registration. [M{a-}hdukht al-Zarqa',05/04, A-Trimaris] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.10 | Malik was documented as a Russian masculine given name dated to 1506 in this spelling in Wickenden (2nd ed., s.n. Malik, http://heraldry.sca.org/paul/). Malik is also found in the alternate titles list as an Arabic equivalent for 'king'. RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank" states in part:
As Malik is documented as a Russian masculine given name found in period, it is registerable "provided there is no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank". The byname Medvedchik was documented as a Russian byname, possibly meaning 'bear keeper' dated to 1542 in Wickenden (2nd ed., s.n. Medvedchik). Therefore, the submitted name means 'Malik [the] bear keeper', which does not suggest "territorial claim" and is not an "explicit assertion of rank". As such, this name is registerable. [Malik Medvedchik, 10/2003, A-Artemisia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.08 | This name has several problems. Sharif was documented as a given name found in Azieza Hamid's The Book of Muslim Names. However, no evidence could be found that Sharif was used as a given name in period.
Additionally, Sharif is a title. Al-Jamal states "[t]he title sharif is used by the real descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima's son Hasan..." RfS VI.1 states in part:
In any resubmission, evidence must be presented that Sharif was used as a given name in period. Lacking such evidence, it is not registerable as a given name. The forms asserted that Shereif was the submitter's legal name, but no documentation of this fact was included as required when submitting a name element under the Legal Name Allowance. Were such documentation provided, Shereif would not be registerable, even under the Legal Name Allowance. Shereif is a variant of Sharif and so is a name that was a title in period, not a personal name. As such, it falls into the same category as Earl and Duke, noted in RfS VI.1 cited above, and is not registerable. In any resubmission containing a form of Sharif, evidence must be presented that Sharif was used as a given name in period, or it may not be registered, even under the Legal Name Allowance in the form Sherief. As submitted, this name had two given names: Sharif (which was submitted as a given name rather than a title) and 'Abd al-Salam. No evidence has been found for the use of two given names in Arabic. Lacking such evidence, two given names are not registerable in an Arabic name. As the submitter does not allow major changes, we cannot drop one of the given names in order to register this name. [Sharif 'Abd al-Salam ibn Salah, 08/2003 LoAR, R-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.06 | Submitted as Candace Margreta van Zanten, the submitter provided documentation for Candace as an English given name from c. 1624. The LoI summarizes the original reason for return of the submitter's name along with the new documentation:
This example is sufficient to grant the submitter the benefit of the doubt on this name. It must be noted that Candace, like Regina, was used as a title. Therefore, it may be used as a given name "provided there is no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank" (RfS VI.1). Specifications regarding a "suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank" were included in the precedent:
In a similar manner, Candace must be the first element of the Society name, which it is in the submitted name, and Candace "may not be followed by any translation of 'of X,' where X is a place name, as that could indicate that the person was queen of that place." In the submitted name, van Zanten means 'of Zanten', and so violates the requirement that Candace not be followed by any translation of 'of [placename]'. Effectively, the submitted name translates to 'Queen Margaret of Zanten', and, so, is not registerable. We have dropped the particle van 'of' in order to remove the suggestion of territorial claim. [Viola Thornhaven, 06/2003 LoAR, A-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.02 | This name violates RfS VI.1, "Names Claiming Rank", which states in part:
As Rayne is a variant of Regina, the restrictions regarding the use of Regina also apply to the name Rayne. Therefore, Rayne of Skye is presumptuous as it could be interpreted as 'Queen of Skye'. [Rayne of Skye, 02/2003 LoAR, R-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.10 | Dona is an Italian feminine given name dated to period and falls into the same category as Regina. It is registerable in an SCA name so long as there is no indication of presumption:
As the name as a whole means 'Lady of Grove', this submission violates section VI.1 of the Rules for Submissions. For the same reason we cannot form a holding name by the standard method of combining her given name with her SCA branch, either. Thus the device must be returned as well. [Dona de Grove, 06/00, R-Meridies] As the submitted name does not indicate landedness (or other presumption issues), this name is registerable. [Isabella Dona Boticelli, 10/2002, A-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.01 | Listed on the LoI as Quene of Mercia, this name was submitted as Quinn of Mercia and changed at kingdom because no documentation was provided and none could be found for Quinn as a given name. The spelling Quene was the closest documentable spelling that the Midrealm CoH was able to find, keeping in mind that the submitter noted that she cared most about sound and that she requested authenticity for the 9th-11th C. The College of Arms has not been able to find evidence of Quinn as a given name. Unfortunately, the form given on the LoI (Quene of Mercia) is presumptuous. RfS VI.1 says: VI.1 Names Claiming Rank.-Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous.Reaney & Wilson (s.n. Queen) derive this given name from the Old English cwen. It is from this same root that the title queen derives. Given the examples in Reaney & Wilson, this name is documented to have been used in period, and so may be used in an SCA name. However, the submitted name violates the requirement that the name have "no suggestion of territorial claim". This restriction has already been applied to Cwen: [Cwenwyn] "Given the many attestations of 'Cwen' both alone and as a protheme in Period, I believe that we should give it the same allowance that we do the name Regina: so long as it is not used in a name in such a way as to imply landedness, it will be acceptable for registration." (LoAR 2/92 p.12).Similarly, the combination of Quene with of Mercia implies landedness and is not registerable. [Quene of Mercia, 01/02, R-Middle] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.06 | As the name as a whole means 'Lady of Grove', this submission violates section VI.1 of the Rules for Submissions. For the same reason we cannot form a holding name by the standard method of combining her given name with her SCA branch, either. Thus the device must be returned as well. [Dona de Grove, 06/00, R-Meridies] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.05 | The question was raised whether the name is presumptuous, since Cäsarea is derived from Caesar , a standard translation for 'Emperor'. However, it is not a title in its own right; furthermore, Zwickau is neither an empire nor a capital city. [Cäsarea von Zwickau, 05/00, A-An Tir] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.06 | [Freyia av Bergen] According to the LoI "[Lind's Norsk-Islandsk Personnamen col.283] has a reasonable entry for Freyia." This is not correct. While it is true that Freyia is found in Lind, the references are all to the Goddess, and not to a human being. Barring documentation that the given name was used by humans in our period as a given name, this name must be returned. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR, June 1998) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.05 | The most common meaning for "phoenix" in period was to denote the most definitely non-human avian who symbolized the self-regeneration of the soul. While this might make an appropriate byname, we feel that is inappropriate for a given name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR May 1997, p. 11) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.05 | [returning Freyja the Cunning] There is no documentation for the name Freya/Freyja being used for anyone but the Goddess in our period. SCA given names must be given names used by Human beings in our period. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR May 1997, p. 9) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.01 | [Prydwen ferch Bledig] Prydwen is given in the form that Gruffudd uses for modern names; it is also clearly described as the name of Arthur's ship. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1997, p. 21) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.01 | Arianrhod ferch Don, the personage named in the cited documentation, is mythological; no one has been able to present any evidence that the name has been found in use by actual human beings in period. Without such evidence, the name may not be used in an SCA name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1997, p. 15) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.06 | Submitted as Dionysos [N], the documentable name is Dionysios ("consecrated to Dionysos"); the submitted form was only used as the name of the God. We have substituted the documented form here. [It seems, after all, to make more than an iota's worth of difference. J] (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, p. 13) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1992.02 | [Cwenwyn] "Given the many attestations of 'Cwen' both alone and as a protheme in Period, I believe that we should give it the same allowance that we do the name Regina: so long as it is not used in a name in such a way as to imply landedness, it will be acceptable for registration." (LoAR 2/92 p.12). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1991.03 | "Submitted as Reina de <place>, that form of the name takes on the aspect of a title 'Queen of <place>.' We have deleted the article 'of' in order to remove the appearance of presumption and to register the name." (LoAR 3/91 p.5). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | Arianrhod was the Welsh moon goddess and, failing evidence for human use of the name in period, may not be used in the Society. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 13) (See also: LoAR 31 Mar 90, p. 6) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | [Scathach Faol] O Corrain and Maguire, (p. 162), Gaelic Personal Names, cited in the letter of intent, notes two usages of the given name, both for apparently for non-humans: "In the Ulster tales, Scathach is the female warrior, clearly an Otherword personage, who taught Cuchulainn the use of weapons. In the Finn tales, Scathach, daughter of Enna, lulls Finn to sleep with magic music in a fairy mound." Evidence for the name's use by humans is required. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 13) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.03.29 | [Cwen Tegan of the Far Pines] "Cwen" is the standard Anglo-Saxon title for Queen approved for use in the Society and was actually used in Old English in the specific sense of the ruler's wife (and in at least one case in the sense of a queen regnant). Therefore, I must reaffirm the ban on the use of "cwen" as an element in Society names. (LoAR 29 Mar 87, p. 13-14) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.12.16 | [Laurelyn FitzGalen of Longwood] Laurelin is the younger of the Two Trees of Valinor, and is no longer an acceptable Society name. Of the two instances on record, LAURELLYN OF ISSTARR was approved prior to the publication of The Silmarillion, and LAURELYN DARKSBANE was passed as a hardship case. [BoE, 16 Dec 84, p.14] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.02.26 | [Rhiannon.] A Book of Welsh Names, by Trefor Rendell Davies (London: Sheppard Press, 1952), lists Rhiannon as a common Welsh given name. Therefore, even though it is the name of a goddess, it may be used so long as the name and the device sufficiently differentiate the person from the goddess. WVS [63] [LoAR 26 Feb 82], p. 6 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.02.26 | [Regina.] The College is opposed to the use of titles in names. We have received documentation that Regina specifically was a common given name in our period. Therefore, we will allow the use of Regina as a given name so long as there is no indication in the name that a claim to royalty exists. This means that Regina must be the first word of the Society name and that the Society name may not be in Latin, and that the word Regina may not be followed by any translation of "of X," where X is a place name, as that could indicate that the person was queen of that place. This use of Regina does not imply permission to use any other titles as names (e.g., you still can't have Earl or Rex). WVS [63] [LoAR 26 Feb 82], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.10.26 | You may not use the name of a deity unless it passed into common use as a given name in period. WVS [55] [LoAR 26 Oct 81], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.08.13 | Made-up names must now be consistent with period naming practices and must satisfy all of the other rules on names. Therefore, if a person makes up a name and it turns out that, quite by coincidence, it is also the name of a god, a place, or a surname, then the made-up name will not be acceptable. It doesn't matter how you arrived at the name: it still must pass all of the other rules. WVS [49] [CL 13 Aug 81], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.07.29 | Titles such as Rex, Regina, or Sir cannot be used, even if they are given names. WVS [48] [LoAR 29 Jul 81], p. 8 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.23 | "Earl" cannot be used with a place name, as it implies the title of Earl. WVS [34] [LoAR 23 Jan 81], p. 11. ["Earl" was being used in this case as a given name.] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.23 | You cannot use the name of a Norse god or goddess. WVS [34] [LoAR 23 Jan 81], p. 8 |
| Combining: Byname or Surname with the same Clan Name (including use of "of that Ilk") | ||
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.04 | ... the Macghie of MacKay implied that the submitter is the clan chief or the clan chief's daughter, which is presumptuous. [Brenna Michaela Sine Macghie of Clan MacKay, 04/00, R-Atenveldt] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.01 | Baron Bruce covered the issue of pretention in the form of "X of Y" in Scottish names. "We will continue to prohibit the use of a Scots clan name with the seat or territory of that clan (e.g. Cameron of Lochiel), or a surname with the phrase of that Ilk (or its functional equivalent, e.g. Macintosh of Macintosh). That usage, with or without the given name, is the title of the actual chief of the clan or his immediate kin; its use in the SCA represents a direct infringement on actual nobility, and also appears to be a claim to rank, either of which is grounds for return. But by and large, the use of a Scots surname with a Scots placename is acceptable for SCA use." (LoAR March 1993, p. 8) Based on that precedent, [MacLeod of Duirinish] is registrable. [1/94, p.8] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.09 | "Submitted as <given name> <locative> of <locative>, such a form (X of X, or X of that Ilk) is a claim not only to chieftanship of a clan but implies overlordship of a territory, and rank and title. Such a claim is improper in the SCA." (LoAR 9/90 p.7). |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Combining: Clan Name + Clan Seat | ||
| François la Flamme | 2003.03 | This name was submitted as Catte MacGuffee of Clan McFee and changed at Kingdom to Catte MacGuffee, because bynames formed of Clan [clan name] have previously been ruled unregisterable due to lack of evidence of this type of byname in period.
The LoI explained that:
Colonsay is the clan seat of MacPhee. Therefore, a name using MacPhee of Colonsay is not registerable, as it combines the name of a clan with the clan seat of that clan and so violates RfS I.3.b, which states "A name or piece of armory which expresses or implies presumptuous claims to status or powers that the submitter does not possess will not be registered." This is a long-standing precedent best summarized in the LoAR of March 1993:
MacGuffie is a variant of the name MacPhee. Therefore, MacGuffie of Colonsay falls afoul of the same problem as MacPhee of Colonsay, and so is not registerable. [Catte MacGuffee, 03/2003, A-Meridies] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.09 | Submitted as Ian MacLean of Mull, Mull is the clan seat of Clan MacLean. By long-standing precedent, use of the clan seat with the clan name (such as MacLean of Mull) is presumptuous and is not registerable. We would normally drop the locative byname of Mull in order to register this name. However, the resulting Ian MacLean would conflict with Ian MacClen (registered October 1991). Therefore, we have dropped the element MacLean and are registering this name as Ian of Mull. [Ian of Mull, 09/2002 LoAR, A-Calontir] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.11 | This name is being returned for combining the name of a clan with the clan seat of that clan. This is a long-standing precedent best summarized in the LoAR of March 1993:
We will continue to prohibit the use of a Scots clan name with the seat or territory of that clan (e.g. Cameron of Lochiel), or a surname with the phrase of that Ilk (or its functional equivalent, e.g Macintosh of Macintosh). That usage, with or without the given name, is the title of the actual chief of the clan or his immediate kin; its use in the SCA represents a direct infringement on actual nobility, and also appears to be a claim to rank, either of which is grounds for return. (Alexander MacIntosh of Islay, March, 1993, pp. 7-8)[Iain Macquarrie of Ulva, 11/01, R-East] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.12 | Kinchyle appears to be the clan seat of the MacBean, so the two names cannot be combined in this manner. [Lachlan McBean of Kinchyle, 12/00, R-Atenveldt] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.06 | Submitted as Colin MacKenzie of Eilean Donan, but as Eilean Donan appears to be the clan seat of the MacKenzies the name would have implied membership in the immediate family of the clan chief. Since Colin MacKenzie has already been registered in March 1999, we had to drop the clan name instead of the locative. [Colin of Eilean Donan, 06/00, A-Caid] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.04 | Submitted as Ewan MacLaren of Balquhidder, the point was made in commentary that Balquhidder figures prominently enough in the MacLaren history to be considered a clan seat. As such, while there is no clan title of MacLaren of Balquhidder, this byname would imply that the person belongs to the immediate family of the chief. Since dropping Balquhidder would result in a conflict with the already registered name of Eoin MacLaren, we have dropped MacLaren instead. [Ewan of Balquhidder, 04/00, A-An Tir] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 1999.12 | [Catriona McKenzie of Kintail] As one of the seats of the McKenzies was Kintail, by long standing precedent, using McKenzie of Kintail is presumptuous. [Catriona McKenzie of Kintail, 12/99, R-Atenveldt] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 1999.08 | Strathardale is a clan seat of the MacKinnons, so the name must be returned as presumptuous. [Duncan MacKinnon of Strathardale, 08/99, R-East] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.07 | [Eoghan MacFhearguis] Submitted as Eoghan MacFhearguis of Dunfallandy, this combines the name of the clan with the clan seat which is presumptuous. We have removed the placename in order to register the name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR July 1998, p. 2) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.02 | [Lorn Mac Ewen] Submitted as Lorn Mac Ewen of Otter, this combines the clan name and the name of the seat of that clan. We do not permit that, as it is a format found only in association with clan chiefs. We have dropped the place name in order to register the rest of the name and the armory. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR February 1998, p. 12) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.04 | Submitted as Angus Campbell of Argyll, the combination of Campbell of Argyll is not allowed in the SCA. "The use of the name Campbell of Argyll in modern mundane usage is tantamount to a claim of kinship with the chief and it will be so taken by the bulk of members of the Society, causing offense to some." (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, LoAR August 1987, p. 16) "As Tir Connell was the seat of the chief sept of the O'Donnells, it may not be used with the name O'Donnell just as Argyll may not be used with Campbell." (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, LoAR 25 January 1987, p. 10). We could not just drop the "of Argyll", as because of V.1.a.ii.(a), "Bynames of Relationship." While it is true that Angus Campbell need not be a member of Clan Campbell, we believe that someone named Angus who wanted to indicate his membership of Clan Campbell could legitimately be called Angus Campbell. The rules are not clear whether two bynames differ when their meanings are neither precisely the same nor completely different, and so this falls into a gray area. After much thought and discussion it was our conclusion that the two names are in conflict. We have dropped the conflicting element in order to register the name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR April 1997, p. 7) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.09 | [Campbell of Glenlyon] Glenlyon is one of the seats of the Campbells. Current precedent states: "The Society considers the use of a clan name (Guinne, Gunn) with the seat of the clan (Kilernan) to be presumptuous; the only examples we've found of such usage are by clan chiefs and their immediate families." (Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, LoAR January 1993, p. 24) Therefore, this name is presumptuous. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR September 1996, p. 16) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.04 | The other matter came up in the registration of the name Óengus mac Domnaill Glinne Chomair (Atlantia), a Gaelic name that could be translated 'Angus son of Donald of Glencoe'. As it happens, there is a clan known in English as MacDonald of Glencoe, and it was suggested that the combination of patronymic and locative was for that reason a claim to chieftainship of the clan. However, Gaelic usage in such matters can be surprising: it turns out that the chief is in Gaelic simply MacIain (after the clan's progenitor). Thus, the submitted bynames are in Gaelic simply descriptive, meaning only what they seem to say. It appears that this example is not unique, so there may be a number of superficially disallowed combinations that in Gaelic are not at all presumptuous; the facts will have to be ascertained on a case-by-case basis. (CL 4/96) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.11 | There is a long-standing precedent against combining a Scottish clan name with the name of its seat, a precedent confirmed in the 3/93 registration of Alexander MacIntosh of Islay (Middle). By the same reasoning the combination Fitzgerald of Kildare must be prohibited: between 1316 and 1766 one of the major branches of the Fitzgeralds were Earls of Kildare. We have therefore dropped the locative to register the rest of the name. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR November 1995, p. 6) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.09 | [Rosalyn MacGregor] The name was submitted as Rosalyn MacGregor of Glenorchy, but Glenorchy was the original clan seat of the MacGregors (Bain, The Clans and Tartans of Scotland, p. 180), and in the 1/93 return of Sine Guinne of Kilernan Laurel reaffirmed the precedent that "the use of a clan name ... with the seat of the clan ... [is] presumptuous [because] the only examples we've found of such usage are by clan chiefs and their immediate families". She permits changes, so we have dropped the locative in order to register the rest of the name. [LoAR 09/95] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.01 | Baron Bruce covered the issue of pretention in the form of "X of Y" in Scottish names. "We will continue to prohibit the use of a Scots clan name with the seat or territory of that clan (e.g. Cameron of Lochiel), or a surname with the phrase of that Ilk (or its functional equivalent, e.g. Macintosh of Macintosh). That usage, with or without the given name, is the title of the actual chief of the clan or his immediate kin; its use in the SCA represents a direct infringement on actual nobility, and also appears to be a claim to rank, either of which is grounds for return. But by and large, the use of a Scots surname with a Scots placename is acceptable for SCA use." (LoAR March 1993, p. 8) Based on that precedent, [MacLeod of Duirinish] is registrable. [1/94, p.8] |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.08 | ...the combination of a clan name with the seat or territory of the clan is the prerogative of the chief of the clan, and is thus disallowed in the Society. (Magdalene Katherine MacDonald of Sleat, August, 1993, pg. 17) |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.01 | The Society considers the use of a clan name (Guinne, Gunn) with the seat of the clan (Kilernan) to be presumptuous; the only examples we've found of such usage are by clan chiefs and their immediate families. (Sine Guinne of Kilernan, January, 1993, pg. 24) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | The use of the name Campbell of Argyll in modern mundane usage is tantamount to a claim of kinship with the chief and it will be so taken by the bulk of members of the Society, causing offense to some. (LoAR Aug 87, pp. 15-16) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | The ... extremely lengthy appeal covered several points and was copiously documented with extracts from several genealogical and heraldic works.... It is a pity that so much of her documentation supported the original return....
Documentation was submitted to support the existence of [Name] as a surname and appeal was made to the familiar Camden citation as evidence that surnames were used in period. However, precedent reasserted by Master Baldwin ... (December, 1984) has reaffirmed that names used solely as surnames in period may not be used as given names: Camden notes an anomaly peculiar to late sixteenth century England and we must draw our general rules from the common usage, not the anomaly. She needs to have a given name. The submittor states that the Campbells were actually lords of Lochow or of some other seat and not of Argyll. Unfortunately, her own documentation indicates that Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochow, created Lord Campbell in 1445 and chief of the clan, assumed the designation of Argyll. The use of the name Campbell of Argyll in modern mundane usage is tantamount to a claim of kinship with the chief and it will be so taken by the bulk of members of the Society, causing offense to some. (LoAR Aug 87, pp. 15-16) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.01.25 | As Tir Connell was the seat of the chief sept of the O'Donnells, it may not be used with the name O'Donnell just as Argyll may not be used with Campbell. (LoAR 25 Jan 87, p. 10) |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Combining: Clan Name + location (and the location is part of a title belonging to the chief of that clan) | ||
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.06 | Since the Chief of Campbell is also the Duke of Argyll, the submitted name would imply membership in the immediate family of the chief. [Caitriona Campbell of Argyll, 06/00, R-Meridies] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.04 | Submitted as Anna Graham of Montrose. While adding of Montrose clears the earlier conflict with Hannah Graham it adds the new problem that the Graham chiefs are also the Dukes (originally Earls) of Montrose. This means that the submitted name would have been used only by a member of the immediate family of the clan chief and is thus presumptuous. [Anna Graham of Montrose, 04/00, R-Artemisia] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.11 | There is a long-standing precedent against combining a Scottish clan name with the name of its seat, a precedent confirmed in the 3/93 registration of Alexander MacIntosh of Islay (Middle). By the same reasoning the combination Fitzgerald of Kildare must be prohibited: between 1316 and 1766 one of the major branches of the Fitzgeralds were Earls of Kildare. We have therefore dropped the locative to register the rest of the name. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR November 1995, p. 6) |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Combining: Clan Name + location (and the location is NOT a clan seat or part of a title belonging to the chief of that clan) | ||
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | There was some question regarding whether combining MacKenzie with de Ross was presumptuous, since the MacKenzies were one of the clans that held lands in Ross. As no MacKenzie held the title Earl of Ross, this name is clear of presumption. The title Earl of Ross was held first by Ross and later by MacDonald. [Elizabet MacKenzie de Ross, 02/02, A-Meridies] |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.03 | Lord Obelisk has noted a Laurel precedent (v. Duncan Forbes of Crathes, LoAR of Nov 90) that disallowed any use of a Scots surname with a Scots toponymic, as it "implies landedness in possession of a feudal barony." I suspect this was not intended to be a permanent change in our policy, which hitherto had disallowed the use of a Scots clan surname with the seat of the clan. Certainly, in the months following the above ruling, we registered Duncan MacFergus of Kintyre (Dec 90, p.7), John MacRobert of Grandloch (Feb 91, p.6), Fergus MacKillop of Skye (April 91, p.5), Gareth MacGunther of Gordon (April 91, p.8), etc. I believe that, in practice if not explicitly, the Nov 90 precedent has been overturned.
Moreover, there is counter-evidence suggesting that Scots surname-toponymic combinations don't necessarily imply possession of a feudal barony. Frank Adams (Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands) gives an instance (p.402) of a small homestead, about five acres, being sufficient to warrant the addition of the toponymic. Adams notes that clan names could be modified for a number of reasons, not all of which concern nobiliary claims: he cites "those who, though unconnected by blood with the clan, had become bound to it by bonds of manrent", and "those of the clan who were ...distinguished by the name of the part of the clan territory occupied by them" (p.398). Black ( Surnames of Scotland) corroborates this in several of his entries; for instance, on p.xxiv we find two examples (Jhon Mour de Sanchar, Robert Mour de Skeldowy), taken from a guild roster of 1431: non-noble, unconnected to the chief of Clan Muir, but definitely combining a Scots surname with a Scots patronymic. We will continue to prohibit the use of a Scots clan name with the seat or territory of that clan (e.g. Cameron of Lochiel), or a surname with the phrase of that Ilk (or its functional equivalent, e.g Macintosh of Macintosh). That usage, with or without the given name, is the title of the actual chief of the clan or his immediate kin; its use in the SCA represents a direct infringement on actual nobility, and also appears to be a claim to rank, either of which is grounds for return. But by and large, the use of a Scots surname with a Scots placename is acceptable for SCA use. (Alexander MacIntosh of Islay, March, 1993, pp. 7-8) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.11 | "The use of a clan name with an actual place in Scotland implies landedness in the possession of a feudal barony. See Scots Heraldry by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, pp. 203-205, for a fuller discussion of 'Territorial Designations'." (LoAR 11/90 p.17). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.11 | [Clan Stewart of <place>] "There is in the name 'Stewart of <place>' an implication of title, but not of landedness (since <place> does not exist as a place). See Scots Heraldry by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, pp. 203-205, for a fuller discussion of 'Territorial Designations'." [The clan name was registered] (LoAR 11/90 p.6). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.10 | "Submitted as <given name> Sinclair of Wick, we have dropped the locative to avoid the appearance of presumption that the submitter is the clan chief of the Sinclairs, Earls of Caithness, whose stronghold is Girnigoe Castle, just north of Wick in Caithness." (LoAR 10/90 p.2). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.07 | [Cairbre mac Shimidh of Glen Shiel] When Master Wilhelm returned the name Cairbre MacShimidh in February, 1984, on the grounds that the use of the patronymic was presumptuous since it appeared to be reserved to the head of the Frasers of Lovat (being derived from the eponymous founder of the line Simon Fraser). This seems to be based on the evidence of Black (Surnames of Scotland, p. 529�530) who states that the chief of Clan Fraser is so called. The same statement is made by Moncreiffe (The Highland Clans, p. 81) and several other reliable sources. There is no doubt as well that Black is correct in saying that he given name Simon was not very popular in Scotland outside the Fraser family. However, the addition of the geographical modifier which is not at all associated with Fraser territory in addition to the use of the given name which does not appear in any Fraser genealogy which we could find would seem to carry the name clear. The Frasers call their chief (in Gaelic) "the MacSimon" in the same way that the MacGregors call their chief "the MacGregor". This does not necessarily rule out the use of the name MacGregor by anyone else. Note, however, that the change in capitalization noted on the letter of intent has no effect at all on whether the patronymic is permissible or not: "MacShimidh" and "mac Shimidh" are totally equivalent in both modern and period Gaelic orthography. [Name registered] (LoAR Jul 88, p. 10) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1986.12.28 | [(Name) of Gilnockie] Gilnockie is one of the strongholds of the Armstrongs. This is the sort of allusion to one's mundane heritage that is perfectly licit and should be encouraged (the gentle's mundane family name is Armstrong). (LoAR 28 Dec 86, p. 5) |
| Surnames/Bynames of Noble Houses or Dynasties (including Royal, Ducal, etc. Houses) | ||
| François la Flamme | 2003.07 | The submitter requested authenticity for Italian and allowed any changes. [...]
There was some question whether the use of the name Borgia was presumptuous. Use of Borgia was ruled presumptuous in 1988:
However, Tamera Borgia was registered in May of 1996 and Giuseppe Francesco da Borgia was registered in August of 1994. At issue is whether use of the name Borgia is a claim to be a member of the noble family. Regarding this issue, Maridonna Benvenuti provided the following information:
As the location was founded in 1547, a person in the late 16th C who was from Borgia in Catanzaro could have been known as da Borgia. There are examples of partially Latinized Italian bynames using de rather than the Italian da. (For some examples of this trend, see "Italian Men's Names in Rome, 1473-1484", http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/Studium/). Therefore, de Borgia is registerable as a variant of da Borgia. [Valeria de Borgia, 07/2003 LoAR, A-Lochac] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.05 | Metron Ariston noted that Higashiyama was "the regnal name of the emperor who ruled from 1687 to 1709/10", so the question arose of whether use of Higashiyama violates RfS VI.1, "Names Claiming Rank". Higashiyama means 'East Mountain'. While we could find no dated examples of it being used as a surname in period, Solveig Throndardottír's Name Construction in Medieval Japan (NCMJ) dates Nishiyama 'West Mountain' as a surname to 1568. Nishiyama 'West Mountain' is a place a person could have been from, and so could have derived a surname from this placename. Similarly, Higashiyama 'East Mountain' is a place a person could have been from and so could have derived a surname from this placename. In this manner, Higashiyama is similar to de Bourbon (see Adelaide de Bourbon, LoAR of September 2001, Ansteorra's acceptances) since both are bynames that would refer to a placename that any person, not just royalty, could have been from. Therefore, Higashiyama, like de Bourbon, is not presumptuous. [Higashiyama Yukiko, 05/2003 LoAR, A-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | Listed on the LoI as Emrys ap Tudur, this name was submitted as Emrys Tudur and changed at Kingdom (with the submitter's consent) to make the byname a patronymic rather than an inherited surname. As noted in the October 2002 LoAR (Rhonwen verch Tuder, Middle acceptances):
The LoI noted that Reaney & Wilson (p. 456 s.n. Tudor) dates Tudur ap Llywelyn to 1391, which gives support for the submitted spelling as a Welsh form. Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn's article "A Simple Guide to Constructing 16th Century Welsh Names (in English Contexts)" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welsh16.html) shows examples of Welsh patronymic bynames that omit the particle (in this case, ap). Given this information, we have returned this name to the submitted form. [Emrys Tudur, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.10 | There is a precedent against registration of forms of the name Tudor:
I have strong reservations about permitting either Tudor or Tudora. I'm afraid that no matter how harmless or common these may have been in period, most SCA members will see only an association with the House of Tudor, which they will perceive to be a claim "that one is a member of a royal family or is of royal birth. [Baldwin of Erebor, 12 May 85, p.4] [The name was disallowed.] Evidence has been found that Welsh forms of Tudor (specifically Tuder and Tedder) were not limited to the royal family. For example, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn's article "Women's Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/welshWomen16/) includes the names Meredith ap David ap Tuder, Llewelyn ap Tuder, Tuder ap Robert, and Margaret verch Ieuan ap Tedder. In her article, Tangwystyl gives the source of this data as "legal cases found in An Inventory of the Early Chancery Proceedings Concerning Wales, compiled by E. A. Lewis (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1937)." Given these examples, the Welsh forms Tuder and Tedder fall into the same category as Stewart (used as an example in RfS VI.1). Since use of these forms "does not link one unmistakably to the royal house" (RfS V1.1), they are registerable. The submitted form Tewdwr was documented from Davies, A History of Wales (p. 82-83), and Gruffudd (p. 89). In the case of Davies, as this is a history book, not a study on names or naming practices, the form Tewdwr in this location is almost certainly a standardized modern form. Gruffudd does not list a date for the form Tewdwr, which generally indicates a modern form. The College was unable to find any evidence that the form Tewdwr was actually used in period. Without such evidence, it is not registerable. We have changed the byname to verch Tuder, following the examples from Tangwystyl's article cited above, to partially meet the submitter's request for authenticity. Lacking evidence that the name Rhonwen was actually used as a feminine given name in Wales in period, we were unable to make this name completely authentic. [Rhonwen verch Tuder, 10/2002, A-Middle] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.05 | Sufficient documentation was presented that use of Fujiwara as a surname does not automatically imply relationship with the royal family of that name. Therefore, it falls into that category of names, like Stewart, which are names of royal families but which are not considered presumptuous because "use of that surname does not link one unmistakably to the royal house" as set down in RfS VI.1. [Fujiwara no Aoi, 05/2002, A-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.03 | This name does not conflict with Conrad von Zollern (1208-61), who was burgrave of Nuremberg from 1227 and founder of the Franconian Hohenzollern family, which eventually became the 19th to 20th C German Imperial family, because Conrad von Zollern does not have his own entry in an encyclopedia.
As Bahlow (p. 637 s.n. Zoller) dates Zoller to 1329 and Brechenmacher (p. 865, s.n. Zoller) dates Zoller to 1142, the byname Zoller (and its locative form von Zollern) is not unique to this family and so is not presumptuous. [Conrad von Zollern, 03/2002, A-Outlands] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | Submitted as Lysbette Richelieu du Plessis, no documentation was presented and none was found that the name Richelieu was used except by the Duc de Richelieu. As noted by Metron Ariston, "the du Plessis family estate was Richelieu and it was from that estate that the Cardinal took his title." Lacking documentation that Richelieu was used by people other than the family of the Duc de Richelieu, it is not registerable. Additionally, since the family name of the Duc de Richelieu was du Plessis, if evidence is found that Richelieu was used by other than the duke's family, Richelieu and du Plessis would not be registerable in the same name, as the combination would imply membership in this family. [Lysbette du Plessis, 02/02, A-Outlands] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.01 | No documentation was presented and none was found that de would have been used with the byname Guelph in period. The submitter documented the English Guelph from an entry entitled "Welf Dynasty" on britannica.com. This family name has previously been ruled as presumptuous:
[returning the surname von Welf] [Sigmund von Welf] This is being returned for violating RfS VI.1-Presumptuous Names. Welf is the Middle High German form of the name more familiar to English-speakers as Guelph. This is, as noted in the OED and many historical sources, the name associated with the princely family who were the primary opponents of the Hohenstaufens for control of the Holy Roman Empire and the ancestors of inter alia the current British royal family. Therefore this name violates RFS VI.1 on presumptuous names just as much as Hohenstaufen which is specifically mentioned as an exemplar in the current edition of the RFS. The use of Welf as a surname is presumptuous with any name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1997, p. 14)As no evidence has been found that any form of this surname (including the submitted Guelph) was used except by members of this family, this precedent still stands. [Yolanda de Guelph, 01/02, R-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.10 | There was a question as to whether the byname de Bourbon is presumptuous and so should not be registerable. RfS VI.1 states:
Claim to membership in a uniquely royal family is also considered presumptuous, although use of some dynastic surnames do not necessarily claim royal rank. For example, there was a Scottish dynasty named Stewart, but there were also many other Stewart families so use of that surname does not link one unmistakably to the royal house. Hohenstaufen, on the other hand, seems to have only been used by the line of Holy Roman Emperors, so its use makes a clear dynastic claim.So the question is whether de Bourbon was a byname only used by the French royal family of that name. Dauzat and Rostaing (p. 103 s.n. Boulbon) identifies three locations that include the element Bourbon and dates the forms Borbona to 846 and Burbone to the 8th C. Locative bynames of the form de [placename] are a common standard construction in French. So a byname de Bourbon is a logical reference to one of these locations and would not be considered presumptuous. [Adelaide de Bourbon, 09/01, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.08 | There was some question as to whether the byname Grimaldi was used exclusively by the royal family of Monaco. Maridonna Benvenuti found examples of the byname Grimaldi used by people who do not seem to be of the royal family in Gerhard Rohlfs' Dizionario dei Cognomi e Soprannomi. Given these examples, the byname Grimaldi is registerable. [Jacquetta Grimaldi, 08/01, A-Trimaris] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 1999.08 | ... z domu Piast means "the House of Piast" which was the founding royal dynasty of Poland, ruling from 965-1370. Barring evidence that the general populace used the name, we consider it presumptuous ...[Judwiga Czarna Pika ze Smocza Jamy, 08/99, A-Caid] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.02 | [Beatrice Sforza] The surname Sforza is one of those names such as Hohenstaufen which are so closely associated with a single sovereign royal family as to be presumptuous in their use. Indeed, in times past it was one of those that were used as an exemplar for that category of restricted names. (The name of the dynasty was derived from the nickname of its founder and in period was associated closely with the immediate family of the sovereign Dukes of Milan.) The use of the Sforza surname is tantamount to a claim to being from the immediate family of the sovereign Dukes of Milan and is not allowed under RFS VI.1 (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR February 1998, p. 15) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.05 | [Valeria Àngeli] Submitted as Valeria Àngeli Sforza, on the July 1997 LoAR the name Sforza was ruled to be presumptuous. While an argument was made on the LoI to overturn the precedent, no examples were presented of period use of the name outside of the royal line. Absent such evidence, the precedent cannot be overturned. We have dropped Sforza in order to register the name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR May 1998, p. 14) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.01 | [Yasha Ivanovich Romanoff] Since both Ivan V and Ivan VI of Russia were Romanovs, Yasha Ivanovich Romanoff is a claim to being either one's son and forbidden by our rules. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1998, p. 16) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.07 | The surname Sforza is one of those names such as Hohenstaufen which are so closely associated with a single sovereign royal family as to be presumptuous in their use. Indeed, in times past it was one of those that were used as an exemplar for that category of restricted names. (The name of the dynasty was derived from the nickname of its founder and in period was associated closely with the immediate family of the sovereign Dukes of Milan.) The use of the Sforza surname is tantamount to a claim to being from the immediate family of the sovereign Dukes of Milan and is not allowed under RFS VI.1. (Elizabetta Sforza, 7/97 p. 15) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.06 | [returning the surname von Welf] [Sigmund von Welf] This is being returned for violating RfS VI.1 - Presumptuous Names. Welf is the Middle High German form of the name more familiar to English-speakers as Guelph. This is, as noted in the OED and many historical sources, the name associated with the princely family who were the primary opponents of the Hohenstaufens for control of the Holy Roman Empire and the ancestors of inter alia the current British royal family. Therefore this name violates RFS VI.1 on presumptuous names just as much as Hohenstaufen which is specifically mentioned as an exemplar in the current edition of the RFS. The use of Welf as a surname is presumptuous with any name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1997, p. 14) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1992.03 | "While there was some concern that the byname 'de Lorraine' could be considered presumptuous, the citation in Reaney of 'de Lorreyne' (dated 1333) lends support to the belief that the locative was not restricted solely to members of the Ducal House of Lorraine." (LoAR 3/92 p.3). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1991.06 | [of Windsor] "As the locative is that of a place in England from which a number of people could be, and only comparatively recently adopted as a dynastic name, it is not seen as presumptuous to the ruling family of England." (LoAR 6/91 p.13). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.06.18 | [Hohenstaufen] The analogy [with Stuart and d'Este] is not close" both of the cited names which have been permitted have been documented in clearly non-dynastic contexts. This cannot be said of the Hohenstaufen name which is closely associated with the German kingship and Holy Roman Empire. To register the [submitted] name we have dropped this dynastic surname. (LoAR 18 Jun 89, p. 5) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | [de Borgia] The use of the surname Borgia [is] "presumptuous". (LoAR Aug 88, p. 16) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.07 | [Cairbre mac Shimidh of Glen Shiel] When Master Wilhelm returned the name Cairbre MacShimidh in February, 1984, on the grounds that the use of the patronymic was presumptuous since it appeared to be reserved to the head of the Frasers of Lovat (being derived from the eponymous founder of the line Simon Fraser). This seems to be based on the evidence of Black (Surnames of Scotland, p. 529�530) who states that the chief of Clan Fraser is so called. The same statement is made by Moncreiffe (The Highland Clans, p. 81) and several other reliable sources. There is no doubt as well that Black is correct in saying that he given name Simon was not very popular in Scotland outside the Fraser family. However, the addition of the geographical modifier which is not at all associated with Fraser territory in addition to the use of the given name which does not appear in any Fraser genealogy which we could find would seem to carry the name clear. The Frasers call their chief (in Gaelic) "the MacSimon" in the same way that the MacGregors call their chief "the MacGregor". This does not necessarily rule out the use of the name MacGregor by anyone else. Note, however, that the change in capitalization noted on the letter of intent has no effect at all on whether the patronymic is permissible or not: "MacShimidh" and "mac Shimidh" are totally equivalent in both modern and period Gaelic orthography. [Name registered] (LoAR Jul 88, p. 10) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1986.05.18 | It has been previously determined that, as far as the College of Arms is concerned, the names of the clans with an hereditary claim to the shogunate of Japan are equivalent to the surnames of royal families in Europe, and so may not be registered. I agree with this decision, and am upholding it. Tokugawa may not be used. [BoE, 18 May 86, p.20] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.06.09 | ["Shire of Welfengau."] I am not convinced that it is a good idea to permit the use of a recognizable dynastic name in the name of an SCA branch. It may set a precedent we will have difficulty living with (Tudorville? Hapsburghalle?); and this would seem to legitimize an SCA name such as HEINRICH VON WELFENGAU, which others may consider a claim to membership in a royal or dynastic house. On the other hand, the branch in question is located in Guelph, Ontario, and this ought to count for something. [BoE,9 June 85, p.9] [The submission was approved.] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.05.12 | I have strong reservations about permitting either Tudor or Tudora. I'm afraid that no matter how harmless or common these may have been in period, most SCA members will see only an association with the House of Tudor, which they will perceive to be a claim "that one is a member of a royal family or is of royal birth." [BoE, 12 May 85, p.4] [The name was disallowed.] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.01.18 | The Amati were one of the principal artisan families of Cremona, second in fame only to the Stradivarii. While you can be of the family, you are not the head of the family, and so cannot use House Amati. WVS [61] [LoAR 17-18 Jan 82], p. 6 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.07.30 | The prohibition against the use of royal surnames applies to the surnames of all royal houses that ruled an independent territorial entity. Thus empires, kingdoms, and independent principalities (such as Monaco) are covered, but not duchies within kingdoms or principalities within empires. The shogunate families are specifically added to the protected list because they were the de facto rulers of Japan. Certain of these protected names, such as Stuart, are allowed for use on the grounds that they are also the name of very large clans, so to use the name does not constitute a statement of royal descent. WVS [47] [CL 30 Jul 81], p. 4 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.02.23 | While O'Neill was the surname of many Irish kings, like Stuart it is also an extremely large clan name, and it has already been registered to N.'s mother. WVS [36] [LoAR 23 Feb 81], p. 2 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.27 | I have learned that the surname for the imperial clan in Japan is Yamato. I therefore restrict its use as a surname in the SCA, along with that of Taira, a clan which briefly achieved the shogunate. WVS [33] [CL 27 Jan 81], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.27 | The rule is that the surname of a royal family or clan, membership in which means one has a claim to the throne, however tenuous, is not to be used in the SCA. An example is Yngling, the royal house of Norway. WVS [33] [CL 27 Jan 81], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.12.29 | The Tokugawa Shogunate was a special case where the warrant and the title of Shogun became hereditary. Only the Tokugawa shoguns could be considered kings. The clan name of Tokugawa, therefore, qualifies as a royal house name and may not be used. While the Minamotos and Fujiwaras do not really qualify as royal houses, they are close enough to it that, as a special case, they are also restricted. The surname of Minowara used in the novel Shogun by James Clavell is a step removed from reality and does not have the reference in the real world given to the three shogunate families. Therefore it is not restricted. WVS [32] [LoAR 29 Dec 80], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.11.28 | Stuart is a very large clan in Scotland, and we have already allowed some people to use the name, so Stuart is a specific exception to the rule against using the surnames of royal families and clans. WVS [30] [LoAR 28 Nov 80], p. 4 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.09.16 | From now on, surnames of royal households may not be used, but those of noble households without claim to thrones may be used. Thus although N. is the Ducal House of M., it is not a Royal House, having no claim to the throne. In using a name of a noble house one must be careful to avoid using any of the given names used by known members of that house. One still cannot be a Hapsburg or a Tudor, but Dever[eu]x is acceptable so long as you aren't also a Robert. These houses are generally large, and contain a number of non-noble members. Royal Houses contain only noble members in that everyone has some claim to the throne. WVS [25] [LoAR 16 Sep 80], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.02.13 | [N. Farnese.] Farnese is the Ducal House of Parma. You will need to pick a different surname which is not a royal or high noble house. WVS [11] [LoAR 13 Feb 80], p. 6 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Combining: Specific Bynames | ||
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | Submitted as Lysbette Richelieu du Plessis, no documentation was presented and none was found that the name Richelieu was used except by the Duc de Richelieu. As noted by Metron Ariston, "the du Plessis family estate was Richelieu and it was from that estate that the Cardinal took his title." Lacking documentation that Richelieu was used by people other than the family of the Duc de Richelieu, it is not registerable. Additionally, since the family name of the Duc de Richelieu was du Plessis, if evidence is found that Richelieu was used by other than the duke's family, Richelieu and du Plessis would not be registerable in the same name, as the combination would imply membership in this family. [Lysbette du Plessis, 02/02, A-Outlands] |
| Combining: Occupational Bynames + Locative Bynames | ||
| François la Flamme | 2003.09 | Submitted as Charles Le Cervoisier d'Alsace, the combination of bynames Le Cervoisier d'Alsace 'the brewer of Alsace' falls afoul of RfS VI.1, "Names Claiming Rank", which states in part:
As the submitter allows any changes, we have reversed the order of the bynames to address this issue. We have also lowercased le in the byname le Cervoisier in order to match documented forms. [Charles d'Alsace le Cervoisier, 09/2003, A-Ansteorra] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.08 | [registering {given name} the Semstress of Dunkeld] (Elspeth the Semstress of Dunkeld) RfS.VI.1 states that "In some cases, use of an otherwise inoffensive occupational surname in a territorial context may make it appear to be a title or rank." However, the operative word here is may. We do not feel that Seamstress/Semstress is a title/rank. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR August 1996, p. 8) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.07 | "Submitted as <name> Braumeister von <place>, we have modified the name to drop the problematical Braumeister. 'Occupation' of 'Placename' name construction has for some years been held to be returnable." (LoAR 7/91 p.16). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1990.06.17 | [(Name) Baird of Gwynedd] [This] is precisely analogous to one of the examples used for presumption in the rules: "John the Bard of Armagh". This being the case, we have dropped the locative to register the name. (LoAR 17 Jun 90, p. 1) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.07 | This was submitted as [Name] the [Occupation] of [Place], a formation which smacked too much of a title to the College. The simplest situation seemed to be to switch the epithets: this would be extremely common in medieval Latin where an occupational epithet frequently follows a personal name and epithet of origin and seems appropriate for a lingua franca translation of a scholar's name. (LoAR 25 Jan 87, p. 6) (See also: LoAR 29 Mar 87, p. 1; LoAR Jul 88, p. 10) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1986.10.26 | The occupational byname "Ermite" has been dropped since it was the consensus of opinion in the College that this fell under the ban on conjoining titles or honourifics with a place name. He may be Tancred the Hermit or Tancred of Carcassonne, but not Tancred the Hermit of Carcassonne (while in "real life" hermit might not have been a title or honour, in the world of the period romances upon which so much of our ethos is bases it frequently was used as a title as much as vicar or priest was [used] in period legal documents) (LoAR 26 Oct 86, pp. 2-3) |
| Surnames/Bynames/etc. Implying a Title or Rank | ||
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.05 | Submitted as Shajarat ad-durr al-Mãhdukht al-Zarqá, the phrase Shajarat ad-durr is the regnal name (not given name) of the first Sultana of the Bahri Mamluks, who came to power in 1246 upon their overthrow of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt. This is a type of name used to denote royalty; its use in an SCA name is a claim to rank. Furthermore, this particular regnal name appears to be unique, which also makes it inappropriate for registration. [M{a-}hdukht al-Zarqa',05/04, A-Trimaris] |
| François la Flamme | 2004.01 | While Wang was documented as a Chinese surname in period, it also appears on the "List of Alternate Titles" as the Chinese equivalent for Prince. As such, it is reserved for use in the SCA and is not registerable as a byname or surname. While given names, such as Regina, that are documented as being used in period are registerable so long as there is "no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank", the same is not true for bynames that explicitly imply rank, including those listed on the "List of Alternate Titles". Therefore, this name must be returned for violation of RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank". [Wang Ao, 01/2004, R-Northshield] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.11 | The registerability of Brother as a given name was the topic of much discussion during the commentary process.
Reaney & Wilson (p. 68 s.n. Brothers) dates the names Broder, Brodor, and Brodre to 1066. As they are listed as single element names found in the Domesday Book, they are almost certainly used as given names. This entry also dates Willelmus filius Brother to 1202 and says that this name derives from:
While the use of this name in reference to kinsman and a guild member is as a descriptive byname, the existance of given name forms, including those cited from the Domesday Book, support the plausibility of Brother as a given name form. Additionally, E. H. Lind, Norsk-Isl�dska Dopnamn ock Fingerade Namm fr�n Medeltiden, column 171, lists an entry for the given name Bróðir and lists examples of forms of this name found in the 14th and 15th C, providing additional support for forms of this name used as given names. Based on this information, Brother is plausible as a given name form in period. As such, it is registerable when it does not appear to be a form of address. When used as a form of address, Brother is still not registerable (as is true for all forms of address), though the submitter may use it:
In this case, Brother does not appear to be a form of address because it is followed by Liston, which can only be a locative byname or an inherited surname. Therefore, Brother must be the given name in this submission. [Brother Liston Brounyng, 11/2003, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.11 | Baatar is a variant spelling of Bahadur which is found in the alternate titles list as a Mongolian equivalent for 'knight'. Therefore, use of Baatar as part of a name violates RfS VI.1 (Names Claiming Rank). [Chinua Baatar, 11/2003, R-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.10 | Listed on the LoI as Charles of Amesbury, this name was submitted as Friar Charles de Amesbury, Wiltshire. The name was changed at Kingdom to match available documentation.
Friar falls into the same category as Brother. Both are titles or forms of address which carry no implicit assertion of rank. Brother as a form of address was recently discussed:
Similarly, this submitter is welcome to use Friar as his preferred form of address. [Charles de Amesbury, 10/2003, A-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.10 | Bataar is a variant spelling of Bahadur, which is found in the alternate titles list as a Mongolian equivalent for "knight". Documentation was provided showing that Baatar is used modernly as a given name. Lacking evidence that Baatar was used as a given name in period, it is not registerable. RfS VI.1, "Names Claiming Rank", states in part:
Lacking evidence that Baatar was used as a given name in period, it falls into the same category as Earl and is not registerable. [Sogtungui Bataar, 10/2003, R-Æthelmearc] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.06 | [Household name Khara Luus Ordu] This submission is being returned for use of Ordu 'Horde' as a designator in a household name, which has been ruled presumptuous:
As no evidence was found to demonstrate that the use of Ordu is not presumptuous, this precedent is still valid. [Cicilia of Falkeburn, 06/2003 LoAR, R-Trimaris] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.06 | Hidalgo is the submitter's legal surname.
There was some question whether the combination Hidalgo de Valencia violated RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank". Siren provided information regarding this issue:
Given this information, use of the byname combination Hidalgo de Valencia is not an explicit claim of rank any more than the use of Hidalgo would on its own. The second part of this issue is whether Hidalgo is an inappropriate claim of rank. From the information provided by Siren, the use of Hidalgo claims the rank of gentry. The following precedent is relevant to this issue:
This precedent implies that a simple claim of the status of gentry, no higher, is acceptable for registration. Therefore, the submitted name is registerable as it claims a status no higher than gentry. [Madelena Hidalgo de Valencia, 06/2003 LoAR, A-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | Household name Mönggülig Ordu] Additionally, no support was found that a word meaning 'Horde' would not be presumptuous as a designator for a household name. The modern normalized terms Mongol Horde and Golden Horde both refer to period groups of people that were the size of a nation. Lacking evidence that a word meaning 'Horde' would be used to refer to a smaller group of people, it is inappropriate for use as a household name. We would not register Duchy of [placename] as a household name because it is an explicit claim of rank by the owner of the household name and, so, violates RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank". Similarly, without documentation supporting use of a word meaning 'Horde' for groups smaller than a nation, use of a word meaning 'Horde' as the designator in a household name is an explicit claim of rank in the same way as Duchy, violating RfS VI.1. [Gülüg-jab Tangghudai, 04/2003 LoAR, R-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | This name was submitted as Angharad o'r Rhosyn ferch Rhain and changed at Kingdom to use y, as it is typically used with objects while o'r is usually used with generic locations. This name was intended to mean 'Angharad of the Rose, daughter of Rhain'.
The question was raised regarding whether a byname meaning 'of the Rose' was presumptuous, and so was not registerable. Indeed, previous precedent has ruled:
However, the point was raised that we have recently registered the bynames de la Rosa and de la Rose. Therefore, a clarification is in order. RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank" states in part:
Bynames meaning 'lord', 'master', 'knight', etc., have been ruled to be presumptuous in multiple languages. The reason is that use of these bynames is an "explicit assertion of rank", which is prohibited in RfS VI.1 cited above. However, unlike Master, Knight, etc., and their associated alternate forms found in the List of Alternate Titles (http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html), 'of the Rose' is not used as a title in the S.C.A., though it can be interpreted as claiming membership in the Order of the Rose. The key is whether such a byname is an "explicit assertion of rank". Reaney & Wilson (p. 383 s.n. Rose) date Robert de la Rose to 1242 and Adam atte Rose to 1305. Berm�dez Plata, Don Cristóbal, Catálogo de Pasajeros a Indias Durante los Siglos XVI, XVII, y XVIII (vol II, p. 131, #2206) dates Francisco de la Rosa to 1535. David Herlihy, R. Burr Litchfield, Anthony Molho, and Roberto Barducci, ed., "FLORENTINE RENAISSANCE RESOURCES: Online Tratte of Office Holders 1282-1532" (http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/tratte/) lists the byname DELLAROSA. As this article normalizes bynames, this listing most likely represents the period form della Rosa. From these sources, we have documented period use of the bynames de la Rose and atte Rose in English, de la Rosa in Spanish, and della Rosa in Italian. Use of these bynames was not an "explicit assertion of rank" in period. Nor, given the number of times they have been registered without comment, both from the College of Arms during commentary and in the LoARs, use of these documented period bynames is not generally seen to be an "explicit assertion of rank" within the S.C.A. Therefore, like the given name Regina, these bynames are registerable so long as there is no suggestion of rank implied by this element in conjuction with another element in the name, or in the name as a whole. In the case of the submitted byname in this name, the element Rhosyn was documented from a modern English-Welsh dictionary. No evidence was found that it would have been used part of a descriptive byname in Welsh in period, though Metron Ariston found evidence of a period placename of Glyn Rhosyn (http://www.wku.edu/~rob.harbison/david.html). Lacking evidence that a byname meaning 'of the Rose' existed in period Welsh, the byname y Rhosyn must be seen to be a claim to membership in the Order of the Rose and so is not registerable. As the submitter allows no major changes, we were unable to drop the problematic byname in order to register this name. [Angharad y Rhosyn ferch Rhain, 04/2003 LoAR, R-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | Listed on the LoI as Nicholas of Waverly Abbey, this name was originally submitted as Brother Nicholas of Waverly Abbey. The element Brother was dropped at Kingdom. The submitter requested authenticity for 12th to 13th C and allowed any changes. Registerability of Brother as a form of address was addressed recently:
Similarly, this submitter is welcome to use Brother as his preferred form of address. [Nicholas de Wauerley, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.11 | Submitted as Brother Timothy, this name was changed at Kingdom to Timothy Brother with the submitter's permission because it was believed that:
The problem with this name is not a presumption issue since Brother Thomas is no more presumptuous than a name such as Thomas the Monk would be. In the case of this name, the element Brother in Brother Timothy is a form of address, not a name element. We do not register forms of address regardless of whether they would be presumptuous, such as Lord or Mistress, or whether they would not be presumptuous, such as Brother or Goodwife. The submitter is welcome to use Brother, as in Brother Timothy, as his preferred form of address, but this use of Brother is not registerable. Therefore, we have registered this name in the altered form forwarded by Kingdom. [Timothy Brother, 11/2002, A-Artemisia] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.10 | There was some question about the plausibility of the byname de la Rosa. Clarion found an example of it in period:
[V]olume II of the Catalogo [Bermúdez Plata, Don Cristóbal, Catálogo de Pasajeros a Indias Durante los Siglos XVI, XVII, y XVIII (Sevilla: Imprenta de la Gavidia, 1946).] lists a Francisco de la Rosa in 1535 (pg. 131, #2206), so the name is fine. The byname is probably a form of generic descriptive more than a generic locative, although I can only guess at this time. [Martin de la Rosa, 10/2002, A-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.09 | [Order name The Order of the Archers of Agincourt] This order name is being returned for presumption. al-Jamal explains:
Further, recent precedent states:
As Agincourt has its own entry in the online edition of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica (http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/), it is protected. Therefore, just as Order of the Companions of Thermopylae was found to be presumptuous in 1988, the current submission falls afoul of the same construction issues (since it unmistakably implies identity with a protected location) and so it is also presumptuous. [Citadel of the Southern Pass, Barony of, 09/2002 LoAR, A-Outlands] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.08 | There was some question regarding whether the byname Hausknecht was presumptuous, especially given this precedent:
The List of Alternate Titles does not list knecht. The German equivalent of Knight is given as Ritter. Bahlow (p. 303 s.n. Knecht) says "journeyman (of a trade), helper". Therefore, Hausknecht, 'house helper', is not presumptuous. [Friderich Hausknecht, 08/2002, A-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.07 | Mu'alim, which the submitter intended to mean 'teacher', is listed as an Arabic form of Master, in the form Mu'allim, in "The List of Alternate Titles as approved by the College of Arms" (http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html). al-Jamal explains:
Therefore, Mu'Alim (like Master) is a restricted title and may not be registered as part of an SCA name. [Mu'Alim Rami Kathoum ibn Abdul Majeed, 07/2002, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.07 | Mu'allimah, which the submitter intended to mean 'teacher', is listed in the form Mu'allima (an alternate transliteration) as an Arabic form of Mistress in "The List of Alternate Titles as approved by the College of Arms" (http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html). al-Jamal explains:
Therefore, Mu'allimah (like Mistress) is a restricted title and may not be registered as part of an SCA name. [Mu'Alimah Ramia Jameela Ghafoor, 07/2002, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.07 | Farisa, which the submitter intended to mean 'horsewoman', is the feminine form of Faris, which is listed as an Arabic form of Knight in "The List of Alternate Titles as approved by the College of Arms" (http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html). Therefore, Farisa (like Knight) is a restricted title and may not be registered as part of an SCA name. [Farisa Ramia Hameedah bint Kathoum, 07/2002, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.05 | Given that no is included in furigana glosses in classical texts, though not in the original texts (and so it is not appropriate for those submitters desiring authenticity), no can be viewed as a modern transliteration standard. As such, it is registerable, so long as it is not used in a construction that could be viewed as presumptous. Solveig explains:
This name is a woman's name of the type described above by Solveig. As it is not presumptuous, it is registerable. [Fujiwara no Aoi, 05/2002, A-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.11 | This name is being returned for using a form of Thain as a byname, which has previously been prohibited:
[Lucius Thayne] A thane (or thegn) was a free retainer in pre-Conquest England, and in Scotland up to the 15th Century; the term denotes a member of territorial nobility corresponding to the Norman baron or knight. The title was one step below the eorl, and might be either earned or inherited. In the SCA, the term is used as the Old English equivalent of "baron", and is therefore reserved. Old English usage puts the title after the name: Ælfred cyning, Leofric eorl, Lyfing arcebisceop. The submitted name is thus exactly in the form that would have been used by a period thane. That fact, along with the Society use of the title, and its hereditary nature in period, outweighs the documented use of Thane, Thaine as a surname later in period. It must therefore be returned as presumptuous. (OED, under the entries for earl, king and thane; '93 E.Brit., vol.11, p.672; Reaney DBS II, pp.112, 345). (Lucius Thayne, July, 1993, pg. 15)[Chromán Thein, 11/01, R-Trimaris] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.10 | This name is being returned for use of the laqab al-Din, which has been previously prohibited:
[returning Jaida Badr al-Din] We must return this name for violation of RfS VI.1 (Names Claiming Rank): laqabs of the form <noun> al-Din '<noun> of the Faith' were bestowed upon princes, statesmen, generals and high officers of state by the Caliph as titles and so constitute implicit claims to rank and station. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR February 1996, p. 10)As the submitter did not allow major changes, we were unable to drop the problematic element. [Amani bint Jamal ibn Diya' al Din al-Sadig, 10/01, R-Outlands] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.05 | As the submitter states, Chavalerio is an occupational byname meaning Knight. It is, therefore, presumptuous according to section VI.1 of the Rules for Submissions. [Rizardo Chavalerio, 05/01, R-Artemisia] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.01 | There are two problems with the name. First, we would like to see some evidence of interaction between 3rd through 6th century India and Europe. Second, it was the feelings of the College that Brahman denotes a high enough caste that the use of the name is presumptuous. We would need to see evidence that Brahman implied status no higher than gentry in Europe. [Madhu Brahman, 01/00, R-An Tir] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.01 | ... it was the feelings of the College that Brahman denotes a high enough caste that the use of the name is presumptuous. We would need to see evidence that Brahman implied status no higher than gentry in Europe. [Madhu Brahman, 01/00, R-An Tir] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.06 | [returning Zoltán the Magnificent] This is being returned for violating VI.1 - Names Claiming Rank: Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous. This combines a name meaning sultan with an epithet which was most often applied to individuals of extremely high status. Here, two individuals come almost immediately to mind: Lorenzo de' Medici, called Lorenzo the Magnificent, and the Turkish sultan Suleyman, called by his own people "the Lawgiver", but almost universally elsewhere, Suleiman the Magnificent. While documentation showing Zoltán to be a period name was provided, in combination with "the Magnificent" (effectively, Sultan the Magnificent) takes it beyond the bounds of acceptability. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1997, p. 15) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.06 | [returning Equitatus Ansteorrae] [Ansteorra, Kingdom of] Unfortunately, in Latin, Equitatus is not merely an equestrian order, but the equestrian order. This is frequently translated into English simply as "the knights". Since this guild is not restricted to members of the chivalry only, it must be returned for presumption. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1997, p. 10) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.10 | [Order of the Bretwalda] Bretwalda does not mean "warlord", The meaning of the term is `ruler of the Britons' or `ruler of Britain', so it is a fairly exact Old English parallel to the Roman dux Brittaniarum and Bede's Brettonum dux. The term was applied to various kings who held (or were supposed to have held) authority over other, lesser kings. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR October 1996, p. 10) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.08 | [registering the order name Katkenneen kynän ritarikunta] A question was raised about the order name, as to whether it might be presumptuous since the root is ritari which means knight. However, Ritarikunta is no more nor less than the Finnish word for an order of this type; that it is translated to English as order of knighthood is because there is no single word 'order' in Finnish. It is true that the word is a compound noun consisting of ritari 'knight' and kunta 'a collective; municipality'. Similarly, tiedekunta 'faculty' consists of tiede 'science' and kunta, and lautakunta 'council' of lauta 'plank' and kunta. It is one of the characteristics of the Finnish language that the meaning of a compound noun is not necessarily, or even generally, simply the sum of the meanings of its parts. Based on this, we find the order name acceptable for SCA usage. (Aarnimetsä, Barony of, 8/96 p. 2) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.05 | [Claudia Lisabetta Senatori da Firenze] Some commenters wondered whether the combination Senatori da Firenze was presumptuous, taking it to be 'senator of Florence'. However, senatori is the plural of senatore 'senator', and a reasonably exact translation of the phrase senatori da Firenze appears to be 'senators from Florence', which is clearly not a byname claiming rank. The name admits only one interpretation: Senatori is the hereditary surname of a lady from Florence. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR May 1996, p. 15) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.04 | Unfortunately, der Grave is 'the Count', so we must return this name for violation of RfS VI.1 (Names Claiming Rank). (Talan Gwynek, LoAR April 1996, p. 16) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.02 | [returning Jaida Badr al-Din] We must return this name for violation of RfS VI.1 (Names Claiming Rank): laqabs of the form <noun> al-Din '<noun> of the Faith' were bestowed upon princes, statesmen, generals and high officers of state by the Caliph as titles and so constitute implicit claims to rank and station. Laurel further notes that he has not seen a laqab for a woman formed from the element al-Din. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR February 1996, p. 10) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.12 | [Dur al Jabal abu Neefa min al-Machfi Jabal Bey al-Ferrangi] [...] (6) Bey al- Ferengi is a claim to honors that the submitter does not have, in violation of RfS I.3.b (Presumptuous Claims): he may be a Baron in the SCA, but he is not a `Baron of the Franks'; and even if he were, we would not allow him to register the title, for titles in the SCA apply only to honors granted within the SCA. (7) Bey is on the Alternate Titles List as a Turkish equivalent for baron; its use as part of a name violates RfS VI.1 (Names Claiming Rank).
In short, the name is incorrectly constructed, inadequately documented, and presumptuous (as presumption is defined in the Rules for Submissions); since he permits no changes, each of these problems would by itself be sufficient grounds for return. Any future submission along these lines should be accompanied by adequate documentation for all of the elements and for the grammatical constructions used and should not incorporate titles of rank. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR December 1995, p. 18) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.12 | [registering the epithet the Serene] [Tamar the Serene] The byname is very improbable and verges on the pretentious. The first citation in the OED in the sense `calm, untroubled' is from about 1635; in period citations the word is used as an honorific epithet for a reigning prince or other member of a royal house. Given `Grey Area' citations showing the modern usage, however, we must give it the benefit of the doubt. A period byname with approximately the same meaning is the Mild. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR December 1995, p. 2) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.09 | [registering the byname Monomakh] The byname does not seem to be presumptuous. Deriving from Greek monomakhéô `to fight in single combat', monomákhos `fighting in single combat' appears to be a reasonable byname for a fighter. It was used by the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachus and by his grandson, the Kievan prince Vladimir II Monomakh, but it does not seem to have been hereditary or even used by anyone else in either line. Vladimir says in his Testament that he was given the baptismal name Vasili by his grandfather Yaroslav `but was commonly known by [his] Russian name Vladimir, and surnamed Monomakh by [his] beloved father and mother'; we suspect that this was to honor his other grandfather, Constantine. (Hrothger Monomakh, 9/95 p. 18) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.01 | [returning the byname of the Rose] [Barbara of the Rose] The byname [of the Rose] implies membership in the Order of the Rose as much as 'of the Laurel', 'of the Chivalry', or 'of the Pelican' imply membership in those orders. (Da'ud ibn Auda, 1/95 p. 13) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1994.09 | Irish usage doesn't seem to allow either double given names or unmarked patronymics. In some cases we have been able to get around the problem by interpreting the second element as a nickname, but it is not possible to do so here: as a nickname Rígán could only be `sub-king, chief', which would fall afoul of RfS VI.1. ("Names Claiming Rank - Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous"). There was also a ríga(i)n `queen or noble lady', which would go better with Mór but which is equally problematical. However, Rígán definitely was a personal name, so there seems to be no bar to her being Mór ingen Rígáin, `Mór daughter of Rígán'. However, the addition of patronymic particle and resultant change to the genitive seemed to us to be larger changes than she allowed on the submission form. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR September 1994, p. 16) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda | 1994.08 | al-Din appears always to be used as part of a title in period (in the submitter's documentation, Kamal al-Din, Sharaf al-Din, and Jalal al-Din). [al-Din is usually translated as "of the Religion" or "of the Faith".] (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR August 1994, p. 18) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.04c | The discussion of the names of Lucia Visconti and Arianna Maria di Marchesi, reviewed in the April Laurel meeting, sparked quite a bit of commentary, particularly as regards the strictures of Rules for Submission VI.1. ... While both surnames Marchesi and Visconti are derived, in a more or less roundabout fashion, from the Italian equivalents of Marquess and Viscount, they were also clearly documented as surnames used by non-nobles. As a consequence, the applicable part of RfS VI.1. would be "Names documented to have been used in period may be used, even if they were derived from titles, provided there is no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank. For example, 'Regina the Laundress' is acceptable but 'Regina of Germany' is not." In the cases here, both names have been documented to have been used in period, and neither is used in such a way as to suggest either a territorial claim or an assertion of rank. That being so, both names have been registered. [4/94c, p.2] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.03 | [Registering Giacomo da Firenze.] Submitted as Giacomo Cavalliere da Firenze, caval[l]iere is the approved alternate title for "knight" in Italian. (Indeed, the submitter's own documentation notes it as meaning "knight".) As such, it should not be used in such a way that it may be mistaken as a title. Unfortunately, "knight of Florence" is just such an example. We have dropped the problematic element in order to register the name. [3/94, p.10] |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.07 | [Lucius Thayne] A thane (or thegn) was a free retainer in pre-Conquest England, and in Scotland up to the 15th Century; the term denotes a member of territorial nobility corresponding to the Norman baron or knight. The title was one step below the eorl, and might be either earned or inherited. In the SCA, the term is used as the Old English equivalent of "baron", and is therefore reserved. Old English usage puts the title after the name: Ælfred cyning, Leofric eorl, Lyfing arcebisceop. The submitted name is thus exactly in the form that would have been used by a period thane. That fact, along with the Society use of the title, and its hereditary nature in period, outweighs the documented use of Thane, Thaine as a surname later in period. It must therefore be returned as presumptuous. (OED, under the entries for earl, king and thane; '93 E.Brit., vol.11, p.672; Reaney DBS II, pp.112, 345). (Lucius Thayne, July, 1993, pg. 15) |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.03 | The correct German for "master of falcons" would be Falkenmeister. However, meister (master) is a reserved title in the SCA, and may not be registered -- either alone, or in combination. The submitter might consider resubmitting as Velkner, a period spelling of Falkner "falconer". [David Falkemeister, March 1993, An Tir-R]. |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1991.03 | "Although Levesque means 'bishop', which is a restricted title in the SCA, it is also a documentable period surname. It is Laurel's opinion that Levesque should be registrable under the same general restrictions as Regina; that is, so long as it is not used in such a way as to appear like a title." (LoAR 3/91 p.5). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.02.21 | While there is a tendency in modern sources to apply the term Scylding to the Danes in general, when distinguishing them from the other "Viking" peoples, the term more properly applies to the early Danish royal house ... and it is in this sense that it would be most commonly interpreted by a member of our Society. (LoAR 21 Feb 88, p. 11) [Name returned] |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.07.26 | The submittor stated that "Dryw" was a Welsh given name meaning "sight". Not only could this not be documented, but the word is the "Welsh" title for a druid as well as a Welsh term for wren (the two meanings are related). If the gentle wishes, he can use the documented period English form "Drew" from Old German "Drogo". (LoAR 26 Jul 87, p. 11) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.01.25 | The translation for [the byname] Banu ("Lady") implies that it might be a title, which would not be permissible in a registered name; documentation must be provided that this is not the case. (LoAR 25 Jan 87, p. 26) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1986.09.27 | [(Name) (Name)-no-Okami] By the submittor's own documentation, the name Okami is a family name rather than a given name. While many family names, particularly those involving totemic beasts also appear as elements in given names, not all such names exist as given names in themselves. In fact, this appears to be the exception rather than the rule.... Additionally, as several commenters pointed out, the final two syllables in practical pronunciation, would be almost indistinguishable from "no-kami" which is the approved Japanese equivalent for "Lord" in the Society. This being so, the collocation should be rigorously avoided. Also, the passages provided by the submittor from Japanese Names and How to Read Them indicate that the "no" element would not be written in a name construction of family name plus clan name plus personal name. (LoAR 27 Sep 86, p. 12) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.07.14 | ["N. of Sicily-Castile".] It appears that this particular form of hyphenated surname is a designation used by modern historians to distinguish the different branches of a given royal house. According to Brigantia, "period practise would have been to link the two places with 'and' or 'et' or 'y' depending on the language. As a matter of fact ... this particular usage ... is nearly tantamount to claiming to be a member of the ruling family, if not the actual ruler, of the two places." [BoE, 14 Jul 85, p. 13] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.02.26 | I have deleted Thaine because Thaine is a title, not a name. WVS [63] [LoAR 26 Feb 82], p. 4 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.10.26 | The word khan was omitted, as it is a title and may not be used in a name. WVS [55] [LoAR 26 Oct 81], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.05.15 | He cannot be De Cruce de Rosas, as he is not a member of the Rosicrucians. WVS [17] [LoAR 15 May 80], p. 4 |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.11.11 | You may not use the nickname Dracul, as it is the name of an ancient award. (KFW, 11 Nov 77 [16], p. 9) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.08.11 | Pendragon is not a surname but a title, Chief of the Dragon (i.e., Wales). Even without the Red Dragon it would be unacceptable. (KFW, 11 Aug 77 [14], p. 7) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.10.29 | Take another surname. Chagan is a variant of Old Turkish khagan "king, sovereign." Khagan or Kha Khan, the Mongol variant, was rejected as a title by Temujin (Genghis-Khan), though his heirs used it. (KFW, 29 Oct 76 [9], p. 6) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.08.19 | [N. of Pretense.] It [his name] sounds like pretense to a throne. Let him find another way of saying he has theatrical interests. Spelling it -ce or -se is regional variation, not influencing meaning. (KFW, 19 Apr 76 13], p. 6) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.01.30 | "Khan" is a royal title and you may not use it. (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 12) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.01.30 | Please document the use of "Koenig," meaning "king," as a surname for non-royalty during our period. (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 69) |
| Harold Breakstone | 1971.03.07 | ['Abbas 'al-Rachid.] The device is acceptable, but the name is not; it means "Father of the Orthodox" and is one of the titles of the Caliph of Baghdad. (HB, 7 Mar 71 [14], p. 4) |
| Harold Breakstone | 1971.02.07 | N. of Pretense's arms ... are acceptable; his name is not. It sounds like pretender to the throne. (HB, 7 Feb 71 [12], p. 9) |
| Surnames/Bynames Implying Royal or Titled Descent | ||
| François la Flamme | 2003.02 | The byname Thegnson is presumptuous. As noted by Black Pillar:
This name is being returned for using a form of Thain as a byname, which has previously been prohibited: [Ulfgar Thegnson, 02/2003 LoAR, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | The byname bint al-Farees was submitted as meaning 'daughter of the horseman' with Farees being a hypothetical variant of Faris 'horseman'. However, Faris is listed as an Arabic form of 'knight' in "The List of Alternate Titles as Approved by the College of Arms" (http://heraldry.sca.org/titles.html). Therefore, this byname also means 'daughter of the knight' and violates RfS VI.1: "Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous." [Aliyah bint al-Farees, 01/2003 LoAR, R-Caid] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.03 | Submitted as Morwenna ferch y Pennaeth Ceinewydd, the name means Morwenna daughter of the chieftain of Ceinewydd. This, unfortunately, violates Rfs VI.1: Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous. We have therefore dropped the patronymic. [Morwenna Ceinewydd, 03/01, A-An Tir] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.06 | [Ieuan ab y Ddraig goch] The format of the name (it means "Ieuan, son of someone called `the Red Dragon'") is not as peculiar in Welsh as it might seem. It is possible to find examples of patronyms using the father's nickname rather than given name (often using the definite article) (the best example for this name as a whole, in fact, is that of the 13th century poet Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch "Gruffudd son of the Red Judge"). In spite of the appearance at first blush to pretention (the Red Dragon is one of the two premier national symbols of Wales), it isn't really correct to say that the byname is "presumptuous" in a technical sense because there is no evidence for it being used historically as a personal byname, and thus there can be no assumed importance attached to it. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, p. 4) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1994.08 | [registering the patronym Jarlsson] There was some discussion whether the byname was a pretentious claim ("son of the Jarl" ("Earl" or "Count")). Given the citation of the name Nils Jarlsson (dated 1355), and our clear rules on titles documented as names or name elements so long as there is "no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank" (RfS VI.1.), the use here is undoubtedly registrable. (Thorfinn Jarlsson, 8/94 p. 9) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.06 | [Registering Mark FitzRoy.] RfS VI.1. states that "Names documented to have been used in period may be used, even if they were derived from titles, provided there is no suggestion of territorial claim or explicit assertion of rank." FitzRoy meets that criteria. RfS VI.3. states that "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered." There is no implication of "identity with or close relationship to" any protected individual or character as used here. Consequently, the surname here is not considered pretentious. [6/94, p.8] |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.05.21 | [De (Place) y Aragon] The use of the place name of Aragon in this formation is essentially tantamount to a claim of descent from the Aragonese royal family and, as such, parallel usages have been returned for presumption before. (LoAR 21 May 89, p. 22) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | [ferch Ollam] "Ollam" is a rank of bard and is not appropriate for a patronymic in the Society. The submittor's own documentation defines the word to mean "a learned man of the highest rank" so that the use of the patronymic may be interpreted as a claim to rank and therefore fall afoul of NR13. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 12) |
| Bynames indicating a Nationality | ||
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.03 | This name uses the form "given name + kingdom", which was regularly used in Welsh to indicate a member of the ruling family of that kingdom. However, Laurel made the following ruling in registering Myfanwy Gwynedd in August 2001:
It seems reasonable to extend this precedent to Deheubarth. [Ieuan Deheubarth, 03/04, A-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2004.03 | Dalriada was submitted as an English name for a Gaelic kingdom that existed from the 5th C to the mid-9th C. Primarily, Dal Riada was the name of the tribe who inhabited this area. The name used to refer to this kingdom derives from the name of this tribe.
The fundamental problem with this name is that no evidence has been found that any of the Dal tribe names (Dal Riada, Dal Cais, Dal nAriade, et cetera) were used in personal names except as part of a ruler's title. For example, Donnchadh Ó Corráin & Mavis Cournane, ed., "The Annals of Ulster" (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100001/), entry U778.7, lists "Aedh Finn m. Echdach rex Dal Riati". The phrase "rex Dal Riati" indicates that Aedh was king of the Dal Riada. Lacking evidence that the name of anyone other than rulers would include a Dal tribe name, a byname such as the submitted of Dalriada, even in a Lingua Anglica form, is a claim to be a ruler of this tribe and so violates RfS VI.1 "Names Claiming Rank" which states that "Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous". [Robin of Dalriada, 03/2004, R-Drachenwald] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.11 | Since the byname inn danski means 'the Dane', there was a question regarding whether this name conflicts with the various kings of Denmark who were named Eric. There are precedents that address this situation:
[<name> Lietuvos, meaning <name> the Lithuanian] While prior Laurel precedent has returned the form '{Name} the {Nationality}', we do not find this presumptuous of the ruler of the country in the same way or to the same degree that, say, '{Name} of {Nation}' would. Hence, we do not find that this name conflicts with <name>, King of Lithuania. (LoAR 12/91 p.12).Therefore, the submitted name is not a conflict with these kings of Denmark. [Eiríkr inn danski, 11/01, A-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.08 | [Myfanwy Gwynedd] There is a Laurel precedent:
The evidence indicates that the usage "given name + kingdom name" is regularly used in Welsh to indicate a member of the ruling family of that kingdom (e.g., Owain Gwynedd). (LoAR 14 Jun 87, p. 6)However, more recent research (particularly Morgan & Morgan, p. 118 s. n. Gwynedd) has provided evidence of use of this byname by non-royals. As such, we are overturning that precedent and registering this name. [Myfanwy Gwynedd, 08/01, A-Meridies] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.12 | [<name> Lietuvos, meaning <name> the Lithuanian>] "While prior Laurel precedent has returned the form '{Name} the {Nationality}', we do not find this presumptuous of the ruler of the country in the same way or to the same degree that, say, '{Name} of {Nation}' would. Hence, we do not find that this name conflicts with <name>, King of Lithuania." (LoAR 12/91 p.12). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.11.26 | [One commenter] refers to a "long-standing ban on names of the form (ruler's name) of (place ruled). It is our understanding, however, that this ban is effective only down to the level of territorial duchies..." As far as we can determine, no such ban exists. While names implying rule over a sovereign entity are not permitted, importance is not determined sheerly by the rank of the individual in question. (LoAR 26 Nov 89, p. 30) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.07 | [Kate l'Engloise] Under the current policy set by Master Baldwin in the case of Wladislaw Poleski, this name is indeed a conflict with that of the Katharines, Queen of England. While both components of the name are acceptable, their conjunction causes a problem. Brigantia's statement that "we do not feel the name is presumptuous" does not really address the issues involved in the current policy sufficiently. (Kate l'Engloise, R-East, LoAR 07/89) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | [Malcolm the Scot] This name [does] in fact conflict with several kings of Scotland, most notably with the son of King Duncan mentioned on the letter of intent: it is this Malcolm who was proclaimed king after the death of MacBeth. (LoAR Aug 88, p. 17) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | The traditional position of the College [may be summarized as] "There is a long set of Precedents that say (monarch's name) of (monarch's place) or (monarch's name) the (monarch's nationality) are too evocative of that monarch." (LoAR Aug 88, p. 19 |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.06.14 | The evidence indicates that the usage "given name + kingdom name" is regularly used in Welsh to indicate a member of the ruling family of that kingdom (e.g., Owain Gwynedd). (LoAR 14 Jun 87, p. 6) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1986.05.18 | ["Wladislaw the Pole."] I have decided to err on the side of caution, and regard this as a conflict [with the several kings of Poland named Wladislaw]. It is not altogether reasonable, but it makes the rules simpler, and it makes it less likely that we will get burned by an artful piece of special pleading. [BoE, 16 Feb 86, p.10] [By this ruling, names of the construction [monarch's name] the [monarch's nationality] were disallowed.] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.07.14 | ["N. of Sicily-Castile".] It appears that this particular form of hyphenated surname is a designation used by modern historians to distinguish the different branches of a given royal house. According to Brigantia, "period practise would have been to link the two places with 'and' or 'et' or 'y' depending on the language. As a matter of fact ... this particular usage ... is nearly tantamount to claiming to be a member of the ruling family, if not the actual ruler, of the two places." [BoE, 14 Jul 85, p. 13] |
| Bynames Implying Powers (including Non-Human and Non-Human descent) | ||
| François la Flamme | 2004.02 | This name is being returned for issues with the byname sundafyllir. This byname was documented from Geirr Bassi (p. 28) as meaning 'sound-filler, able to fill a bay with fish by magic'.
Gunnvör silfrahárr provided further information regarding this byname:
Therefore, the current evidence shows that the byname sundafyllir is both unique and a claim to magical powers. As such, it violates RfS VI.2 "Names Claiming Powers", which states in part: [Rannveig sundafyllir, 02/2004, R-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.11 | [Household name Halir yórs] No evidence was presented, nor could any be found by the College, that a household name meaning 'Thor's men' or 'Thor's heroes' would be a reasonable name for a group of people in Old Norse. Also, no evidence was presented that Halir was a term that would be used to describe a group of people, nor that a group of people would be named after a god. Lacking documentation to address these two issues, this name does not meet the requirement in RfS III.2.b.iv that "Household names must follow the patterns of period names of organized groups of people."
In addition, many commenters expressed concern that this name might be presumptuous. In resubmission, the submitter should address whether this name is presumptuous. [Ragnarr Gunnarsson, 11/2003, R-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.05 | The submitter allowed no changes. Therefore, we were unable to put the byname Gyðja into lowercase to match the submitted documentation and to use standard transliteration conventions. (See the Cover Letter for the October 2002 LoAR for more information.)
Further, there was some question whether the byname gyðja was presumptuous. Geirr Bassi gives the meaning of this byname as 'priestess'. However, Metron Ariston noted that:
At this time, we are declining to rule whether use of gyðja is presumptuous. Any resubmission of this name that includes the element gyðja should address this issue. [Solveig Gyðja Christiansdottir, 05/2003 LoAR, R-Drachenwald] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | Belphoebe is a name unique to Spenser's The Faerie Queen. This character, the Fairie Queen, was an allegory for Elizabeth I. Belphoebe is unregisterable for two reasons. First, as it is allegorical, rather than being the name of a regular human character, it is not registerable as a name from period literature. Additionally, since Belphoebe was the name of the Faerie Queen, this name violates RfS VI.2, "Names containing elements that allude to powers that the submitter does not possess are considered presumptuous .... Such claims include ... given names that were never used by humans". [Belphoebe de Givet, 02/02, R-Atlantia] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.03 | The byname means Wizard and thus violates RfS VI.2: Names containing elements that allude to powers that the submitter does not possess are considered presumptuous. Barring evidence that he is a wizard, or that this byname was used by normal humans in period, we have to return this. [Dirk de Tovenaar. 03/01, R-Atenveldt] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.08 | The byname Kálsvísa, justified as a kenning based on the name of a legendary horse, has serious problems. No evidence was submitted that proper names appeared as kennings, that is, allusive names used primarily in scaldic poetry; the most the College could find was that names were used as parts of kennings. Furthermore, the argument presented in the submission does not address the issue of whether Kálsvísa as a name refers to a particular legendary individual in such a way that its use should be prohibited. It is also unclear whether the byname is a claim to superhuman powers and therefore presumptuous. [Kormákr Kálsvísa, 08/00, R-Atenveldt] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.07 | Submitted as Caecilie the Blessed, she requested an authentic German name. We have therefore changed the byname to a German one with the same meaning. �The question was raised in commentary whether the byname is presumptuous, as Blessed is the level just below Saint in the Catholic process of canonization. However, it has also been used as a byname both in England and in Germany at least since late 13th century. If the general public didn't find a problem with this in period, we are disinclined to see a problem now. [Caecilie Selig, 07/00, R-Meridies] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.07 | The byname as submitted has serious problems. Nur appears to be a modern given name (in use, for instance, by the current Queen Mother of Jordan), but we could not find evidence of its use as a period byname. Also, Salahuddin Ahmed's A Dictionary of Muslim Names, notes that al-Noor 'the Light' is one of the names of Allah, so the name appears to be presumptuous as well. [Naadira an-Noor, 07/00, R-Meridies] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1999.04 | [Snorri Bjarnarson] Submitted as Snorri Vatnsalfur Bjarnarson, Vatnsalfur was glossed as a constructed epithet meaning water-sprite. However, no documentation was presented to show it was an epithet that a human being would using. We have eliminated it in order to register the name and device. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR April 1999, p. 3) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.09 | [Acrisius Sospes] This is being returned for several reasons. � Finally, while the LoI glossed Sospes as meaning lucky, the primary use of the adjective, according to Lewis and Short's Latin Dictionary, is savior, in the religious sense of the word, and therefore not appropriate for SCA usage. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR September 1998) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.06 | [Freyia av Bergen] According to the LoI "[Lind's Norsk-Islandsk Personnamen col.283] has a reasonable entry for Freyia." This is not correct. While it is true that Freyia is found in Lind, the references are all to the Goddess, and not to a human being. Barring documentation that the given name was used by humans in our period as a given name, this name must be returned. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR, June 1998) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.01 | [Connor Blackthorne] Submitted as Connor Blackthorne the Gryphon., the byname falls afoul of RfS VI.2., "Names Claiming Powers. Names containing elements that allude to powers that the submitter does not possess are considered presumptuous. Society names may not claim divine descent, superhuman abilities, or other powers that the submitter does not actually possess." Unless he can prove he is a gryphon he may not claim to be one. We have dropped the byname in order to register the rest of the name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1998, p. 4) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.12 | Fáid means seer or prophet. Some doubts were raised in commentary about the appropriateness of such a byname. However, The Dictionary of the Irish Language glosses it in the same fashion as Druid. Since we would register [Name] the Druid, [Name] the seer or prophet is also acceptable. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR December 1997, p. 1) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.07 | [Ulf Thoreson] Submitted as Ulf Thorsen, no documentation was provided, not could anyone provide any, for the name Thor being used in Scandinavia in period for human beings. We have therefore, changed it to a similar, documentable Anglo�Scandinavian form. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR July 1997, p. 12) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.06 | [Kallikanzaros] This is being returned for violating RfS VI.2. Names Claiming Powers.
"Names containing elements that allude to powers that the submitter does not possess are considered presumptuous. Society names may not claim divine descent, superhuman abilities, or other powers that the submitter does not actually possess. Such claims include divine patronymics, like Vulcanson; epithets peculiarly associated with divinities or superhuman beings, such as of the Valkyrie; given names that were never used by humans, like the names of some Giants or Dwarves in Norse mythology; or descriptive epithets like Worldblaster." According to the submitter's own documentation, "the Callicantzari were originally not demons but men--men who either voluntarily or under the compulsion of a kind of madness chose or were forced to assume the shape and the character of beasts." A functional equivalent to this would be Alexander the Werewolf. Assuming the shape or character of a beast is not a power (we hope) that the submitter possesses. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR June 1997, p. 11) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.05 | [returning Freyja the Cunning] There is no documentation for the name Freya/Freyja being used for anyone but the Goddess in our period. SCA given names must be given names used by Human beings in our period. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR May 1997, p. 9) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.05 | The most common meaning for "phoenix" in period was to denote the most definitely non-human avian who symbolized the self-regeneration of the soul. While this might make an appropriate byname, we feel that is inappropriate for a given name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR May 1997, p. 11) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.04 | This name was meant to mean in Gaelic, Síle the Unseen or Invisible. There are two problems with this, each of which is grounds for return. First, the Gaelic for unseen/invisible was incorrectly constructed. More importantly this is not a reasonable byname. No one could come up with any parallels in period names. Therefore, without some period support for the semantic content of the byname, this runs afoul of VI.2. "Names Claiming Powers - Names containing elements that allude to powers that the submitter does not possess are considered presumptuous. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR April 1997, p. 25) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.01 | [Prydwen ferch Bledig] Prydwen is given in the form that Gruffudd uses for modern names; it is also clearly described as the name of Arthur's ship. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1997, p. 21) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.01 | Arianrhod ferch Don, the personage named in the cited documentation, is mythological; no one has been able to present any evidence that the name has been found in use by actual human beings in period. Without such evidence, the name may not be used in an SCA name. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1997, p. 15) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.10 | [registering the locative of Ragnars Rock] There should be no confusion with Ragnarök; it is not a place and therefore could not appear in a locative byname. (Ragnar of Ragnars Rock, 10/95 p. 4) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda | 1995.06 | [Wodenes Wornas] OE worn is `large amount, number; troop, company, multitude, crowd; progeny'; the household name could be Odin's troops, Odin's company, or Odin's children. Though a number of the OE and Germanic royal lines claimed ultimate descent from Woden, such claim appears to be limited to royal families; inappropriate for use in the SCA. (See also, for example, the November 1993 return of the household name of one Da'ud ibn Auda for Bayt al-Da'ud, David's house. "Per RfS V.5., "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a specific person or literary character will not be registered." As Master Bruce noted, any claim of relationship -- be it "house of David", "descendants of David", or "drinking buddies of David" -- will run afoul of this Rule." (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR 11/94) If we wouldn't register "descendants of David", we should not register "troops/children of Woden" for the same reasons.) (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, pp. 26-27) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.06 | Submitted as Dionysos [N], the documentable name is Dionysios ("consecrated to Dionysos"); the submitted form was only used as the name of the God. We have substituted the documented form here. [It seems, after all, to make more than an iota's worth of difference. J] (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, p. 13) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.11 | [Vitki] "The byname is disallowed under RFS VI.2, Names Claiming Powers. You may not style yourself 'the wizard' in the Society." (LoAR 11/91 p.18). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.07 | [le Fey] "The appeal of this name has sufficiently documented the use of le Fey as a surname by people well within Period. The surname le Fey is acceptable for registration provided there are no other allusions to elves or faerie in the name or armory." (LoAR 7/91 p.9). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.11 | [Guild of the Enchanted Needle] "We have serious qualms about registering 'enchanted' anythings. See RfS VI.2., Names Claiming Powers." [Guild name returned also because no personal name was registered] (LoAR 11/90 p.16). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1990.04.29 | [Branstock, Shire of] By the submittors' own documentation, Branstock is the name of a specific mythological item ... being a distinctive feature of [a] distinctive building. The derivation of the name is closely associated with this legend. Clearly, this is a variant of the same northern folk myth which gave rise to the sword in the stone of Arthurian legend. If we would not be willing to register the Shire of Excalibur or the Shire of Valhalla, we cannot register this name. (LoAR 29 Apr 90, p. 17) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.09.30 | [de Fay] This is a documented French family name that alludes to an abode by a beech tree, not the form with the simple article (e.g., "le Fee") which has been returned for appearance of claim to non-human origins. (LoAR 30 Sep 89, p. 3) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.05.21 | [(Name) le Fey] Although [the principal herald] provided at least one period citation for the use of "le Fey", not every name usage which was permitted in period is allowed in the Society because of the associations that a majority of the populace would place on the name.... In this case, the feeling among the commentors and Laurel staff was just too great that the populace would interpret this byname as a claim to non-human origins. (LoAR 21 May 89, p. 21) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.04.23 | [von Nordlichten] You cannot be "from the Northern Lights", as this would imply more than human status. (LoAR 23 Apr 88, p. 20) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.12.19 | [(Name) la Libra] You cannot claim to be an astrological sign, which is what this name does. (LoAR 19 Dec 87, p. 18) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | Caer Aranrhod ("Castle of Aranrhod", the Welsh moon goddess) is the usual name for the Corona Borealis. Neither the abode of a goddess nor a constellation are usual places for a human to come from and these are the interpretations which the average Society member would put on the place of origin, not the obscure reef whose name is derived from the older legendary locations. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 10) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.08 | [Scathach Faol] O Corrain and Maguire, (p. 162), Gaelic Personal Names, cited in the letter of intent, notes two usages of the given name, both for apparently for non-humans: "In the Ulster tales, Scathach is the female warrior, clearly an Otherword personage, who taught Cuchulainn the use of weapons. In the Finn tales, Scathach, daughter of Enna, lulls Finn to sleep with magic music in a fairy mound." Evidence for the name's use by humans is required. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 13) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1986.09.27 | The name was submitted as Draco of Nolava. [It was] acutely pointed out that this "made-up" place name is merely Avalon spelled backwards. By itself this would be dicey since Avalon has been held before to be out of the human bourne, but in conjunction with the name Draco it is "right out". (LoAR 27 Sep 86, p. 7) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1986.03.09 | We have just discovered, to our considerable chagrin, that roane is the Gaelic name for a seal; and more specifically, a skin-changer akin to the silkie. (Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, pp.340-341) Unless it can also be shown that Roane was used as a given name (in period), "ni Roane" is a claim to non-human ancestry. [BoE, 9 Mar 86, p.9] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.12.16 | [Laurelyn FitzGalen of Longwood] Laurelin is the younger of the Two Trees of Valinor, and is no longer an acceptable Society name. Of the two instances on record, LAURELLYN OF ISSTARR was approved prior to the publication of The Silmarillion, and LAURELYN DARKSBANE was passed as a hardship case. [BoE, 16 Dec 84, p.14] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.10.26 | You may not use the name of a deity unless it passed into common use as a given name in period. WVS [55] [LoAR 26 Oct 81], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.08.13 | Made-up names must now be consistent with period naming practices and must satisfy all of the other rules on names. Therefore, if a person makes up a name and it turns out that, quite by coincidence, it is also the name of a god, a place, or a surname, then the made-up name will not be acceptable. It doesn't matter how you arrived at the name: it still must pass all of the other rules. WVS [49] [CL 13 Aug 81], p. 3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.04.20 | Este is the name of [one of the] Valar in Middle Earth and thus may not be used. WVS [40] [LoAR 20 Apr 81], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.23 | You cannot use names of Middle Earth or Norse dwarves. They were not human. WVS [34] [LoAR 23 Jan 81], p. 9 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.12.29 | You cannot be a centaur. You cannot use centaur as a surname. WVS [32] [LoAR 29 Dec 80], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.11.28 | Melkor was the Middle Earth version of Satan. This name may not be used. WVS [30] [LoAR 28 Nov 80], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.09.16 | The rule of the College is that a place name must be a place primarily inhabited by ordinary mortals, not a place where occasionally a mortal was invited to visit. I point out that Dante visited Hades and Arthur dwells on Avalon, and yet neither is acceptable. Caer Pedryvan is a famous Castle of the Otherworld, and so is not acceptable as a place name in the SCA. The claim to come from such a place would be to imply either that you were non-mortal, or that you were a hero, since in Celtic mythology anyone coming from such a place would be treated as an extra-ordinary person worthy of great respect. This is too presumptuous. Please take the name of a real place. WVS [25] [LoAR 16 Sep 80], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.07.21 | You cannot be N. Starfarer as that does come too close to implying non-mortal abilities ... I suggest that you consider the name N. Starfollower. which sounds similar, means essentially what you want your name to mean, and is acceptable to the College. WVS [21] [LoAR 21 Jul 80], p. 14 |
| Karina of the Far West | 1979.06.30 | [N. Thorsson.] Between the patronymic and the charge [a hammer], no way. We are all mortals here and none of us can claim to have a god for a father unless he can prove it, and we take a lot of convincing (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 66) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1979.06.30 | [N. Starfarer.] A seafarer travels seas; a starfarer travels stars. This implies abilities beyond those of mortals, at least in our period. (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 77) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1978.08.17 | Llyr is a Celtic god; you cannot claim to be his son. (KFW, 17 Aug 78 [21], p. 7) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1978.08.17 | Of course he can't be "Odinsson" without proof of his parentage. (A few ash leaves in midwinter?) (KFW, 17 Aug 78 [21], p. 9) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.11.11 | "De Danann" implies immediate descent from the Goddess we are all human beings in the Society. (KFW, 11 Nov 77 [16], p. 9) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.08.11 | [Lindisir von Nifelheim] Nifelheim is not a land inhabited by mortals. (KFW, 11 Aug 77 [14], p. 5) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.06.16 | [N. Thorsen.] In medieval Scandinavian usage, this means that his father's given name was Thor, which was not the practice. Compounds such as Thorgeir, Thorkild, etc., were used. Modern Thorson is a contraction of Thorgeirsson, Thorkildsson, etc. Note that the s is doubled. (KFW, 16 Jun 76 [6], p. 11) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1976.06.16 | Surname "Halfelven" REJECTED without proof of parentage (KFW, 16 Jun 76 [6], p. 9) |
| Ioseph of Locksley | 1974.07.31 | [Azarael the Soul Separator.] I doubt very much that the Islamic Angel of Death has joined the Society. Change it! (IoL, 31 Jul 74 [77], p. 1) |
| Harold Breakstone | 1972.07.05 | [N. Odinsson.] Let him submit a history form documenting whose son he is, or change his name. (HB, 5 Aug 72 [56], p. 1) |
| Harold Breakstone | 1971.04.25 | [N. of Valinor.] The first name is acceptable, but Valinor is the habitation of angels. Let him choose a mortal land. (RoH, 25 Apr 71 [17], p. 2) |
| Harold Breakstone | 1970.12.02 | Nirriti, so called, cannot call himself thus ... Let him be told: Change your name or the Lord of Light will be very unhappy with you. (HB, 2 Dec 70 [9], p. 2) |
| Combining a Given Name with Specific Bynames | ||
| François la Flamme | 2002.02 | There was some question whether this name conflicts with Caspar, one of the three Magi, since Withycombe (s.n. Jasper) says that "Jasper is the usual English form of Gaspar or Caspar, which was the traditional name of one of the Three Kings (Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar) into whom medieval legend transformed the 'wise men' who came to Bethlehem to worship the infant Christ." RfS V.3 "Names Claiming Specific Relationships" states "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered ... In some cases a unique name, surname, or epithet is so closely related to an individual that its use alone can imply relationship to that individual." The question is whether this name unmistakably implies identity with Caspar. Jasper is dated to 1370 in Withycombe (p. 173 s.n. Jasper) as an English given name. Wiseman is listed in Reaney & Wilson (p. 497 s.n. Wiseman). This entry dates the spellings Wisman to 1154 and Wyseman to 1471. Neither Jasper nor Wiseman are unique to the member of the Magi and so do not imply identity with him when used on their own. Therefore, this name is clear of the restriction in RfS V.3. The question now becomes whether the submission conflicts with Caspar as a submission of Henry England would conflict with any of the kings of England named Henry. Though the group is routinely referred to as the Magi, The Three Kings, or The Three Wise Men, the individuals are not referred to as Caspar the Wise Man or Caspar Magus. Therefore, the submitted name does not conflict with a form of Caspar's name and this submission is registerable. [Jasper Wiseman, 02/02, A-Atlantia] (Editor's note: RfS section number was typoed in this ruling. It should be VI.3 rather than V.3.) |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.07 | While the given name would be registerable as her real-world middle name, the name as a whole has serious problems. As early as the excavations by the monks of Glastonbury in 1191, there was an association between Glastonbury Tor and Isle of Avalon or Avallon where Arthur was said to be buried. As this association has continued to the present day, we should be very careful about using the locative Glastonbury in any context where we would not happily use Avalon; after all, the two have been seen as the same place from the twelfth century on. Looking at another twelfth-century work, the Vita Merlini, which was written in verse around 1150 and is generally attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth (author of the History of the Kings of Britain), we see Morgen as the ruler of the Isle of Apples (i.e., Avalon).
All in all, the name is tantamount to a claim to be Morgan le Fay and therefore falls afoul our rules against presumption. [Morgaine of Glastonbury, 07/00, R-An-Tir] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.05 | [Returning Alastar the Arcane and Sable, two skulls and a mandrake, a bordure argent.] [W]hile the name does not in any way conflict with that of Aleister Crowley, the early twentieth-century writer on "Magick", the combination of given name, byname, and device certainly reminded more than half the commenters of him. Given the volume of that reaction, I believe that RfS I.3. (Inappropriate Claims) applies here [specifically with regard to name and armory combinations]. [5/94, p.15] |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1992.10 | [Rhiannon de Licorne] "It is a long-standing policy that the name Rhiannon may not be coupled with horses or unicorns, in view of Rhiannon's function as a horse goddess." [AmCoE, 27 Sept 86] (Rhiannon de Licorne of Carreg Cennen, October, 1992, pg. 27) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1992.05 | "The biggest problem, however, is the combination of a Merlin-variant name with 'of the oak' in any language is an excessive reference to the Merlin of Arthurian legend." (LoAR 5/92 p.21). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1991.02 | [Rhiannon of the Hollow Lands] "The name is simply too evocative of the Welsh Goddess Rhiannon, who rode out of the Gorsedd Arberth, a hill (resumably hollow) with supernatural properties." (LoAR 2/91 p.20). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.12.31 | [Talena of Evenstar] Under the old rules "Talena", which the submitter stated was invented, would have had to be returned because of its association with Pern. That is not a problem in and of itself. However, the byname raised a number of twitches with the college with its overtones of non-human origin. The use of the given name with this particular byname also created severe twitches amongst the Dragonflight devotees in view of the association of the star with the Threads. (LoAR 31 Dec 89, p. 21) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | [(Given) Grailseeker] The name cause significant twitches, but seem permissible in light of the absence of any (Given) in the context of the Arthurian Grail quest. (LoAR Aug 88, p. 9) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.11.28 | [Gwenhyfar le Wita] The most serious problem with the name, however, is the implications which come from linking the name Gwenevere with a term like "wita" which could so easily be associated with Arthur's queen. Although the name [Gwenevere] was used by other ladies in period and is licit for Society use, the contexts in which it is used must be carefully examined in order to avoid offense. [Guinevere the White is presumptuous] (LoAR 28 Nov 87, p. 11) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.03.29 | [Thora av Asgardur] This is, unfortunately, a case where context makes this name unacceptable. Thora is a perfectly good Norse theophoric name and has been registered in the past. The submittor also provided maps showing that Asgardur is, on modern maps at least, a location in Iceland.... However, to almost everyone in the Society Asgard (Old Norse Asgardr) means but one thing: the home of the gods in the Scandinavian pantheon. This is just not an acceptable "home town" for someone in the Society. That this place name is combined with a name which differs by only one letter from that of one of the most prominent of the Aesir only makes the twitches produced by the name more pronounced. (LoAR 29 Mar 87, p. 22) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.03.29 | [Merlin Strongbow the Incomparable] We found we could accept Merlin Strongbow, but felt that Merlin the Incomparable, no matter how it was otherwise modified, was "too much". (LoAR 29 Mar 87, p. 5) |
| Combining a Name with a Charge (or other Armory element) | ||
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.04 | [Per bend sinister gules and sable, a lion rampant within an orle of lozenges argent] The question was raised in commentary whether this combination of name and armory could constitute a presumptuous claim to be Edward Dymoke, Royal Champion at the Coronations of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I. This issue was based largely on an online picture of Edward Dymoke (for which the URL was supplied), showing him riding an armorially barded horse. After careful visual study of the online picture, we have concluded that the armory on the horse's barding is (field), a lion passant within an orle of lozenges argent. The appearance of a "lion rampant" seems to be an optical illusion, resulting from a fold in the fabric and some odd angles of perspective. Therefore this combination of name and armory is not a presumptuous combination (as referred to in RfS XI.2). [Edward Dymoke, 04/04, A-Lochac] |
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.04 | [Per fess argent and azure, a saltire engrailed counterchanged overall a sword inverted and in chief a rose gules] This violates RfS XI.2, Charge and Name Combinations, in accordance with the following precedent which we reaffirm at this time: "As one may not combine the White Rose of York and the name of York, it is forbidden to combine the Red Rose of Lancaster with the use of the name Lancaster." (29 Mar 1987, R-Outlands, Rebecca of Lancaster p. 21) [Michael of Lancaster, 04/04, R-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | Some commenters mentioned a possible issue of presumption due the combination of the name and the device. According to their research, there is a story of Merlin seeing a vision of a battle between red and white dragons in a pool, symbolizing the struggle between the Saxons and the Britons. Merlin was also known as Ambrose or Emrys. The LoAR of August 1992 stated:
This precedent has been extended to mythological figures other than deities. Since Emrys is a period given name, one allusion is not presumptuous, and may be accepted. [Emrys Tudur, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | [Name and device. Per pale azure and gules, a gauntlet argent sustaining the dexter half of a spear fracted in chevron point to sinister Or.]
The Letter of Intent noted that the charge group on the device resembled the Carmichael crest, which (per Way of Plean and Squire's Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia) is A dexter hand and arm in pale armed and holding a broken spear Proper. Some commenters wondered if this would be a presumption problem in combination with the surname. The September 2002 LoAR (Áedán mac Bheathain, Outlands acceptances) stated:
In this case, the Carmichael badge is even less like the Carmichael crest than was the case in the previous ruling, as the crest and badge share no charges at all. The Carmichael badge is, A horse of war Argent furnished Gules within a circular wreath Azure and Gules. It was suggested by some commenters that many Scottish clan books display the clan crest in a strap and buckle, and that this form might be familiar to the average SCA person, thus leading to presumption due to a combination of the name and armory (even though we do not generally protect crests). It is important to note that the clan books in question invariably display these crests within a strap and buckle. The insignia with the crest in a strap and buckle would presumably be the design that might cause a presumption "twitch" in the populace, not the design of a crest without the strap and buckle. We also hope that those who are so familiar with the contents of clan books that they might perceive possible presumption would also be familiar with the appropriate uses of clan crests and badges. It would not be real-world Scottish clan practice for a clan chief to display the clan crest on a field and use it as a device. Thus this is neither a use of insignia heraldically suggestive of rank, nor is it insignia which is so commonly seen by the populace as to cause offense. It is allusive, but not presumptuous. [Adam Carmychel, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Outlands] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.03 | The appeal is correct that the pair of death's heads would not automatically bring to mind twins, but when associated with the given name Gemini the connection is made by many. The following precedent is applicable in this situation.
Combining the name, the pair of death's heads, and the Roman numeral two (which strongly resembles the astrological sign for Gemini) is highly allusive of both the constellation Gemini and the myth of Castor and Pollux, but it is not presumptuous. [Gemini de Grendel, 03/2003, A-West] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.01 | [in sinister base a wyvern in annulo argent]
The charge in base here is evocative of the insignia of the real-world Society of the Dragon. The submitter's byname also implies membership in that Society. According to Boulton, Knights of the Crown p. 352, We know that Vlad II, Prince of Wallachia, was received into the Society [of the Dragon] in January or February 1431, and was thereafter known as "Dracul" 'the Dragon'; his son Vlad Draculea 'the Dragon's Son', was the historic Dracula. Some members of Laurel staff inquired whether this submission was therefore presumptuous. At the most general level of consideration, please note that there are no existing precedents which state that the implication of membership in a real-world chivalric order is a reason for return for presumption. Such a membership is not apparently a sufficient claim "to status or powers that the submitter does not possess" (RfS I.3) to require return for presumption, nor is it likely to "cause offense to a significant segment of the Society" (RfS I.3). In the case of this particular submission, presumption was not raised as an issue in primary commentary, but only at the Wreath meeting and during subsequent LoAR proofreading. Therefore, it is probably safe to say that "a significant segment of the Society" is not bothered by this implication. It has not been demonstrated that members of any medieval chivalric order would incorporate charges from that order's insignia into their arms to show their membership in the order. Therefore, any possible pretense in this submission would have to be implicit in the byname alone. This byname is grandfathered to the submitter from his previous registration. The "twitch factor" is lessened further when one notes the charge in base is only similar to the insignia of the Society of the Dragon, not identical to it. Boulton's Knights of the Crown indicates that the insignia of the Society of the Dragon is always tinctured Or (not argent, as here). The dragon or wyvern of the Society of the Dragon is always associated with a red cross, which is either charged on the back of the dragon or found elsewhere in the insignia. There is no red cross on this armory. [Ugo Dracul, 01/02, A-Caid] |
| François la Flamme | 2001.10 | From Wreath: Presumption Due to Name and Armory Combination
This month's submissions for Kieran Hunter and Brienus Holebroc raised questions concerning name and armory presumption. Rules for Submission XI states, "Armory may not claim status or powers the submitter does not possess, as is required by General Principle 3b of these rules. This section defines categories of presumptuous armorial claims." RfS XI.2 states: "Charge and Name Combination. Armory that asserts a strong claim of identity in the context of the submitter's name is considered presumptuous".
In both this month's submissions, the question was: is there a presumptuously strong claim of identity, implying status or powers the submitter does not possess, when the submitter's name and device resembles the name and device of a real-world armiger whose arms are not protected by the SCA? In the vast majority of cases, an SCA Alan Smith could bear the exact same arms as a real-world, but unprotected, Alan Smith. This is true even if the real-world armiger is found in a standard heraldic source such as Papworth's Ordinary of British Armorials, Burke's Peerage or Fox-Davies' A Complete Guide to Heraldry. In order for there to be presumption, it must be demonstrated that a significant number of SCA members would find that the name and arms combination claimed "status or powers the submitter does not possess". In some cases, a significant number of SCA members will recognize, and find presumptuous, a combination of real-world name and arms, even if the use of the name or arms alone would be innocuous. Such possible cases of presumption will have to be determined, as they have been so far in the College of Arms, on a case by case basis. Note that if a real-world coat of arms is not considered important enough to protect in the SCA, a CD will certainly suffice to remove any problem of presumption due to the combination of name and armory. In Kieran Hunter's submission, it was ruled that there is presumption in a case where the arms have no difference from that of a Scottish Clan Chief, and the surname of the submitter matches the Clan Chief's surname. While either the name or arms could be registered alone, the combination implies a status that the submitter does not possess, and is presumptuous. As stated above, one CD will remove the presumption due to name and arms combination. [10/01, CL] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.01 | [Yasha Ivanovich Romanoff] [returning the name Yasha Ivanovich Romanoff and the device Argent, a double-headed eagle displayed gules maintaining in each claw an egg, charged on the breast with an Orthodox cross Or, in chief a beribboned egg gules charged with a mullet of eight points Or.] The issue of presumptuousness was raised in regards to the entire submission. It is our opinion that if the name was registerable the entire submission would violate XI.2. Presumptuous Armory....The problem here is not any one charge, but the combination of everything. The name, the eagle, the cross and the egg push this submission over the edge. [The submission was returned for this reason, as well as separate problems with the name and device.] (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR January 1998, p. 18) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.02 | This specifically overturns the old precedent (set during the tenure of Karina of the Far West) that one may not combine the name Corwin with a unicorn in the armory. "For those names that are well documented as period human names, that also happen to be the names of gods, one armorial allusion to the god will no longer be considered excessive." (Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, LoAR October 1992, p. 27) By this registration, we add to that allowance the combination of Corwin and a unicorn. (Corwin Breakshield, 2/96 p. 4) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.01 | [Cerridwen Maelwedd] Several commenters stated some concern about the use of the name Cerridwen with a charge which could be perceived as a moon. However, even had the crescent been a moon, the standard in effect is excessive allusion, not just allusion. To paraphrase Baron Bruce when he instituted this more relaxed standard: One allusion to the name is not considered excessive, two allusions may be, three or more is probably right out. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR January 1995, p. 1) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.03 | [Registering a seahorse to a person named Rhiannon.] This brings the name Rhiannon within the scope of Master Bruce's ruling that "one allusion to a deity is acceptable when the name of the deity was also used by humans in period". [3/94, p.4] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1993.12a | The submitter's original submission with a unicornate horse's head was returned in September 1986 for the use of the name Rhiannon combined with a horse or unicorn on the armory. Her resubmission, with a unicornate horse's head, was returned in February 1991 for the use of the name Rhiannon combined with a horse or unicorn on the armory. This is now being returned in November 1993 for the use of the name Rhiannon combined with a horse or unicorn on the armory. [12a/93, p.22] |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1993.05 | Fionnula, in Irish legend, was one of the children of Lir who was transformed into a swan. However, as the name was much used by humans in late period, the combination of Fionnula with a swan is not an excessive reference to the legend; see the LoAR of Aug 92, p.17. (Deirdre ni Fhionnula, May, 1993, pg. 4) Logan seems acceptable as an anglicization of the Irish Locân, Leogán (Logan Hawkwood, May, 1993, pg. 12) |
| Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme | 1992.12 | [Christopher of York] The use of the white rose of York with the byname of York has been disallowed since the LoAR of 11 Nov 77; it is currently found as one of our prohibited name/charge combinations. |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.12 | [Luna] "The LoI established 'a strong pattern of use of a class of words {in this case the names of Roman deities} as given names' (see RfS II.3.b). Based on this pattern we believe Luna to be acceptable. While the use of the decrescent with the given name is allusive, we do not believe that the name and charge combination is so excessively allusive as to require return." (LoAR 12/91 p.7). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.07 | [le Fey] "The appeal of this name has sufficiently documented the use of le Fey as a surname by people well within Period. The surname le Fey is acceptable for registration provided there are no other allusions to elves or faerie in the name or armory." (LoAR 7/91 p.9). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1991.01 | "The name MacLeer ('son of Leer') should not be used in connection with sea symbology because it will appear to be a claim to descent from the sea god Lir." (LoAR 1/91 p.27). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1990.07.17 | [MacLear] The symbolism of the seahorse and trident are excessive taken in context with the patronymic since they suggest a claim that the submittor is the son of the Irish god of the sea ("Lir" or "Lear"). (LoAR 17 Jun 90, p. 13) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.06 | "The name Olwen may not be combined with the use of trefoils on armory." (LoAR 6/90 Symposium p.1) "There is some evidence of Bruce being used as a given name in period (Sir Bruce sans Pit� in Malory's Morte d'Arthur)." (LoAR 6/90 Symposium p.1). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.11.26 | The standing precedent in the College (stated by Baldwin of Erebor, February, 1985) dictates that the name Corwin may not be used in conjunction with roses of any tincture. (LoAR 26 Nov 89, p. 35) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.08.27 | While there can be (and has been) some debate as to whether the name "Olwen" is the unique perquisite of the lady with the unusual powers in Welsh myth, certainly the conjunction of the trefoils with the name is excessive, given the origin of the name itself in her stated power of "perfloration". (The Laurel staff really liked that terminology for the ability to have clovers spring from your footprints!) (LoAR 27 Aug 89, p. 26) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.03.19 | [Rioghbhardan (a documented given which means "royal bard"), and on the device a rainbow and a harp] The harp is problematic when taken with the given name. At least one herald also found the rainbow to contain an allusion to senior bardic circles, since only the most senior bards were allowed to wear seven colours (such as are contained in the natural rainbow). [Name registered, device returned] (LoAR 19 Mar 88, p. 15) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.02.21 | [Llew ap Nuada] The given name Llew has previously been ruled to be ineligible for use in the Society since it is the name of a Welsh demi-god. Although Nuadha has been used as the name of several ecclesiastics in period, it is best known as the name of the ancient Irish lord of the Otherworld, who appears in the early genealogies of many Irish noble families (much as Mars appeared in the genealogies of the Romans). Used in conjunction with the name of a Welsh demi-god with stars and a silver sword in the device, this is clearly not acceptable (one of the primary attributes of Nuadha Silverhand was a magical sword of great power). (LoAR 21 Feb 88, p. 12) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.09.27 | The name Idunn may not be used with apples any more than Rhiannon may be used with horses. (LoAR 27 Sep 87, p. 11) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.03.29 | [Rebecca of Lancaster] As one may not combine the White Rose of York and the name of York, it is forbidden to combine the Red Rose of Lancaster with the use of the name Lancaster." (Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane, LoAR 29 March 1987, p. 21) |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.06.09 | The name of the Welsh goddess Rhiannon should not be used in conjunction with horses or birds, both of which are strongly associated with her in legend. [BoE, 9 June 85, p.1] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1985.03.10 | The name Ceridwen should not be used in conjunction with a cauldron or kettle -- the cauldron of Ceridwen was the fount of poetry and knowledge. [BoE, 10 Mar 85, p.16] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.11.07 | On [a previous ruling, 28 Sept 84] ... I stated that the name Elphin would appear to be acceptable "so long as the device does not contain any of the symbols commonly associated with elves." This is a more restrictive statement than I had intended; "reeking of eldarin symbolism" is more like it. A single compass star doth not an elvish stench make. [BoE, cvr ltr, 7 Nov 84, p.2] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.09.28 | The name Attila may not be used in conjunction with a white stag, in the name or the device. The mythological connection between Attila the Hun and the Great White Stag is too strong. [BoE, 28 Sept 84, p.15] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.09.28 | Given the entry for St. Elphin in the Oxford Dictionary of Saints, this would appear to be an acceptable given name, so long as the device does not contain any of the symbols commonly associated with elves. [BoE, 28 Sept 84, p.17] |
| Baldwin of Erebor | 1984.08.28 | The consensus was that the name Arachne, which appears to be associated uniquely with the character from Greek mythology, should not be used in conjunction with spiders. [BoE, 28 Aug 84, p.3] |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.02.26 | [Rhiannon.] A Book of Welsh Names, by Trefor Rendell Davies (London: Sheppard Press, 1952), lists Rhiannon as a common Welsh given name. Therefore, even though it is the name of a goddess, it may be used so long as the name and the device sufficiently differentiate the person from the goddess. WVS [63] [LoAR 26 Feb 82], p. 6 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.01.18 | [Merloren the Hermit.] She dropped the druidical symbols she had before (moon and owl). Since she is a woman, this plus the different spelling is now just barely enough difference from Merlin, who was a famous hermit. I would not have allowed a man to have this name. WVS [61] [LoAR 17-18 Jan 82], p. 2 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.07.29 | Diana was the goddess of the moon and of wild animals (including the horse). Rhiannon was a Celtic goddess also linked to the moon and specifically to a white horse. Coupled with the white horse's head, crescent and stars, this is a clear claim to divinity, and is thus not allowed. WVS [48] [LoAR 29 Jul 81], p. 11 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.08.27 | [Pellinore.] The device is acceptable but the name is not in conjunction with the device. You must either change the word Pellinore or else use a different charge other than the questing beast. The combination of Pellinore and a questing beast is too much of a conflict with King Pellinore. If you want to use a famous name of a mortal you must not only difference from the famous person by the rest of the Society name, but also you must avoid any further reference to the famous person in the device. WVS [23] [LoAR 27 Aug 80], p. 7 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.01.22 | Only a mundane M.D. [can be] "the Healer." WVS [9] [LoAR 22 Jan 80], p. 3 |
| Karina of the Far West | 1979.06.30 | [N. Thorsson.] Between the patronymic and the charge [a hammer], no way. We are all mortals here and none of us can claim to have a god for a father unless he can prove it, and we take a lot of convincing (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 66) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1979.06.30 | You can't have the Eddystone Light in your name AND your arms! (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 59) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1978.11.20 | If the name Corwin is used, do not use a unicorn. (KFW, 20 Nov 78 [23], p. 1) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.11.11 | You may not combine the White Rose and the surname "of York." We understand where your sympathies lie, but you are claiming too much for yourself. (KFW, 11 Nov 77 [16], p. 8) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.08.18 | The name Morgana, taken with the mullet voided, implies magic. (KFW, 18 Aug 77 [15], p. 3) |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.08.11 | Pendragon is not a surname but a title, Chief of the Dragon (i.e., Wales). Even without the Red Dragon it would be unacceptable. (KFW, 11 Aug 77 [14], p. 7) |
| Names that imply a relationship with an already registered name or a protected individual | ||
| François la Flamme | 2003.10 | The name Ranulf fitzStephen de Acre was registered in July 2000. The currently submitted name, Stephen of Acre, is effectively a claim to be Ranulf's father. As a result, this submission is in violation of RfS VI.3, "Names Claiming Specific Relationships", which states: "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered." [Stephen of Acre, 10/2003, R-Middle] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.08 | Listed on the LoI as Natal'ia Dieka zhena Raynovicha, the form showed that this name was submitted as Natal'ia Dieka zhena Rabynovicha. We have made this correction.
The submitter has a letter of permission for her name to presume a relationship with Diek Rabynovich, registered earlier in this LoAR. When indicating a 'wife of' relationship in a woman's name in Russian in period, her husband's given name takes on the same form as it would in a patronymic. For example, Wickenden (3rd ed., p. 202 s.n. Mariia) dates Mar'itsa Fedorova zhena Neelova to 1538-9. Therefore, a name meaning that Natal'ia is the wife of Diek Rabynovich would take the form Natal'ia Diekova zhena Rabynovicha. We have made this correction in order to register this name. [Natal'ia Diekova zhena Rabynovicha, 08/2003 LoAR, A-Atenveldt] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.05 | Note: she has a letter of permission for her name to presume a relationship with Tvorimir Danilov. [Ed. Note: the construction indicates she's the wife of Tvorimir Danilov] [Elena Tvorimirova zhena Danilova, 05/2003 LoAR, A-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | As submitted this name claims relationship with Rhys ap Dafydd (registered in November 2000), and so violates RfS VI.3 Names Claiming Specific Relationships, which states in part, "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person [...] will generally not be registered." Dropping ap Dafydd from this name would bring this name into conflict with Gwenllian ferch Rhys (registered in June 1994). Any other changes that could be made (such as changing one of the elements entirely, or adding an element to this name) were felt to be more than a major change. Therefore, we are returning this name. The submitter may wish to know that simply reversing Rhys and Dafydd in this name would cause a claim of relationship with Dafydd ap Rhys (registered in October 1986), though Gwenllian ferch Dafydd seems to be clear at this time. Options the submitter may wish to consider is changing either her father's name or her grandfather's name, or adding an element (such as a descriptive byname) to this name. [Gwenllian ferch Rhys ap Dafydd, 04/2003 LoAR, R-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | Submitted as Onóra inghean Bhriain uí Chonchobhair, the submitter requested authenticity for Irish. As submitted, this name claimed relationship with Brian O'Conor (registered in June 1995), and so violated RfS VI.3 Names Claiming Specific Relationships, which states in part, "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person [...] will generally not be registered." The submitted name Onóra inghean Bhriain uí Chonchobhair means 'Onóra daughter [of] Brian Ó Conchobhair'. Brian Ó Conchobhair is the Early Modern Gaelic (c. 1200 to c. 1700) form of the name Brian O'Conor, both of which have nearly identical pronunciations. Therefore, the submitted name claims to be the daughter of Brian O'Conor and so is not registerable without a letter of permission from Brian. [Onóra inghean Bhriain mhic Conchobhair, 04/2003 LoAR, A-Atlantia] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | As submitted this name claims relationship with Uilleam MacLeòid (registered in January 1997), and so violates RfS VI.3 Names Claiming Specific Relationships, which states in part, "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person [...] will generally not be registered." As the submitter does not allow changes, we were unable to modify this name to remove the claim of close relationship, in order to register this name. [Iosobal inghean Uilliam mhic Leoid, 04/2003 LoAR, R-Middle] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.04 | Submitted as Coinneach mac Séamuis mhic Eoghain, the submitter requested authenticity for 14th C Scots Gaelic. As submitted this name claimed relationship with Shamus Mac Ewen (registered in October 1997), and so violated RfS VI.3 Names Claiming Specific Relationships, which states in part, "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person [...] will generally not be registered." As the submitter allows any changes, we have dropped mhic Eoghain to remove this claim of close relationship in order to register this name. [Coinneach mac Séamuis, 04/2003 LoAR, A-Ansteorra] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.01 | There was some question whether this name was a claim to be the daughter of Peter of Rostov (d. 1290), a Tartar prince and nephew of the khan, who is venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church. As Peter does not have his own entry in a general encyclopedia, he is not important enough to protect, and so this name is not presumptuous. [Nezhka Petrovna Rostovskaya, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Middle] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.10 | This name is clear of presumption against the registered name Tigernach mac Éoghain ua Áeda (registered in May 1999 via the Middle) because the nature of the relationship between Eógan and Áed differs in these names. In the name Eógan mac Áeda, Eógan is the son of Áed. In the name Tigernach mac Éoghain ua Áeda, Éoghan is the grandson of Áed. If Eógan mac Áeda had a son named Tigernach, his name would be Tigernach mac Eógain meic Áeda. Therefore, the current submission, Eógan mac Áeda, is not claiming to be the father of Tigernach mac Éoghain ua Áeda, and so is clear of presumption. [Eógan mac Áeda, 10/2002, A-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2002.04 | Listed on the LoI as Cerridwyn Eurgledde ferch Owain ap Bychan ap Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Seisyllt ap Meredudd, the name was submitted as Cerridwyn Eurgledde ferch Owain Glyn Dwr ap Bychan ap Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Seisyllt ap Meredudd. The element Glyn Dwr was dropped at kingdom (with the submitter's permission) to prevent conflict with the historical Owain Glyn Dwr. While the historical Owain Glyn Dwr did not have the exact genealogy represented here, the combination of Owain and Glyn Dwr is so closely associated with the historic figure that use of Owain Glyn Dwr in a patronymic byname is presumptuous. Therefore, it is in violation of RfS VI.3, "Names Claiming Specific Relationships. - Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered."
[...] As submitted, this name had an additional problem. Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Seisyllt was a king of Gwynnedd and Powys who extended his control and effectively became king of Wales. As a ruler, his name is protected. The submitter documented these elements from a royal genealogy that included this Gruffudd. The question would be whether use of these three elements in this order would "unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person" which is prohibited by RfS VI.3. The removal of the last three generations of the patronymic byname in order to remove the weirdness for the large number of generations in the patronymic also resolves this problem. Therefore, at this time, we are declining to rule on whether the submitted byname would be presumptuous. [Cerridwyn Eurgledde ferch Owain ap Bychan ap Gruffudd, 04/2002, A-Calontir] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.06 | [Torna, Canton of] The name is a 14th century form of the name of the real-world town within the Canton. Submitting it for the name of the canton raises the question of how we treat period forms of real-world names of SCA branches.
All in all, we can see three different reasons to return a name of this sort. First, of course, the submitted name may be well enough known to be protected under section III.A.5 of the Administrative Handbook. Thus, for instance, we would not register Birka, either to a group forming near the old site in Sweden or to anyone else. The submitted name does not appear in general encyclopaedias, like the Encyclopaedia Britannica, so by current practice it is not important enough to protect. Second, the submitted name may be presumptuous. Granted, section VI.3 of the Rules for Submissions addresses only names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character. However, it seems appropriate to apply similar standards to personal and non-personal names, and Section VI.4 gives us enough discretion to do so. We would, therefore, return names that unmistakably imply identity with a protected place: for instance, while Londinium does not have its own article in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, London is protected and so registering the Roman name for the city would be presumptuous. In the current case, the modern town does not have its own entry in Britannica and the submission is thus clear on this count as well. Third, the name may run afoul of section III.A.9 of the Administrative Handbook: No name or device will be registered to a submitter if it is identical to a name or device used by the submitter for purposes of identification outside of a Society context. Thus, in the present case, we would not have registered Tornio or Torneå, those being the currently used names for the town. The submitted name differs from each of these by one syllable, and that is generally considered sufficient difference for personal names. Again, we see no point in treating place names differently. [Torna, Canton of, 06/01, A-Drachenwald] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.06 | This name ... claims relationship with Griffith ap Morgan ap Griffith, registered in June 1992. [Morgan ap Grufydd, 06/01, R-Ealdormere] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.05 | Unfortunately the name Rhianwen ferch Bran ap Gruffydd has already been registered in June 1986. The current submitter is, in effect, claiming to be Rhianwen's father, and the submission is therefore in violation of section VI.3 of the Rules for Submissions. [Bran ap Gruffudd, 05/01, R-Ansteorra] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.04 | Unfortunately, this name is presumptuous under section VI.3 of the Rules for Submissions: "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered." We cannot therefore register it without permission from Eoghan O'Neill, whose name was registered in An Tir in 1992. [Siobhán inghean Eoghain uí Neill, 04/01, R-Ansteorra] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.10 | [FitzGilbert de Strigoil] This violates RfS VI.3:
Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character will generally not be registered.By combining FitzGilbert and de Strigoil, he is claiming to be either the grandson of Gilbert FitzGilbert, first earl of Pembroke, or the brother of Richard FitzGilbert, second earl of Pembroke. Both of these gentlemen have their own entries in the Encyclopaedia Britannica and are therefore important enough to protect; Strigoil was their primary seat. [Godwin FitzGilbert de Strigoil , 10/00, R-Artemisia] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2000.04 | The point was made whether the locative was so closely associated with Owain Glendower that its use should be considered presumptuous. There is, however, no evidence for such a claim; on the contrary, Glendower is an entirely ordinary Welsh place. [Constance Glyn Dwr, 04/00, A-Æthelmearc] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.07 | [Daniel Theoson of Mightrinwood] Daniel is the legal son of Theo of Mightrinwood whose name was registered in 1979. Theo of Mightrinwood died in October 1997. Normally we would not register a name of this form, since it is a violation of VI.3 begins, "Names that unmistakably imply ... close relationship to a protected person ... will generally not be registered." However, based on prior instances of allowing the legal heir to grant permission to conflict or releasing submissions, we will register this, since Daniel is Theo's legal son and heir. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR July 1998, p. 9) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.10 | [registering the locative of Ragnars Rock] There should be no confusion with Ragnarök; it is not a place and therefore could not appear in a locative byname. (Ragnar of Ragnars Rock, 10/95 p. 4) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.08 | [registering Kristof Fugger von Augsburg] It was suggested that this name violates RfS VI.3 (Names Claiming Specific Relationships), since the well-known Fugger family of bankers was based in Augsburg. However, the specific prohibition is against `[n]ames that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character'. Since no significant member of the banking family seems to have been named Kristof or any variant thereof, the name does not violate RfS VI.3. (Kristof Fugger von Augsburg, 8/95 p. 3) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda | 1995.06 | [Wodenes Wornas] OE worn is `large amount, number; troop, company, multitude, crowd; progeny'; the household name could be Odin's troops, Odin's company, or Odin's children. Though a number of the OE and Germanic royal lines claimed ultimate descent from Woden, such claim appears to be limited to royal families; inappropriate for use in the SCA. (See also, for example, the November 1993 return of the household name of one Da'ud ibn Auda for Bayt al-Da'ud, David's house. "Per RfS V.5., "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a specific person or literary character will not be registered." As Master Bruce noted, any claim of relationship -- be it "house of David", "descendants of David", or "drinking buddies of David" -- will run afoul of this Rule." (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR 11/94) If we wouldn't register "descendants of David", we should not register "troops/children of Woden" for the same reasons.) (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, pp. 26-27) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1993.12a | [Returning Bayt al-Da'ud.] Conflicts with the Biblical King David, per RfS V.5., "Names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a specific person or literary character will not be registered." As Master Bruce noted, any claim of relationship -- be it "house of David", "descendants of David", or "drinking buddies of David" -- will run afoul of this Rule. And King David was known to the Arabs as simply Da'ud. [12a/93, p.15] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.07 | "Submitted as <name> Griffith of Gwynedd, we have dropped the problematic locative. As submitted the name appears to be a claim of descent from Gruffudd, King of Gwynedd to 1137. Rule V.5 disallows any such claim." (LoAR 7/91 p.15). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) | 1990.10 | [<given name> ap Gryffydd ap Cynan o'r Wyddfa] "The name is a claim to descent from Gryffydd ap Cynan, king of Gwenedd of which y Wyddfa is the highest point." (LoAR 10/90 p.21). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.01.15 | [Grimsson] The name was submitted as [Name] Skallagrimsson. As Skallagrim has previously been ruled to be a unique designation for Grimr Kveldulfsson, we have dropped the adjective epithet to make the patronymic more generic in order to register [it]. (LoAR 15 Jan 89, p. 7) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | It is important to consider why we protect the names of famous personages and historical figures in the Society. It is certainly not because they are likely to complain about the infringement, since many are long centuries dead. Rather it is to protect our membership against offense or disturbance which might be caused by someone assuming the persona of an actual historical figure. (LoAR Aug 88, p. 18.) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.07.26 | [Arianwen ferch Morgan Fychan of Caer Llefelys] The name was submitted Arianwen Morgana Fychan of Caer Llewelys. As the submittor's documentation allowed modifications and suggested an affinity with Morgan Fychan, we have modified the name to form a Welsh patronymic. This not only removes the anomaly of the double given name, but also removes any need for mutation of the Fychan after a feminine noun. No documentation could be found for the name "Llewelys", but a name of almost identical pronunciation appears as the name of the King of France in the medieval tale of Lludd a Llefelys. By modifying the place name the claim to descent from the historical Morgan Fychan is diminished to the point of invisibility and removes the possibility of claim of membership in the already existing household of Caer Llewellyn cited by Crescent. (LoAR 26 Jul 87, p. 4) |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.07.29 | You cannot be the son of Brian Boru. WVS [48] [LoAR 29 Jul 81], p. 10 |
| Names that imply identity with an already registered name or a protected individual | ||
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.05 | This is being returned for presumption against Saint Alban, also known as Alban of England. Albion is the old name for Britain/England in both Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (History of the English Church and People) and in Laymon's Brut, an early Middle English history of Britain. Although we have no reference to Saint Alban by the name submitted here, the allusion is too strong. [Alban de Albion, 05/04, R-Meridies] |
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.04 | Some members of the College asked whether this name was presumptuous, citing Amalric (Amaury) I and Amalric (Amaury) II, kings of Jerusalem. The city of Acre was never the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, nor is there any evidence that either of these men was known as Amalric d'Acre. Therefore, there is no presumption. [Amalric d'Acre, 04/04, A-Atenveldt] |
| Shauna of Carrick Point | 2004.04 | This name is being returned for conflict against Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara. As Metron Ariston notes,
By precedent,
Given the fame and importance of the Italian city-states, we are extending this precedent to them and their rulers. [Lucrezia da Ferrara, 04/04, R-An Tir] |
| François la Flamme | 2004.01 | Metron Ariston points out several more issues with this name:
As a result, the only documentation we have for Tomyris is as the name of a legendary queen. Lacking evidence that this name was used by humans and is not unique, this name is not registerable. Further, since "[m]any ancient authors consider the Sauromatae, the Massagetae and the Scythians to be nearly indistinguishable", the combination of Tomyris with a byname based on the Sauromatae tribe is effectively a claim to be this legendary queen. [Tomyris of the Sauromatae, 01/2004, R-East] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.07 | [Household name MacLeod Keep] This name implies that the submitter is head of the real-world Clan MacLeod and so violates RfS VI.1, "Names Claiming Rank", which states, "Names containing titles, territorial claims, or allusions to rank are considered presumptuous." (Designators, such as Keep and Clan, are transparent for conflict and presumption purposes.) Precedent states:
In this case, the submitted household name claims rank in the same way as a name submission of [given name] MacLeod of MacLeod. Both imply the submitter is the head of Clan MacLeod. Additionally, in the submitted household name MacLeod Keep, Keep is solely English and MacLeod is Scots. While Scots is a language closely related to English, they are not actually the same language. Therefore, the submitted MacLeod Keep violates RfS III.1.a, which requires linguistic consistency within a name phrase. Changing the household designator from Keep to Clan (i.e. Clan MacLeod) would resolve the linguistic consistency issue, but does not resolve the presumption issue with Clan MacLeod. The submitter may clear this conflict by adding an element that explicitly indicates that this household name is not the real-world Clan MacLeod. For example, Clan MacLeod of [a Scottish placename] would be registerable so long as the placename specified was not associated with the mundane Clan MacLeod. [Simon MacLeod, 07/2003 LoAR, R-Meridies] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.05 | [Household name House Green Rose] This name is too evocative of the Order of the Rose to be registered. Precedent states:
House Green Rose and House Whitrose have the same level of difference from the Order of the Rose. Therefore, House Green Rose is too evocative of Order of the Rose to be registered. [Séamus mac Inneirghe, 05/2003 LoAR, R-Outlands] |
| François la Flamme | 2003.02 | [Joint household name House of the Sword and Rose] This name is too evocative of the Order of the Rose. Precedent states:
House of the Sword and Rose and Order of the Anvil and the Rose have the same level of difference from the Order of the Rose. Therefore, House of the Sword and Rose is too evocative of the Order of the Rose to be registered. [Vivienne de Lampérière and Rotheric Kynith, 02/2003 LoAR, R-Caid] |
| Elsbeth Anne Roth | 2001.06 | [Torna, Canton of] The name is a 14th century form of the name of the real-world town within the Canton. Submitting it for the name of the canton raises the question of how we treat period forms of real-world names of SCA branches.
All in all, we can see three different reasons to return a name of this sort. First, of course, the submitted name may be well enough known to be protected under section III.A.5 of the Administrative Handbook. Thus, for instance, we would not register Birka, either to a group forming near the old site in Sweden or to anyone else. The submitted name does not appear in general encyclopaedias, like the Encyclopaedia Britannica, so by current practice it is not important enough to protect. Second, the submitted name may be presumptuous. Granted, section VI.3 of the Rules for Submissions addresses only names that unmistakably imply identity with or close relationship to a protected person or literary character. However, it seems appropriate to apply similar standards to personal and non-personal names, and Section VI.4 gives us enough discretion to do so. We would, therefore, return names that unmistakably imply identity with a protected place: for instance, while Londinium does not have its own article in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, London is protected and so registering the Roman name for the city would be presumptuous. In the current case, the modern town does not have its own entry in Britannica and the submission is thus clear on this count as well. Third, the name may run afoul of section III.A.9 of the Administrative Handbook: No name or device will be registered to a submitter if it is identical to a name or device used by the submitter for purposes of identification outside of a Society context. Thus, in the present case, we would not have registered Tornio or Torneå, those being the currently used names for the town. The submitted name differs from each of these by one syllable, and that is generally considered sufficient difference for personal names. Again, we see no point in treating place names differently. [Torna, Canton of, 06/01, A-Drachenwald] |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1999.02 | [Vivienne du Lac] This conflicts with The Lady of the Lake, whose given name in much Arthuriana is Viviane. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR February 1999, p. 15) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.06 | [Elizabeth Stuart] Conflicts with Elizabeth Stuart the daughter of James Stuart, King of England (James I) and King of Scotland (James VI), through whom the House of Hanover claimed the English throne. She was Princess of England, Electress Palatine of Hanover, and Queen of Bohemia. She has her own entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica and therefore is important enough to protect. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR, June 1998) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1998.04 | [House Whitrose] Per VI. 4. Other Presumptuous Names - Some names not otherwise forbidden by these rules are nevertheless too evocative of widely known and revered protected items to be registered.
Such items include the peerage orders of the Society and such well-known items outside the Society as the Order of the Garter. The House of the Rose and Laurel does not conflict with the Order of the Rose or the Order of the Laurel, but it is too evocative of both to be registered. Similarly, the Award of the Blue Garter is too evocative of the Order of the Garter, whose badge is a blue garter. This is too close to the Society Peerage order, Order of the Rose, to be registered. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR April 1998, p. 22) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.12 | [Gruffydd ap Gwineth] By existing precedent, this name conflicts with Gruffudd, King of Gwynedd to 1137. We give no difference between of and ap. The precedents say:
this [<name> de Navarre] "We have historically registered ' 'name' of 'Kingdom' ' so long as the given name was not identical to that of one of the rulers of 'Kingdom'. The only exception Laurel remembers offhand to this is the name Hohenstaufen which name was only used by the ruling family." (LoAR, Da'ud ibn Auda, 5/91 p.2). and: "Submitted as <name> Griffith of Gwynedd, we have dropped the problematic locative. As submitted the name appears to be a claim of descent from Gruffudd, King of Gwynedd to 1137. Rule V.5 disallows any such claim." (LoAR, Da'ud ibn Auda, 7/91 p.15). (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR December 1997, p. 12) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.08 | This is being returned for using a unique name. Danebod is a late form of an epithet applied to Þyri, wife of the 10th c. king Gorm the Old. The earliest form is Danmarkar bót, with a runic version tanmarkar but. In younger sources the epithet becomes Danabot, Danebot, etc. In the entire body of literature surveyed in DGP, the byname is applied uniquely to this one person. The literal meaning of the phrase is `Denmark's bettering', `Denmark's cure'; it seems very unlikely that such a byname would have been used of anyone but a very prominent national hero(ine) therefore, its use in the SCA can be viewed as presumptuous and in violation of RfS VI, 4., Other Presumptuous Names. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR August 1997, p. 25) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1997.07 | [returning the Order of the Anvil and the Rose] [Blackstone Mountain, Barony of] The name is being returned for conflict with the Order of the Rose (SCA peerage order). RfS VI.4 Other Presumptuous Names states:
Some names not otherwise forbidden by these rules are nevertheless too evocative of widely known and revered protected items to be registered. Such items include the peerage orders of the Society and such well-known items outside the Society as the Order of the Garter. The House of the Rose and Laurel does not conflict with the Order of the Rose or the Order of the Laurel, but it is too evocative of both to be registered. Similarly, the Award of the Blue Garter is too evocative of the Order of the Garter, whose badge is a blue garter. The rules specifically say the Order of the Rose and the Laurel is too evocative of both names to be registered. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR July 1997, p. 20) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.12 | [Order of St. James of Compostela] This conflicts with both the order and the city of Santiago de Compostela. In most cases this would be clear, as we don't count conflict by translation and the standard name references consistantly refer to the order and the city in the Spanish form. Santiago de Compstela, however, is both in period and today one of the greatest Catholic pilgrimage destinations in Europe, second only to Rome. This submission is unmistakably evocative of the shrine. Therefore we are returning it under RfS VI.4., which grants extra protection to certain "widely known and revered protected items". (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR December 1996, p. 18) |
| Jaelle of Armida | 1996.09 | [registering Elizabeth of Malta] The problem of presumptuousness was raised, since Queen Elizabeth II of England was Queen of Malta until 1964. It was the opinion of most, though not all, of the members of the College, who commented on this issue, that the name was not presumptuous. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR September 1996, p. 11) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.10 | [registering the locative of Ragnars Rock] There should be no confusion with Ragnarök; it is not a place and therefore could not appear in a locative byname. (Ragnar of Ragnars Rock, 10/95 p. 4) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.09 | [registering the byname Monomakh] The byname does not seem to be presumptuous. Deriving from Greek monomakhéô `to fight in single combat', monomákhos `fighting in single combat' appears to be a reasonable byname for a fighter. It was used by the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachus and by his grandson, the Kievan prince Vladimir II Monomakh, but it does not seem to have been hereditary or even used by anyone else in either line. Vladimir says in his Testament that he was given the baptismal name Vasili by his grandfather Yaroslav `but was commonly known by [his] Russian name Vladimir, and surnamed Monomakh by [his] beloved father and mother'; we suspect that this was to honor his other grandfather, Constantine. (Hrothger Monomakh, 9/95 p. 18) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.05 | [Returning Alastar the Arcane and Sable, two skulls and a mandrake, a bordure argent.] [W]hile the name does not in any way conflict with that of Aleister Crowley, the early twentieth-century writer on "Magick", the combination of given name, byname, and device certainly reminded more than half the commenters of him. Given the volume of that reaction, I believe that RfS I.3. (Inappropriate Claims) applies here [specifically with regard to name and armory combinations]. [5/94, p.15] |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) | 1994.02 | [Returning Henry d'Agincourt.] While this name is, indeed, not a conflict with Henry V, and indeed does not violate any of the specific clauses of RfS V (or even IV), it does, however, fall within the aegis of RfS I.3.a. Conflicting Claims - "A name or piece of armory that creates a false impression of the identity of the submitter will not be registered." SCA names should not cause someone hearing the name to think of some individual other than the SCA person bearing that name. As an example, how many people hearing the name "Dick of Watergate" are going to think of anyone other than Richard Milhous Nixon, with whom the name "Dick of Watergate" neither conflicts nor is pretentious by the Rules? Very few in the SCA hearing the submitted name here are going to think of anyone other than Henry V. [2/94, p.18] |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1989.08 | [William Schuyler] The name was submitted as William Schuyler of Holland. Given William the Silent and William I, first King of the modern Netherlands the locative seemed unfortunate. (LoAR Aug 87, p. 5) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | [Padraig of Lough Strangford] When dealing with patron saints as famous as Patrick, some care must be used to avoid locations which are associated with their careers. Unfortunately, Irish tradition has it that it was in Strangford Lough that Patrick and his party were attacked by the Irish chieftain Dichu, who was so overcome when Patrick faced him that he laid down his arms and was baptized. Supposedly, Patrick built a church on the site to commemorate his first conversion in northern Ireland (Sabhall Padraic or Saul Abbey). Downpatrick, close to the southern end of the lough is, as the name suggests, closely associated with Patrick: it is said to be his burial place and for much of our period one of his major shrines was located there. (LoAR Aug 88, p. 17) [The name was returned.] |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | [House (name of a town)] The town ... is an actual period town, one of no small size even in Domesday times. [Household name returned] (LoAR Aug 88, p. 20) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1988.08 | It is important to consider why we protect the names of famous personages and historical figures in the Society. It is certainly not because they are likely to complain about the infringement, since many are long centuries dead. Rather it is to protect our membership against offense or disturbance which might be caused by someone assuming the persona of an actual historical figure. (LoAR Aug 88, p. 18.) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.11.28 | [Gwenhyfar le Wita] The most serious problem with the name, however, is the implications which come from linking the name Gwenevere with a term like "wita" which could so easily be associated with Arthur's queen. Although the name [Gwenevere] was used by other ladies in period and is licit for Society use, the contexts in which it is used must be carefully examined in order to avoid offense. [Guinevere the White is presumptuous] (LoAR 28 Nov 87, p. 11) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.12.19 | The byname "Tsepesh", which means "Impaler" and is associated with Vlad the Impaler, prototype for the Dracula legend, is offensive in itself, offensive in its association with Vlad/Dracula and should not be registered. (LoAR 19 Dec 87, p. 14) |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.04.26 | [Leanore de Veryearbors, household name: Parish of Santz Martz] Parish is a term denoting territorial jurisdiction and may not be used for households in the Society. Moreover, since the documentation proved indicates that the spelling of the name "Maur" as "Martz" only occurs in the very narrow territory of Liechtenstein in which lies of Parish of Saint Martz, with which the submittor's correspondent is associated. In such a situation, where a place name could only occur in a narrowly defined geographic area, although the location may not be in itself famous, there may exist a presupposition of infringement. (LoAR 26 Apr 87, p. 12) [Returned for conflict with Parish of Saint Martz, Lichtenstein] |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1987.03.29 | [Merlin Strongbow the Incomparable] We found we could accept Merlin Strongbow, but felt that Merlin the Incomparable, no matter how it was otherwise modified, was "too much". (LoAR 29 Mar 87, p. 5) |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.06.18 | Household names may not be the names of actual places, as that would imply the head of the household was the ruler of that place. Household names may not be the surnames of actual families or clans, as that would imply that the head of the household was the head of that family or clan. Household names do not have to be registered, but if they are not registered, they are not protected. In order to be registered, a household name must not conflict with any other household names in the SCA or with any SCA Society names. Two household names conflict if they differ only by minor spelling variants or sound essentially the same ... A household name conflicts with a surname or place name of a Society name only when it is identical or a spelling variant ... The reverse is true for Society names conflicting with household names ... The principle is that there should be more difference between two household names than between a household name and somebody's last name. WVS [71] [CL 18 Jun 82], pp. 2-3 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.01.18 | [Merloren the Hermit.] She dropped the druidical symbols she had before (moon and owl). Since she is a woman, this plus the different spelling is now just barely enough difference from Merlin, who was a famous hermit. I would not have allowed a man to have this name. WVS [61] [LoAR 17-18 Jan 82], p. 2 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1982.01.18 | The Amati were one of the principal artisan families of Cremona, second in fame only to the Stradivarii. While you can be of the family, you are not the head of the family, and so cannot use House Amati. WVS [61] [LoAR 17-18 Jan 82], p. 6 |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1981.01.23 | You cannot use "of Amber" as a surname, as it implies you are a member of the royal family of the Land of Amber, in the Amber series by Roger Zelazny. WVS [34] [LoAR 23 Jan 81], p. 9 |
| Karina of the Far West | 1977.08.18 | [N. de Gormenghast.] "De" with the name of a castle implies ownership or at least a familial relation to the owner, who in this case is the Earl of Groan. (KFW, 18 Aug 77 [15], p. 3) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.05 | [Canton of the Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh] This submission raises two separate issues, one stylistic, the other administrative. Stylistically the name is said to be modelled on that of Kings College (Cambridge), though the obvious analogical construction would be Barons College. This is probably too generic to be registered, but we see no serious stylistic bar to registering Barons College at Nordleigh, say. Barons Colleges at Nordleigh is another matter: it seems very unlikely that two colleges within a single university would have been given the same name. We are also reluctant to allow Baronial in lieu of Barons without some support from period usage. In addition to Kings College, there are the Queens Colleges at Cambridge and Oxford, Bishops Castle in Shropshire, Countesthorpe 'the countess's village' in Leicestershire, and other similar constructs to support Barons College; as a model for Baronial only Royal comes to mind. Moreover, the OED does not attest baronial until the middle of the 18th century (though it probably existed at least a bit earlier).
The change from the submitted name to Barons College at Nordleigh is formally not very large. However, it appears that the group specifically chose Baronial rather than Barons in order that the modifier might refer to both the Baron and the Baroness, and it chose Colleges because in the modern world it is based simultaneously at Carleton College and at St. Olaf College. Under the circumstances we are not willing to make these changes without permission and must therefore return the name. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR May 1996, p. 25). |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1996.05 | [returning Canton of the Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh] The administrative problem concerns the use of college, an officially approved designator for an institutional branch based at a school, research facility, or the like. The submitted name implies that the group is administratively a canton, and it is so listed in the most recent Middle Kingdom newsletter. The distinction is significant, since cantons and colleges are subject to different administrative requirements. If in fact the group is administratively a college, there is no problem: they need only drop the words Canton of (and indeed must do so). Assuming that it is a canton, however, the question arises: May a canton use the word college, which as a designator has a specific (and in this case inappropriate) meaning, as a non-designating part of its name? The relevant part of RfS III.2.b says that a branch name 'must consist of a designator that identifies the type of entity and at least one descriptive element' and that '[t]he designator must be appropriate to the status of the submitter'. In Canton of the Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh it is clear from the syntax that Canton is the required designator; the rule says nothing about the use of designators in the descriptive part of the name, so the first requirement is technically met, and if the group is a canton, the second requirement is met as well. In the absence of stylistic problems we would therefore not have returned the name. Nevertheless...the use of an administratively inappropriate standard designator in the descriptive part of a branch name is potentially confusing and urge the group to consider this issue before resubmitting their name. [The name was returned for a different reason.] (Baronial Colleges of Nordleigh, Canton of the, 5/96 p. 24) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) | 1995.06 | [Aliena von Bingen, Household of Saint Hildegard] Some commenters were not entirely comfortable with registering this as the Household of Saint Hildegard, but as a number of equivalents for the designator (Company of Saint Hildegard, Abbey of Saint Hildegard) not only follow period exemplars but also do not cause such discomfort (probably because they follow period examples), we felt it would be unreasonable to disallow the equivalent specifically acceptable to the submitter here. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR June 1995, p. 1) |
| Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) | 1991.11 | [<Given name> of the <adjective-object>] "Regarding the question of [the personal name's] presumption versus the <Kingdom> Order of the Olde <adjective-object>, deletion of both the words 'Order of the' and 'Olde' should be sufficient to remove the appearance of presumption." (LoAR 11/91 p.2). |
| Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane | 1986.10.26 | Note that Master Baldwin, in his letter for the 18 May meeting indicated that [the submittor] would have to register a badge to protect her name. This was erroneous: even if it had not been attached to a badge or registered as such, it would be eligible for protection under NR15b "The College of Arms reserves the right to protect the unregistered names of past monarchs and great officers." (LoAR 26 Oct 86, p. 4) |
| Wilhelm von Schlüssel | 1980.08.27 | You cannot be a Saint. You cannot use the word Saint in a name except for the case of a place name. WVS [23] [LoAR 27 Aug 80], p. 7. [Names of the form N. Saint M. can be found in period. M. in each case represents the name of an actual Christian saint. It does not imply sanctity on the part of the bearer of the name. The form is probably derived from the use of place names as surnames, a common medieval practice.] |