Collected Precedents of the S.C.A.: Unique Names


Name Precedents: Unique Names

General Issues

Given Names:

Bynames:


Laurel: Date: (year.month.date) Precedent:
 
General
Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) 1995.04 The commenters were very wary of placing much confidence in Time-Life books as period name documentation. No one could find Truvor or anything like it in any other sources. Given that fact, it seems likely that Truvor is a unique documentary form and not a name actually used at all. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR April 1995, p. 10)
Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane 1986.12.28 One touchstone for the uniqueness of a byname is whether it is used by itself, in period or in modern histories, to refer to the individual it describes (e.g., in medieval and modern literature Richard I of England is sometimes called simply "the Lionheart"). (LoAR 28 Dec 86, p. 10)
Wilhelm von Schlüssel 1980.07.21 Names which are not unique may be used so long as the surnames or sobriquets or place names adequately difference the given name from the famous holder of that name. Names which are unique to a famous entity may not be used, particularly if the entity is non-mortal. WVS [20] [CL 21 Jul 80], p. 4
Wilhelm von Schlüssel 1980.07.21 If a famous figure is famous only under one name, and has a child name which only scholars have ever heard of, then the child name is not barred while the famous name may be. If the famous name has only been used once in all time, namely by that famous person, then the name is unique and forbidden. If most people will only have heard of this one use, and most people will in fact have heard about it, then, even if there are other obscure uses of it, the name is essentially unit and restricted. WVS [20] [CL 21 Jul 80], p. 4
 
Aradia
Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd year, 1st tenure) 1992.03 [Aradia] "The name has been modified to drop the problematical Aradia, which appears to be a unique name." (LoAR 3/92 p.9).
 
Arion
François la Flamme 2001.08 Submitted as Arion the Falcon, the given name Arion was documented as the name of a "semi-legendary Greek poet of the 7th C BC, reputedly the first poet to use dithyramb". The suggestion was made that Arion could be viwed as one of the names revived in the Renaissance. Metron Ariston found a reference to this Arion in the poetry of John Gower (circa 1325-1408). However, this is the only reference to Arion that the College found in English works from the Middle Ages. Barring evidence that the Greek poet Arion was more broadly known in England than a single reference in poetry, it is not likely that the name Arion was revived. As such, the documentation stands with only the reference to the 7th C BC Greek poet, which is more than 1000 years before an appropriate date for the byname, and therefore it would be returnable. [Aron the Falcon, 08/01, A-Atenveldt]
Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 1st year) 1993.12b Arion appears to be by the submitter's own documentation to be a unique name, that of a semi-legendary ancient Greek poet and musician. (The only other Arion found was a "fabulous horse", the offspring of Poseidon and Demeter.) We need documentation of its use by other humans in period before we may register Arion. [12a/93, p.15]
 
Barbarossa
François la Flamme 2003.11 In 1972, Laurel ruled that Barbarossa was presumptuous.

He can't be Barbarossa. It's the specific name of a very famous person. (KFW, 13 Aug 72 [32], p. 3)

While this ruling has never been explicitly overturned, Barbarossa has been registered several times. As it is a simple descriptive byname meaning "red beard", it is registerable, and not presumptuous.

This byname is also not unique to Frederick Barbarossa, as noted in a comment appended to the above precedent in "Precedents of the S.C.A. College of Arms: Volume II - The Early Years" (http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/precedents/early/earlydayscombined.html):

[Actually, Barbarossa is a descriptive surname meaning "red beard." It was borne by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, and by the Turkish corsair Khair ad-Din and his brother.]

[Conrad Barbarossa, 11/2003, A-Atlanta]
Harold Breakstone 1972.08.13 He can't be Barbarossa. It's the specific name of a very famous person. (KFW, 13 Aug 72 [32], p. 3) [Actually, Barbarossa is a descriptive surname meaning "red beard." It was borne by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, and by the Turkish corsair Khair ad-Din and his brother.]
 
Bláithín
François la Flamme 2003.01 Bláithín appears to be a unique name. The only example of this name that was found was in Irish legend, where Bláithín is the name of the betrayer of the Munster warrior Cú Rói. Lacking evidence that the name is not unique, it is not registerable. [Bláithín inghean Bhradaigh, 01/2003 LoAR, R-Atenveldt]
 
Boadicea, Bodica, Bodicca, Boudica, Boudicca
François la Flamme 2001.10 The only evidence found for Boudicca is the Iceni queen. As such, it is a unique name and is no longer registerable. Forms of it have only been registered three times (1991, 1992, 1996), too rarely to be considered SCA compatible. [Victoria of Vig, 10/01, A-Trimaris]
Da'ud ibn Auda 1996.01 According to Harpy, Boadicea is based on a post-period misunderstanding of the name that is attested in inscriptions in the forms Bodic(c)a and Boudic(c)a; as such it cannot be registered. For various phonological reasons, however, the name could not appear in these forms past approximately the 6th century, and any later form would involve more of a change than we care to make. (Talan Gwynek, LoAR January 1996, p. 2)
 
Chagatai
Alisoun MacCoul of Elphane 1987.05.24 [Chagatai Buran] By the submittor's own documentation the given name was that of one of the sons of Genghis Khan. Such names, e.g. Genghis, Temujin, etc., have in the past been returned as unique names failing documentation to demonstrate their more general use in Mongolian society. No such documentation has been provided. (LoAR 24 May 87, p. 12)
 
Daimíne, Daimhín
François la Flamme 2003.02 Submitted as Daimhín le Milner, there was some question whether the name Daimhín appears only as a legendary name. Ó Corráin & Maguire (p. 68 s.n. Daimíne) list only "Daimíne Damargait, king of Airgialla" as a legendary bearer of this name. Donnchadh Ó Corráin & Mavis Cournane, ed., "The Annals of Ulster" (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100001/), entry U565.3, list the death of Daimin Daim Airgit, the same person as mentioned in the entry in Ó Corráin & Maguire. His death is also mentioned in Donnchadh Ó Corráin, ed., "Annals of Inisfallen" (http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100004/), entry I564.2, where he is called Daimín mc. Domongairt. Entries for early years in Irish annals are less likely to be historical the earlier the date. The general rule of thumb is to give entries after about A.D. 500, especially in older annals such as "The Annals of Ulster", the benefit of the doubt. However, this is the only person found with this name (both in Ó Corráin & Maguire and in the annals), implying that the name seems to be unique to this individual. Lacking evidence that this given name is not unique to this (possibly legendary) king, it is not registerable. [Damhán le Milner, 02/2003 LoAR, A-Caid]
 
Danebod
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)
 
Eldarion
Karina of the Far West 1979.06.30 Eldarion was the son and heir of the King Elessar. You cannot bear that excessively famous name, even with modifiers, even if it is your mundane name. (KFW, 30 Jun 79 [25], p. 76)
 
Gradlon
François la Flamme 2002.09 This name was submitted as Gralon Le Friant Braz and changed at Kingdom because no documentation was found for the submitted form of the given name. The documentation submitted with this name is in French and no translation was provided. Precedent states that "we require that all documentation in another language be translated into English" (November 1993 LoAR, p. 20). As no translation was provided for this documentation, it is not considered support for this name.

An earlier form of this name was returned with the explanation:

The evidence found by the College seems to indicate that Gradlon is an unique name for a legendary King who is not clearly human. Barring evidence to the contrary we therefore have to return the name. [Gradlon Friant Braz, Meridies-R, LoAR 01/2001]

Regarding the current submission, Sommelier found that:

The on-line Encyclopædia Britannica under the entry Quimper (or Kemper, a town in Bretagne region of France) states "Once the ancient capital of the countship Cornouaille, it is associated with the legendary (5th century) king Gradlon, who came from Cornwall in Britain."

As the only example of the name Gradlon that was found is of the legendary king, the previous reason for return has not been addressed and is still valid. [Gradlon Le Friant Braz, 09/2002 LoAR, R-Meridies]

 
Harsha
François la Flamme 2001.11 The submitter has provided sufficient evidence that the name Harsha is not unique to the 7th C Indian emperor of that name, which was the previous cause for return. [Harsha Varnum, 11/01, R-Caid]
 
Hiel
Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme 1993.03 Lord Crescent has noted that the only instance of Hiel in the Bible is the name of a man "cursed before the Lord"; he suggests that, for this reason, Hiel would never have actually been used in the Middle Ages. In fact, the names of "cursed" people in the Bible were often used by the non-cursed, even by saints; it's assumed that the name was perfectly innocent before its use by one wicked person. Judas, for instance, was used both by the betrayer of Christ and by one of the Apostles (John 14:22). There's also Ananias, the name of a man struck dead for lying to Peter (Acts 5:5) and of the disciple who restored Paul's sight (Acts 9:17). There are too many such examples for us to disallow a valid period name solely because of "guilt by association"; the name must be shown to be uniquely (or at least overwhelmingly) associated with its "cursed" holder. Lacking such evidence for Hiel, the name should be available for SCA use. (Abiel ben Hiel, March, 1993, pg. 7)
 
Humayun
François la Flamme 2002.07 The submitted name mixes Arabic and Indian languages within name phrases, which is prohibited under RfS III.1.a, which requires linguistic consistency within a name element. Humayun was documented as the "name of a Mughal ruler of northern India, 1515-1556". al-Jamal notes that "technically the name is not truly 'Arabic', in that Humayun may be Mughal, a form of Mongol, rather than Arabic." The byname bint Humayun therefore combines the Arabic bint, meaning 'daughter', with the non-Arabic name Humayun. There is also some question whether the name Humayun was in common use. If it is unique to this ruler, then use of this name in a byname is presumptuous and is cause for return. In order to be registerable, this phrase needs to rendered in a single language and Humayun needs to be shown to be a name that is not unique to this ruler. [Masala bint Humayun al Delhi, 07/2002, R-Atenveldt]
 
Lalage
Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme 1993.06 Without evidence that the courtesan Lalage of antiquity had a unique name, we must assume her name to be generally acceptable. (Lalage la Peregrina, June, 1993, pg. 9)
 
Macsen
Wilhelm von Schlüssel 1980.08.27 [Macsen.] The name of any mortal can be used so long as it is not a title or absolutely unique, and so long as it is adequately differenced from the famous usage by the rest of the Society name. The names of non-mortal beings may not be used unless they were used by people in the real world in our period ([e.g.] Jesus, Gabriel, and Diana). Examples of titles are Charlemagne and Amenhotep. An absolutely unique name is one that was only used by the one famous person and is not derivable from other common names. Cuchulain is an example. Macsen is the Welsh form of Maximus, a common Roman name. Although there is only one recorded use of Macsen, it could easily have happened more than once if another Maximus had moved to Wales. Macsen is therefore derivable from Maximus. WVS [23] [LoAR 27 Aug 80], p. 6
 
Meenakshi
François la Flamme 2002.05 The documentation provided for Meenakshi show it only as the name of the consort of Shiva. Lacking documentation that it was used by humans in period, or even a pattern of Indian given names in period being taken from the given names of deities or their consorts, this name is not registerable. [Meenakshi Singh, 05/2002, R-Outlands]
 
Rob Roy <Surname>
Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) 1990.10 [Rob Roy <Surname>] "After much consideration and discussion, it was determined that 'Rob Roy' is so well known and closely associated with Rob Roy McGregor that it must be considered a unique name. 'Rob' is fine, and so is 'Roy', but 'Rob Roy' is not." (LoAR 10/90 p.17).
 
Skallagrim
Jaelle of Armida 1997.08 in the past we have returned names using Skallagrim as being unique names, since the only reference we had to it was the father of Egill of Egil's Saga. The name Ivar Skallagrim (Ansteorra) was returned 4/88 on those grounds An appeal of the return was denied 12/89. On the 1/89 LoAR the submitted Thjodulf Skallagrimsson (Meridies) was changed to Thjodulf Grimsson for the same reason. However, we now have more information. Although Skallagrímr is in origin a combination of the nickname Skalla- 'bald' and the forename Grímr, Lind, Norsk-Isländska Dopnamn ock Fingerade Namm från Medeltiden, s.n. Skallagrímr notes that there is at least one instance of the compound Skallagrímr as a forename in its own right: a Skallagrimr Audvnar son died in 1353. Egils saga Skallagrímssonar is thought to have been written c.1220; Egill himself was a contemporary of Eirík Blóðøx, so he can be dated to the 10th c. A 14th c. Úlfr Skallagrímsson is therefore entirely possible. (Jaelle of Armida, LoAR August 1997, p. 11)
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)
 
Subetai
François la Flamme 2003.01 The question was raised whether the name Subetai is unique to the 13th C Mongol general. Orle provided evidence of other people with this name:

Boyle(Rasid-al-Din) page 27 gives Subedei as brother of Hulegu. Page 33 refers to the general as Subedai Bahadur. Cleaves page 262 refers to Subegei Bo'ol (a slave) son of Ogda Bo'ol; Sube'etei of the Uriangqad; and Sube'edei Ba'adur.

Given these examples, Subetai is not unique and may be registered. [Subetai Nasan, 01/2003 LoAR, A-Atlantia]

 
Temugin
Elsbeth Anne Roth 2000.11 Submitted as Teh-Mu-Ginn Burgud Jerekh, the question was raised whether Temugin was a restricted name. However, the March 1998 registration of Timujin Timortologai overturned that precedent after considering new evidence. However, no evidence was given for using hyphens in the transliteration. We have changed the spelling to a likely period one. [Tehmuginn Burgudjerekh, 11/00, A-Atenveldt]
 
Tomyris
François la Flamme 2004.01 This name is being returned for multiple problems. These include:
  • No photocopies were provided for the submitted documentation.

  • No documentation was provided for the construction of the byname of the Sauromatae.

  • Tomyris appears to be a unique name - used only for a legendary queen

  • The combination of Tomyris with Sauromatae is effectively a claim to be the legendary queen.

  • No evidence was found to support contact between medieval or Renaissance Europe and 6th C B.C. Scythian and/or Sauromatae cultures.

  • Even though Tomyris was a name in classical literature that could have been known to highly educated scholars in medieval or Renaissance Europe, the negative associations borne by this legend would preclude use of this given name as borrowing in the Renaissance of a classical name without further documentation.

The documentation provided in the LoI for this name was:

Tomyris - from Herodotas, Book I, Section 20 (page 123). According to the submission paperwork, "'Tomyris' was a scythian Queen's name."

Sauromatae - from Herodotas, page 306, Book IV, Section 105 (page 306). According to the submission paperwork, "The Sauromatae were another tribe (other clan?) that shared same customs, language, etc."

The first problem with this submission was that no photocopies of the sources cited for this documentation were provided with the submission. As this source is not listed in Appendix H of the Administrative Handbook, "Name Books That Do Not Require Photocopies to Laurel", photocopies are required for this documentation. Lacking these photocopies, the submitted documentation may not be used to support this submission.

Another problem was the construction for the byname of the Sauromatae. The construction for this byname was of the [tribe name]. Bynames referring to tribe or clan names are formed in different ways in different languages. No documentation was provided and none was found to support of the [tribe name] as a plausible form in whatever language is appropriate for the term Sauromatae. Lacking such evidence, this byname is not registerable. This byname could be considered a Lingua Anglica rendering of a byname formed from a tribe name. However, to appeal to the Lingua Anglica allowance, documentation must be provided to support the byname in the original language. Only then may a Lingua Anglica form be determined.

Metron Ariston points out several more issues with this name:

Several points. First of all, the author who mentions Tomyris is generally referred to as Herodotus, if you are using English conventions. Secondly, Tomyris appears to be a unique character. The only instance that I can recall of the name appearing is in conjunction with the queen of the Massagetae who defeated and slew the Persian king Cyrus. While this story was quite popular in Renaissance art, the bloodthirsty nature of the story and the barbaric associations of the name would militate against its adoption in common use. In any case, it is clear that the submitter is placing the name in the classical Herodotean context and that presents a problem since, while modern authors sometimes associate the Sauromatae with the classical Amazon, they were in antiquity regarded as a Scythian people. That being so, consider what Herodotus says about the Massagetae whom Tomyris ruled: "Now the Massagetai are said to be a great and warlike nation, dwelling eastward, toward the rising of the sun, beyond the river Araxes, and opposite the Issedonians. By many they are regarded as a Scythian race. In their dress and mode of living the Massagetai resemble the Scythians." (www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tomyris.html). Many ancient authors consider the Sauromatae, the Massagetae and the Scythians to be nearly indistinguishable so this name appears to use a unique given name in a context that associates the bearer with the same cultural background as the character associated with that given name. (That is leaving aside the issue of whether Tomyris is actually a historical character or a borrowing from nomadic legend. . .)

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.

The most significant, problem was that no documentation was provided and none was found that a 6th C B.C. Scythian or Sauromatae culture had contact with medieval or Renaissance Europe. Names from Pharonic Egypt have previously been ruled unregisterable:

Another, and more basic, question regarding this submission, is whether and how well pharaonic Egyptian names fit into the scope of the SCA. Rules for Submission I.1. notes that "The Society for Creative Anachronism studies pre-Seventeenth Century Western Culture. The period of the Society has been defined to extend until 1600 A.D. Its domain includes Europe and areas that had contact with Europe during this period." (emphasis added) The Introduction in the Preface of the 1995 Organizational Handbook defines the scope of the SCA even more narrowly: "The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. is a non-profit educational organziation devoted to the study of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Most of its activities take place in the context of a social structure adapted from the forms of the European Middle Ages...." (emphasis added) [...]

On the other hand, the College more or less routinely allows Roman and Greek names to be registered. Is this name significantly different from those? If I may quote Harpy: "The cultures of classical Greece and Rome were accessible to medieval Europeans (at least, cultured and literate ones) from written records - records that were deliberately and consciously preserved. But the language of the hieroglyphs was dead; knowledge of the writing system lost completely. Recall that it was only with the late 18th century discovery of the Rosetta Stone, with its trilingual inscription including Greek, that "modern" people were again able to try to decipher the writings of ancient Egypt. A classical Roman name, or a Biblical Hebrew name would in some way be accessible to a medieval European (highly educated scholar), but an ancient Egyptian name would not be something that he could have any knowledge of or familiarity with. There is simply no connection available." In other words, yes, there is a difference. Ancient Greece and Rome "had contact" with Europe during "the Middle Ages and Renaissance" through their writings; pharaonic Egypt did not. Ancient Egyptian names thus appear to be outside the scope and domain of the SCA, much as Australian flora and fauna or Australian aboriginal names are. (Merit-ankht-Seker of Sakkara, LoAR March 1995, pp. 14-15)

In this case, the name Tomyris and a tribe called the Sauromatae are referenced in writings that were accessable to a highly educated scholar in medieval Europe. Even so, while a child in some cultures could have been given a given name from ancient writings, no evidence was found that a byname referring to an ancient tribe is reasonable in medieval or Renaissance Europe. Lacking such evidence, this byname is not registerable. Additionally, only some classical names were given to children. Names with negative connotations were usually not in this group. As noted by Metron Ariston, while the story of Tomyris "was quite popular in Renaissance art, the bloodthirsty nature of the story and the barbaric associations of the name would militate against its adoption in common use." Lacking evidence that the associations with Tomyris are equivalent with names from classical literature that were given to children in the Renaissance, Tomyris is not registerable as a classical name revived in the Renaissance. [Tomyris of the Sauromatae, 01/2004, R-East]

 
Truvor
Da'ud ibn Auda (2nd tenure, 2nd year) 1995.04 The commenters were very wary of placing much confidence in Time-Life books as period name documentation. No one could find Truvor or anything like it in any other sources. Given that fact, it seems likely that Truvor is a unique documentary form and not a name actually used at all. (Da'ud ibn Auda, LoAR April 1995, p. 10)


Bynames:

Laurel: Date: (year.month.date) Precedent:
 
al-Zahra
François la Flamme 2002.02 The byname al-Zahra is pronounced 'az-Zahra', but it is always written al-Zahra. However, this byname has only been documented as a byname referring to Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad. Lacking evidence that this byname is not unique to Fatima, it is a unique byname and is not registerable. [Zubaydah az-Zahra, 02/02, R-Meridies]
 
Grianánach
Elsbeth Anne Roth 2001.01 The documentation implies that the epithet refers uniquely to Ogma, champion to the Tuatha and, in some sense, the Irish analogue of Hercules. As such, it is not appropriate as a byname, so barring new evidence to the contrary we have to return it. [Ciarán Grianánach, 01/01, R-Caid]
 
O'Neill
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
 
Samhioldanach
Da'ud ibn Auda (1st year of 1st tenure) 1990.11 [Samhioldanach] "There was a question as to whether the byname is unique to the god Lugh, but given the lack of documentation for this objection, we are giving the submitter the benefit of the doubt." (LoAR 11/90 p.9).
 
sundafyllir
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:

[A]s far as I know only woman person ever bore this by-name, <�urí�r sundafyllir>, as is explained in Landnámabók ch. 50 (http://www.snerpa.is/net/snorri/landnama.htm):

�urí�r sundafyllir og Völu-Steinn son hennar fór af Hálogalandi til Íslands og nam Bolungarvík, og bjuggu í Vatnsnesi. Hún var �ví köllu� sundafyllir, a� hún seiddi til �ess í hallæri á Hálogalandi, a� hvert sund var fullt af fiskum.

[�urí�r sundafyllir and Völu-Steinn, her son, fared from Hálogaland to Iceland and took for themselves Bolungarvík and kept house at Vatnsness. For this was she called "sound-filler", that in a hard year in Hálogaland she brought it about by sei�r (witchcraft) that every sound was filled with fish.]

I tend to agree with the previous commenters about the name suggesting magical powers.

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:

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.

[Rannveig sundafyllir, 02/2004, R-Caid]