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Pending a full discussion of Irish patronymics (called for in last month's LoAR cover letter), I am taking the grammatically correct route: female names should use the female patronymic particle. (Briana Nig Uidhir, August, 1992, pg. 3)
The byname was submitted as ap Tiernon. This is not a valid variant spelling of the documented ap Teyrnon, according to Lady Harpy. We have substituted the documented form. (Llewellyn ap Teyrnon, August, 1992, pg. 16)
[Magnidottir] Magni is indeed the genitive form of Magnus --- in Latin. The correct form of the name would be either Magnadottir (if her father is Magni) or Magnusdottir (if her father is Magnus) [name returned as submittor permitted no corrections]. (Ingfridh Magnidottir, August, 1992, pg. 30)
[MacFlandry] The surname does not appear to be correctly constructed. The LOI attempted to justify MacFlandry as meaning "son of the man from Flanders". There are examples in Black of MacX surnames, where X is an ethnic name: e.g., MacBrabner, "son of the Brabanter", and MacBretny, "son of the Breton". Based on those names, we could accept "son of the man from Flanders" --- but unfortunately, the term for "man from Flanders" is Fleming, which sounds nothing like Flanders (or Flandry). The surname de Flandre, also cited in the documentation, means "of Flanders"; Mac (de) Flandre would mean "son of Flanders", which (except in a metaphoric sense) is impossible. Either Lyulf de Flandry or Lyulf MacFleming would be a valid construction; MacFlandry is not. (Lyulf MacFlandry, September, 1992, pg. 43)
Particularly for the old Irish form used here, Mag is a masculine particle, and cannot be used with the feminine name Eórann. (Eórann MagUidir, September, 1992, pg. 45)
[Asbjornsson] Though Asbjarnarson is the standard patronymic form for Old Norse, there are period examples (e.g. Bjornsson) of this variation. (Thorsteinn Asbjornsson, October, 1992, pg. 10)
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When used as a patronymic particle, the Welsh merch mutates to ferch. There are some early-period texts where the particle didn't mutate in its written form, but did in its spoken form --- i.e. written "merch" but still pronounced "ferch". We've changed the submitter's spelling, to better match the correct pronunciation; she may resubmit with merch if she wishes, but it seemed best that she do so with full knowledge of its orthoepic niceties. (Rhonwen ferch Alun, December, 1992, pg. 13)
While we have evidence of Arabic/Italian interaction in period, Persian/Italian interaction has yet to be demonstrated. (Beatrice Carmela Mercante, September, 1993, pg. 6)
It doesn't seem likely that coalescing willow + wood would cause the initial letter of wood to vanish, any more than with oakwood [name was corrected to Willowwood]. (Edward of Willowwood, July, 1992, pg. 12)
[Glenn Kirrke] Neither the double-N nor the double-R were really plausible variant spellings; the two together stretched plausibility to the breaking point [name registered as Glenkirke]. (Margret of Glenkirke, July, 1992, pg. 14)
No commenter was comfortable with the argument in the LOI supporting Kithwall ["Kithwall is a constructed place name base on the patter found in Kirkwall (the county seat of Orkney) with the initial element coming from Kithehilt (1296) found in Black as a variant of the locative surname Kinhilt"]. A better case can be made, though: Ekwall cites instances (as well he should) of -wall used as a deuterotheme in English place names (e.g. Thirlwall, from OE thirel, "perforation" + weall, "wall"). Hall's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary gives cith, cyth, "seed, germ, shoot" -- so kithwall means essentially "grassy wall", a reasonable toponymic. (Rorius Domhnall Kithwall, July, 1992, pg. 15)
[Heronter] The use of -ter in Ekwall is rare, but seems acceptable; however, Herontor would be a far more probable name. (Shire of Heronter, August, 1992, pg. 15)
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There was some question as to whether the released name of a disbanded group could be used in a new personal name. Such new names must start from scratch, but the original documentation of the dead SCA branch might still be consulted. (Sebastian of Ventbarre, September, 1992, pg. 35)
[d'Ailleurs] The French byname literally means "of Elsewhere", which seems highly improbable as a period locative. (Its more common idiomatic meaning is "on the other hand", which makes even less sense.) We have previously returned names whose locatives were this unspecific: v. Dughal MacDonnel of Kennaquhair ("of Know-Not-Where"), LoAR of Oct 91. (Anne-Marie d'Ailleurs, October, 1992, pg. 21)
[Calanais Nuadh ("New Calanais")] Nueva España (today called Mexico) was named in 1518; Nouveau France, in 1535; Terra Nova was renamed New-Foundland by 1541; and John Smith gave New England its name in 1614. Given such constructions, the submitted name isn't unreasonable. (Shire of Calanais Nuadh, December, 1992, pg. 5)
[Wolfgang of Flame] The byname does not seem to be acceptable style. The submitter is from the Barony of the Flame; Wolfgang of the Flame would thus be acceptable. Following the example of his Baron and Baroness, he could also be Wolfgang Flame. But just as those nobles do not style themselves Baron and Baroness of Flame, so is his submitted byname incorrect. As he forbade any changes to his name, this must be returned. (Wolfgang of Flame, January, 1993, pg. 31)
Abraxa does not appear to be a valid period placename. Its sole use as a placename was in Thomas More's 1516 novel Utopia as the original name of the island of Utopia. The submitter has argued, in an appeal of a return by Lord Vesper, that this demonstrates Abraxa to have been considered a plausible placename in period.
The appeal forgets that More's Utopia is an allegory, with its names being descriptive. They are no more to be taken as valid than the names Pride or Goodman, from medieval morality plays. Given that abraxas is far better documented as a type of incantation or amulet ( OED; 1990 E.Brit., vol.1, p.38), we cannot consider it compatible with period toponymic construction --- or, indeed, with period bynames in general --- without better evidence. (Thomas of Abraxa, January, 1993, pg. 35)
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