Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry

Edited By Jaelle of Armida. (mka Judy Gerjuoy)

Two Elements for Names

This month's lesson is on the two element requirement of the name rule, and about the need to have an acceptable given name. Let me quote from the rules:

1. Two Element Requirement - All names must consist of at least two name elements.
    a. Given Name Requirement - Personal names must consist of an acceptable given name and at least one byname.

Now let's talk about what this means.

Two elements means that you can't register a name that has only one component, such as only James, or only Elizabeth . A given name plus a byname is required.

Bynames can take a number of different forms. There are patronymics, such as "James Henryson " or "Elizabeth Johnson". There are occupational names such as "James the Baker" or "Elizabeth Smith". There are placenames such as "James of Stratford on Avon" or "Elizabeth York". There are descriptive names such as "James the Bald", or "Elizabeth Short ".

In the above examples, "James" is the first element, and "Henryson", "the Smith", "of Stratford on Avon" and "the Bald", are all respectively the second element. Similarly, "Elizabeth" is the first element, with "Johnson", "Cook", "York", and "Short ", being respectively the second element.

There are, of course, more elaborate examples. "James the Bald of Flanders" has three elements, "James", "the Bald", and "of Flanders". "Mary the Quiet of Foxhall Manor" also has three elements, "Mary", "the Quiet" and "of Foxhall Manor ". Note: while the examples above have all been in English, you are not limited to English when forming a name. Most (but not all) cultures that the SCA draws its names from use naming patterns such as these. However, all names must be consistent with the naming practices of the language used and two languages cannot be mixed in the same element.

Two different languages can be used in the same name, so long as they are cultures that had frequent interaction with each other prior to 1600. An English/Welsh name is registerable. A Scottish/French name is registerable. An Italian/Spanish one is fine. A Russian/French is marginal, probably registerable. A Welsh/Tibetan is not registerable.

Let me elaborate on the mixing of two languages in one element rule. "James the Good Cook" is a two element name. "James" is the first element and "the Good Cook" is the second element. "James" is in English, as is "the Good Cook". This is fine. However, changing the name to "James the Bueno Cook" is not acceptable, since "Bueno" is Spanish and "Cook" is English. Even "Juan the Bueno Cook" would not be acceptable, since "Juan" is a different element from "Cook", and "Bueno/Good" is associated with "Cook", and not with "Juan ".

This affects all forms including patronymic forms. "Ferch" is the Welsh word for daughter. Therefore, "Angharad ferch Rhys" is fine, since the element "ferch Rhys" is totally in Welsh. "Angharad ferch Thorvald" would not be fine, since the element "ferch Thorvald" uses Welsh and Old Norse, with "ferch" being Welsh and "Thorvald" being Old Norse. The name would have to be either "Angharad Thorvaldsdottir", or "Angharad Thorvald daughter" or some similar form using English. "Daughter" is allowed, since we use English as the "lingua franca" of the SCA, and any modifier can be in English.

Confused? There is no need to be. Just make sure that every element uses only one language, or one language and English. However, even if it is a language other than English, it still must be documented as being used prior to 1600 in that language.

Remember also that given names must be documented as given names, used by human beings. Just because something is a word does not necessarily mean it's a name. "Moreh" means teacher in Hebrew. It is not, however, a given name and could not be used as a given name in the SCA. "Douglas" was only used as a last name in our period; therefore it cannot be used as a given name. "Odin " was a given name, but was only known as the name of a god, so it can't be used either.

If you are looking at a name, and want to make sure it fits our rules, go through this checklist.

1. Does it consist of at least two elements?
2. Is every part documented as having been used as a name of a human being prior to 1600?
3. Is the first element documented as having been used as a given name?
4. Does each element use only one language?
5. If more than one language is used in the name, are they cultures that regularly interacted during our period?

Quiz: determine if the following names meet our requirements, and if they don't, explain why they don't.

1. Anne of Lincoln.

2. Richard.

3. John mac Ivan.

4. Zeus the Bold.

5. Owen ap Morgan.

6. Mary Carpenter.

7. Arthur Natsuyana.

8. Miller Jones.

9. Bjornsson the Viking.

10. Judith the Good of Sterling.

11. Robert the atomic scientist.

12. Alys Longshanks.

13. Horse Campbell.

14. Phillipe d'Orleans.