Name Meanings

Saki-chan · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:16 am Post subject: Name Meanings

I was wondering if anyone knew where some of the names in the game come from. I was very surprised when I saw a reference to someone named Fabre in an essay I was reading for my English class, and I checked Wikipedia, which had quite a list of Fabres (personally, I'm leaning towards Cindy Fabre, Miss France of 2005 Wink

). Then there's Lorelei; I was shocked to hear a deep male voice portraying Lorelei, because in German myth, Lorelei was a beautiful woman similar to the Greek siren. Nebilim's name is probably from the Nephilim, a race of giants that were the offspring of fallen angels. But I don't really have any clue as to the origins of anyone else's name.

And as for the place names, if anyone didn't know, a lot of them come from the Kabbalah. Several of the parts of the sephiroth described in the Kabbalah are used as place names in ToA: Keterburg, Saint Binah, Grand Chokma, Daath, Hod, and Malkuth all came from there. There's also the Qliphoth, or Tree of Death.

Angel of Darkness · Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 637

I don't know anything special about the name origins, but I just wanted to say that I also was shocked to no end when Lorelei's voice was male.. It just seems so wrong to me.
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Lunar Eclipse · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject:

Note, some spoilers ahead . . .

Luke: From Lucian. Means light, born at daybreak.
fon: A simultaneous reference to fonons and the German preposition "von" ("of").
Fabre: French surname. I haven't been able to confirm this yet, but I feel like this must somehow derive from the word "flame". If this is the case, then his entire name could be taken as meaning "light of the sacred flame", a reference to the meaning of his first name in ancient Ispanian.

Tear: From the English word "tear". Likely references the tears she sheds in the ending.
Grants: Derived from Norman French, meaning "grand" or "great". Perhaps a reference to the Grand Fonic Hymn, but that's a stretch, I think.

Jade: A green stone. Symbolizes royalty, justice, and wisdom. Jade certainly is wise, I suppose.
Curtiss: Means "courteous". Perhaps this is a reference to the way he acts. He's always somewhat courteous and cool, but he's being snide and sarcastic beneath it all.

Anise: Anise is a type of herb. Japanese star anise is extremely toxic albeit beautiful, so this is probably telling of Anise's personality, particularly of her in-battle duality (i.e. she looks sweet when Luke and Jade are in the party, but when they're out, she becomes "toxic" and adds "I'll beat you to death, you bastards!" to her Mystic Arte cry).
Tatlin: I really have no idea on this one.

Natalia: Means "Christmas child". Perhaps references the fact that she was a gift to the king.
Luzu: Again, no idea.
Kimlasca-Lanvaldear: The kingdom she governs.

Guy: He's a guy, and he's afraid of girls. Simple as that.
Cecil: Means "dim-sighted". Not sure of the reason for this either.

Asch: Refers to "ash". He is the "Ashes of the Sacred Flame". Again, if fon Fabre means "of the Sacred Flame", then this is an even better match.
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Sunny · Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 9753

Jade_Curtiss · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:20 pm Post subject:

Hmm, so many interesting references... it's indeed nice how Namco actually does some research while deciding the names of their characters.

Even though Hod was much likely taken from the Kabbahlah's Sephiroth, it's interesting how part of the legend about the Nordic God Hod fits Auldrant's Hod. The last line of that article, more specifically.. intriguing coincidence?

Switch Hitter · Joined: 12 Mar 2006 Posts: 4099

I'm thinking Luzu comes from "luz," which is "light" in a few languages. Kinda corresponds with Luke (or perhaps more so with the original Luke, Asch), though that might be wrong. (On a side-note, every time I hear the name Noble Roar, it reminds me of Radiant Howl since they're similar in name, too...)

I've been thinking they got Guy off of gynophobia. First syllable can be pronounced as "guy," but this could actually just be a coincidence since Guy's a real name.

Saki-chan · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject:

Conn · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject:

Cerathe · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 12

Sunny · Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 9753

Perhaps because she uses Tokunaga...but that's far fetched since Tokunaga is moving and sculptures aren't. ^__^;

Smurf · Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 4695 Location: Pending

JCMS · Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 9897

"Guy" is also a french common first name (well, they stopped naming their childs like this from 1975+ tought), maybe relation with fabre...
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Cerathe · Joined: 29 Oct 2006 Posts: 12

I've been searching around for 'Luzu', but one of the first things that came up was Natalia. (Well that's promising. Rolling Eyes

)

But apparently in Swahili, it's a suffix meaning be broke, or be on the rocks.
I can't think of anything for it, but I might just be spacing out.
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Lunar Eclipse · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject:

Miyuki · Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 950 Location: Underground