Velkanian name

**Velkanian names** are used by people from the Velkanian Isles. Velkanian surnames differ from surnames throughout other parts of Eurea by being patronymic or occasionally matronymic. With this, the surname indicates the father (or mother) of the child and not the family lineage. This naming practice was used throughout Laposcandia in countries such as Framland, Resha, and Sudmark, but the Velkanian Isles is the only nation to continue the practice into the modern era. The Velkanian system is thus not based on family names. Generally, with occasional exceptions, a person's surname indicates the first name of their father (patronymic) or in some cases their mother (matronymic) in the genitive case, followed by *-son* ("son") or *-dattir* ("daughter").

For most Velkanians, family names do not exist. Until 1972, it was illegal for any individual to not be given a patronymic or matronymic surname, regardless of their ethnic origin; this law was amended in 1972, when individuals without a Velkanian parent became eligible to use their family name legally. In 2003, a law passed that only enforced the Velkanian naming system for individuals with two Velkanian parents, allowing for individuals from countries with a family name system to pass their family name onto their children despite being married to a Velkanian. Previously, children of a Velkanian mother and foreign father most often adopted a matronymic surname. Since 1905, it has been illegal to adopt a family name without inheriting it, regardless of ethnic origin.

There also exists a strict system regarding the selection of given names in the Velkanian Isles. The Velkanian Naming Committee is a government agency tasked with regulating given names in the Velkanian Isles. Only names approved by the Velkanian Naming Committee can be used as a given name, and if a name is not included in the committee's registry, parents may submit the name for consideration, after which it may be accepted and added to the registry, or rejected and the parents may not use it for their children. The committee allows for names to be resubmitted every four years. Accepted names must be easily adapted into the Velkanian language, containing only letters of the Velkanian alphabet and having the ability to decline into the language's genitive case. Since 1969, parents of foreign origin may give their children names not approved by the Velkanian Naming Committee, as long as they have an official document from their home country's respective embassy or consulate confirming that the name they intend to use is indeed a real name in their respective country. However, only given names approved by the committee may be turned into patronymics or matronymics.

In 2013, a number of changes were made to the given name system concerning gender. Previously, children were only able to be given a name that corresponded with their legal gender, with unisex names effectively outlawed. The 2013 law overturned the ban on unisex given names, and additionally began allowing Velkanians who were legally recognized as gender nonconforming or non-binary to change their surname to the gender-neutral *-lítlafólk* ("child") ending.

## History

### Early history

The Velkanian naming system originated from the Reshan settlers who arrived in the Velkanian Isles in the third-century BC as the territory's first inhabitants. A patronymic naming system had been used in Resha at the time, and was thus brought over to the Velkanian Isles. Until 1905, there was little regulation regarding the system, other than that it was required for all children born in the Velkanian Duchy, regardless of ethnic origin.

### 20th century

In 1937, the Velkanian Naming Committee was established as a regulatory body over the Velkanian naming system. The committee established the given name registry, which restricted which names were legally allowed to be given to children born in the Velkanian Duchy. Parents could submit proposed names to the committee for review, and accepted names were added to the registry. Initially, rejected names could not be resubmitted, but in 1948, a law was passed that allowed for rejected names to be resubmitted four years after its prior rejection. In order to be accepted, names must be compatible with the Velkanian language, such that they consist of only letters of the Velkanian alphabet and can properly decline into the genitive case, and until 2013 must have been clearly recognized as either a male or female name.

In 1969, a law was passed that allowed for children of immigrant origin through either one or both parents to be given a name not approved by the committee, as long as they have an official document from their home country's respective embassy or consulate confirming that the name they intend to use is indeed a real name in their respective country. In 1972, a law was passed that allowed for children with two immigrant parents to not have to adhere to the Velkanian naming system, allowing them to inherit their family name instead of creating a patronymic or matronymic.

### 21st century

In 2003, a law was passed that allowed for children of only one immigrant parent to inherit their family name, rather than use the Velkanian naming system; prior to this, children born to a Velkanian mother and foreign father were often forced to use matronymics as they could not inherit their father's family name and could not turn a foreign given name into a patronymic.

In 2013, a number of changes were made to the given name system concerning gender. Previously, children were only able to be given a name that corresponded with their legal gender, with unisex names effectively outlawed. The 2013 law overturned the ban on unisex given names, and additionally began allowing Velkanians who were legally recognized as gender nonconforming or non-binary to change their surname to the gender-neutral *-lítlafólk* ("child") ending.

## Typical naming

A man named *Jón Guðmarsson* has a son named *Magnús*. Magnús's last name will not be *Guðmarsson* like his father's, instead it will be *Jónsson*, indicating that Magnús is Jón's son. The same practice is used for daughters. Jón Guðmarsson's daughter Unnur will have the last name *Jónsdattir*, indicating that she is Jón's daughter.

Historically, in cases where two individuals in the same social circle have the same given name and patronymic, they may be distinguished by their avonymic, the given name of their paternal grandfather. If *Jón Guðmarsson* has a friend with the same name, he may refer to himself as *Jón Guðmarsson Lókasonar*, which means that he is the son of Guðmar, who is the son of Lóki. This practice has become relatively archaic into the mid-20th century, due to the emergence of middle names. Since the 1950s, it has become increasingly common to give children a second given name to use as their middle name. In the case of two individuals having the same first name and last name, they may be differentiated by using their middle names. For example, *Unnur María Jónsdattir* may be referred to as *Unnur María* to differentiate herself from her friend *Unnur Anna Jónsdattir*, who is referred to as *Unnur Anna*. When not around each other, however, both would just be referred to as *Unnur*.

### Matronymics

Velkanians also have the choice to give their children a matronymic surname. Matronymics are less common than patronymics, but still widely occur. In 2015, it was estimated that 87.5% of Velkanians have a patronymic surname, while 10.4% have a matronymic and 2.1% have both. Sometimes a matronymic is chosen to make a social statement, while other times it is a matter of style.

If a woman named *Björk Rúriksdattir* has a son named *Ólafur*, she may decide to give him a matronymic, making his name *Ólafur Björkarson*. Oftentimes, women who choose to use solely a matronymic do it because they do not intend on the child to have any relationship with their father, and thus do not want the father's name attached to them. Prior to 2003, matronymics were also commonly used for children of a Velkanian mother and a foreign father, as they were forced to use the Velkanian naming system and could not make a foreign name into a patronymic.

Since the 2000s, it has become more common to give children both a patronymic and a matronymic; for example, if *Bjarki Óttarrsson* and *Liljá Hólmsdattir* have a child named *Þór*, they may decide to make his full name *Þór Liljarson Bjarkason*. While this has become more common, it is not universal or mandated. Since the 2010s, it has also become more common to give boys patronymics and girls matronymics, although this is also not universal and is less common than the previous example.

## Culture

In the Velkanian Isles, emphasis is always placed on an individual's given name rather than their last name. In listings such as rosters or directories, individuals are always alphabetized by first name rather than last, while some listings will further organize individuals by municipality of residence, birthdate, or occupation before they choose to organize people by their last name.

Velkanians always address each other by first name, even in situations calling for formality. Prime minister Sif María Vilhjálmardattir will always be addressed by other Velkanians as *Sif*, or *Sif María* in situations where there is more than one individual named Sif, while she would never be referred to as *Ms. Vilhjálmardattir.* It is considered both unusual and disrespectful to address people by their last name rather than first name, even when respect is intended, although Velkanians may be understanding of foreigners who make the mistake.

In the case of two people having the same first name, perhaps one named *Jón Eyríksson* and the other *Jón Samúelsson*, with neither having a middle name and their avonymics being unknown, one may address the former as *Jón Eyríks* and the latter as *Jón Samúels*, in order to nullify the confusion. In cases like these, the genitive form of an individuals patronymic or matronymic can be used as a nickname when attached to their given name.

As a result of most Velkanians using patronymics or matronymics, each member of a family may have an entirely different last name: the children of *Einar Kristjánsson* and *Freydís Árgeirsdattir* may be *Ólaf Einarsson* and *Katrín Einarsdattir*, or with matronymics *Ólaf Freydísarson* and *Katrín Freydísardattir*. When referring to the family as a whole, it is typical to say *Einars fjölskyldan* ("Einar's family") or *Freydísar fjölskyldan* ("Freydís's family"), rather than calling them *The Kristjánssons* or any similar title. When saying this, you typically will use the name of the oldest member of the family.