Names

## Characteristics

### Ancient names

Ancient Taran names prior to the Fractured Sovereignty Eras consisted of an honorific cliticized to a surname followed by one or two given names. For example: ra'Xedou Shataar. Individuals who were the second by that same name received a number before their first name. Sataar II would have been called ra'Xedou Tiy Shataar.

Prior to the NS 150s with the rule of Xedou, surnames of children were typically the combination of both parents. The exact naming paradigm conventions are not understood because there are so few records prior to NS 300s. The ruler Xedou chose to keep the surname of the first of his dynasty, ra'Xedou Kan Shataar, rather than use the surname he would have been given from his two parents' surnames. This prompted a change in the other Tarans, such that by NS 200s all were keeping the name of their most esteemed parent in honor of their proud lineage.

Taran names were changed to the current paradigm following the conquest of the Faraham post-NS 421 to match Faraham naming conventions. Many Sovereigns are frequently called by their modern name equivalents. For instance, ra'Xedou Kan Shataar is usually referred to as "Kan Xhadouk ra Sataar."

### Modern names

The basic Taran name consists of a surname, written first, followed by an honorific and one or two given names. For example: Melaq da Runal, Shifran da Taqaari, Xhadouk ra Rezhiq Sataar, Felah na Taxirah, Farah na Sataal.

Honorific articles come in four types: nobility male, commoner male, nobility female, and commoner female. The nobility honorifics for men and women are *ra* and *da*, respectively. In the rare instance that a noble loses their title, their honorifics will be reduced to the commoner male or female honorifics, *ro* and *na*. Some female commoner honorifics are expressed as *do* in the Southern Vahim Regaad. in marriage, a spouse with a commoner honorific can change their honorific to the appropriate nobility honorific if their partner is uppper class.

The name "Shaa" appears before the surname in two instances: adoption and marriage. Adopted children will take "Shaa" before their foster parents' surnames. In marriage, the spouse with the lower social class will add "Shaa" and the surname of their partner before their birth surname.

In the Dynasty of a Thousand Years, some Sovereign names have been repeats of previous rulers. In this case, Sataar the First is differentiated by Sataar the Second by adding the appropriate number before the surname. Sataar the First's full name would thus be characterized as Kan Xhadouk ra Sataar, and Sataar the Second's would be Tiy Xhadouk ra Sataar.

To provide a few more examples of name derivations:

* **Tiy Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar** received his name in honor of his grandfather, also named Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar. Because Garet was the second in the Sovereign line to receive this name, he became known as Tiy Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar. "Tiy" is the Taran word for "two." One of his grandsons in turn became named Fa Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar; "Fa" is the Taran word for "three". For a short period of time, Garet was rejected from the Sovereign line and cast out of the Vahim Regaad; he should have been called Xhadouk ro Garet Rangar at that time, though out of pride he still called himself by the nobility honorific "ra".
* **Shaa Xhadouk Vilot da Mera** Mera was born with the name Vilot Mera in Khantou, which does not have article honorifics, simply a surname followed by her one given name. In the Vahim Regaad, she would have been known as Vilot na Mera because she was a commoner woman. She married Tiy Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar and became named Shaa Xhadouk Vilot da Mera. She took on "Shaa" and Xhadouk's last name because he was of a higher class than her; she took on "da" over "na" because she married into nobility; and she retained her maiden surname following her husband's surname.
* **Shaa Hlenis Donaz ra Valuur** Valuur was a noble born Donaz ra Valuur. He married Hlenis ro Sengur Rashurr. Typically, his husband would have taken on Valuur's name and become Shaa Donaz Hlenis ra Sengur Rashurr. However, Valuur wished to dissociate with his family's name and asked to take Sengur's name instead. Therefore, Valuur took "Shaa Hlenis" before his given surname. The nobility marker remained the same, and Sengur would have likely been called Hlenis ra Sengur Rashurr after their marriage.
* **Shaa Xhadouk Saa da Saany** Saany was raised by her parents Saa ra Safaar and Shaa Saa Hitaav da Nihonah for the first fourteen years of her life. Upon being separated by her parents, with Nihonah presumed dead, she was taken in by Tiy Xhadouk ra Garet Rangar and his wife Shaa Xhadouk Vilot da Mera. Because Saany was adopted and her birth surname was known, she took on "Shaa Xhadouk" in addition to her familial surname "Saa," thus becoming Shaa Xhadouk Saa da Saany.

Taran friends call each other by their first given name. Friends of Dotuq ro Verah would call him "Verah" on a day-to-day basis.

To indicate respect and formality, individuals are called by their surname with the preceding appropriate honorific. This is relatively equivalent to "Mr." or "Ms." in English. For instance, Faraset ra Zhokur would be respectfully addressed as Ra Faraset. In cases of marriage, the honorific is placed before the "Shaa" and first surname. Shaa Nousan Ferah na Taxirah would be respectfully addressed as Na Shaa Nousan.

## Common names

Given Taran names are usually two syllables long, though a number are three syllables. Surnames are often three syllables long, with a number of two syllable names as well. Very few names are shorter than two syllables or longer than three.

### Female names

Modern Sovereignty Era Taran female names typically end in "l," "n," "ah," or "i."

* Daqy, Daqirah, Daqiy, Danierah, Danirah, Doraan, Doran, Doranah, Hani, Kalan, Karaen, Kiherah, Lihan, Lihanah, Maelan, Melan, Melirah, Merun, Nehani, Nihonah, Ravaal, Ravaan, Rousan, Roushan, Roshanah, Runal, Rushan, Saadi, Saghany, Saany, Sadirah, Saerin, Sareh, Sataal, Sataaqy, Sendal, Serin, Shanal, Shandarah, Shaari, Shari, Shieri, Shirah, Shieran, Shiran, Sholaan, Sholan, Shoulan, Solaan, Solan, Soran, Soriy, Sory, Soury, Sueral, Suerashy, Surah, Surashah, Surashy, Sutal, Sutierah, Sutieran, Sutirah, Sutiran, Taanal, Taaqy, Taghi, Taghy, Tashal, Tasharah, Taaxy, Taxirah, Tazhaal, Tonal, Viren, Xhaelin, Xhelirah, Xhemi, Xherin, Xhovan, Xhovanah, Xiral, Xiren, Zhel, Zhelah, Zoran, Zoranah

### Male names

Modern Sovereignty Era Taran male names typically end in plosives, especially "q" and "t." The letter "r" is also a common ending to male names.

* Daaraq, Denar, Gaarek, Garet, Gorat, Kahaar, Kalaat, Kalah, Kalan, Kaxer, Kaxher, Kiher, Maelar, Maelir, Nehan, Rangar, Rashur, Rashurr, Rezhiq, Roshar, Rosharr, Roshat, Roushat, Rushaat, Rushat, Rushaq, Rusharr, Rusaat, Rusat, Safaar, Sarkaf, Sataaq, Sataar, Saturr, Saghaan, Sagharr, Sangar, Sangur, Sengur, Sengurr, Sharkaf, Shataar, Shuraq, Tahiq, Taqirat, Tashaq, Tashar, Tashurr, Taxhir, Taxhiraq, Taxir, Taxiraq, Taxiraaq, Tenar, Tenaraq, Vaaraq, Valun, Valuur, Varoux, Velaq, Venar, Veran, Zenriq, Zhokur, Zoraaq, Zoraq, Zoriq

### Surnames

* Danarouk, Danierah, Daniraek, Daniraeq, Daniren, Danireq, Danirouk, Denarazh, Derazhah, Derazhan, Derazhouk, Deren, Deresaek, Derezhaek, Derezhouk, Donaz, Dotoq, Dotuq, Farah, Farasat, Faraset, Farasouk, Farasout, Farosot, Farouset, Farousi, Fatarak, Fatarash, Fatarouk, Fatife, Fatifeh, Fiteraq, Foqarr, Forosot, Forosouk, Hilaq, Hilieq, Hireshouk, Hishouk, Hitef, Hitefan, Hlenes, Hlenis, Hlenasaek, Hlenesaek, Maher, Nousan, Rashouk, Saa, Sadirouk, Sahouk, Sarahouk, Sarataak, Sarataaq, Saratouk, Sarouk, Shatanouk, Shouk, Tanarouk, Venaarak, Venaaran, Venarash, Venaraak, Venaraaq, Venaraash, Venarouk, Veneraek, Veneraeq, Veraan, Xedarouk, Xhadouk, Zenriq, Zhaenara, Zhenarah, Zhorsak, Zhorsek, Zhoursek, Zoqorou, Zoqorouk

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