Atruozan names
Atruozan names are among the longest on Sahar, functionally acting more as titles, which change and evolve over the course of one's life. For this reason, it is generally not allowed for one to change their legal name in nations with Atruozan names as the primary naming scheme, as it would allow for the information carried by the names to be artificially modified and falsified.
This article will use examples uniquely from Atruozan; however, the general customs, structure, and usage, remains constant across nearly all Atruozan peoples.
Name construction
Form
Atruozan names generally consist of seven primary components, grouped into four sections delineated by commas in writing, thereincluded multiple given names, names of tribal and occasionally clan origin, an informal title or nickname provided from the hometown/tribe of origin, the name of the settlement or village group of birth, one or two major life achievements, official titles (if any) which function somewhat as work-derived titles, and the current settlement(s) or village group(s) of residence, should it be different from that of birth.
In order, a maximal name would be of the following structure :
Given Names
Generally, people receive three given names. The first is provided by the parents at birth, and the other two are generally provided by one of the oldest local elders, and a/the local shaman. Depending on availability due to circumstances surrounding the childbirth, sometimes one or the other is ommitted, and either another elder provides a name, or the tribe's local chief provides a name. In some areas, every elder beyond a certain age is chosen, one elder of each clan within the tribe is chosen, or each family within the clan or tribe provides a name in addition to the primary three. Names from those other than the parents are provided within five days of birth, occasionally up to ten days in extreme circumstances. This is therefore the part of Atruozan names with the most regional variance.
Given names are formed in various ways, but are most commonly either made from nature-related words, especially based on things (wildlife, flora, etc) around the area of birth or which were seen during labour or shortly after birth, or they are formed from events occuring during labour or childbirth, or which occured shortly thereafter. Other than these, names based on qualities desired to be bestowed on the child aren't uncommon, and what effectively amount to onomatopeia of the infant's sounds aren't uncommon among elder-given names. Naming after relatives or ancestors is extraordinarily rare, although names formed from a similar root origin to evoke a quality of an ancestor aren't unheard of, if very rare.
Given names are usually either very transparent, or are formed through small changes to words, or shortenings of longer words, at the parents' discretion. Some examples of various given names include lhifgrø̃ (from lhif 'moon' + grø̃ 'night', presumably it was a clear night at birth), pøfe ('DIM-wind', as it might have been very calm outside), serẽgnẽ (from serẽëgnẽ 'shelter-PRV', of a childbirth which had to be done outside), gruägruä and lululolu (from baby sounds), cwegainñøke (from cwega 'dog' + aijnok 'love-AGE', this could be a name chosen to envoke a love of dogs, or because of a dog taking a liking to the infant), and ëxlängäfläñë (from ëxlängä 'hole-NOM.ANZ' + fläbmøkë 'blood-ADJZ-ANZ', thus effectively from 'bloody vagina', during childbirth).
Clan and Tribal Names
The following names before the first break consists of a minimum of two names. The first, is one of either the name of the historical-to-modern alliance and or nation/confederacy their tribe belongs(-ed) to or the name of the primary ethnolinguistic intertribal Atruozan subgroup they are a part of (more specifically, that their tribe is a part of). Most often the latter is seen, although both do on occasion largely overlap, and the former is not at all uncommon. In some less common instances, both can be seen provided. An example of both overlapping would be of someone from an Ärinäs tribe, which was historically part of the Ärinäs Confederacy.
The following name is the name of their tribe. Usually this remains that of the tribe of birth, although in some rare instances of a change in tribal affiliation, this and at least the historical alliance parts of their name may be updated, following which the Location of Birth section of the name, which will be discussed later, may be updated to instead indicate the tribe of birth.
Not uncommonly seen is also the name of the clan within their tribe that a person belongs to. In many tribes, children aren't definitively placed within any clan until their coming-of-age ceremony, at which point the clan they belong to would then be added to their name.
Hometown/Birth Tribe Nickname or Informal Title
This is the first part of the second section of the Atruozan name, following the first "comma". It constitutes of a nickname or informal title received from their local tribe. A preliminary nickname is presented first at the age of 10 based on mannerisms, preferences, or behavioural traits (often in the form of comparison to a given animal), either by an elder of the clan, or by the parents. These are usually very simple and straightforward. At the age of 16, as part of the coming-of-age ceremony, a new nickname or informal title will be presented, usually 1-3 words long, by the tribe's oldest shaman. This nickname is either an "officialisation" of a local nickname or achievement-based title already in use, or a new nickname decided upon by the tribe's chief(s), shaman(s), and all elders who are decided to be fairly close to them. The new name would be decided upon based on certain noticeable actions, behaviours, preferences (many of these three may be encoded by reference to an animal perceived as embodying similar traits), or achievements. Traditionally these are often quite blunt, occasionally almost jokingly "explicit", which may be percieved as negative by some on the outside, but are generally accepted as a normal part of life highlighting different aspects of individuals and life, which is imperfect.
Once a new nickname is presented, it is almost always the same for the remainder of an individual's life. Often in conversation outside close friends and family, people are referred to by this nickname/title, or a shortened form thereof (a common method for three- or the occasional four-worded nickname is to take the first syllable of each root in order, with some minor variance based on said syllables).
Examples of these include cwega gøaijnokpöx 'one who really loves dogs', zëzëitönnok 'virgin', nölc wẽþinokpöx 'ice carver', drãyeuwa 'lustful person', yarupöx lø̃vërmø 'masked face', poval 'little bat', alyẽsnü 'one who is cared about', yøfrac bofloyyeuwapöx 'great tracker of birds', dẽãnmuov 'one who is calm', ois iheëkë 'persistent camel', and suñö yã gyeuãpnö 'dry (capable of lactating) breasts' (lit. 'lactating-capable breasts without water').
Location or Tribe of Birth
This is generally the name of the settlement or village group of birth. On rare occasion, in the case of someone switching their tribal affiliation and having their first section tribal names updated as a result, this is changed to being the tribe of birth, although it is very rare. Sometimes the tribe and said settlement or village grouping are identical in name, however, or the name for the more nomadic tribes' general territories (legally classified as municipalities of sorts) are used, which may be the same as the tribe's name. On very rare occasion of childbirth in a smaller wilderness camp, or during travel where the location by name is unknown, reference to the general area or any notable physical features in the area will be made, which can include in exceptionally rare instances something as simple as køkëkmamakö 'by the small river'.
Usually these are formed in Atruozan languages by stating the placename with the ablative affix, although in a few languages where there is not one, a preposition, another case suffix which can convey either an ablative or initiative sense (or in an extremely rare few cases, a terminitive or allative sense), or a dedicated affix, is used instead. Thus, if someone is born in Gøtüxür, this final part of the second section of the Atruozan name would read gøtüxürdërg 'Gøtüxür-ABL'.
This is the only part of the name beyond the given names and non-clan tribal names which is given at or near birth.
Major Achievement(s)
Here, in the third section of the Atruozan name, one or two of a person's major achievements in life are listed, as approved by a clan elder, a tribe's shaman, or a tribe's chief. Except for in exceptional cases, these are not usually placed on a name until adulthood (i.e. at the age of 16 or more), with a first often being added to the name at the coming-of-age ceremony. They will evolve and change over time as life experiences are accumulated, and can be any of a wide gamut of things, from surviving an avalanche, to being part of a sports team who made it to an international tournament, to successfully hunting a large animal, alone or not. Even something such as completion of a level of post-secondary studies may appear.
These are often full succinct multi-word clauses or phrases, of varying length, and in the case of two achievements being listed, are formatted as '[Achievement 1] and* [Achievement 2]' (*or whatever the equivalent structure to and is).
Official Title
The first component of the fourth and final section of Atruozan names is the official title, which is not always necessarily present, and both can and will change over time. As this can range from gøxãiyë 'High Chief' to oizõ stuprësifpëx 'village protector/watchguard' to fhekö üsømø keuđuovpox 'soccer player' to hõbou 'shaman', it functions largely as both a work title and a granted title of position. In some instances, it can also be a title granted by a chief, shaman, elder, or a council of chiefs (i.e. a level of government) which was earned through exceptional work, hardship, community service, or as a spiritual community role (which then remains with them as their official title for life). Most don't get their first official title until sometime in adulthood.
Current Location or Tribe of Residence
The final component of an Atruozan name is one which is not always present, but in form and constraints is generally identical to the Location of Birth component. In any instance of someone residing in an area not identical to that of their location of birth, this section stating where they currently reside is included, which is updated should they move again. Usually it is included if someone is staying elsewhere for more than a period of two shorter seasons (Fall, Freeze, Thaw, or Spring) or one long season (Summer or Winter), which equates to around three months by the Gregorian Calendar. Should they return to their settlement or village cluster of birth, the component of the name is simply removed.
Regardless of whether or not the Tribe name in the first section of the name is changed, and the Location of Birth component changed to indicate the tribe of birth as a result, in the rare cases where one changes their tribal affiliation, the new tribe is added onto this section after the current location of residence, separated in Atruozan by the particle 'yã', which depending on the language is replaced by a similar particle or other subordinating conjunction, or through an equivalent strategy. It is in some exceedingly rare instances simply placed after the current location. Therefore it generally can be written as bearing the form '[Current Location]-ABL* yã [Current Tribe]-ABL*' (*same context around the ablative as mentioned regarding the location of birth still apply).
Examples
The few examples which follow will not have any translation of the segments, as they are merely to show examples of names in full. Names are written surrounded by the naming punctuation, represented in romanisation by [].
[dosunhö ërnøcni bobobobu ärinäs tøësciivmẽlëäv roifleuug, suñö yã gyeuãpnö skëuþmodörg, aiyer fheköbadö üsømøkë døsürltøtëtø̃ gyozäbëdabëjdø̃, fhekö üsømø gøxãiyëpøx gyeutoþmodörg]
[aŕoƀeoku bäpi rõwai grönic kađilẽgvum, gøtüxürdërg] (a name at birth)
[ovlõzaþka serẽgnẽ gruägruä boƀoƀ grönic pyüliẽpnë, drãyeuwato nonëgneumdörg, bä itönzunã duñãjhö đukođo ü aiyer fheköbadö üsømøkë døsürltøtëtø̃ gyozäbëdabëjdø̃]
Usage
Legal
On the fifth day (or up to the tenth in exceptional circumstances as discussed previously) after birth, children are officially legally registered as the "core name", which includes the entire first section of the Atruozan name in addition to the location of birth. The first update to their name is done at age 10 when the preliminary nickname/informal title is granted. The largest single instance of a legal updating of the name is usually on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony into adulthood, when a final informal title or nickname is granted, one fully becomes part of a clan, and a major achievement is added onto the name. Over time, whenever an instance where the name is to be updated occurs, or is believed to be ready to be updated (this is especially of the major achievements component), consent from the appropriate sources as required (if required) is gathered, and presented to an office for the legal name to be updated in the system. Due to the nature of the constant evolution of the names, these services are generally easily accessible and require in most cases almost no paperwork. In many fully nomadic tribes, name updates as required are done every [usually five in Atruozan or Atruozan peoples-dominant states] years during elections.
As briefly mentioned, due to the constantly evolving nature of the names, and the information about life history contained therein, it is generally illegal in Atruozan peoples-dominant or -significant states to change one's name for any purposes other than to continue the evolution of said name as proper, which includes the disallowing of the changing of the Tribal Alliance/People subgroup name, the Given names, and the definitive Informal Title/Nickname. Proof or statement of consent as required for certain legal name updates by the correct parties is required for some components to ensure honesty and integrity in the official legal name of a person.
Social
How people are referred to changes depending on the age of a person and who is talking to them. Generally speaking, children under the age of 10 are always referred to either by their parental given name, or their full name. Between the ages of 10 and 16, family, elders, figures of importance, and very close friends refer to a person by their parental given name or full name, while they are referred to by their provisionary nickname or full name by everyone else. As an adult, one is generally referred to by their final nickname or full name by strangers, acquaintances, and most friends, and by their parental given name or full name by elders, and people of respect or authority above themselves, including shamans, chiefs, more experienced workers or hunters, and those distinguished with a permanent official title, and by family.
In the cases where someone is of a position of importance, those "under" that level generally refer to them by either their official title, or their nickname/informal title with their official title in an adjectivised form thereafter (if not being referred to by their name in full). Those with permanent official titles are generally referred to by said titles or their full name by those without one, and/or those noticeably younger than themselves, and by their informal titles/nicknames by those of their same age, with those noticeably older than them referring to them by their parental given name, in addition to previously mentioned general naming patterns regarding family and friends, and people of importance.
An example of a person of importance being referred to by their official title is a shaman being referred to either as hõbou 'shaman' or as [nickname] hõboumo '[nickname] shaman-ADJZ'. More temporary titles such as that of chief are treated in the same way. Often elders are referred to by those middle-aged or younger as [nickname or official title] obrämø '[...] elder-ADJZ', or if by close family, the parental name is used in place of the nickname or official title.
Generally, within families, children refer to their parents by their nicknames until adulthood, when they are then allowed to refer to their parents by their parental given names without it being somewhat rude. Usually siblings as children will refer to each other either using their given name or their provisional nickname (often a childish familiar shortening thereof), with older siblings very rarely referring to younger siblings by the nickname, and younger siblings being much more likely to refer to older siblings by it.
A lack of adherence to the generally accepted standards of reference indicates, depending on whether it's using a more respectful manner as someone older or of higher standing or someone younger doing the opposite, either a strong respect for a person, or high familiarity or disrespect towards another (depending on context), respectfully.
International
Who knows aside from probly some noticeable headaches in some places legally in the systems. Not entirely sure, tbh and might not ever be.