NewTypeEldie Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) Below I have compiled a list of almost all the etymologies of the person/place/weapon names that are in Genealogy of the Holy War. I would like to point out that I came up with the majority of these etymologies myself but I did not shy away from checking my findings with other sources such as the two Fire Emblem Wikis and some Serenes Forest posts as well. With that out of the way I would like to point out how well researched and inspired this, and by extension all other Fire Emblem games, are in terms of the names used for people/places/objects. Genealogy of the Holy War seems to draw extensively from Norse and Celtic/Irish mythology, and the use of some lesser known names is even more astounding. As a note, the list is not totally complete and it would be great if some of you well informed fans can fill in some of the remaining blanks for the names I have listed. Genealogy of the Holy War Etymology Collection: Place Names Jugdral- Corruption of Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse mythology Grannvale- Original name, Translated as Grandbell, seems to simply be a combination of Grand and bell Chalphy- Corruption of Thialfi(Þjálfi), servant of the Norse god Thor Jungby- Corrution of Ygnvi, the old name for the Norse god Freyr Friege- Original? Possible corruption of Phygia, an ancient kingdom in Anatolia and location for various Greek myths Edda- Named after the Poetic and Prose Eddas, the written sources for the majority of Norse myths, compiled by Snorri Sturluson Dozel- Original name, unclear etymology Velthomer- Original name, likely utilizes the name Vala(Fala) as a source such as Falaflame Belhalla- Corruption of Valhalla, the Norse afterlife for heroes and warriors, seems to fit in with the name Grand-bell Verdane- Original name, draws from adjective “verdant” meaning green with plants. A reference to the forested terrain of the country Evans- English/Welsh last name meaning Son of Evan, where Evan is the Welsh version of John Genoa- City in Italy and capital of the region of Liguria Marpha- Unsure, name of a small village in Nepal Verdane- Capital shares name with country Agustria- Original name, likely drawn from Augustus, first Roman Emperor or corruption of Austria Nordion- Original name? Likely draws from “nord” meaning north or of the north Heirhein- Original name, drawn from hein, diminutive of Heinrich or more likely a corruption of Highland Mackily- Original? Unknown Anphony- Original? Unknown Madino- Unkown, possibly drawn from Medina, a holy city for Islam in Arabia Silvail- Original? Unknown Orgahill- Original? Unknown Agusty- Likely Original, shortened version of Agustria Silesse- Corruption of Silesia, a region in Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany Sailane- Original? Possibly a corruption of Silesia Thove- Original? Unknown Zaxon- Corruption of Saxon or Saxony, a region in eastern Germany Lubeck- Slight corruption of Lübeck, a port city in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Silesse- Capital named after country Isaach- Corruption of Biblical name Isaac, patriarch of the Israelites Tirnanog- Corruption of Tír na nÓg meaning “land of the young” and is another name for Otherworld in Celtic mythology Ganeishire- Unknown, likely drawn from some English/Scottish shire Sophara- Original name? Possibly drawn from Sofia, capital of Bulgaria Rivough- Original name? Possibly drawn from an Irish/Welsh place name Isaach- Capital named after the country Yied Desert- Corruption of Aed, Irish god of the underworld Phinora- Original? Unknown Darna- Original? Unknown Yied- Same as the region Manster District- Corruption of Munster, ancient kingdom in Ireland and currently one of its provinces Melgen- Original name? Unknown, possibly an Irish/Scottish/Welsh place name Alster- Corruption of Ulster, old Irish kingdom and current province Leonster- Corruption of Leinster, old Irish kingdom and current province Conote- Corruption of Connacht, old Irish kingdom and current province Manster- Same etymology as the country Thracia- Named after region in the Balkans inhabited by Thracian people Mease- Corruption of Meath, old Irish kingdom and current county Kapathogia- Original? Unknown, likely a Greek place name Luthecia- Corruption of Lutecia, Roman name for Paris Grutia- Thracia- capital named after country Miletos District- Named after ancient Greek city Miletos(Μί̄λητος) Peruluke- Original name? Unknown Chronos- Named after Greek primordial god of time Rados- Original name? Likely Greek person/place name Miletos- capital named after country Weapon names Tyrfing- Named after the magical sword in Norse mythology associated with three tragedies Balmung- The name used in Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle for the sword of the Norse hero Sigurd called Gram Mystletainn- Named after the magical sword of the Norse hero Hrómund Gripsson, possibly also in reference to the weapon used by Hodr to accidentally kill Baldur in Norse myth Gungnir- Named after the magical spear of the Norse god Odin Gae Bolg- Named after the magical spear used by the Irish hero Cu Chulainn Valflame- Combination of character name Fala and flame Forseti- Named after Norse god of justice Mjolnir- Named after the Norse god Thor’ hammer Helswath- Combination of Hel, Norse goddess of the underworld and swath, “the space covered by the stroke of a scythe” Named Swanchika originally, a corruption of sanskrit “svastika” known as manji in japanese Yewfelle- Named after yew, a material often used to make bows and fell, to knock down or defeat, as Ichaival, the name of a bow used by Odin that could fire ten arrows at once Valkyrie Staff- Named after Valkyries, Norse warrior women who carry fallen warriors to the afterlife Book of Naga- Named after character Naga who in turned is named after serpent deities in Hinduism and other Indian religions Character Names Twelve Crusaders: Baldur- Norse god of light Odo- Corruption of Od or Odin, Norse gods Hezul- Unknown, possibly a corruption of Hodr, Norse god and brother of Baldur Dain- A dwarf listed in Norse texts Noba- Unknown, possibly named after Roman city in Africa or Latin word for “new” Fala- Named for volva, also said vala, Norse mystic women, also possible reference to Norse goddess Freya Ced- Corruption of Forseti, Norse god of justice Tordo- Corruption of Thor, Norse god of lightning Neir- Unknown etymology Ulir- Corruption of Ullr, Norse god of hunting and archery Blaggi- Named for Bragi, Norse god of poetry Heim- Corruption of Heimdall, Norse god and guardian of the rainbow bridge Bifrost Playable Characters: Sigurd- Norse hero who killed the dragon Fafnir with the sword Gram(Balmung) Naoise- Irish knight and nephew of King Conchobar mac Nessa Alec- Short version of name Alexander Arden- The brother of Naoise in Irish mythology Azelle- Hebrew name meaning “noble” Lex- Shorthand of Alexander or, as Rex, Latin for “king” Quan- Corruption of Cian, the father of the Irish hero Lugh Ethlyn- Corruption of Ethniu, wife of Cian and mother of the Irish hero Lugh Finn- Irish hero Finn MacCool(Fionn Mac Cumhaill), the leader of the Fianna Midayle- Corruption of Midir, an Irish god who is the son of the Dagda and lover of Etain Dew- Likely named for “morning dew” Edain- Irish heroine and lover of the god Midir Ayra- Corruption of ira, the Latin word for “wrath” Deirdre- Irish heroine and tragic lover of Naoise Jamke- Corruption of Jamukha, Mongolian political rival of Genghis Khan Chulainn- The Irish hero Cu Chulainn, wielder of the magic spear Gae Bolg, also possible reference to Chulainn, the man who gave Setanta(Cu Chulainn) his name Lachesis- Greek goddess of fate and middle sister of the Moirae(fates), she measures the length of the thread that defines a person’s lifespan Beowolf- Corruption of Beowulf, Norse and Anglo-Saxon hero Lewyn- Possibly a corruption of Welsh Llewellyn or Old English Leofwine Sylvia- Latin name in reference to Roman nature god Sylvanus Erinys- Greek goddess of vengeance also known as a Fury or the Furies Tailtiu- Irish goddess and foster mother of the hero Lugh Claud- Alternate form of Roman name Claudius Briggid- Irish goddess of fire Seliph- Original name Julia- Roman name, feminine form of Julius Lana- Unknown Larcei- Corruption of Irish god Luchtaine Ulster- Named after Irish province, As Skasher, his name is a reference to Scathach, the Irish warrior woman who trainned Cu Chulainn Oifey- Corruption of Aoife, Irish warrior woman Diarmuid- Irish hero of the Fianna and lover of Grainne Lester- English name derived from city of Leicester Fee- Diminutive of Fiona or Phoebe Arthur- Named for King Arthur of Camelot Iuchar- Irish figure, brother of Iucharba and Brian, who killed Cian and Iucharba- Brother of Iuhar and Brian, killed Cian Shannan- Corruption of Shannon, a river in Ireland Patty- Diminutive of Patricia Leif- Norse name such as in Leif Erikson Nanna- Sumerian goddess of the moon Ares- Greek god of war Lene- Unknown Tine- Derived from Tini mac Conri, Irish king of Connacht Febail- Irish hero Bran mac Febail Ced- Corruption of Forseti, Norse god of justice Hannibal- Carthaginian general who fought against Rome in the Punic Wars Cairpre- Medieval Irish name with various associated figures Altena- Possible combination of Greek goddesses Athena and Artemis Arion- Possibly from Greek poet Ἀρίων Villains: Alvis- Corruption of Alviss, a dwarf whose name means “All-wise” Andorey- Likely a corruption of the name André Lombard- Also known as Langobalt, both are names in reference to the Lombards, a Germanic people who lived in northern Italy Reptor- Unknown, likely original Travant- German word “trabant” meaning satellite Manfroy- Unknown Loptyr- Name used for the Norse god Loki Story Characters: Eldigan- Original name Grahnye- Corruption of Grainne, Irish heroine and lover of Diarmuid Kurth- Corruption of the name Kurt Cigyun- Corruption of Sigyn, wife of the Norse god Loki Azmur- Original? Mananan- Corruption of Manannán mac Lir, Irish sea god Mariccle- Corruption of mac Lir from Manannán mac Lir EDIT: New etymologies for Friege, Lopty, etc. thanks to comments Edited November 2, 2017 by GreatHylian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaximillian Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 2 hours ago, GreatHylian said: Friege I always thought it was derived from Phrygia the historic kingdom in Asia Minor. However, it might just be me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jotari Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 (edited) Verdane is Italy? Wow...I didn't see that coming. D'oh. Misread Nepal as Naples. There's a pretty minor boss in the 2nd Gen called Muhammad. I think you fight him in Chapter 7, maybe 6. The origin is pretty obvious and he is probably from Granvel or Leinster, but it does support my perception (alongside things like Madino) that Isaac is primarily inspired by the middle east (despite the Irish place names). Noba could be based on Nibelung which I'm quite sure is pronounced Ni-beh. Ni-beh, No-bah. It's how I pronounce them anyway. Might be stretching it a bit but given the amount of Germanic and Norse stuff there is already I don't think it's entirely unreasonable. Also nitpick but the river is Shannon, not Shannan. Edited June 4, 2017 by Jotari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tetragrammaton Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Heirhein is simply highland, like the Highlander. I guess you completely forget the existence of Ichiibal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jotari Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 8 minutes ago, hanhnn said: Heirhein is simply highland, like the Highlander. I guess you completely forget the existence of Ichiibal. Loptyr is also curiously missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slumber Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 So mostly Scandinavia and Ireland, with some Italy, France, German, Eastern Europe and other odds and ends thrown in for good measure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewTypeEldie Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 10 hours ago, Vaximillian said: I always thought it was derived from Phrygia the historic kingdom in Asia Minor. However, it might just be me. Ah, it slipped my mind! I think you may be right there; I'll add it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewTypeEldie Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 8 hours ago, hanhnn said: Heirhein is simply highland, like the Highlander. I guess you completely forget the existence of Ichiibal. Ah thanks for that insight. It helps to prove my idea that Agustria is supposed to be like Scotland/England with character names like Macbeth and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interdimensional Observer Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 13 hours ago, GreatHylian said: Agustria- Original name, likely drawn from Augustus, first Roman Emperor You sure there isn't at least some influence from the real world country of Austria? The Holy Roman Empire it led for centuries was synonymous with powerful nobles, and from time to time bickering between them and the Emperor. Doesn't this play into Agustria's in-game problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewTypeEldie Posted June 4, 2017 Author Share Posted June 4, 2017 4 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said: You sure there isn't at least some influence from the real world country of Austria? The Holy Roman Empire it led for centuries was synonymous with powerful nobles, and from time to time bickering between them and the Emperor. Doesn't this play into Agustria's in-game problems? That's probably right, I'll add that in then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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