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Genealogy of the Holy War Etymology Collection


NewTypeEldie
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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 by GreatHylian
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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 by Jotari
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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.

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So mostly Scandinavia and Ireland, with some Italy, France, German, Eastern Europe and other odds and ends thrown in for good measure. 

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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