ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1092
http://www.s-gabriel.org/1092
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From: 
9 Aug 1998


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You wrote to us about the Japanese masculine name <Kujo Tasagawa>, which
you constructed from names you found in a Japanese History book.  


There are many patterns for Japanese naming, but the typical form for
the buke (warriors) and kuge (aristocracy) is a three element name:

     [family name] + [common name] + [official name]
         kamei          zokumyou          nanori

A person might take additional name elements under certain circumstances,
but the above pattern is tyipcal.  The zokumyou is a common name used in
casual conversation, and a nanori is the official name used in
proclamations and self-introductions.  Nanori were restricted in use to
the socially priviledged.  Commoners had common use names (tsushou)
and might also be differentiated by the name of the house in which they
lived.  Unless you intend to be a commoner, we recommend you construct a
three element name.


We were not certain whether you intended <Kujo> to be the family name or
your nanori, so we will discuss both possibilities. 

If we assume that you sent your name to us in eastern order, as used in
Japan, then <Kujo> would be your family name and <Tasagawa> would be your
nanori.  We did not find <Kujo> in that transliteration, but we did find: 

  <Kuga>     1600  [1]
  <Kuge>     1147  [1]
  <Kujou> ca.1500  [2,3]  meaning "9th street"

We could not find <Tasagawa> as a masculine nanori, nor anything close. 
The element <-gawa> or <-kawa> means "(large) river", and so is more
likely to be found in a family name than a nanori. 

If we assume instead that you sent your name to us in European order, then
the Japanese order would be <Tasagawa Kujo>.  We found a nanori <Kyuuzou>
in 1568 that sounds similar to <Kujo>.  We could not find a family name
<Tasagawa>, but we did find the similar sounding <Hasegawa> 1569 (meaning
"long valley river") [1] and <Tatsukawa> 1600 [2].

This would make <Tatsukawa Kyuuzou> or <Hasegawa Kyuuzou> a reasonable
start on a Japanese name, but you would still lack a zokumyou.  Source [1]
listed below discusses medieval Japanese names in some detail; if you can
locate a copy, it will provide you with lists of names and name elements
to help you.


We hope this has been helpful, and that we can continue to assist you. 
Solveig Throndardottir, Talan Gwynek, Arval Benicoeur, and Brad Miller
contributed to this letter. 

In service,
--Walraven van Nijmegen
Academy of S. Gabriel

[1] Solveig Throndardottir, _Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan_
    (Carlsbad, NM: The Outlaw Press, 1994)

[2] P. G. O'Neill, _Japanese Names_ (New York: John Weatherhill Inc, 1972)
    <Kujou> appears as a surname with three different sets of characters.
    The first is analogous to two surnames attested from 1332 on p.187,
    <Ichijou> "one branch / line / large road" and <Shijou> "four branches
    / lines / large roads": <ku> here is "nine".  Thus, <Kujou> may be a
    reasonable constructed surname.  However, we have no direct evidence
    it was used in period.

[3] Sengoku Jinmei Jiten Compact Edition (1990)