ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2627 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2627 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 11 Mar 2003 From: Josh Mittleman Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Japanese woman of the Heian period (794-1185). Here is what we have found. is a fine choice for your given name, at least for the late Heian period: it appears in Japanese records in 1183. It was pronounced \tsoo-kee-meh\ [4]. We are less certain of the family name ; we found several 16th century examples, but nothing earlier [1, 2]. We can't say that it didn't exist in the 12th century, but we have found no evidence that it did. It was pronounced \mah-eh-dah\. Even if the family name had existed, we don't think that would be a correct name for your period. Women in 12th and 13th century Japan were most often identified simply as members of the father's or brother's clans. For example, in a mother's will to her son that was also co-signed by his elder sister, both women are identified simply as , which means roughly "woman of the Fujiwara clan". Women did have given names (nanori), but as adults they were generally identified either as members of their clans or as their husband's wives. For example, one woman is identified as "Fujiwara no uji -- child's name, Senju; now called Lady Munakata". was probably a Buddhist religious name (houmyou); was her husband's family name. Another woman is "Minamoto no uji -- called Chiyo". Here is a given name of some sort. In a lawsuit in 1239, a woman is identified variously as "Koren's daughter", "Yorisada's wife", , and [3]. We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Solveig Throndardottir, Talan Gwynek, Mari neyn Brian, Juliana de Luna, Julie Stampnitzky, and Kat'ryna Iana Stepanova doch'. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 27 Feb 2003 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Solveig Throndardottir, _Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan_ (Carlsbad, N. Mex.: The Outlaw Press, 1994; Potboiler Press, 1999 [Box 30171, Columbia, MO 65205]), pp. 153, 320. [2] Papinot, E., _Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan_ (Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1972), v.1, s.n. Maeda. [3] Mass, Jeffrey P., _Antiquity and Anachronism in Japanese History (Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 1992), ch.4 "Identity, Personal Names, and Kamakura Society", pp.113-121. [4] Academy of S. Gabriel Report #2587 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2587 ---------------- Correction by Aryanhwy, 05 Jul 06: Added footnote [4].