ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2742 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2742 ************************************ 28 May 2003 From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You wanted to know if would be an appropriate name for a Japanese man living between 1450 and 1600. You also asked if is appropriate as a surname, or if it was only used as a title, and whether a yobina would also have been used in an authentic name. Here is the information we have found. As you know, members of the noble class in period Japan used three part names: The nanori was your given name; the yobina was essentially a second given name used only by those intimate with you. Everyone else would address you by your family name and/or nanori. We find recorded in the Kamakura period (ending 1332) and in the Muromachi period (ending 1572). [1] It is a fine nanori for your period. We believe it would be pronounced \yo-shee-mee- tsoo\, with almost equal emphasis on each syllable. We have not found used as a family name, or even as any part of a name at all, though it is a modern Japanese word. [2,3] We found a number of nanori with the element , meaning 'public official, officer, noble', but we did not find any examples of used in a family name. [1] We also found several elements that could be transcribed <-sei>, but they all require a Chinese reading to produce this transcription. We have found no examples of name elements that used both Japanese and Chinese readings in the same name. If you would be interested in chosing a different family name, please write us again and we'll be happy to offer suggestions, especially if you can tell us what sounds or characters you are interested in. For a truly authentic name for a Muromachi period, you would also want to chose a yobina in addition to your family name and nanori. We'll be happy to recommend some yobina as well. We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write us again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Mari neyn Brian, Talan Gwynek, Arval Benicoeur, Solveig Throndardottir, Adelaide de Beaumont, Ekaterina Novgorodskaia, and Anplica dell'Isola. For the Academy, -Aryanwy verch Cadvael, 28May03 -- 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. 191, 365 [2] English to Japanese Dictionary http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html [3] Breen, Jim. "WWWJDIC Server" (Monash University). http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/jwb/wwwjdic?1C