ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3167
http://www.s-gabriel.org/3167
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9 Sep 2006
From: Guaire mac Guaire 

Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked for suggestions as to family names and both personal 
(given) names for a man living in Japan between 1100 and 1600. You 
were particularly interested in finding an authentic name similar in 
meaning to 'shadow blade'. Here is what we found.

Starting in the late Heian period (12th century) onwards, male 
members of the noble class in period Japan used three part names:

      <family name> <yobina> <nanori> 

The nanori was the name which appeared on official documents, and was 
the name that a warrior proclaimed before combat with a worthy 
adversary; the use of a nanori was a privilege confined to the male 
members of the courtier and military classes. The yobina was 
essentially a second given name, used socially; the yobina was not a 
nickname, but rather a less formal name used in conversation.  There 
were exceptions to this construction, but in general, this is the 
form we find most useful in developing complete period names.

We could find no evidence supporting a compound meaning 'shadow 
blade' as a Japanese masculine name. [1] 

We did find a kanji <kage> 'shadow' (in the sense of 'shade', 
not 'silhouette') that is found in a nanori <Takakage> of the Nanboku 
period (1336-1392). However, it is likely that in this nanori it has 
a metaphorical sense of social advancement due to the stature of 
one's grandparents. (Roughly speaking, the idea is that the bearer is 
in the shade of their influence.) [2] The first kanji, <taka>, 
means 'grow tall; pile up'. The name is pronounced roughly \tah-kah-
kah-geh\.

The kanji <TO>, meaning <sword>, was the closest semantic match to 
<blade> that we could find. All of the documented nanori listings for 
this kanji were feminine. 

The biggest problem with trying to construct a compound name that 
means 'shadow blade' is that the kanji for 'shadow' has a Japanese 
reading and the kanji for 'blade' has a Chinese reading. The Japanese 
and Chinese readings would not be combined in a single name.

The nanori <Takakage> would be an acceptable given name for a 
Japanese noble living during the period 1100-1600, but it has only a 
remote connection to 'shadow blade'. 

To build a complete medieval Japanese name, you will need to add two 
more elements: a yobina and a family name from the same period as the 
nanori. We suggest that you review the following for help in 
selecting appropriate names. 

"Japanese Names" 
http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/miscellany/names.html

"Japanese Formal Masculine Given Names" 
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/solveig/nanori/

The 'Japanese Names' section of the Academy's Medieval Names Archive
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/otherasian.shtml#japanese

We'll be happy to research the complete name you select and to give 
you pronunciations for any of the elements which appeal to you.

I hope this letter has been useful. Please write to 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 Ari Ansson, 
Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Mari neyn Brian, and Talan Gwynek.

For the Academy,

Guaire mac Guaire
9 September 2006

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References:

[1] Solveig Throndardottir, Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan 
(Potboiler Press, 2004 [Box 30171, Columbia, MO 65205]); s.nn. 
<shadow>, <blade>.

[2] Solveig Throndardottir, op. cit., p. 183.