ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3079 http://www.s-gabriel.org/3079 ************************************ 8 Oct 2005 From: Gunnvor Silfraharr Greetings from the Academy of St. Gabriel! You asked us to evaluate as a name for a Japanese man born in 1544 during the Muromachi period (1333-1573). 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. The family name derives from a place name which meant "base of the mountain", and was recorded ca.1147 [1]. We found the nanori in the Nanboku period (1336-1392) [2]. Japanese naming was conservative, so we belive that this name could have continued use through your period. Of course, using a nanori that is known to have occurred in the 16th century would be a better historical re-creation. We have some nanori dating to your period listed in: Academy of St. Gabriel Report #1330 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1330 In previous correspondence, you explained that you wanted the meaning of your yobina to be something like "first-born son born in the Year of the Dragon". The first kanji in your proposed yobina must be "dragon"; we did not find this kanji used in names except in one surname, 1336x1392 [3]. This is not the kanji for the dragon as a sign of the zodiac, which would instead be [4, 5]. The kanji is "one", and (earlier ) is "son; lord; commander (classical Chinese)". , with either of two kanji meaning "one", is a modern yobina; the earliest date we have found for this yobina is 1983 [6]. We also found a period yobina "first son", which we know was used during our period, though we don't know precisely when [7]. We do have evidence for historical yobina written with three kanji, so that is not in itself a problem. We are not sure, however, whether it makes any sense in Japanese terms to be the son of one's annual zodiacal sign. Examining the yobina from your period used for sons, we find yobina that are descriptions of how a son acted, where a son was in birth order, or wishes for the son's future. Given this evidence, would not be a good choice for your yobina, and we recommend that you do not use it. We suggest instead that you select a yobina that was used in your period. If does not appeal to you, several other yobina are listed in: Academy of St. Gabriel Report #2019 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2019 We can also provide examples of yobina with [number + son] [8]: Names with meanings of "First Son" Tarou 1600 [First Son] Genkutarou 1600 Boy / Young Scholar Kentarou 1600 Build/Construct Kutarou 1568 Longtime Matatarou 1600 Next Yatarou 1438 Nostalgic Yo'ichitarou 1183 Team Up + One Yogotarou 1600 Team Up Yotarou 1600 Team Up Names with meanings of "One" Yo'ichitarou 1183 Team Up + First Son Names with meanings of "Second Son" Jirou 1600 [Second Son] Genjirou 1600 Origin Kojirou 1568 Small Matajirou 1600 Next Sonjirou 1600 Grandchild Soujirou 1600 Master an Art Zenjirou 1600 Perform Well Names with meanings of "Third Son" Saburou 1572 [Third Son] Gensaburou 1438 Origin Hikosaburou 1572 Boy / Young Scholar Names with meanings of "Five" Gorou 1575 Son [i.e. Fifth Son] Fujigorou 1600 Wisteria Gengorou 1600 Origin Jogorou 1600 Rescue Songorou 1600 Grandchild Yogotarou 1600 Team Up + Fifth Son Zengorou 1568 Perform Well Names with meanings of "Six" Rokurou 1332 [Sixth Son] Names with meanings of "Nine" Kurou 1332 Son [i.e. Ninth Son] Genutarou 1600 Young Scholar + Son [literally Young Scholar + Nine + First Son] Jinkurou 1568 Terrible + Son Names with meanings of "Ten" Juurou 1332 Son Others Akasaburou 1392 [? + Third Son] Hachirou 1600 Eighth Son Hirasaburou 1332 [? + Third Son] Izumisaburou 1167 [? + Third Son] Jirou 1600 Next Son Koshirou 1332 [? + Fourth Son] Matashirou 1568 [Next + Fourth Son] Rokurou 1332 [? + Ninth Son] Soujirou 1600 Perfect Second Son Watasaburou 1332 [? + Third Son] Yatarou 1428 [different date than the listing under First Son] Yo'ichirou 1600 [? + one + son] Yokurou 1600 [kurou = ninth son] Yoshirou 1600 [shirou = fourth son] I 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 Arval Benicoeur, Talan Gwynek, Solveig Throndardottir, and Mari neyn Bryan. For the Academy, Gunnvor Silfraharr 8 October 2005 ----------------------------------------------------- References [1] Academy of St. Gabriel Report #2009 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2009 [2] Solveig Throndardottir, _Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan_ (Carlsbad, N. Mex.: The Outlaw Press, 1994; Potboiler Press, 1999 [Box 30171, Columbia, MO 65205]), p. 344. [3] Ibid., p. 174. [4] Ibid., p. 156. [5] Jack Halpern, editor in chief, The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary (New York: Kodansha International, 1999), Nr. 1901. [6] Solveig Throndardottir, op. cit. (see note [2] above), pp. 212, 213. [7] Ibid., p. 211. [8] Ibid., pp. 211-15. Most of the meanings of the yobina in the list above come from _Name Construction in Mediaeval Japan_. Comments by the Academy of St. Gabriel in the list of yobina above are enclosed in square brackets, i.e., [comment].