Have you, or would you ever consider, changing your SCA Name

[Diglach Mac Cein]

Yup! Changed my name to something more accurate for my portrayal.

Though after 20 years, I don't get bent when people still call me Dilan. Most make the effort.

.

[Aaron]

I try to forget that I have an "SCA name."

The notion of an alternate persona is one of the silliest things in the SCA, and I try to discourage people who know my SCA name from addressing me by it as much as possible.

Josh, it begs the question yet again - why do you have anything to do with the SCA?

You constantly display antagonism toward the basic characteristics of the organization. It's very much like playing baseball and complaining the whole time that you are not playing cricket...

Josh is probably in the SCA for the same reasons I am. It's the biggest game in town, the people are fun, and I can play the game I want within the game, as long as I don't interfere with the others playing their own games.

It's more like comparing major league baseball (crown tournament) with the living history baseball groups.

http://foxpoint.patch.com/articles/vint ... ng-history

It's still baseball, but it's a different game.

And Josh should be fine just being called Josh. I cringe a bit when called by my SCA name, but if I get this name thing right I can merely laugh and enjoy the game.

-Aaron

[Donal Mac Ruiseart]

I changed my name when I'd been in the SCA less than a year, after realising that the name I chose (and was approved, which it probably wouldn't be now) was cobbled together and a bit screwy. There are still a FEW people about who remember my old name, and they alone have the right to call me by it.

At about 20 years I contemplated changing it again, in order to make a fresh start. I figured that I'd accumulated too much "baggage" that was inhibiting my progress. My first name change was in the same persona, but if I'd made the second change it would have been as total a change as I could make. Change of time, change of nationality, change of background. If anybody'd called me Donal, I'd've looked at him puzzled and asked of whom they spoke. At this point, I cannot recall why I eventually decided against the change, but as you see, I didn't go through with it.

[Aaron]

I know there are some in the SCA named Aaron (as their SCA name) but was Aaron a common name in England (or Europe even)?

-Aaron

[Ceadda]

Aaron is biblical, is it not?

[Josh W]

Honestly, I remain mostly out of habit at this point.

I actually enjoy going to and helping out with demos, but my primary motivation for attending events is purely social: darn near all my friends are members, and I go to hang out and visit with them.

I quit fighting months ago, once it finally began to feel more like work than play; I may take it up again one day, though, if the bug bites me, or if presented with the opportunity to do something new and different in it.

Josh, it begs the question yet again - why do you have anything to do with the SCA?

You constantly display antagonism toward the basic characteristics of the organization. It's very much like playing baseball and complaining the whole time that you are not playing cricket...

[Ceadda]

I was thinking of changing the name from Crimthann af Fid-Nemed (pronounced CREEV-thonn, but really fast with an irish accent) to "Ceadda of _______"

Ceadda is the oldest form of Chad, my mundane name. Its been a saints name and is documented to the British isles in the right time frame for my persona. I feel people will still mispronounce it and call me "Cheadder" but I suppose thats better than not knowing how to say it at all.

as for the "of ______" I might be tempted just to choose some Saxon village in Northumbria or Wessex or something.

[Aaron]

Aaron is biblical, is it not?

"Aaron" is a very traditional Jewish name. I think it would be a "Blazing Saddles" moment though. "An English lord who is Jewish?"

But, I haven't found "Aaron" show up in English names during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. If you have a reference, I'll grab it. Being called "Aaron" would just make my life that much more simple.

-Aaron

[Thomas Powers]

I must admit I tend to cringe when being called with my SCA title outside of SCA events by people not involved in the SCA.

[Maeryk]

Nope.. the College of Heralds may have an issue with "Major Wyde Gyrth" But I don't have a problem with using it.

[raito]

AH-HA! I got it now. Now it's REALLY funny. Thank you. I will look at that.

Emmett D'Lorian might work?

Thank you!

-Aaron

If you go with Martin, then you're closer to Daimler von Benz (think Martin Garage, or MG).

[FrauHirsch1]

My husband and I both changed ours in the early 90s after performing at the Rennaissance Faire in the Landknechte group. He kept his original first name, but mine was totally not period. We both got too tired of 'too many names' used in the various groups and basically consolidated. My name was Jetana bint al Majus, the Harper. "Jetana" being totally made up, and "bint al Majus" yuck.

I also realized that most of my costume styles from any period tended toward the German style of that period.

I think if I changed anything, it would be to have a last name of "von Neuneck", my actual historical family name.

People still call me Jetana. SCA folk have long memories. Sometimes I hear stories about "Jetana". Its funny.

[Diglach Mac Cein]

Go w/ Aston Martin.

.

[AvM]

Aaron is biblical, is it not?

"Aaron" is a very traditional Jewish name. I think it would be a "Blazing Saddles" moment though. "An English lord who is Jewish?"

But, I haven't found "Aaron" show up in English names during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. If you have a reference, I'll grab it. Being called "Aaron" would just make my life that much more simple.

-Aaron

Aaron, PM me.
I'd be happy to do the legwork to get you a name you like better.

-- Andreas, Herald

[Sean Powell]

A few years ago I decided to knock my portrayal into higher gear. With that came new garb, ahem 'soft kit', the start of a new hard kit, new registered heraldry and a new name that would be appropriate to Burgandy/France circa 1444... But there are maybe two-dozen people who know that my registered name is "Symon de Poitiers". In retrospect I should have gone "Jean de Poitiers" but I was more hung up on the spelling then the sound or conotation.

Mostly I chose a new name because I WANTED a new name. There is a complete persona to the new name. Symon has a social class, a manner of dress, opinions about religion and politics, a place to live in, a purpose of being and most importantly a central point to focus my research around... but I hang the name up next to the hat. The name is not who I am, just a name for a persona. I'm still 'Sean Powell' on the inside.

If you WANT a new name whether you are moving or not, do it. Tell your friends, your enemies and the public at large, re-submit your SCA paperwork so it has the correct name when you register for a tourney, embrace it. It will work out just fine.

Sean

[Laurie Wise]

Kirby is rarely called by his SCA name "Zoltan Kovacs" (a made up one by the late Sergonyi Gero (former Angels Puirsuivant) ages ago. From the beginning Kirby's name was assumed to be "Kirby de Wise" or "Kirby the Wise" from his usage of his middle initial ("D.") when writing letters.

We know so many SCA members by their persona names because their regular names are so common. It's easier to remember them this way when brought up in discussion or calling them. Sometimes, I forget what their real names are and only know them by these.

[Vladimir]

I was once called Marcele de Monster Gore in court. At least, that's what I heard. Talk about cringing!

gotta remember that one for the next archive gathering.


I once got called before the King by the name of "Vladimir, the incredibly over armoured".

[Ceadda]

I'll never register my name or 'device'. I dont see the point.

For me, having a correct name is more about Living History representation.

[Ilia_Caid]

I started as Guillaume Lenfant, a Norman. I was around for about 10 years under that name. I decided to make the complete official change to match my wife's persona and go Russian.

It took a while for people to adapt to my new name, but they did it.

[Livia Tasia]

The folks at Nova Roma helped me with mine. Livia Tasia is the feminine form of my personas fathers name Quintus Livius Tasius. They have some great info on Roman names. Some call me Livia and some Tasia. I'll be sending it in with my device pretty soon.

Interesting read on everyone's names.

[brewer]

Go w/ Aston Martin.

Martin - appears twice as a given name in http://fairfaxfiles.webs.com/clee.htm, ca. 1540, spelled Martyn. The I/Y difference is not considered in SCA heraldry.

Aston - a surname, a locative probably derived from "ash". Ashton (in various spellings) can be found in the same reference.

Therefore, Martin Ashton is a perfectly documentable name.

(for further documentary ammunition, see here: http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/ )

I cannot justify the surname-as-given-name convention. The practice appears to be a modern American trend.

Bob (who's also a pretty good English name herald)

[Blaine de Navarre]

I started as Guillaume Lenfant, a Norman. I was around for about 10 years under that name. I decided to make the complete official change to match my wife's persona and go Russian.

It took a while for people to adapt to my new name, but they did it.

You'll always be Billy Boy to me.

(At one time I seriously considered changing mine to Jacques Martel )

[Aaron]

Go w/ Aston Martin.

Martin - appears twice as a given name in http://fairfaxfiles.webs.com/clee.htm, ca. 1540, spelled Martyn. The I/Y difference is not considered in SCA heraldry.

Aston - a surname, a locative probably derived from "ash". Ashton (in various spellings) can be found in the same reference.

Therefore, Martin Ashton is a perfectly documentable name.

(for further documentary ammunition, see here: http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/ )

I cannot justify the surname-as-given-name convention. The practice appears to be a modern American trend.

Bob (who's also a pretty good English name herald)

Thanks Bob!

I'll think on it a lot.

-Aaron

[Thorsteinn Raudskeggr]

I picked my SCA name when I was 8 yrs old, and it was appropriate to 15th cen Russia. Prior to that I had a placeholder given by my mom.

However for most of the past 15 years I've really been into pre-christian Russia. So I've submited for a name change. Plus it's easier to pronounce & spell and is more "me"

Was: Ivan Ivanovitch Serebrenikov at age 8.

Will be: Thorsteinn Raudskeggr at age 32.

[Urban]

When I first started I was a generi-germanic something rather. Picked Reinhardt something something. Got made fun of by my uncle. Now that I'm getting back into the game I went with something documentable: Vilec Rostislavich.

[Thaddeus]

I tried various historically appropriate names for a few years when I started
People just called me by my given name.

A few years back Klaus Rother and I in a fit of uber-geekness registered it along with a German last name and a whole mess of heraldry.
Still not thoroughly happy with the results and one day will do something about it. But at this point like it or not I feel like I am pretty well stuck with Thaddeus.

[Murdock]

I think about it from time to time

Thought about changing it to something more English.

But hey, York is near where Murdoch is from so it works out.

[CiaranBlackrune]

I started as Guillaume Lenfant, a Norman. I was around for about 10 years under that name. I decided to make the complete official change to match my wife's persona and go Russian.

It took a while for people to adapt to my new name, but they did it.

You'll always be Billy Boy to me.

(At one time I seriously considered changing mine to Jacques Martel )

"Blaine!?! His name is Blaine!?!That's not a name, that's a major appliance!" -Duckie

[Sasha_Khan]

Ciaran! Nice pull!

[Payn]

I started as Fritz the Peasant, Fritz cause I was a spazz. The Peasant because I was counterculture and we were depicting a peasant at a demo.

About 6 or 7 years ago I changed it to Pain of Warboys.... Since I was ambitious.
Pennsic 38 I submitted and was approved for Payn D'Spencer of Warboys.
When I was knighted, I was asked under which name I wanted to be knighted under...
"Payn D'Spencer".... apparently no one had told the king.... The buffet was solid.

Names that I have found, many that would bounce.

Louis Stulle
Hugh Duche
Richard Asshull
Robert Durbaker
Roger Asshele
Walter Fitz Wauter
Richard Fyton
Aleyn de la Chivalereye
John Smalwod (ouch)
John Bollesore (double ouch)
Robert Huesone Balle

Surnames I am amused by.
Blodsmythe, Skelton, Ughtred, Dryrthugseye, Disseye, Cokerych, Panewych .

and one I can document by combining names
"Cock Stubbyng"

[Aaron]

Maybe "Aaron the Just" would work so that I could be "Just, Aaron."

-Aaron

[RandallMoffett]

Aaron,

Here you go.

http://www.icmacentre.ac.uk/soldier/dat ... sterdb.php

Not English but Welsh.

To be fair outside of Jewish circles one has to be careful with Old Testament names. I have never seen an Isaac, Abraham, Joshua of non Jewish family in Western Europe. I believe I have in Spain though. Though Adam, Jacob and a few others come up fairly often. That said this is off the top of my head in a rather quick and haphazard search.

RPM

[Swete]

I couldn't get my original name pasted and it was too much of a generic SCA mix up name for my time and location so I went hard core Norman and kept aspects of the original name. So, Camric Greenshield became William fitz Hughe de Cambria called Green Shield.

But most people locally still call me Camric.

Or they sometimes become confused and call you Ulric.....?

[Vilhelm550]

I admit I started in the SCA with a stoopid name, but after years away and a more mature outlook, I decided on a pretty hum-drum name, but I like it. I have actually had a herald, a respected herald, tell me my name is too common to be documentable. So with that and being told I cannot register my device as I display it...I see no point to registering a name/device that is not truly representative of who I am. My current name is in fact based on my paternal ancestry.

I do plan on using a different name if accepted to participate in next years Combat of the Thirty at Pennsic. I will fight as Guilleaum DeGarmeaux, to honor my maternal Grandfather, Eldon De Garmo, who passed away this year.

[Padraig O]

I've debated changing my SCA persona name a few times, but after almost 25 yrs so many people know me as "Patrick" that I don't know as it's worth the effort. Plus I don't run into many "O'Shaughnessy"'s, and only one so far that spelled it in the Gaellic (ui Seachnasaigh) - we have a running joke about how we are related (younger lady who calls me "Gramps" because my persona is from the 11th C. and hers is 14th).

Best "name" moment was when the King was heralding the list, and called me into the list as "Patrick O'Shag-Nasty". Gotta love it.

Padraig O'Seachnasaigh