Chlouvānem/Names

The Chlouvānem people have a naming tradition which strongly reflects the traditional matrilinear society and the fact that names come from a variety of sources, due to the Chlouvānem people having absorbed many other different cultures and their names being kept, sometimes regionally in the territories of the Inquisition, some other times nationwide.

All names are adapted into their language, and follow its phonological rules and nominal declensions.

Chlouvānem names are made by three different parts: the matronymic (in Chl. nāḍimāvi), the surname (leliēmihaloe), and one or more personal (or given) names (lilahaloe, pl. lilahalenī— commonly just haloe/halenī). This is the standard for people everywhere in the Inquisition, but note that ethnic Bazá people from Tūnambasā diocese may also be called with the standard names for the Bazá people; anyway in the last two decades the Chlouvānem standard has grown from being used by 25% to 93% of all Bazá people living in Tūnambasā diocese; titular ethnicities in other ethnic dioceses follow the Chlouvānem standard.
All people, everywhere in the Inquisition, also have an unofficial but commonly used informal name (laltihaloe).

The standard format is matronymic - surname - personal name(s) ; the latter are usually romanized in italic in order to better distinguish them.

Matronymics (nāḍimāvīye)

The matronymic or nāḍimāvi (from nāḍima, honorific word for "mother") are always the first part of the name and are also the simplest to form, by adding -āvi to the mother's (first) given name. For example, the children of a woman named Līṭhaljāyim will all have the matronymic Līṭhaljāyimāvi.

A few names have particular matronymics:

• Martayinām (and other rarer names compounds of -yinām) has Martayināvi
• Nouns in -ē make their matronymic in -yāvi, e.g. Lairē → Lairyāvi
• Nouns in -ca or -cha make their matronymic in -šāvi, e.g. Lañekaica → Lañekaišāvi
• The common name Bandiē has Banditiāvi.
• Lākhnī keeps the ī but shortened and therefore has Lākhniyāvi.

Surnames (leliēmihalenī)

The surname or leliēmihaloe (from leliēmita "family", and haloe "name") is of newer formation when compared to the matronymic, especially in rural areas. Chlouvānem people have a huge number of surnames, and there are different possible origins:

• Some have been derived by ancient matronymics (keeping the one of the grandmother of the first generation which had this surname), and are distinguished by ending in -lišā, -æha, -æša, or others instead of -āvi. As this has a popular origin, the original name may not be recognizable, especially because of heavy shortenings and/or vernacular influence. Some examples include Lænkæša, Nākāyæha, Ñæhūvæša, Lūmāvæha, or Jēliāvyæša.
• Some names have been derived by "extended" genitives in -iai/-ьai (sometimes also seen in placenames), often with otherwise -mi- root extension and ablaut. The original roots are often common places or professions; examples are Yālcai, Lanæmiai, Ṣveimiai, Mahāmiai (from amaha “abode”), Hāliai, Lūlulkaicai (from lūlulkita, a cocoa tree plantation), or Šītmiai. A common subpattern includes the many different, vernacular-influenced, variations on vīhatam "farm", like Vīhešai, Vaihātiai, Bahāmiai, Vīšmi, or Bīhašai.
• A few surnames are derived by prefixing or suffixing the older genitive particle ga: these are mostly originary of those areas where the local vernacular has a genitive with that origin, like the central-western Lāmiejāya plain; examples are Galeli, Nānega, or Pomega.
• Surnames derived from toponyms (of small places), especially through genitives or -ųu. Many of these toponyms, like in all of the Inquisition anyway, are of non-Chlouvānem origin due to them having displaced earlier cultures. Examples are: Paramaiti, Yuitani, Jāṇųu, Murtųu, Halьcaici, or Nuiñjuyai.
• A few surnames derive from occupations or tools, either in genitive case (e.g. Ṣāṭi, Kolьcañī) or in direct case (e.g. Kumis, Drāṇīn).
• Many Eastern surnames have their origins in Kans-Tsan clan names, like Yatakoma, Laranamon, Hantokan, Futahira, or Līkāntām.
• Many surnames have unknown origin, most probably from non-Chlouvānem now displaced languages, especially in the jungle area. Examples are Nāɂahilūma, Jāmatthāla, Naiñoɂamē, Lamichlīkyah or Nājihaufram.

Variable and invariable surnames

Chlouvānem surnames, regardless of origin, may be variable or invariable, with about 55% of people having a variable surname.

Variable surnames have three forms: one for all women in the family, one for married men, and one for unmarried men. There are a few patterns based on the ending suffixes:

• -(e)lišā (female), -orās (married male), -altīs (unmarried male) - e.g. Kāmīnelišā, Kāmīnorās, Kāmīnaltīs
• -(y)æša, -ærās, -æltīs - Nainyæša, Nainyærās, Nainyæltīs
• -(y)æha, -ąrās, -ąltīs - Lūmāvæha, Lūmāvąrās, Lūmāvąltīs
• -(i)tēsa, -tairās, -teltīs - Neamitēsa, Neamitairās, Neamiteltīs
• -(a)ṣrā, -ṣurās, -ṣraltīs - Bandikṣrā, Bandikṣurās, Bandikṣraltīs

While typically it is the matronymic-derived surnames (and sometimes the placename-derived ones) that are variable, these suffixes have also been applied to other kinds of surnames - an example being the late singer-songwriter Lālašvātyāvi Kāmilñariāh Turabayān, whose unmarried surname was Kašahitoraltīs (his mother was called Šulegāvi Kašahitorlišā Lālašvāti), of clear Kans-Tsan origin (cf. the existing, invariable modern surnames Kašahitah and Kašahitra).

In most areas of the Inquisition, men take their wife's surname (in the married male form, if variable) when they marry - so for example a hypothetical Martayināvi Lantakaltīs Kāltarvān who marries the hypothetical Namihūlšāvi Huliālišā Lairē will be known as Martayināvi Huliāyorās Kāltarvān after marrying. Their son Dalaigin's full name will be Lairyāvi Huliāltīs Dalaigin.

In some places, this is not the case, and the husband keeps his birth surname, but if it is variable, it will shift to the married form anyway.

Non-binary people get the option to choose either form, but once chosen it can't be changed without a long bureaucratic process.

Personal names (lilahalenī)

Chlouvānem personal names (lilahaloe, from lila "person" and haloe "name") have a large variety of origins.

Names inherited by the Proto-Lahob culture, or the earliest Chlouvānem names, are usually made by two elements compounded together (a kind of bahuvrihi compound), like for example the male names Gāṇakvyāta "steel hero" or Hånisrajñās "friend of toucans", or the female ones Martayinām "city protector" or Ñaiṭasamin "star child". There are also names made by a single Chlouvānem word, like Lairē "sky", Yānāh “innocence” (both female) or Hånia "toucan" (unisex but mostly female).

Anyway, possibly the majority of nationwide Chlouvānem names are not inherited from Proto-Lahob, but originally from cultures of the central Lāmiejāya plain in prehistoric times, many without a known meaning. Such names include for example the female Hæniląuya and Namihūlśa or the male Lælithiam and Nuikthalin. Other names with a known origin are for example the female Kūldendēla or Nariekaiṣa and the male Kāltarvān or Kāljivaṃṣān, all of Ancient Yodhvāyi origin (once spoken in the current-day dioceses of Galiākñijātia and Yodhvāya). A few nationwide given names also have Ancient Kūṣṛmāthi or other origins, but they're much rarer.

This is part of a pattern that sees most male nouns being grammatically of lotus gender and most female ones of the parrot one. Only a few nouns are unisex, for example Kailnenia (though female in the vast majority of cases), Terintān, or those ones formed with unisex names, like all of those with -samin (child). -likā or -mitā are typically used to form female names from male ones, while male ones are formed by removing the final -a of a female name (if possible) and adding -gin. There are, however, many exceptions to this rule.

Many areas of the Inquisition also have their own "local" names, taken from pre-Chlouvānem local languages; this is particularly common in the East with Kans-Tsan names, which often spread outside that area. Special mention also for the Dabuke female names Amabu and Nīmulšāmi, which have spread outside the local area and are commonly given nationwide.

Most common given names at the 4E 131 census

The 4E 131 Inquisitorial census found these names as the most common among the population of the Chlouvānem Inquisition.

Female names:

1. Martayinām
2. Lairē
3. Bandiē
4. Yārachilgēn
5. Amabu
6. Mæmihūmia
7. Huliāchlærim
8. Læhimausa
9. Namihūlša
10. Kælidañca

Male names:

1. Kāltarvān
2. Dalaigin
3. Bhārmatah
4. Khālbayān
5. Kāljivaṃṣān
6. Darkhām
7. Ārṣam
8. Jalgudām
9. Hūlamastān
10. Mūñcangām

Common given names and their meanings

Female names

Name	Origin	Meaning	Notes
Amabu	Eastern Dabuke	beauty
Bālagudāya	Ancient Yodhvāši	(variant of Bālagudām)
Bandiē	Old Cambhaugrāyi	beauty of the wind
Barhāma	Tamukāyi	sunlight
Bhārmamitā	Chlouvānem	lion (variant of Bhārmatah)
Bradhma	Ancient Kāṃradeši	pearl
Buyāna	Ancient Kāṃradeši	daughter
Chališiroe	Old Cambhaugrāyi	sage word, (s)he who gives advice	Unisex
Chilamulka	Ancient Yodhvāši	good foot
Chlamijeniū	Chlouvānem	golden flower
Chlǣvešāh	Chlouvānem	from chluvaikā (wealth), probably merged with chlǣcæm (better)
Chlærьmitūh	Chlouvānem	body of light
Dāgnabhrāni	(female version of Dāgnabhrām)
Dalaigana	Ancient Kāṃradeši	(probably derived from Dalaigin)	Female
Dāneh	unknown (Chlouvānem?)
Dariāmitā	Ancient Yodhvāši	strong woman
Dēlenitā	Ancient Yodhvāši	leading woman
Dulmaidana	Ancient Kāṃradeši	(probably derived from Dulmadin)
Hāliehaika	Anc.Yodhvāši/unknown	hālʲ- from Anc. Yodhvāši for "reflection"; -haika unknown
Hāliehulca	Anc.Yodhvāši/unknown	(post-classical corruption of Hāliehaika)
Halinækha	unknown
Hānimausa	Ancient Yodhvāši	beautiful reflection
Hilvarjayā	Ancient Namaikehi	(variant of Hilvarghom)
Huliāchlærim	Chlouvānem	moonlight
Hælahaika	Anc.Yodhvāši/unknown	(variant of Hāliehaika)
Hæliyǣša	unknown
Hæniląuya	unknown
Hånia	Chlouvānem	toucan	Unisex
Hånilikā	Chlouvānem	toucan (variant of Hånia)
Jādāh	Archaic Chlouvānem	wealth(y)
Janighālah	Ancient Namaikehi	brave	Unisex
Jauhækūmi	unknown
Julūmausa	Ancient Yodhvāši	beautiful gold
Kailemūrṣa	Tamukāyi	she whose courage is told
Kailnenia	Chlouvānem	pure soul
Kūldendēla	Ancient Yodhvāši	beautiful flower
Kælidañca	Ancient Yodhvāši	great joy
Lākhnī	unknown, probably Near Eastern
Lairē	Chlouvānem	sky, air
Lanaijuniā	Chlouvānem	island flower
Lañekaica	Ancient Yodhvāši	(variant of Lañikaiṣa)
Lañemulka	Ancient Yodhvāši	(variant of Lañimulca)
Lañikaiṣa	Ancient Yodhvāši	blessed hand
Lañimulca	Ancient Yodhvāši	good hand
Lārta	unknown
Lāyašvāti	unknown, probably Near Eastern
Liftraišī	(female version of Liftrantas)
Lileikhura	unknown
Līnænuliah	unknown
Læhimausa	Tamukāyi	ray of light
Maibeh	Eastern Dabuke/Chlouvānem	archaic diminutive of Amabu
Mailhomma	Chlouvānem	water pearl
Mambapinga	Eastern Dabuke	the beautiful one
Mamieh	Eastern Dabuke/Chlouvānem	archaic diminutive of Amabu
Martayinām	Chlouvānem	city protector	(historically unisex)
Miąrlenīn	Chlouvānem	(s)he who makes good choices	Unisex
Mæmihomah	unknown (variant of Mæmihūmia)
Mæmihūmia	unknown (possibly Laifutaši)
Mæmijaiya	unknown (possibly Laifutaši)
Mæmimausa	unknown/Anc. Yodhvāši	mæmi- unknown; -mausa from the Anc. Yodhvāši word for "beautiful"
Naina	Old Cambhaugrāyi	melodic
Naik​ā	Ancient Yodhvāši	song
Nājaldhīm	Aṣasṝkhami	bringer of happiness
Namihūlša	Laifutaši	?
Nariejūram	Ancient Yodhvāši	woman of light
Nariekaiṣa	Ancient Yodhvāši	blessed woman
Nariekayah	Ancient Yodhvāši	(variant of Nariekaiṣa)
Nariekūrda	Ancient Yodhvāši	woman of flowers
Nilāmulka	Laifutaši	?
Nimahullē	Ancient Yodhvāši	smile of the stars
Nīmulšāmi	Eastern Dabuke	the young one
Nukthælikā	unknown (derived from Nukthalin)
Ñaiṭasamin	Chlouvānem	star child	Unisex
Ñælihaira	Laifutaši	?
Pirkabhrāni	(female version of Pirkabhrām)
Ṣastira	Tamukāyi	water fairy
Šulega	Ancient Kāṃradeši	happiness
Tainā	Tamukāyi	gem
Tālimausa	unknown/Anc. Yodhvāši	tāli- unknown; -mausa from the Anc. Yodhvāši word for "beautiful"
Vælvah	Chlouvānem	cloud	Unisex (usually female)
Yānāh	inherited from Proto-Lahob	great purity
Yārachilgēn	Ancient Yodhvāši	sky girl
Yunaira	Tamukāyi	good doing

Male names

Name	Origin	Meaning	Notes
Ārṣan	Tamukāyi	strength of the hill(s)
Aubakī	unknown, probably Western		Unisex (most commonly male)
Bālagudām	Ancient Yodhvāši	long breath (= long life)	Unisex (most commonly male)
Bhārahūlgin	Chl. + Old Cambhaugrāyi	bhāra- from Chl. bhārmatah (lion); -hūlgin Old Cmbh. for "man"
Bhārmatah	Chlouvānem	lion
Bradhmin	Ancient Kāṃradeši	(variant of Bradhma)
Braivaren	Ancient Kāṃradeši	carrying great hope
Chališiroe	Old Cambhaugrāyi	sage word, (s)he who gives advice	Unisex
Chaukārī	unknown		Unisex (most commonly male)
Chīlgantāram	Ancient Yodhvāši	light foot
Dāgnabhrām	unknown, probably Near Eastern
Dalaigin	Ancient Kāṃradeši	having light
Daṃdhigūlan	Ancient Kāṃradeši	blue star
Darkhām	Ancient Yodhvāši	strong
Dēlendarhām	Ancient Yodhvāši	strong leader
Dulmadin	Ancient Kāṃradeši	lucky, of a miracle
Egiljiṃhai	Old Cambhaugrāyi	bold, brave
Gāṇakvyāta	Chlouvānem	iron hero
Gārindelgīn	Old Cambhaugrāyi	good friend
Geñchīntāram	Ancient Yodhvāši	light blade
Halinurkam	unknown (variant of Halinækha)
Hilvarghom	Ancient Namaikehi	famous warrior
Hūlamastān	unknown
Hūrtalgān	Ancient Yodhvāši	man of gems
Hūyurhūlgin	Old Cambhaugrāyi	black man
Hånisrajñas	Chlouvānem	friend of toucans
Hånia	Chlouvānem	toucan	Unisex
Hånigin	Chlouvānem	toucan (variant of Hånia)
Jalgudām	Ancient Yodhvāši	distant sight
Janighālah	Ancient Namaikehi	brave	Unisex
Jardām	Ancient Yodhvāši	sight in the dark
Jīvardām	Ancient Yodhvāši	fighting word
Kāljivaṃṣān	Ancient Yodhvāši	sage man
Kāltarvān	Ancient Yodhvāši	painted man
Khālbayān	Ancient Yodhvāši	brown man
Khāltiṃhāgyan	Old Cambhaugrāyi	companion spirit
Klætsflian	unknown (probably from the Near East)
Kuretsufan	Kans-Tsan	strong boy
Lāyašāgin	(male version of Lāyašvāti)
Liftrantas	unknown, probably Near Eastern
Lælithiam	unknown
Miąrlenīn	Chlouvānem	(s)he who makes good choices	Unisex
Mūñcangām	Ancient Yodhvāši	warrior
Nukthalin	unknown
Ñaiṭasamin	Chlouvānem	star child	Unisex
Pirkabhrām	unknown, probably Near Eastern
Ṣastirvam	Tamukāyi	(variant of Ṣastira)
Ṣarṣilhāgyan	Old Cambhaugrāyi	hunting spirit
Ṣarṣilhūlgin	Old Cambhaugrāyi	hunting man
Švaragūlan	Ancient Kāṃradeši	star of the sea
Terintān	Ancient Yodhvāši	fast jump	Unisex
Turabayān	Ancient Yodhvāši	brown step
Turgandām	Ancient Yodhvāši	step into the dark
Vælvah	Chlouvānem	cloud	Unisex (usually female)
Yāmurtān	Ancient Yodhvāši	fast kick

Official adaptations of other languages' names

Names of foreign people, and foreigners that become Chlouvānem citizens, always get their name converted according to the official Chlouvānem equivalent; note, though, that this mostly applies to Western and Skyrdegan people. As most names from other cultures have no Chlouvānem equivalent but may have different forms depending on the language (cf. on Earth "John, Iōannēs, João..."), there is an Inquisitorial list of Chlouvānem equivalents for most common names. (Note that sometimes the common origin of two names was not recognized - for example Cerian Imúbánidu and Holenagic Ṅbäehd [ŋbaːi̯] (earlier [ŋbæːð]) have the same origin, but correspond to adapted Chlouvānem Mūbānidum and Libǣsam respectively.)

As for adapting feminine names, most often the -n ending common to most Evandorian languages is scrapped or augmented with an -a (rarely -i); on the contrary, -m or -am may be added to male names.

The Chlouvānem versions of those names are often taken from the Auralian, Cerian, Nordulaki, or Majo-Bankravian dialects spoken in the northwest of the Inquisition; sometimes, however, they have been created ad hoc by the Inquisitorial Office for the Language. Finally, a minority is adapted from Holenagic (like Paistre [ˈpaʃtrə] → Paṣṭras).

Name	Gender	Corresponds to
Dūrkirvas	Male	Evangelic Velken Dowrkriwo > Kal. Dourkřvo
Fyålьka	Female	Hol. Fioailkä, Niv. Fiòšikan (ANiv. Fiáulhikan)
Khyukṣṭih	Male	Hol. Qyqshdir
Libǣsam	Male	Hol. Ṅbäehd
Lyāni	Female	Cer. Leáni, Reáni; Nrd. Llany, Hol. Läin, Niv. Leān, Hel. Reàni
Mūbānidum	Male	Cer. Imúbánidu, Bes. Imubbanxu, Nrd. Imubanyt, Niv. Emubáñu
Paṣṭras	Male	Cer. Pétéro, Bes. Pesteu, Nrd. Paxer, Niv. Pestéro, Hol. Paistre (Ísc., ANiv. Pestéros)
Tanūrēṣa	Female	Cer. Tanúréšen, Bes. Tanurexi

Foreigners that become Chlouvānem citizens always have a matronymic added, and the same is usually done also for and by people who have business with the Chlouvānem-speaking world or are Yunyalīlti (as, for example, the incumbent Minister of Agriculture of Holenagika, Qyqshdir Hgoabein [ˈqyqsir ˈɣɔbeɲ] is usually referred to as Fyålьkāvi Gåbeña Khyukṣṭih). Other people are simply known by their Chlouvānemized names but without an added matronymic - like incumbent Cerian Prime Minister Pétéro Bafín is referred to as Bafīn Paṣṭras.

Informal names (laltihalenī)

The Chlouvānem informal name (laltihaloe, from lalteh (friend) and haloe (name)) is the form of the given name used in many particularly informal settings. As with all things informal in the Chlouvānem-speaking world, there is no uniform rule because they are deeply influenced by the local vernacular and, more often than not, they are never even used when speaking Chlouvānem as such kind of conversations may often be exclusively in the vernacular.
However, there is a simple pattern that can be used in order to derive pan-Inquisitiorial informal names from given names: either the first or the stressed syllable of the name is taken, with optional vowel changes (usually a to æ, æ and ai to e, e to i, and often o to either a or u), and -ī for female informal names or -em for male ones. Female names often shift post-tonic velars, h, or s, to palatals.
As different syllables may be taken, there are even for this pattern different possibilities. Some examples (usually, the more common a name is and the more informal forms it has):

Martayinām [ˌmaˤ.ta.(j)iˈnaːm] → Mærī, Mætī, Matī, Næmī, Nāmī

Mæmihūmia [ˌmɛ.mʲiˈɦuː.mʲa] → Memī, Hūmī, Mæmī

Kælidañca [ˌkɛ.ɴ̆ʲiˈdaɲ.c͡ɕa] → Kelī, Kælī, Dæñī, Dañī

Kāltarvān [ˌkaːɴ̆.taɐ̯ˈʋãː] → Kālem, Kælem, Vānem, Vænem, Kāltem

Khālbayān [ˌkʰaːɴ̆.baˈjãː] → Khælem, Khālem, Yænem, Yānem

Læhimausa [ˌɴ̆ɛ.ɦiˈmaʊ̯.sa] → Læšī, Læhī, Lešī, Maušī, Mūšī, Mūsī

Using names

→ See also: Chlouvānem morphology § Honorific titles

Chlouvānem names are rarely used alone: they are most often coupled with some kind of honorific. There is a so-called "politeness scale" for their use:

1. When speaking to someone:

• All three parts of the name are used alone in roll calls exclusively;
• The most polite form is to use the appropriate honorific title or formula plus the honorifics yamei and lāma, all applied to matronymic and given name; e.g. Martayināvi yamei murkadhāna Læhimausa lāma (something like Respectable Inquisitor, Ms. Læhimausa, daughter of Martayinām). This form is usually used at the beginning of a conversation, as subsequently the norm is to use a shorter form - in this case either yamei murkadhāna or yamei Læhimausa lāma;
• The usual polite form is simply given name plus lāma (or any other appropriate title, like e.g. kauchlærīn (professor), or suntam, tanta, lallāmaha...); e.g. Læhimausa lāma (Ms. Læhimausa), Læhimausa kauchlærī (Professor Læhimausa);
• Using any of the three parts alone (usually the name) is a moderately colloquial form, usually used between colleagues or friends with a moderate degree of acquaintance. Even between colleagues of the same age this is somewhat rude if they do not each other much, and in that case tanta or lāma should be used;
• The informal name is the form used by close friends, by siblings, partners, and towards all family members of a younger generation. It is however generally rude to use any kind of personal name towards an older family member, or a non-sibling of the same generation (brothers/sisters-in-law, unless they are close friends).

2. When speaking of someone:

• If the listener is likely to not know who the person spoken of is, the full three parts of the name are used (but sometimes the surname is omitted), usually with yamei, a title (lāma, tanta, suntam), and usually the profession too (e.g. Martayināvi yamei murkadhāna Læhimausa lāma), but no titles are used (only optionally yamei) if they're of a lower rank — for example a teacher speaking about one of his/her students to another teacher;
• If the person spoken of is respected (of higher rank), then the appropriate formula is used the first time they're mentioned, then the norm is to use a shorter form - in this case, a form like yamei Læhimausa murkadhāna is accepted, while it is not when speaking directly to that person. The higher rank that person is, usually the longer it takes to completely shift to a shorter form — e.g. while the Great Inquisitor will not be referred to every time as nanū aveṣyotāra lallāmaha Hæliyǣšāvi yamei Dhīvajhūyai Lairē camimurkadhāna lāma, it will not probably get shorter than nanū aveṣyotāra yamei lallāmaha ([Her] Respectable Most Excellent Highness) or nanū aveṣyotāra lallāmaha camimurkadhāna ([Her] Most Excellent Highness, the Great Inquisitor);
• If the person spoken of is of equal rank, in a polite context they'll be referred to with tanta (the usual title for equal grades), or lāma;
• The use of the bare given name (or matronymic or surname) and of the informal name follow the same guidelines as when talking to that person. Note that, though, in a family context it will be more common to use the names of older family members in order to disambiguate about them (e.g. Amabu paṣmeinā ukulanilь Læhimausa paṣmeinā prišniliukula no (Grandma Amabu has spoken and Grandma Læhimausa has answered [her]).

The second- and third-person pronouns used with the various honorific styles also vary. See the respective section of the Grammar for more details.