My mom and I are tired of having no names. We want to start simple personas to play with our new costumes at faire. We are far from anything historic at this point, but I'm trying to at least make them somewhat fun and convincing. Since, our obsession with pop tabs developed around the same time we started going to faires regularly, we decided to incorporate it in to the name choosing. Ultimately, we really want to develop our own family crest which should be really fun.
Not sure what the appropriate spelling should be, if any, but how woud these sound:
Mom = Candace "Candy" Cannen (Canan, Cannan), the Canny Queen of the Texas Realm
Me = Tabitha "Tabi" Cannen
"Candace" is used in English, but has a strange connection to "queen mother" in Ethiopia in Biblical times and could mean clarity, whiteness, or fire white. We thought that great for aluminum.
I chose "Tabitha" literally for the "tab" part. Means "Gazelle" and a link to meaning "smiling" ,which is sooo me. :) It's biblical and used in English.
The surname is somewhat Turkish ("Canan" is turkish for "beloved"). We chose it because we both like bellydancing and liked the link to it and can tabs. :) We chose an alternate spelling "Cannen" cuz it's very close in spelling to our real surname. (Easy for mom to remember.) It would be a variation of Cannan, which has English or Irish roots meaning, of all things, "wolf cub". It has also been used as "Canny", which is what we were originally thinking when we started cuz it literally means "thrifty".
I'd love to hear what anyone thinks of all this, not that anyone besides us probably cares. :) Hope we are on the right track here. I really don't know how everyone comes up with such clever names and personas on here. Any help would be appreciated.
Of course we care, we will be calling you names, so you might as well have a say in what we call you... ;)
I firmly believe that in naming things, (even yourself) that you must think about what the "named object" wants to be called. (even yourself)
It is somewhat easier to name yourself, (I think), the harder part is creating a history for yourself and family, if you can give some thought to that it might be easier for you to choose your name.
With your last name being "Cannen (Canan, Cannan)" and your Mom's name being Candice, I think immediately of "Candy Cane", (no offense meant) not necessarily a "period name", but definately playful.
I liked your statement "simple personas", it implies that you are not necessarily Nobility, but eludes to being "Common Folk" so I think that simple personas, require simple names, and names based on "pop tabs" should be simple.
Angus, thanks for taking the time to read and comment on this. What you say makes complete sense.
Mom giggled when I read the "Candy Cane" comment. She is still a kid at heart and loves silliness. I would have to agree that is silly but fun. Oh goodness, the innuendos! Should prove a fun character to work with for her.
As for history, since we really have no history of our own that we know of, it really makes it difficult coming up with something. I've looked up our surnames, even my mother's and grandmothers', but none seem to have any information past America. I think they are all variations of older names. None of them really sound all that great to us anyway. :)
And, being new to all this, we did think a simple name to start would be easier and more suitable for us. We can alter things later, if we ever need to. Although, with either "Cannen" or "Cane" we would probably need some Irish in our blood. :) At least mom has green eyes.
Oh, I just found out something interesting about my grandmother on my mom's side. Her last name "Watkins" actually is Welsh. I never knew that. I guess "Wat" is short for Walter and the suffix "-kin" means something like "related to". So it is similar to "relatives of Walter" The surname came about from ancient Brythonic Celts of Wales.
It even has a motto: "A golden head and true heart"
If you're interested, this info came from a site at: http://www.houseofnames.com (http://www.houseofnames.com)
I like the Candace, and Tabitha names!
Well from reading your initial post I think it would be suitable if you and your mom tried your hands at being gypsy and taking up belly dancing since that is something ya'll both like to do.Just my two cents worth.
My Lady,
I've taken some info you provided, and explored some more...
The Motto you provided, "A golden head and true heart" ("Pen awr y chalon wir") is associated with "Watkins", and is indeed Welsh.
The Family Crest is:
(http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/43969/2056606440095483671S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2056606440095483671VULCAS)
I believe that if you cannot find your Past, then you are free to create your own, and it can be as fun and detailed as you so desire.
That is weird. The crest I saw was different colors, but with the same spear or arrow heads and other things. Also, there looked like a head of dragon on the top.
Can't post the pic, but here is the location: http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/watkins-family-crest.htm?A=54323-224 (http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.fc/qx/watkins-family-crest.htm?A=54323-224)
Now if you could only be a dear and find info on "Hinnen". Hehe :) We think it is swiss, but can't find anything on it. The farthest my aunt traced back was to two brothers who immigrated to America in the late 1800's, I think. They split and went separate ways. The trail ended there for us. The spelling must have changed before that. No famous people or unusual events in our family that I know of. Makes for pretty boring stuff.
Seriously, Angus, thank you for taking the time to look up "Watkins". Maybe, we may come up with a interesting way to incorporate it into our personas-in-progress. That motto makes me wonder how it came about. Wonder what the story there was. Sounds like an interesting tale I shall never hear.
This strange bit of info make me think they made the surname up:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?l=h&p=5
hence
c.1275, hennes, from O.E. heonan "away, hence" + adverbial gen. -s, from W.Gmc. *khin- (cf. O.S. hinan, O.H.G. hinnan, Ger. hinnen); related to O.E. her "here." The modern spelling is phonetic, to retain the breathy -s-. Original sense is "away from here;" of time, from c.1380; meaning "from this (fact or circumstance)" first recorded 1586.
that house of names link was pretty cool. thanx for putting that up.
Frau Hinnen is it? If it is Watkins then thee must wear the leek on Saint David's Day.
"Whats in aname, A rose by any other..."
The choosing of a character name is very important. It states origin and oft times social standing.
Both you and your moms names lead me to think middle gentry/merchant class. Go with what feels right for both you and for the time period you are trying to play in.
Good luck....