rambling commentary of the nxx boys' eng name etymologies and how i think theyre so so fitting
disclaimers: name etymology is hugely expansive cuz a lot of the same names naturally occurred in different cultures with different meanings. or similar names had converged from different cultures through time. basically, names can have a Lot of meanings, and if i went thru every single one we’d be here for far too long. so i just picked out the meanings i found most interesting in conjunction with the respective nxx boy :D
artem wing: the greek goddess of the hunt + safety
starting with artem cuz hes the one ive got least to say about HAHAJKSBJSD
his surname is straightforward, thats just Part Of Bird, and in terms of interpretation, it could easily be seen as a great reflection and/or symbol for the wing family's achievements. bryan wing, kimberly an garner, and artem wing, are all so accomplished it's as if their ambition and skill reaches towards the sky. his first name tho is what interested me more.
"Artem" is the Ukranian form of the Greek name "Artemios" which is derived from, you guessed it, Artemis herself, goddess of the hunt (and a whole lot of other things).
mythologically, a whole BUNCH of interpretations and links can be made between artemis and artem, but the one that stuck out to me most is the fact that artemis is widely regarded as one of the most venerated and respected greek deities. a really nice parallel, imo, to artem's own incredible reputation in stellis. but something thats also cool is that the name "Artemis" could possibly be linked to the greek word ἀρτεμής (artemes) which means "safe" which, again, is a nice parallel to artem's constant quest to be seen as both a reliable person to mc and one that will protect her. and also just his general vibes, artem gives off the comforting vibes of a weighted blanket. world cruel, artem safe,,,,,
marius von hagen: the roman god of war + pasture
second is marius because ive also got not much to say jhavskfha
the surname, “Hagen” comes from the Old Norse word “hagi” or the Old Dutch “hago” with both of those meaning “pasture/enclosure” the prefix “von” just means “from” so we’ve got “from the pasture/enclosure” which is fitting, given marius’ background! he comes from a rich family, definitely a background where many would say the grass is greenest.
first name gets fun, though. “Marius” is derived either the Roman god of war “Mars” or from a Latin root word “maris” which means male. the former is way more interesting than the latter, so im going with that, HAHA.
fun thing about Mars; while he and Ares, the Greek god of war, share a lot of mythos and have a bunch of similarities, a key difference was that the concept of war Mars was connected to was a kind of conflict that focused on bringing peace. and the Roman word for peace is, you guessed it, “Pax”
peace through war is a pretty oxymoronic concept but it’s one that fits marius pretty well. hes not going to war in the literal sense, but hes very much not a character who idles and waits for things to happen. when conflict occurs, he goes out to the metaphorical battlefield and fights the fight to bring a more peaceful state to whatever’s going on. this can be said for all the nxx boys of course, theyre all fighters/defenders for peace. but it’s interesting that marius is the one who got this concept in his gosh dang name…
luke pearce: light and rocks and also the BIBLE, probably
okay heres where i’m gonna start going off KJBAJBKJAF
“Luke” derived from the Greek “Loukas” means “light”, “bringer of light” or “bright one.” his surname “Pearce” is of English origin, meaning "son of Piers" but over time, the spelling changed. “Piers” is also thought to have been derived from the Greek word “petra” which means “rock.”
from this alone, theres a Lot to work. luke is sunshine boy, so true, i dont even have to explain that at all, we can all See It. luke is also a rock, not in the sense that hes dumb as rocks (though that is sometimes also so true) but it’s fitting in terms of connotations of strength and determination. with the word meanings alone, it’s already very appropriate name for luke
it’s also a PRETTY BIBLICALLY CATHOLIC NAME.
if artem and marius were getting linked key figures from Greek and Roman pantheons, luke is getting linked key figures from the frigging new testament: Luke the Evangelist and Peter (from the word petra) the Apostle. sure, this is a reach, but whos to say? WHOS TO SAY? LUKE (TOTLUKE) WANTED TO FRIGGING NAME HIS FIRST BORN SON “PETER” (mentioned in SSR Peaceful Place)!!
it’s more likely that the biblical aspects are coincidences and luke’s first and last name were chosen solely for the word etymology, but even if it’s a coincidence, it’s a Super Fitting One cuz huge chunks of luke’s angst and guilt is something i have always seen as vaguely catholic in nature (tho thats probs cuz im a lapsed catholic so it’s instinctive for me to see him thru this lens lol) BUT ALSO cuz both Luke the Evangelist and Peter the Apostle were martyred
and luke pearce has a martyr complex (i.e. self-sacrifice and service to others at one’s own expense and detriment) big enough to block out the sun hvksajhfavskhjfasf
vyn richter: nothing at all but…
// general spoilers for some vyn cards and backstory ahead
this is gonna be the longest one because “Vyn”……doesnt mean anything
deadass, “Vyn” has NO POPULAR ETYMOLOGY and the only thing i found after more digging was a vague relation to the Old English word “wyn” which means “wine.” which is vaguely hilarious and so valid, for vyn to name himself after a thing he really likes. king shit moves
but thats a key thing with vyn: he named himself. or rather, he was given a birthname and then chose a different one once he left svart and started a new life in stellis (sidenote: very trans vibes of you vyn, i approve!!!). vyn’s birthname is “Vilhelm Richard Albert de Haspran”
and THATS A MOUTHFUL and a lot of names to explore. one by one, these etymologies go as:
“Vilhelm” is the Scandinavian form of “William” which is from the Germanic name “Willahelm” composed of the elements wil which means "will, desire" and helm which means "helmet, protection"
“Albert” is from the Germanic name Adalbert meaning "noble and bright"
“Richard” comes from the Germanic elements ric which means "ruler, mighty" and hard which is "brave, hardy."
“Haspran” is made up and doesnt exist anywhere except in tot but that makes sense since the prefix “de” used in aristocracy just means “of” and pertains to the royal house that person belongs to, so “de Haspran” just means “Of House Haspran”
every single one of these names in his birthname is….well, it’s a LOT EXPECTATIONS JSDHFJSDJH. it’s a Royal name with strong, powerful, and frankly high-pressure connotations. vyn left this name when he left svart, and then he picked a first name which
doesnt have a set etymology at all
his chosen name reflects the action he’d done: hes no longer a ruler with expectations he didnt ask for, hes a blank slate and hes writing a new life onto it. he no longer holds all those lofty meanings, hes free to make whatever meaning he wants to
now thats his first name. his surname, “Richter”, is his mother’s surname which he adopted (mentioned in SSR Food for Thought). also mentioned in that card is a Bunch of lore on vyn’s fam background, most notable being eirik’s (his father) failure in keeping the marriage between jill (his mother) alive. vyn’s retelling of this story has some Vibes of Resentment towards his father, so i figure taking his mother’s surname could deffo be a subtle “fuck u” to eirik
but also “Richter” has a great etymology. it comes from the Middle High German word “rihtære” which means “judge”
so here vyn is with his name thats both a blank slate for a new identity and also a symbol of the role he’ll take in the nxx team. hes nobody but who he makes himself to be: the presider of judgement, the arbitrator, the Adjudicator.
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