Orc Culture - Part 1
Naming Practices
Orcs believe one’s honor is carried in their names. They may gain 3 names, followed by their Clan Name, through their lives:
Birth Name - The name given to them at birth. This name holds no honor and is the equivalent to “Congrats, you we born. Woo hoo.” To carry a birth name into adulthood is a great shame in Orc clans as it means that orc has done nothing seen as worthy to their clan. Examples of Birth Names would be: Names listed in Volo’s Guide to Monsters.
Blood Name - A name earned by performing in some way that makes the clan take notice, be it a battle won for the clan or an act of betrayal. Examples of Blood Names would be: Jawbreaker(Honored, self-explanatory), Bladekeeper(Honored, either maintains weapons or takes weapons from fallen enemies), Brighteye(Insult, implies bearer is like the ‘lesser races’), Dirt-H*mper(Insult, one who falls often).
Soul Name - Referred to by some as their True Name. No longer used by the clans, being faithful Gruumans, as it was seen as a soft(weak) practice and has been forgotten. It has been revived by the Orcs that have successfully broke away from the clans and Gruumsh, following the(homebrew) Orc Goddess of Change: Thu’un. Before Gruumsh, Orcs believed the soul was born incomplete and that when they found their life partner they would have their Soul Name, being unable to come up with a name being a sign of false love or a doomed partnership. In the cases of Aromantic Orcs they could get their Soul Name from a beloved pet or even take a sound made from a hobby they love as their Soul Name. Anyone or anything that brought more joy than anything else would be considered a Life Partner. Examples of Soul Names would be: Any orc name, any name from other races, animal sounds, Sound made from a hobby.
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Felt like sharing some sh*t I’ve worked on for my setting. There’s more to it, but I’ll post that stuff later. Til then: enjoy my Orc Naming Practices!












