Difference between revisions of "Human names"

Revision as of 21:47, 3 April 2012

In 2008, Hetalia creator Hidekaz Himaruya assigned some characters names. Since then, they have not been utilized fully. They were brought up again in a 2011 blog post, in which he listed theoretical names for some characters suggested by fans. However, he later noted that they were not official, and that fans should feel free to create their own names for characters.

History and usage

Since their creation in 2008, the names have fallen out of use, and new characters do not receive definitive names.

Names

America

America received the name Alfred F. Jones (アルフレッド・F・ジョーンズ, Arufureddo F. Jōnzu). "Jones" is one of the most common surnames in the United States. His last name could also refer to the action movie hero Indiana Jones, as America once stated that one of his own hobbies is archaeology.

"Alfred F." is most probably an allusion to Alfred E. Neuman; the "F" in his middle name possibly inspired by John F. Kennedy, one of the most recognized presidents of the United States. To some fans the "F" would stand for freedom, considering that is one of his obsessions, however, according to Himaruya, his initial plans for the F were to stand for "Franklin", "Foster", or "Fuck".^[1] It is also possible that his name is a reference to the USS Alfred, the first ship to fly the Grand Union Flag. The man who hoisted the flag was John Paul Jones. Another likely reference would be Alfred Hitchcock, who is famous for his suspense films, which would explain America's video game and movie preference.

Australia

Himaruya listed Ralph, Christian, Kyle, and Jett to be potential names for Australia.^[2]

Austria

Austria received the name Roderich Edelstein (ローデリヒ・エーデルシュタイン, Rōderihi Eederushutain). The inspiration behind Austria's given name, Roderich, may have come from Roderich Mojsisovics von Mojsvár, an Austrian composer and opera writer. The name may also be a reference to "Republik Österreich", the local term for the Republic of Austria. Edelstein literally means "gemstone", and is a predominantly Jewish surname of Germanic origin.

The name appears to be half from the national flower of Austria (Edelweiss) and half from the glass or mug used for beer (Stein). For that matter "Edel" stands for "stainless/noble/pure," and is derived from the word "Adel" or "shield" as in coat-of-arms, which also alludes to an Austrian affinity for titles. While a conjugation of it to mean 'noble stone' might be possible it is not likely.

Belarus

Belarus received the name Natalia Arlovskaya (ナターリヤ・アルロフスカヤ, Natāriya Arurofusukaya); informal variant: Natasha (ナターシャ, Natāsha) Belarusian: Наталля Арлоўская, (Natałlia Arłoŭskaja); Russian: Наталья Арловская (Natal'ya Arlovskaya). Her surname is often rendered and translated as Alfroskaya, but the more accurate spelling would be Arlovskaya, since Alfroskaya would be rendered as Arufurosukaya. Another version of the name is Arlofskaya. If read as Arlovskaya, the surname would correspond to Arlovski, like the Belarusian Andrei Arlovski. It is probable that he was not Himaruya's specific inspiration, though the other two surname spellings cannot be found outside of the fandom.

While her name is Natalia, Natasha is alternatively used for her as an informal variant of the girl's name and is also considered to be valid. Her first name may have also been intended to be spelled as Natalya.

Canada

Canada received the name Matthew Williams (マシュー・ウィリアムズ, Mashyū Uiriamuzu). There is no definite source for his first name, Matthew. Across Canada, Matthew has been a greatly popular name for newborns in recent decades, often in the top three most frequently given first names. Coincidentally or not, the caravel sailed by John Cabot from Bristol to North America in 1497 was named Matthew. John Cabot and his crew are thought to have reached somewhere in Newfoundland (which was not a province of Canada until 1949). 'Matthew' is also the name of a prominent character in 'Anne of Green Gables', a popular Canadian novel. In fanworks, his name is occasionally spelled Matthieu or Mathieu, acknowledging past and present French influence on Canada.

China

China received the name Wang Yao (王耀, Wanyao or Ouyou, 王耀, Wáng Yào). The Western order for his name is Yao Wang, while the Eastern order is Wang Yao. Wang is a common Chinese surname that means "king", while Yao is a common given name that means "brightly shining". A common rendering of his first name in fandom is Wong. Another alternate spelling of his name (that quickly fell out of use) was Wong Hwei. According to an old blog post by Himaruya, his name can be rendered in Japanese and in English as either Wang Yao or Wang Yue.

Cuba

Himaruya listed Máximo, (Juan), Ericemdo, and Carlos Machado as theoretical names for Cuba.^[2]

Denmark

Himaruya listed Andersen, Christensen, Arnesen, Simon Densen, Abel, Mikkel, Magnus, Bertram as theoretical names for Denmark, and Densen as a possible surname.^[2]

Egypt

Egypt received the name Gupta Muhammad Hassan (グプタ・モハメッド・ハッサン, Guputa Mohameddo Hassan; Arabic: غوبتا محمد حسن). Muhammad and Hassan are both common Arabic names; however, Gupta is actually an Indian surname as well as the name of an Indian empire (The Gupta Empire). Interestingly, there is no true 'p' sound in Arabic.

England

England received the name Arthur Kirkland(アーサー・カークランド, Āsā Kākurando). The name Arthur is likely to be a Ireference to Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes series, who was famed for his obsession with fairies. It could also refer to the legendary King Arthur. Before fans settled on the Kirkland rendering (which was more accurate from the katakana), some early fanworks referred to his last name as Clarkland.

Estonia

Estonia received the name Eduard von Bock (エドァルド・フォンヴォック Edoarudo fon Vokku). Both Eduard and the surname von Bock are actually of German origin, though Eduard is also a common name for Baltic, Slavic and Russian males.

Finland

Finland received the name Tino Väinämöinen (ティノ・ヴァイナマイネン, Tino Vainamainen). Though his name is rendered as Tino in katakana, some fans opt to use the more common Finnish name Timo when referring to him by his human name, as Tino is rarely used in Finland. His surname Väinämöinen seems to have been inspired by the Finnish folklore character of the same name, who was sometimes thought of as a deity as well.

France

France received the name Francis Bonnefoy (フランシス・ボヌフォア, Furanshisu Bonufoa). France's surname, Bonnefoy (alternate spelling: Bonne-Foi), means "good faith" in French, "foy" is an old-fashioned way to write "foi" (faith). His given name, Francis (which means "Frenchman"), is a common French name, though an alternative rendering in the language would be François.

When Hidekaz Himaruya originally listed the nations' human names, he noted that the original name he had in mind for France was Jean. The surname Epine was also considered.

Greece

Greece received the name Heracles Karpusi (ヘラクレス・カルプシ, Herakuresu Karupushi). The surname Karpusi is not in fact a real name, but the Greek word for watermelon. His given name Heracles is thought to have been inspired by the Greek demigod of the same name. Although Heracles Karpusi is the most commonly accepted spelling of his name, the alternate rendering of Herakles Karpossi can sometimes be seen in fan translations, with his surname sometimes being rendered as Karpsh or Carpus.

Germany

Germany received the name, Ludwig (ルートヴィッヒ, Rūtovihhi). He is notable for being the only character with a human name who was not given a surname. Hidekaz Himaruya, in his original listing of the names, stated that there was a reason he did so and that fans would eventually find out. As the human names and most references to them were later discarded, it appears that this is moot. However, the name Ludwig used to be a very common name that happens to have been shared by various German historical figures, most notably Ludwig II of Bavaria and Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Hong Kong

Himaruya listed Wang Jia Long (Wong Kha Loung in Cantonese), Li Xiao Chun (Lei Siu Chun in Cantonese), and Leon as potential names for Hong Kong.^[2]

Hungary

Hungary received the name Elizabeta Héderváry (エリザベータ・ヘーデルヴァーリ, Erizabēta Hēderuvāri). Her first name (Erizabeeta), due to not being rendered in romaji, is often a subject of debate as to how it should be spelled. Elizabeta is the most accurate spelling of her name according to the characters, though some fan sources use Elizaveta, as well as Elisabeth and Elizabeth (although the actual Hungarian equivalent of Elizabeth would be Erzsébet). Using the spelling of Elisabeth could be an allusion to Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria, who was the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She was married to Austrian Emperor Franz Josef, who is mentioned in the anime briefly.

Iceland

Himaruya listed Emil Steilsson, Sigurður, Eiríkur, and Egill as potential names for Iceland.^[2]

Italy

Italy received the name Feliciano Vargas (フェリチアーノ・ヴァルガス Ferichiāno Varugasu). The exact inspiration behind his human name was not stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, though it is to be noted that Vargas is a Spanish surname and not Italian (though it has Latin roots, like both languages) but it is believed that Vargas may have been derived from the artist Alberto Vargas, who was famous for his WWII "Vargas Girls" pin-up art. Likewise, Feliciano (which comes from "felice", happy one) is an uncommon given name in Italy, and is more common as a surname. It is possible that it might have been inspired by the Italian calligrapher Felice Feliciano.

Japan

Japan received the name, Honda Kiku (本田菊). The Western order for his name would be Kiku Honda, with the Eastern being Honda Kiku.

Kiku comes from the Japanese word for the Chrysanthemum flower, which is also the family crest of the Japanese Imperial family. Honda is a common Japanese surname that includes the kanji 本 hon, as in 日本 Nihon (Japan).

Latvia

Latvia received the name Raivis Galante (ライヴィス・ガランテ Raivisu Garante). While Raivis is an actual Latvian name, his surname Galante is actually of Italian origin. Whether it is intentional or not, Latvia's human last name corresponds with that of the well-known opera singer Inessa Galante, who happens to be from Latvia herself.

Liechtenstein

Himaruya listed Liechtenstein's potential names as Erika, Sisia, Elise, and Eva, with Vogel as a possible surname.^[2]

Lithuania

Lithuania received the name Toris Laurinaitis (トーリス・ロリナイティス Tōrisu Rorinaitisu). While his human name is usually rendered as Toris or Tolys, other spellings such as Taurys and Thoris have been used in both the Japanese and international fandoms. Toris is often the most popular rendering of his given name, though Tolys exists as an uncommon Lithuanian name. The Laurinaitis spelling for his surname is also in existence (as opposed to the non-existent "Lorinaitis" often used by fandom), though Thoris is also a surname. It seems the inspiration behind the entire human name remains a mystery.

Netherlands

Himaruya listed potential names for Netherlands as Tim, Govert, Abel, and Morgens.^[2]

Norway

Himaruya listed Lukas Bondevik, Børre Thomassen, Bjørn, Kjetil, Knut, and Sigurd as potential names for Norway, with Bondevik and Thomassen as potential surnames.^[2]

Poland

Poland received the name, Feliks Łukasiewicz (フェリクス・ウカシェヴィチ, Ferikusu Ukashevichi). The exact inspiration behind his human name is unknown, but it is believed that Hidekaz Himaruya may have had either Jan Łukasiewicz (a philosopher) or Ignacy Łukasiewicz (a scientist) in mind. The name Feliks is spelled as so because the letter "x" does not exist in the Polish language. It is not common in Poland today but was a popular name among the Polish elite in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. His surname is pronounced Wook-a-shye-veech in Polish.

Prussia

Prussia received the name Gilbert Beilschmidt (ギルベルト・バイルシュミット, Giruberuto Bairushumitto). His surname was also often rendered as Weillschmidt, though it has fallen somewhat out of use as it doesn't exist as a German surname, while Beilschmidt does. Beilschmidt also means "axe smith" and there is speculation that the jumper Rolf Beilschmidt may have been inspiration.

Russia

Russia received the name Ivan Braginski (イヴァン・ブラギンスキ, Ivan Buraginsuki, Russian: Иван Брагинский). His given name is believed to have come from Ivan the Terrible or, equally as likely, Ivan The Great. Ivan happens to have been a common name for Russian czars (there were six Czar Ivans, including two Romanov Ivans), as well as being a common name for Russian males ("Ivan" is the Russian equivalent of "John"). Ivan has frequently been used as a stereotypical slang name for a Russian male. It is pronounced 'EEVAHN', not 'EYE-VAN', in Russian (with emphasis on the second syllable). The Russian diminutive of Ivan is Vanya, and is frequently used in fanworks.

His last name is actually somewhat politically incorrect; traditionally the '-ski' suffix indicates Polish ancestry, while '-sky' is used for Russians instead, and specifically Russians with far-reaching familial roots in Poland.

Sealand

Sealand received the name Peter Kirkland (ピーター・カークランド, Pītā Kākurando). While the exact origin of his human name is unknown, Peter means "rock" and could possibly be a reference to the fact that the actual Sealand is simply a "rock" itself, or more accurately, a small concrete military fort. Another common assumption is that his name is referencing Peter Pan, due to his inability to grow up.

South Italy

South Italy received the name Lovino Vargas (ロヴィーノ・ヴァルガス, Rovīno Varugasu). Though the exact inspiration behind his human name remains unknown, Lovino is not a given name in Italian, instead used as a surname; in Italian, it simply translates to "the wine". However, it may be a masculinized form of "Lovina" which comes from the name "Lavinia" which was the name of the legendary mother of the Roman people. Vargas is a common Spanish surname but in this case it's believed to have come from the artist Alberto Vargas. Alternatively, Rovino exists as an Italian word, and derives from a tense of the word "rovinare", which means to "collapse" or to "wreck", thus the name literally means "I ruin". He is also known as "Romano" which he is called in the anime. "Romano is the Italian form of the name "Romanus" which means "Roman".

South Korea

Korea received the name Im Yong Soo (任勇洙, Imu Yon Su; Korean: 임용수). The Western ordering of his name would be Yong Soo Im, while the Eastern ordering is Im Yong Soo.

Though the correct Korean rendering would be Im Yong Soo, the variants Im Yonsu, Im Yong Su, and Im Yun Soo have been seen in some Japanese fanworks. Some spellings of his human name included Ren Yong Soo, Lim Young-soo, and Lee Young-soo (derived from how the name is spelled out in katakana). The full human name Im Yong Soo means "brave and great" in Korean.

Spain

Spain received the name Antonio Fernández Carriedo (アントーニョ・フェルナンデス・カリエド, Antōnyo Ferunandesu Kariedo), though it may have been originally spelled Antonio Hernández Carriedo (アントーニョ・ヘルナンデス・カリエド, Antōnyo Herunandesu Kariedo). There is debate over whether his first surname is Fernández or Hernández, due to possible mistranslations. When Himaruya first gave him a human name, the katakana resembled the characters for the latter more (ヘルナンデス, Herunandesu, though the real spelling should actually be エルナンデス, "Erunandesu", due to the Spanish 'h' being mute), though it later appeared with the kana for Fernández (フェルナンデス, Ferunandesu) and became Romanized as such.

There is a noticeable debate over which spelling is the correct one in both the Western and Eastern fandom, though both fandoms tend to use Fernández more often. The slight difference becomes more apparent as Fernández is a patronimic that comes from the first name "Fernando" like Ferdinand II Of Aragon, and Hernández comes from "Hernán", like the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Both are common surnames in Spain.

Sweden

Sweden received the name Berwald Oxenstierna (ベールヴァルド・オキセンスシェルナ Bēruvarudo Okisensusheruna). It is assumed that his surname, Oxenstierna, came from the Swedish statesman Axel Oxenstierna (Oxenstjärna), and that his given name Berwald came from Franz Berwald, a Swedish Romantic composer, for whom Berwaldhallen in Stockholm is named after. Berwaldhallen also happens to be near Oxenstiernsgatan (Oxenstjärnsgatan). Both names are currently uncommon in Sweden.

Switzerland

Switzerland received the name Basch Zwingli (バッシュ・ツヴィンクリ, Basshu Tsuvinkuri). An alternate name is Vash Zwingli. However, the kana for Switzerland's human name uses "バ" (ba). In German, a "v" sounds close to an English "f", making Basch a more appropriate Romanization. Additionally, the character Basch from Final Fantasy XII shares the same katakana. Early Japanese fanworks rendered his name in English as Bache Zwingli. Though proponents of the alternate "Vash" spelling theorize that it could be descended from the French word 'vache', meaning 'cow'. As Switzerland is known for its domestic dairy industries and products, and French being one of its official languages, some believe in this spelling having basis. It is also to note that "Vash" could be a reference to Vash the Stampede from the anime series Trigun, as both are known for avoiding conflict when possible, but still proficient in the use of firearms. His human surname is believed to have been inspired by Huldrych Zwingli, the leader of the Swiss Protestant reformation.

Taiwan

Himaruya listed Lin Yi Ling or Xiao Mei to be potential names for Taiwan.^[2]

Turkey

Turkey received the name Sadık Adnan (サディク・アドナン, Sadiku Adonan). Adnan is an Arabic male name and generally used by Muslims, and comes from Adnan, the ancestor of the Adnani Arabs. Sadık (meaning "loyal") is usually used as an Arabic surname, rather than a given name. Sadiq is an alternate version of his name, although this is less accurate as the Turkish alphabet does not contain the letter "q" and since the name sounds a bit deep, its used with the letter "ı".

Ukraine

Himaruya listed Irunya Chernenko, Maria, and Sofia as potential names for Ukraine. Irunya, however, is a petname of sorts, and her name would more accurately be Irina, Iryna being the Ukrainian variant.^[2]

References