Star Wars names...

[neotoma]

Given that political practice on Naboo involves the Queen using a name for her reign that is not her personal or family name, do we think Palpatine's name is likewise a regnal name?

And do Jedi rename the children given to them? I'm wondering where Obi-Wan came up with "Ben", and I have a sneaking suspicion that it was the name he was given at birth.

Comments

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

I, personally, suspect "Palpatine" was a regnal name.

The other possibility for Obi-Wan becoming Ben is... well, little kids sometimes have trouble with certain sounds. What if, when he was young, he had trouble with the "w"? Him saying his own name would become "Obi-an", and that is not a far stretch to "Ben", pronounciation-wise.
Yes, that theory draws a lot on a book I once read wherein the character runs away from home and renames herself Meanne, from Anastacia

[caliburn.livejournal.com]

I always figured it was just a linguistic slur...from "Obi-Wan" to "Old Ben," since most of the poeple who would be talking about him on Tattoine at that period would be doing so less than openly, it would be easy for an onlooker to mishear the name and start spreading rumors about "old Ben Kenobi" the crazy desert hermit.

Palpatine, Darth Sideous...does the Emperor belong to any group that doesn't give out its own holy names? ;) Though, in all seriousness, I figure that even if it isn't an assigned name it's still just a pseudonym...he's got way too much history with the wrong people to enter the galactic spotlight using his real name.

Darth Vader: "So what is you true name, my master?"
Palpatine: "Sue. Explains a lot about how I turned out, doesn't it?"

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

I think Palpatine is definitely not his real name, but I don't know that they would give a Senator a new name as they do for the serving Queen.

I suspect the Jedi name their recruits when the child hasn't already been given a name. In the Jedi Apprentice series, for example, there are characters who had family names, like Bruck Chun whose father is Vox Chun. However, many of the Jedi's names are to do with light and goodness and energy, etc, so (although I know this was just the way Lucas wrote them) I tend to think that these are deliberate names given to the younglings that may not otherwise carry a family name. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are fantastic examples because they have a style of name that isn't replicated elsewhere.

And like caliburn suggested above, I think it was a transition from Obi-Wan to Old Ben. :)

[onci-dium.livejournal.com]

What I awlays wanted to know in that, is that if Obi-Wan was supposed to be going into super seekrit hiding, then why didn't he change his last name as well?

I always try and imagine the conversation about code names and him going
Obi-Wan: "I know! Instead of OBI-WAN Kenobi, I will become BEN Kenobi. Vader will never find me then!"

Yoda: "Unless use the Yellow Pages, he does."


More on topic:
Back in bad old 1977, the SW Encyclopedia had written in their entry about Obi-Wan, that his actual name was Ben Lars and that he was the one from Tatooine. His younger brother was Owen.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was, indeed, his Jedi Name.

GL has since negated this. But I still like it. It works best as an explanation to me.

[nugatorytm.livejournal.com]

Hmm, wasn't there a rumor way back when that Obi-Wan's real name was actually OB-1 Kenobi? Which would have made him a clone?