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

[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. :)

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I'm still of the opinion that the EU can be ignored at will, so I don't know if I'd necessarily be bound by what goes on with it.

However, aren't most of the Jedi characters in the JA books who have known family of rather high-class backgrounds? In other words, their parents could have kept them for slightly longer than usual and also make stipulations like 'keeps personal name' when they actually did turn over their child to the Jedi?

Of course, that leads to the idea that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were from families further down on the class hierarchy...