Oh what's in a name?

[fencer_x]

So I was advised by certain parties that this might be a topic best served on our lovely comm here!

Dat Nezumi's Real Name

Uh, anything and everything related to this topic? How attached is Nezumi to said real name? Why won't he give it up to anyone? Is there anyone alive who knows his real name? Under what circumstances will he ever tell Shion? Does he think of himself as 'Nezumi' in his own head at this point? He promised to tell Shion his name if he survived the larval eruption (beautiful stuff), so what happened to that?

Would it be something similar to the vaguely Asiatic flavors of the No.6 citizens' names, or something completely different?

Comments

[spiralmaiden]

I'm used to real/hidden/power names thanks to CLAMP, so it's not really a pressing thing to me that he tell anyone his name from his childhood (which also reminds me so much of the old samurai tradition of childhood names). Sometimes there are things even the person closest to you will never know. It's not that I think he won't tell Shion ever, I just don't think it's a burning "shit this HAS to happen or how will they totes be together 4ever" thing. It'll happen or it won't, whatevs. If he's comfortable keeping it to himself, he should.

That being said, I've equated the Mao with the Ainu in my head because it just works (there are populations of Ainu in Russia and if we're going with the No.6-must-be-near-China theory, yeah ...). The Ainu also have a tradition of giving their children temporary names (usually until the age of three at the latest) and ONE OF THESE TEMPORARY NAMES IS "SHION" and it means "excrement (HAAAA)" No seriously check out this section of the Wiki on the Ainu:

Their tentative names had a portion meaning "excrement" or "old things" to ward off the demon of ill-health. Some children were named based on their behavior or habits. Other children were named after impressive events or after parents' wishes for the future of the children. When children were named, they were never given the same names as others.

If the Mao do happen to be like the Ainu, Nezumi would have only received his real name a year before the massacre occurred.

I'm sorry I'm more thinking outloud here since I got distracted by the Wiki.

[stanza]

It's not that I think he won't tell Shion ever, I just don't think it's a burning "shit this HAS to happen or how will they totes be together 4ever" thing. It'll happen or it won't, whatevs. If he's comfortable keeping it to himself, he should.

Yep, this.

I've equated the Mao with the Ainu in my head

Honestly I find it hard NOT to do this, ha. I love the temporary names thing (apotropaic stuff is always super fascinating to me in general) and I spend uh. A lot of time thinking of what pre-orphan Nezumi would have been like and what his fambly would have been like and yeah it's a problem. :( I get sad about it. :(

[spiralmaiden]

His mother probably had a ton of awesome tattoos. Maybe he was named for something involving singing.

If he had a temp name until the age of three and then his real one for just a year after that, he might be kind of attached to Nezumi as the only semi-permanent name he ever had.

Now I'm sad too.

[stanza]

His mom was a MILF of the highest possible degree. You know it's true.

Singing-related name is very likely, I think. Oh forest princess Nezumi. :( :( Yr possible pasts. :( :(

gettin sad about nezumi itt

[amielleon]

Wiki'd the Ainu and am now convinced this is exactly what Asano had in mind. (Of course, whether her depiction is based off some cultural Pocahontas mishmash of "Oh yes this is what those funny Ainu do" or research is another thing, but...)

Also fancy seeing you here, you knew me when I was younger and dumber and this is kind of embarrassing.