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Old 06-24-2013, 03:58 PM   #1
Shiftkitty
 
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Default Real World Name Origins?

So I've been running down origins of Celestial names from the real world. Michael, Gabriel, Lawrence, etc., readily identifiable as names of RW Archangels and Saints. Janus, old Celtic god of changes or something like that, I think. Furfur, shortened version of the demon Furcifer. Haagenti was there, but I don't recall as what. I have a few trails for Kobal that lead to some surprising ends (probably should have expected that!), but others are leading seemingly nowhere. In the original French game, Saminga is Samigina, and I know links have been made to Zamedi, but I'm not sure.

Is there a list of the real-world origins of the Celestial names used in the game?
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Old 06-24-2013, 11:34 PM   #2
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Janus is actually a two-faced Roman god of doorways. A lot of the demons are classical names from demonic lore.

I think there was a list somewhere, but I don't recall where at the moment. I suspect most of the regulars here could compile one between us. :)

Just to get things started:

BLANDINE -- French saint, 2nd century. Common translations are "mild" or "charming."
DAVID -- Most often associated with the Israelite king (appropriate since he killed a giant with a stone, even if it was a missile weapon). The name is Hebrew for "beloved."
DOMINIC -- Most strongly associated with the founder of the Order of Preachers or the "Dominican Order," known for its scholarship and its charge to go into the world and preach, rather than remaining cloistered. They became known as battlers against heresy. The name means "Of the Lord" or "The Lord's" in Latin.
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Last edited by Rocket Man; 06-24-2013 at 11:41 PM.
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Old 06-25-2013, 05:44 AM   #3
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

"Novalis" was the pen-name of the early Romantic poet Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg. Wikipedia says he was "a huge influence on George MacDonald, and so indirectly on C. S. Lewis"...

According to kabbalism, Lilith was the first wife of Adam. In Nomine's Lilith is relatively close to her myth, actually.
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Old 06-25-2013, 07:41 AM   #4
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Cool! And I was wondering where 'Novalis' came from, since I couldn't find the name on any angelic lists. I had read that in the Enochian tradition Kobal was sometimes spelled Kokabiel and was one of the Fallen. That's sort of what led to this. One of my players asked of the Clown Prince what he was before he fell. I gave suitably dodgy answers since I wasn't sure! (He, Furfur, and Haagenti are brothers in our game, and they've gone renegade as part of Kobal's "Great Punch Line".)
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Old 06-25-2013, 11:05 AM   #5
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shiftkitty View Post
Cool! And I was wondering where 'Novalis' came from, since I couldn't find the name on any angelic lists. I had read that in the Enochian tradition Kobal was sometimes spelled Kokabiel and was one of the Fallen. That's sort of what led to this. One of my players asked of the Clown Prince what he was before he fell. I gave suitably dodgy answers since I wasn't sure! (He, Furfur, and Haagenti are brothers in our game, and they've gone renegade as part of Kobal's "Great Punch Line".)
Kobal was the Angel of Laughter. (Or possibly AA, I don't recall)
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Old 06-25-2013, 01:20 PM   #6
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Quote:
Originally Posted by robkelk View Post
"Novalis" was the pen-name of the early Romantic poet Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg. Wikipedia says he was "a huge influence on George MacDonald, and so indirectly on C. S. Lewis"...
In Latin, Novalis is also "to cultivate new ground." There's a collection of plant nurseries and garden centers that operates under that name; I have to wonder if that was a sly joke by the game designers.
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Old 06-25-2013, 01:23 PM   #7
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

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Originally Posted by Dalillama View Post
Kobal was the Angel of Laughter. (Or possibly AA, I don't recall)
And there are real-world reference works that class him as the "demon of hilarity."
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Old 06-25-2013, 01:27 PM   #8
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Not as "Kobal", but as "Kokabiel" (which, as I said, is sometimes presented as "Kobal"), the name means "the star of God", and he used to teach astronomy. I haven't found anything attaching him to humor. (Maybe he hooked up with an astrologer who showed him something in those stars that started him laughing. I imagine it would have been something absolutely absurd, ironic, and possibly exposing futility.)

Would you have links to those sources for Hilarity? I'd be interested in checking them out.
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Old 07-01-2013, 07:33 AM   #9
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Eli in Hebrew is liteally "My God"
Gabriel in Hebrew means "Manliness of God" or something similar
Michael in Hebrew means "Strength of God"
Janus was a roman god
Yves is a transliteration of the Hebrew actual name of God
Zadkiel in Hebrew means (rougly) Righteousness of God
Lilith (as mentioned) was the original first wife of Adam and indeed, the In Nomine version is similar to the myth

Malakim is Hebrew for Angels
Cherub is a specific type of angel
Ophan means "wheel" so Ophanim are wheels (it's one of the Hebrew words for wheel, albeit not a widespread or common word)
Elohim is the Hebrew common usage word for God (which makes playing In Nomine with Hebrew speakers really, really complicated)
Seraph is a specific type of angel

Shedim is the common usage word in Hebrew for demons
Djinn is an arabic elemental demon (I think.. I know it's Arabic, I know it's a spirit, but I don't remember if it is an elemental and/or a demon)
Calabim in Hebrew is Dogs
Habbalah in Hebrew means (roughly and in context) sabotage. It comes from the verb root To Damage or to Sabotage.

that's what I can think of off the top of my head. I like knowing Hebrew around role players.. :)
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Old 07-01-2013, 10:35 AM   #10
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Default Re: Real World Name Origins?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylver View Post
Gabriel in Hebrew means "Manliness of God" or something similar
Michael in Hebrew means "Strength of God"
The other ones look right, although these aren't.

Gabriel (Hebrew: גַּבְרִיאֵל, Gavri'el or Gaḇrîʼēl; Arabic: جبريل, Jibrīl or جبرائيل Jibrāʾīl):
The name means "God is my strength".
Source: Gabriel (Wikipedia)

Michael (Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל‎, Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; Arabic: ميخائيل‎, Mīkhā'īl):
The name means "Who is like God" (almost always read as a rhetorical question).
Source: Michael (Wikipedia)
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