Romulan Names

[Detached Nacelle]

A slightly headache inducing thought. We learn of Romulan naming conventions in Picard that they have a name for outsiders, a name for family and one they keep private for their most loved one.
We've met a lot of Romulans over the years and many of them, being military, are only known by their family names. Tomalak, Toreth etc. But a few revealed a first name like Alidar and Kimara, is it fair to assume that those are their outsider names? Could Setal, Jarok's alias, actually be his private family name that no one would know him by?
And then there's Sela, this appears to be her first name as well as the name used in her miltary title so maybe she only has one name being the hybrid child of a prisoner. Maybe she was born Sela Yar but abandoned her surname as she says every human part of her died.

I know I'm thinking too much.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

No, you're not. And it shows yet another parallel to Vulcans, who have a pronounceable name and an unpronounceable one.

 

[Nerys Myk]

No, you're not. And it shows yet another parallel to Vulcans, who have a pronounceable name and an unpronounceable one.

Not sure that's the same thing.

A slightly headache inducing thought. We learn of Romulan naming conventions in Picard that they have a name for outsiders, a name for family and one they keep private for their most loved one.
We've met a lot of Romulans over the years and many of them, being military, are only known by their family names. Tomalak, Toreth etc. But a few revealed a first name like Alidar and Kimara, is it fair to assume that those are their outsider names? Could Setal, Jarok's alias, actually be his private family name that no one would know him by?
And then there's Sela, this appears to be her first name as well as the name used in her miltary title so maybe she only has one name being the hybrid child of a prisoner. Maybe she was born Sela Yar but abandoned her surname as she says every human part of her died.

I know I'm thinking too much.

Seems like a bad choice for an alias. You'd want to go with something that has no connection to your actual identity. Wasn't "Setal" implied to be a real person?

I assume any name we hear is the Outsider name. Even the two part ones. Have we seen much family interaction for Romulans? Narek and Narissa are the only ones that come to mind. Narek claimed his true name was "Hrai Yan", but he's a know liar.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

I assume any name we hear is the Outsider name. Even the two part ones. Have we seen much family interaction for Romulans? Narek and Narissa are the only ones that come to mind. Narek claimed his true name was "Hrai Yan", but he's a know liar.

Come to think of it no. Laris and Zhaban were married but that's really it. Tiaru Jarok is not live action canon so she doesn't count.

Speaking of Laris, she's always Laris to Picard even after she confesses her love for him.

 

[Finn]

I have chosen to ignore Spock's line about his name being unpronounceable by Humans.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

It wasn't just Spock.

• KIRK: Mrs. Sarek, I just don't understand.
• AMANDA: Amanda. I'm afraid you couldn't pronounce the Vulcan name.
• KIRK: Can you?
• AMANDA: After a fashion, and after many years of practice.

I'd speculated earlier that it might be a telepathic name. Now I wonder if Amanda was given a new Vulcan name when she married Sarek - not a married surname, but a rename.

 

[Nerys Myk]

It wasn't just Spock.



I'd speculated earlier that it might be a telepathic name. Now I wonder if Amanda was given a new Vulcan name when she married Sarek - not a married surname, but a rename.

Two different names, IIRC. One was the family name and one was a personal name. The point was to make the Vulcans more alien and exotic.

Most Vulcan are simple touch telepaths. I don't see them as having a deep telepathic culture like Betazoid.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

Well the nominees are so far Xtmprsqzntwlfd or S'chn T'gai

 

[Nerys Myk]

Well the nominees are so far Xtmprsqzntwlfd or S'chn T'gai

Spock has to be careful with the first one. Pronounce it backwards and he in the 5th Dimension.

The first one is an obvious joke by DC. The second one is just trying too hard.

 

[somebuddyX]

His name was Sarek Spock Junior

 

[Qonundrum]

I'd vote for G'goo Ga'gaa, myself... I really like the idea of "My name isn't pronounceable by humans", which lends an aura of mystery, and too much demystification does no body good. It helps even more that the actor playing the alien being is human. Worst case scenario is that there's a character named Hasperat and all 5 people in the scene pronounce it differently, at which point they'll do another clip show where Data of all beings is correcting Dr Pulaski on pronunciation!

Of course, the food dish hasperat, for which there is no relation to the aforementioned being named the same (unless sentient food is a thing*), can be found at any gas station - four of the rolls fort $6 or whatever. Last time I bought one, it was yummy but then I got to experience what Philip J Fry had in that one very special episode... But I digress, if only I could remember the TNG episode where Data goes on and on about how one name/pronunciation has different meanings to different species...

* please, noooo...​