Names in TBS have hidden meanings...

[Fazolt]

I believe names in The Banner Saga have been carefully chosen to reveal things about the characters. For example, the name Iver is a variation of the name Yngvar, and the name Tryggvi translates to trustworthy from Old Norse. I believe these to be more than simple coincidences, and I believe that the names, their historical background, and translations could reveal things about the story, and the direction the story is taking. For example, Fasolt, this name means, most literally, "Killed by Fafner". Fasolt, in the German play Das Rheingold is killed by another giant, Fafner. In The Banner Saga Fasolt is indirectly killed by Jorundr due to Jorundr's stubbornness on the matter of the bridge. Basically what I'm getting at is that when I first saw the name Fasolt I was, A: Very excited as the name Fazolt, my name, is a variation of it, and B: I knew about what the name meant, and assumed that as such the Varl Fasolt would die in a similar manner to the Old Norse Giant Fasolt.

[Aleonymous]

Interesting findings, Fazolt, thanks! Let me recapitulate:

• Nid -- Means "cruel", or other variants of that, with a negative connotation. Refs: Níð (wikipedia) and nid (wiktionary). I don't find it fits well with Nid's character, more with her unit-ability!
• Yngvar -- Seems to be a historical person (wikipedia), 7th century.
• Fasolt -- A Norse mythology "support" character (mythology dictionary).
• Jorundr -- Seems to be another historical person (wikipedia), connected with Yngvar.

I am waiting for your update on this thread, with "lost names". Be sure to make a new post (instead of editing your original), so that we see it in the "What's New" section!

[hreinnbeno]

I can add certain things. Mainly: Ekkill means a widower (I do not really know how that has anything to do with the story, storywise a better word for onef). Odd in oddleif means a point of an arrow (arrowhead). Leif means something else, but odd does make sense storywise.

[Fazolt]

Just so you guys know I'm only looking for/expanding upon names that have relevance to the story. For example, Yngvar and Iver being synonymous, because these prove that the developers chose the names carefully, and that the names bear relevance to the story in a manner of foretelling. If I find enough evidence that supports this, then I'll start looking at various names, their translations, and historical relevance, to see if they could potentially reveal something about the story. I just believe it's a bit more than a coincidence that Odd means arrow, Tryggvi means trustworthy, and that Iver is synonymous to Yngvar.

[Aleonymous]

Odd in oddleif means a point of an arrow (arrowhead). Leif means something else, but odd does make sense storywise.

Here's an interesting topic (Steam forums) concerning "Oddleif" and "Ludin" name choices. The OP, there, argues that "-leif" is a suffix for male names (in the case of Oddleif, this is explained in-game) and that the suffix "-din" was used in the 17th century to denote drafted foot-soldiers (so, in the case of Ludin, it doesn't fit well because he's obviously a "nobleman").

[hreinnbeno]

Here's an interesting topic (Steam forums) concerning "Oddleif" and "Ludin" name choices. The OP, there, argues that "-leif" is a suffix for male names (in the case of Oddleif, this is explained in-game) and that the suffix "-din" was used in the 17th century to denote drafted foot-soldiers (so, in the case of Ludin, it doesn't fit well because he's obviously a "nobleman").

That Leif is a male ending is more of a scandinavian thing and differs for example between icelandic/faroese / old norse and scandinavian languages (not inflected, do not have cases). Because old norse/ iceland/ faroese have cases in nouns. For example in icelandic and old norse Ásleif and Oddleif are female names and are named in landnáma (which is a book from 11 century about settlers in iceland (settled in the 9th and 10th century)). Leifur (ending in ur) is the male name in icelandic (and oddleifur, thorleifur are the male names). So that theory doesnt really hold that much water.

That Leifur/leifr changed to Leif in the scandinavian languages has to do with the fact that scandinavian languages lost cases and the dative form of Leifur is Leif.

Wow that answer is a really grammatical answer.

So lore wise Stoic are right as old norse is the language believed to be spoken by the vikings and landnáma was written in old norse/ old icelandic.

[Fazolt]

The Vikings spoke more than simply Old Norse... For example, the earliest Vikings, the Saxons spoke Old German, the Danes spoke Old Danish, and there were multiple variations of Old Norse divided by East, South, West, and North. Lastly, the Icelandic islands spoke a multitude of different languages due to their isolation from each other. The Vikings spoke Scandinavian Languages, Icelandic, Gaelic, and Germanic languages. Not simply "one" language. Though possibly the most famous of them being the Old Norse.

[Tjarawulf]

To throw in my own findings, I have a hobby of studying old norse/ english. I know that Eyvind from Eyvindr means a few things. The first part "ey" either means forever/always or island depending on east or western usage. "vindr" would mean wind I think, but after looking up in an online dictionary it could also mean victory. I was fairly sure his name would give some meaning (but just in case when TBS-2 is released and something interesting happens). That being said, Eyvind's teacher, Juno, who's name although relates to a goddess has no clear origin besides youth So this kinda makes me excited. Frankly, I think Juno is all of the gods reborn or perhaps a child of them. Given by her name and her weaver ability. The only reason I would expect this would be due to her confrontation with the serpent in her own dreams as well as the name.

Next there's Yrsa, a very interesting personality that disappears rather suddenly and never to be seen again in the game. I was excited to research this one, and I knew of her from the Hrolfs saga kraka which I went back to read along with Tolkien's Sellic Spell. However, from the story it is mentioned that she was named after a dog, yrsa, which could originate from the latin ursa? She had a very rough life though and I recall Ludin being protective of yrsa in the game. Possibly this Yrsa had a rough past as well?

Either way, both the names Juno and Yrsa are rather mysterious and could have been given as regular ol' names. Also if anyone wants to search around for Ludin, I know that's a name of german origin.

Lastly I looked up Krumr, it means cold and crooked/ hunched

[Aleonymous]

1. I know that Eyvind from Eyvindr means a few things [...]

2. I think Juno is all of the gods reborn or perhaps a child of them. Given by her name and her weaver ability. The only reason I would expect this would be due to her confrontation with the serpent in her own dreams as well as the name.

3. Yrsa, a very interesting personality [...] it is mentioned that she was named after a dog, yrsa, which could originate from the latin ursa? She had a very rough life though and I recall Ludin being protective of yrsa in the game. Possibly this Yrsa had a rough past as well?

1. Interesting research, however, Eyvind's name has one very clearer reference: Eyvind Earle, the "American Master", whose work on early Disney animated films inspired Arnie's artwork for TBS

2. I like your theory on Juno. The name is obviously of roman mythology origin, but perhaps there's something to be drawn from there too. Perhaps she is an agent of the arch-deity of TBS world, the so-called "Loom Mother".

3. I never noticed that little bit about Yrsa being named after a dog That greatly supports the latin "Ursa" (=bear) theory, in her case!