can someone tell me my klingon name? [No, but we can help you make one]

[y0da777]

my name is nick what is my klingon name?

[This question is asked often enough, each in a new thread...  So I'm pinning this to hopefully draw attention here instead of a new thread. -Klythe]

[SoplaHtaHwI']

my name is nick what is my klingon name?

Nick...

A Klingon name is just that: a name.
A Human name is not necessarily the foundation for this name, and every fan has his/her reasons and reasonings for the Klingon name they choose.
Some people, like me, translate their name. Other people take an attribute of themselves and translate that (I have done so with my nickname [SoplaHtaHwI'])
Still other people cobble something together which cannot be translated either way.
And then there is the group that take their name and give it the "klingonaase" treatment, in that they change the first consonnant to K or M, or add either of these to it if the first letter of their name is a vowel (K'Allen could be one of those, for instance).

Now for the big questions on my part: which one of these would you be and what do YOU think your name would be?

[y0da777]

Could you klingonize my name?

[Jon]

Well, for Nick, the Klingon might be nIq, which I don't think is a Klingon word. Or you could try nIQ, which means breakfast.

Nicholas is descended from the Greek for victory. In Klingon, victor or conqueror is charghwI'.

Or just make something up, that you appeals to your emotions as a proud and honourable Klingon.

[y0da777]

charghwI', i like it, but how do i pronounce it?

[Qunchuy]

charghwI', i like it, but how do i pronounce it?

The sounds of Klingon are described at http://www.kli.org/tlh/sounds.html , along with audio examples.

[Klythe]

    Jon posted a message that shows how the name he recommended for you would look in the officially accepted Klingon writing system called pIqaD.   Unfortunately pIqaD is not supported on the general forum.  Please see the pIqaD, unicode and fonts thread for how to install an appropriate font and to see his message. 

    Including pIqaD texts outside the pIqaD thread is against the Forum's Posting Guidelines because it will not display properly until the steps listed in the thread are followed.

[bekk Kretorg Leskit]

my name is nick what is my klingon name?

Nick go to " Rum and Monkey" for your Klingon name.

[Kesvirit]

Kretorg, do you care to explain that remark before someone claims your cervical vertebrae as a trophy?

-=- Kesvirit

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Kretorg, do you care to explain that remark before someone claims your cervical vertebrae as a trophy?

-=- Kesvirit

Claiming the trophy!!! It's what has been missing from my collection ever since I started it!

I believe the beq means http://rumandmonkey.com/. I did find a Japanese Name Generator, but not a Klingon one...
Of course, Nick could have gone here too, for a Klingon name, albeit a FASA-style one...

[bekk Kretorg Leskit]

Qapla' Kesvirit, at the site "rum and Monkey" there is a name generator. It is for Klingon or Romulan names. Kesvirit, I would like to keep my cervical vertebrae where it is now . On another note have you checked out the website " the pIqaD playground" ? I found it usefull writing in pIqaD and it has given a couple of tattoos a new and improved look. Qapla' and Die well Kesvirit.- Kretorg Leskit

Kretorg, do you care to explain that remark before someone claims your cervical vertebrae as a trophy?

-=- Kesvirit

[Kesvirit]

quoth SoplaHtaHwI’ upthread:  And then there is the group that take their name and give it the "klingonaase" treatment, in that they change the first consonnant to K or M, or add either of these to it if the first letter of their name is a vowel (K'Allen could be one of those, for instance).

More specifically, the first letter of an individual’s name was changed to reflect the branch of service they entered, if any. Those who made it through training to become officers in the Imperial Navy changed their named to begin with a “K,” Marines began their names with an “M,” and those in Sciences and Administration began their names with an “A”.

Directions to the Rum and Monkey were well worth the threat, and proved to be very fruitful. Yes, you may keep your neck bones. }}; )  I didn’t find a Klingon or Romulan name generator there, but it is very reassuring to know that there is someone out there who will name my penis if I ever decide to acquire one.

As far as the FASA-style name generator goes, feh. I’ve already listed the worst of my complaints about that elsewhere, and will spare you a re-run.

In considering a name, I have three recommendations:
 -- Read through the Klingon names thread. Perhaps other peoples’ stories will inspire you.
 -- If you must have a name that “means something” in thlIngan Hol, run your translation by an experienced speaker. A mistranslation could make you out to look like a real fool.
 -- Don’t give yourself a canon name. While you may wish to honor your heroes and role-models, taking their names for yourself is a weak gesture. It is akin to trying to bask in the reflection of someone else’s glory.... You would do far better to take an existing name and modify it to reflect *you*, and in doing so build your own identity.


[edit:  I did find it added the link above -Klythe ]

[smbspo]

I know I am just a lowly beq but could we change the title to Name Translations and Transliteration. In reading some books I have noticed that the Klingons will "Klingonize" a foreign word if you will to make it sound Klingon.

Just a thought for the MOD's.

I would like to add my last name in Klingon would be "borDurIS" which is Borders. It would be interesting to see what others would be.

[Klythe]

   We've talked this over and given it some thought...  The main purpose of this thread is to prevent other  "What is my name" threads, which have accumulated each requiring the same explanation of why names do not translate very well at all...  Because of this we want to keep the original thread title for this thread as it is, because that is the question new users are most likely to ask. 

    There are also several threads already on the subject of transliteration.   I would encourage you to use the search box to find them.   I think instead I'll gather up some of those other name threads into a single thread and perhaps use that name or something similar...

    The new collective fan name name thread is Klingon Fan Names [Recasting-Transliiterating-Translating]

[mom28ben]

My name is Annette. I want to know my klingon name as well.

[qoSagh]

Now I could paraphrase Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, although I think it would be far simpler to say that no one else can tell you your Klingon name any more than I could tell you your human name, had you not posted it. This is a personal decision, as it is the name you will be known by. I also doubt that anyone on these forums is in possession of a crystal ball or other such magical device that can be used for linguistic divination.

In my case none of the character names have been permanent, although I have a feeling that qoSagh will likely be my last, as it is at least as well known as Beragha was.

[qurgh_]

I second qoSagh's sentiment.

It's YOUR Klingon name, YOU have to pick it yourself.

The only caveat I would add is try to pick something original. While there is no rule on using a name someone else uses, you may run into issues with preexisting emotions attached to (semi-)famous names within the Klingon community.

If you're name is a Klingon word (or made up of Klingon words) you can search in my database for: http://hol.kag.org/ (you can also make pIqaD versions of names using the tlhIngan Hol orthography).

[tesseraktik]

I agree with qoSagh and qurgh; a name is a name, and you can call yourself whatever you wish.

However, if you want to know how a Klingon might spell your name if you were to tell it to them, I'm thinking something like 'en'et, or possibly 'an'et ('en'et is more "the American pronunciation" and 'an'et is more "the German pronunciation").

If you wish to translatethe meaning of your name into Klingon:  Annette is a diminutive form of Anna, which stems from the Hebrew Hanna, which means "grace" or "favor" (as in "good opinion" or "respect"), so Annette in a way means "the small grace" or perhaps even "the little blessing".  I'm not quite sure how one would go about translating that.  Since honor could be seen as taking the place of "favor" in Klingon society, I'm thinking maybe quvHom ("the little honor"), but I'm thinking that'd probably be an insult among Klingons.  popHom {"the little reward"} seems a bit weird, too, but perhaps nobHom {"the little gift"} would work.
If you want to skip the diminutive, you could try something like be' nIv {"the superior woman"} or be' qaq {"the preferable woman"}.  In order to make it less grammatically correct (and thereby, in some sense, "more name:y"), you could remove the spaces to make be'nIv or be'qaq...  ...and you could even remove the glottal stops to make simply benIv and beqaq.  Then, you can come up with some "English" spellings of those names, such as B'Niv or B'Kahk.


...but again, it's entirely up to you what you'd like to call yourself; none of the names I use sound anything like my real name at all.

[Kehlan]

I know its a canon name and therefore not the best idea to use it, but it occurs to me from reading Fraeks post that Be'lanna (or minor alteration thereof) could easily be a good name for someone named Annette