Personal Names
Overview
A personal name comes from one of three stocks.
Settler Names
Names from Swahili and Hausa, the languages of the settlers. They are the most common stock on the surface.
From Swahili: Alia, Amani, Amira, Asha, Bakari, Baraka, Daraja, Eshe, Faraji, Furaha, Hamisi, Imani, Jabari, Jafari, Jelani, Juma, Kesho, Kesi, Kibo, Kibwe, Kito, Kombo, Makame, Makena, Malaika, Mara, Mila, Mosi, Naima, Neema, Nia, Omari, Raia, Rashidi, Rehema, Riziki, Saida, Sanaa, Sefu, Shani, Siti, Subira, Taraji, Tarishi, Tausi, Tumaini, Zawadi, Zuberi, Zuri
From Hausa: Amina, Audu, Bala, Dabo, Dauda, Delu, Dogo, Gambo, Garba, Hadiza, Idi, Jummai, Kande, Ladi, Mairo, Sani, Shehu, Tahiru, Talatu, Tanimu, Tanko, Tijani, Tukur, Turaki, Yaro, Zainabu
Many of these were once names for the day of birth in the old count of days of Earth (Juma, Hamisi, Ladi, Talatu). Duskara has no such count. The names pass down as ancestor names, and few people know what they once meant.
Crew Names
Names from Mandarin and Tagalog, the languages of the crew. They are most frequent in the old technical lines, among Archivists, and in the fortified cities of the north.
From Mandarin: An, Bo, Feŋ, Hua, Jiŋ, Jun, Kai, Lan, Lian, Lin, Mei, Meilin, Min, Piŋ, Ren, Shan, Shu, Tao, Wei, Wen, Yun
From Tagalog: Amihan, Bayani, Dalisay, Diwa, Hiraya, Kalinaw, Lakan, Ligaya, Malaya, Mayumi, Tala
Duskaran Names
Names made of Creole words. They are the newest stock and the one that grows. A Duskaran name records a circumstance of birth or a wish for the child.
| Name | Meaning | Given when |
|---|---|---|
| Tufani | storm | born in a storm haven |
| Angataa | aurora | born under a strong aurora |
| Sori | start of the waking period | born at the first bell |
| Safari | journey | born on the road or in a caravan |
| Honga | survive | born after a hard birth or a lost sibling |
| Mitu | gift | a child long awaited |
| Salama | safe | born after a danger passed |
| Tana | strong | a wish |
| Kara | bright | a wish |
| Nala | honor | a wish |
| Shimu | song | a wish; common in families of wind-singers |
| Zika | together | a wish; common for twins |
| Sura | flow | born when the water returned |
| Kasi | speed | a wish; also common for bonded animals |
| Sora | sun | born on the Dayward Edge |
| Hangapole | gentle wind | born in a calm |
| Majitamu | sweet water | born when a new source was found |
A longer name is shortened in daily use: Hangapole to Pole, Majitamu to Tamu.
Bonded Animals
A bonded animal has one short name, nearly always a Creole word: Kasi, Wimbi, Taa, Shimu.