Do you think pony names change?

[John Locke N7 52]

I think they do. Granny Smith probably had a different name before she was old, and Luna changed her name to Nightmare Moon when she went evil.

 

Maybe they just change their names to reflect who they are throughout their life?

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

I would say so. Some will nickname themselves or have somepony else call them something else to shape their character. That being said, I think it's possible that some ponies' names aren't original from birth. As for the Mane 6, I think Fluttershy's the only pony that I think whose name isn't original. And I agree with you that Granny Smith had a different name before she was old. I mean, who would name their filly Granny Smith? It's ponyillogical.

[Pastel 7,630]

No I think they keep their name throughout their life.

They have a name that reflects who they are at the moment (Granny Smith...) because it's a cartoon.

[Thespian 78]

Logically it would make sense for them to change their names as they got older. Rainbow dash, the fastest pegasus in the entire show just so happens to be named rainbow DASH? Fluttershy just happens to be shy? So either ponies go a long time without being named until most of their characteristics are known, their characteristics grow because of their name, or they change their name as they grow up.

[Justin_Case001 4,888]

I believe many are given names by their peers to reflect who they are once they're old enough to find their sense of identity.  Kind of like Native American naming conventions.  But of course many of them, like Maud, are just regular names that they could have from birth.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

I don't think pony names change. At least, it would not be common for it to happen. And Princess Luna did not change her name. Nightmare Moon was its own mind.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

Many RL cultures work that way. Old Norse, Celt, and Native Americans used to work like that, where names were mutable. As long as they identified an individual at any given time they were considered good. Big events, and feats, would cause names to change.

 

Basically, they considered all names as 'nicknames'. In some versions, a person's 'True Name' was a secret known only to that person and the priest/shaman/druid/whatever who revealed that name to the person. According to those beliefs, if you knew a person's True Name and had the right skills, you could mystically control them.

 

Ponies either change names whenever a big event takes place in their life, or they are subject to the strongest form of Nominative Determinism there is.

[Starshine 16,333]

I have this funny thought that there are fifteen ponies in Ponyville alone that have the word 'Mayor' somewhere in their name, and every few years all of them would run for the position. Mayor Mare, Mayor Colt, Filly Mayor. Twinkle Mayor Thompsons the 3rd...

 

Huh, maybe there's fanfic about this somewhere

[John Locke N7 52]

Guys, please don't try to explain the names by saying it's a cartoon. We're trying to make sense of the names in-universe.

 

I've been wondering this too actually. Some names just don't make sense until a Mark talent is realized, or are based on age like for Granny. And yes I'm aware Granny Smith is a type of apple, but Granny is also applied to a lady who's old, which she happens to be. It's just too convenient, especially since she wasn't always old.

 

Did Diamond Tiara always have a tiara from birth? How about Silver Spoon? Always spoiled, but at birth her parents might not have spoiled her financially nearly as much.

 

What about the Crusaders? They don't even have Marks yet, but Scoots is named cause she has a scooter. Like her parents knew she would speed around on it? 

Well I think there is legitimate claim to saying "because it's a cartoon" in this instance. And It still doesn't preclude an in-universe reason. I'd like to think there's a reason, but it's still reasonable to say it's because it's a cartoon.

 

Also don't forget Big Mac XD. Like they KNEW he was gona be huge from birth.

I just read a MLP CCG card's flavor text and it says, "Clouds are nice and all, but why didn't my parents name me something cool, like Stormwalker! Now THAT'S a name!" (The characters name is Cloudchaser)

 

So I guess parents still name they're children, probably at birth.

[John Locke N7 52]

I'm sorry, but how is "it's a cartoon" an in-universe reason? The cartoon doesn't know it's a show.

What I ment to say is "It's a cartoon" or an in-universe explanation are both possible. Sorry If I wrote that poorly.

[John Locke N7 52]

Pretty sure we're supposed to discount it being a cartoon, since we're discussing this in universe.

Im just curious as to the actual reasoning behind the names of characters from the writers perspective.

[John Locke N7 52]

We know the reasoning. They make sense outside the universe. Very much sense. This thread is about how to make sense of them in-universe. Pretty sure it is. Now back on topic.

 

Take Granny. Was she ever Young Smith? How was she named?Maybe Apple pie?

Could be apple pie? Or mabye just Betty Crocker XD

[Princess Lona 382]

Maybe Granny Smith's name is just "Smith" and they added the "Granny" when she bacame a granny. She probably saw it coming ever since she learned that Granny Smith is also a type of apple.

[sweetolebob18 728]

Well, Granny Smith almost certainly changed her name to Granny at some point.  (Although not necessarily because she was a grandmother.  One of the Revolutionary War generals was nicknamed "Granny" Gates)

 

Pinkie's real name is Pinkamena Diane Pie

Vinyl Scratch has the stage name DJPon3.

 

However, I have seen some fan fics that pony parents have a mystic sense of what to name their kids & this is why they are often so correct.  Look at Peppermint Twist, for example. (remember magic DOES work in EQ).  It is also my Head Canon that, in some cultures at least, ponies sometimes take new names when they get their Cutie Mark & have their Cuteceanna (In Ponyville it is more like a "Sweet 16" party, but IMO in some groups it is more like a Bar Mitzah "Today I am a man")

Edited February 12, 2015 by sweetolebob18

[Aria Rayne 3]

I like to imagine it can be a combination of many factors. Some ponies might be satisfied with their birth names, albeit being a rare thing. And most others most likely get their names changed either based off their cutie marks/special talents, personality, or just from an endearing nickname they've had before their name change. Either way, it just seems that Equestria is very liberal on names and just goes with the flow of it.

[ggg-2 3,553]

Yes they do. We now know that to be true because, for example, Diamond Tiara's mother went from Spoiled Milk to Spoiled Rich after marriage. At least I think that's what this thread is asking.

[rainbowfirestorm 29]

Ohh I love this subject! The changing of pony names is pretty much unheard of (as far as I know) and so I don't think they do but I have my own theory that a kind of magic is involved when the parents are naming their filly or colt. A subconscious magic that makes pony parents feel like a name will fit their filly/colt perfectly. For example, Windy and Bow would have looked at their new born filly (Rainbow Dash) and this kind of unseen/unbeknownst future-sight magic plants the perfect and fitting name in their minds. This way the ponies are all given a name that fits them their whole life.