how the buck do names work!

[sparkleshine100 92]

so I was wondering how ponies get their names.

I doubt granny smith was born with that name, "honey what shall we name her?" "um... granny smith. that's apple related." "i guess it'll make sense when she is older..."

 

and what happens if pound cake and pumpkin cake grow up to be plumbers or something! "dad, mum. we're starting a plumbing business." "but honey, that doesn't have anything to do with cakes! we are the cake family, and we exist to make cake!" "well we could always start a business making urinal cakes..."

 

and then you have ponies like joe, with normal names. and then you have twilight sparkle and fluttershy. I wonder if twilight was named bertha. and then she said one day, "dad. I don't wanna be bertha any more! I wanna be twilight!" "honey I told you showing her those vampire movies was a bad idea!"

 

anyway. what do you think of names? are there any pony names you think are strange?

[Revy 184]

They work by the writers of the show deciding what to give them. 

[Mouse 302]

 

and what happens if pound cake and pumpkin cake grow up to be plumbers or something! "dad, mum. we're starting a plumbing business." "but honey, that doesn't have anything to do with cakes! we are the cake family, and we exist to make cake!" "well we could always start a business making urinal cakes..."

 

 

In Soviet Russia Equestria, you don't choose job, job chooses you.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Mouse

[APegLegPirate 168]

 "well we could always start a business making urinal cakes..."

That made me laugh lol, sounds like something that would make me laugh if I heard it for real.

[Zhortac 1,474]

Whatever their parents name them. Unless the Cakes are some special exception...

[Kerberossz 1,929]

I think the discussion about names are pointless. The writers name them so if the plot needs a hippie like character, they name it, I don't know... Tree Hugger...oh wait...

 

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are my favorites. "Honey, how should we name our children? Wanna play the  point-at-something-in-the-house game again?" I really like the names like Fluttershy or Gilda. It's not cutie mark related so it make sense to me. Ofc it's a cartoon, there are seemingly pointless things but it's all right. It is just funny to see these kind of names by the way.

[Envy 6,162]

This is an area where you have to understand that it is a children's franchise and not meant to be looked into that deeply.

[Looking Glass 197]

Well, in my headcanon, unicorn surnames are the last part of their name, e.g Twilight "Clover" sparkle, shining "Armor" Sparkle, Sweetie "Melody" Belle , Rarity "Paige" Belle.

They also adopt the surname of the husband when they marry. 3 part names with a "middle" name are common among unicorns.

 

On the other hoof, earth ponies and pegasi surnames are the first part of the name e.g Applejack, Apple Big Macintosh, Apple "Granny" Smith, Rainbow Dash, Cloud chaser Cloud Flitter.

Also, its tradition for earth ponies and Pegasi to adopt the Wife's surname in marriage, as pegasi and Earth Ponies tend to have a more Maternal family structure versus the paternal structure of unicorns.

Typically, if a unicorn male marries into a non unicorn family, their wife adopts the husbands surname unless they agree to use the wife's. Unicorn females will keep their surname in a mixed marriage same as with a standard earth pony wedding.

Middle names are uncommon with earth ponies, and somewhat common with pegasi. Thematic naming is popular, especially with Earth ponies. Since of this, sometimes this marriage can break the theme of the name, or they may end up with a nonsense name. Some will adopt the new name legally, and add their maiden name as a middle name, or they may change their name completely to reflect their new married status and to better fit with the "theme" of the family they marry into in a formal ceremony. Others may simply have others call them the same as they always have, leaving the new name for legal documents.

 

Earth ponies are to be addressed by their full name unless otherwise told. Unicorns are to be addressed by their title (Mr., Ms., Dr., etc.) And their surname unless told otherwise.

Pegasi are to be addressed by the surname, followed by "mam" or "Sir" unless told otherwise. (E.g: Dash, Mam)

Alicorns are addressed under unicorn standards.

Exceptions do exist though.

 

For the most part, this is only to the ponies of the nation of Equestria. Other nations may have their own rules on naming.

 

This brings me to the second part, ponies with human like names (e.g Trixie "Melrose" Lulamoon, "Donut" Joe Brighton, Pinkamena "Pinkie" Diane Pie, and Griffins in General, (e.g, Gilda Clemont, Gustav Le Grand).

 

There are many different Nations (more than I will go into detail here) on the planet Equuis. Alcatel, another Nation, is the Birthplace of Trixie, Donut Joe, and Pinkie pies parents.

Gilda and Gustav hail from the Griffin Republic. Both Alcatel and the Griffin republic use a naming system not unlike what we use here on earth. Alcatel language is equestrian (similar to English), while the Griffin Language is similar to French.

 

Both use a naming style like earths. Both the "Equestrian model" and the "Alcatelian model" are commonly used on other parts of the world, sometimes with a few differences to reflect the culture and lanquage of the nation. Other models do exist though

[Orablanco Account 3,707]

I admit that I have expended an embarrassing amount of thought on how names work within the My Little Pony universe. Anyone remember that one episode of Dinosaurs where they take the baby to the village elder or some crap and he chooses the name for them? Maybe it's like that: baby pony is born, they hike up the mystic mountain and seek the naming skills of the local oracle. and you have to accept to the chosen name out of faith that it will someday make any sense at all.

[Looking Glass 197]

This is an area where you have to understand that it is a children's franchise and not meant to be looked into that deeply.

 

While that's technically true, remember, many of us are geeks who are passionate about this show, so of course we will be wanting to pick the show apart and try to find explanation s for why everything works the way it does, and that would work in- universe, even of we have to make it up. (Hence my long-winded explanation in my previous post) (I have a whole alternate world where I have most of it explained in detail.)

[colt .45 259]

Well, in my headcanon, unicorn surnames are the last part of their name, e.g Twilight "Clover" sparkle, shining "Armor" Sparkle, Sweetie "Melody" Belle , Rarity "Paige" Bell

Finally, Fancy Pants name makes sense. Here we have a unicorn, that dose'nt wear pants, named Fancy Pants. His middle name is "Not Wearing Any".

[Kankuro 233]

Characters have their names from the time they are created, remember, the show is complete fiction, they may not have even been BORN! They're just created at that certain age/jobs, it's kind of weird I know, but it's a kid's show and we need those friendly names

[The Awesome One 1,315]

This is a show of magical talking ponies where there are many things that do not make sense at all but we still love this show.

[An Unknown Pony. 370]

They work by the writers of the show deciding what to give them. 

 

I think the discussion about names are pointless. The writers name them.

 

Both of these answers the question.

[cider float 2,538]

By this the CMC would have already figured out their talents lol

 

Well show's over folks you can all go home now.

[221BTardisSt 101]

Really, I think it comes down to the intended audience of the show. Obviously, little girls will want to buy the toy of a pony with a cute name like Pinkie Pie or Twilight Sparkle rather than Lauren or Elizabeth. Plus, certain names just wouldn't work for certain jobs, like Trouble Shoes. you certainly wouldn't want a mechanic or a surgeon with that name.

 

I think we have to be fair in saying that there are a lot of ponies with names that don't really have any specific allusions, Like Fluttershy or Twilight Sparkle or Sweetie Belle. Also, there have been instances of ponies defying their names, like Apple Bloom. We all know her talent isn't apple-related or flower-related, but it's rather a family name. This would be my explanation for the Cakes if they weren't bakers when they grew up. Some ponies are also named for their coloration, like Pinkie Pie (also a family name) and Rainbow Dash. Now, there are definitely a fair share of ponies with obvious names, but I'm going to attribute that to literary convenience. 

 

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

If I had a horse, I would name it The Distant Past.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I figured they start with one name and upon getting their cutie mark they can change it to fit their special talent if they so desire. 

 

Kinda like Pinkie Pie formally being Pinkamena Dianne Pie. 

[cider float 2,538]

Names are given by a sorting hat.

[Conred 274]

I figured they start with one name and upon getting their cutie mark they can change it to fit their special talent if they so desire. 

 

Kinda like Pinkie Pie formally being Pinkamena Dianne Pie. 

This may be the most reasonable explanation so far

 

Remember "Make new friends but keep Discord"? Scene where Discord taunt Tree Hugger and call her "Tree Embrace"?

She says that she actually like this name and thought about changing it like it was not a big deal.

 

So my headcanon is that names in Equestria are not a sacred/respected thing given by parent but something that adult ponies decide on when they grow up. For example Fluttershy was named that by her parents but she never wanted to change that when she grew up so it stayed that way.

However Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon most likely wanted to change their name into whatever appeared on their flanks while Bulk Biceps changed his name after growing up some muscles.

[cider float 2,538]

Yeah names like Granny Smith is just bad. Maybe Granny Smith is just a nickname the same with Big Mac.

[LHfunk 422]

What if it's like the names in Warriors? As they get older, their name changes. Maybe Granny Smith used to be like, Apple Smith? (Hard to come up with anything good).