Ponies changing names?

[Mothra 776]

In the smooze episode, Discord pretends to forget Treehuggers name, and calls her something else instead. Her response to this was that she liked it and "Maybe I should change it"

 

It got me thinking about the debate people have about pony names, like did Fluttershy's parents just happen to know she was gonna grow up to be shy, did she change it, do pony names work more like nicknames even though we already have canon nicknames used in the show ("Rares" for rarity, Twiley for Twilight, etc.) What are your thoughts, who do you think may have already changed their name? Having a name changing service in equestria is something I never gave any thought to until I re-watched some clips from the smooze episode earlier.

[J. Brony 313]

In the smooze episode, Discord pretends to forget Treehuggers name, and calls her something else instead. Her response to this was that she liked it and "Maybe I should change it"

 

I really think Treehugger's comment was a one-off based on the Flower Children's culture of the late sixties.  They were known to give themselves new names that were more expressive of their souls or some such thing.  

 

I recall a girl who dropped her given name and claimed the identity of one "Rainbow Butterfly", insisting that she be referred to as such.  Kinda sounds like a pony name right?  

 

Treehugger wanting to change her name to "Tree Embrace" sounds like a reference to this, considering her character design was based on the Flower Children to begin with.  

Edited November 7, 2015 by J. Brony

[Silver Stream. 708]

I really think Treehugger's comment was a one-off based on the Flower Children's culture of the late sixties.  They were known to give themselves new names that were more expressive of their souls or some such thing.  

 

I recall a girl who dropped her given name and claimed the identity of one "Rainbow Butterfly", insisting that she be referred to as such.  Kinda sounds like a pony name right?  

 

Treehugger wanting to change her name to "Tree Embrace" sounds like a reference to this, considering her character design was based on the Flower Children to begin with.

 

That's certainly interesting.

 

Personally, I think the deal with names conveniently matching their personalities or.cutie mark can never be truly.explained any other way than "writers have knowledge of who will become what and they create names based of that knowledge". There are.just something that can't have any other explanation outside of "this was planned by creators " and pony naming is one of them.

[cmarston1 5,962]

The fact that the names are conveniently matched with the ponies special talents is strange.

Maybe their parents have some sort of magical system that lets them know what their special talent will be, and name their children accordingly. 

Besides that I have no idea.

[Hazy Skies 1,010]

Pony names are generally names that say who they are.. and most names are given to reflect exact who and what they are, to both themselves and others.. which includes their personality, talent and/or destiny..

 

Also note that in the episode "Apple family reunion" Granny Smith said this.. "That'd be your great great Auntie Apple Sauce when she just about you age.. Now she used to go by another name, but everyone kept on calling her Apple Sauce after half her teeth fell out when she was makin' apple jam"

 

This suggests that ponies are able to change their name at anytime if they want to.. Also note that Pinkamena Diane Pie was Pinkie's birth name.. But she now goes my Pinkie Pie, because whether it's a nickname that stuck, or she chose to, that is now her name.. though of course her parent may still call her Pinkamena..

 

As for the parents knowing what to name their pony (which happens to be correct to who they will be) there must be some sort of magic which tells them who and what they might be when they grow up.. This might not be entirely accurate, and some ponies are even named just by their appearance.. Like Pinkie.

 

If skilled unicorns have the power to travel back in time for brief periods, it should be a cinch for even a lesser trained unicorn (whether it be a parents or some psychic pony meant to tell the future of their newborn at birth..) to be able to briefly show an image or vision of the future to better determine the best name) but that's just a theory..

Edited November 7, 2015 by AURAequine