How are the ponies named?

[ReGen 1,466]

During my philosophy hour, I came up with something: How are ponies named?

 

Sure it seems like a simple question, but there's more to it.

 

Take Fluttershy for example. Her name relates to her shyness and timidness. But did her parents know that? What if she was the complete opposite? Her parents wouldn't know that.

 

What i'm getting at is, how would the parents know how their offspring are going to be like for life? Are their lives pre-determined? Do the parents have no freedom to name their children?

 

But then again, we're talking about a show about magical ponies. It's a kinda pointless question, but what the hay? I'm asking it anyway! 

[Staticthor Draconus 959]

there parents are psychic when naming them, and only then

 

then they forget the moment of wisdom and name the child right then and there

 

a simple method

[Leafeon 2,702]

there parents are psychic when naming them, and only then

 

then they forget the moment of wisdom and name the child right then and there

 

a simple method

Gosh darnit. That was my answer too. :C

 

Or, maybe they go to Hasbro Headquarters, and ask one of their overlords? That'd make sense, yes? 

[. eris . 1,661]

Didn't a conversation like this come up in the Smurfs?

 

"So you're Jokey, Gusty, Grouchy, and Clumsy, right?"

 

"Right!"

 

"So how do you get your names? At birth, or after you've exhibited certain traits?"

 

"Right!"

[Pinguino~ 85]

They get the names, and they are put in this giant machine that mixes around their personalities. Then as they grow their traits and emotions are shaped based on the name given to them at birth. Its all quite complicated and very unhumane (But they are ponies)

[Fhaolan 4,494]

There are several options that can avoid resorting to psychics and predestination:

 

1) Peer Pressure: Because the pony is named a certain way, there is a societal pressure for s/he to act appropriately. Basically the 'nature' vs 'nurture' debate weighing heavily on the nurture side. There will be individuals who do the opposite, of course, out of rebellion.

 

2) Age and Experience: This society has been in existence without major modification for a thousand years or more. Given that 'nurture' side of the equation is pretty fixed now, this leaves only the 'nature' side in question. So the foal is almost always the child of the parents, personality-wise, making it easy to guess a name and be right most of the time.

 

2) Age of Majority: The name the pony given by the parents is considered temporary until the pony reaches the cutie-mark stage where they can choose to change their name or not according to their own whim, those who do change may modify the name only slightly or completely replace it with something more appropriate.

 

3) By any other Name: There are several cultures where names work differently than what you are probably used to. Names are expected to change constantly throughout life and are all basically nicknames. The individual's true name is a secret known only to them and the priest-type who did the augury to reveal it.

 

As a note, the three different pony-types seem to approach names in different ways:

 

Earth ponies seem very clannish, and carry the equivalent of family names 'Apple', 'Cakes', 'Pies'... yes all the examples are foods. I missed breakfast, shut up.

 

Unicorns...our limited sampling of unicorn families lack any obvious naming convention outside of very vague references: Twilight Sparkle & Shining Armor, Rarity & Sweetie Bell. Although I had a funny thought once that Twilight's Mother and Father were Twilight Shine and Sparkling Armor, just for giggles.

 

We don't have any families of Pegasi at all to even speculate, unfortunately.

Edited April 18, 2013 by Fhaolan

[DokiLoki 519]

I don't even think we have to guess. The parents can tell because they're ''magical''. Doesn't mean they're ponies based in real life doesn't mean they can be physics.

[Lateon 589]

Unfortunately, you pointed out the one major inconsistency in pretty much every naming convention known to manbronykind.

 

Fluttershy.

 

Figuring out why someone was named after a personality trait is almost as impossible to solve as Shrodinger's wave equation. Only Rainbow Dash  and Shining Armor come close, and Snips and Snails are also examples of prime offenders.

 

The only solution is that Fluttershy's parents somehow by sheer parenting skill saw in her behavior as a newborn that she was timid.

 

Other inconsistencies come up on numerous occasions:

 

Who knew Rainbow Dash would actually, y'know, dash?

Who says Little Stronghooves has to stay little?

Who knew Shining Armor would be amazing at protecting others?

What exactly prompted the suffix Sparkle on Twilight Sparkle?

Since when did Princess Celestia limit herself to the sun and not any other celestial body?

 

Thus are the virtues of a naming convention based solely on their adult mannerisms, cutie marks, or color palettes at any age. The reason it's so hard to come up with an answer is because, I think, there isn't one to be found. The truest names in this show, I feel, lie in the Cutie Mark Crusaders, since they are neither adults nor do they possess cutie marks. Their names aren't based off their color palettes either.

[Jammo 986]

No standard system of surnames. Names are given on an individual basis, unless the individual family chooses to use a naming theme, like the cakes. My theory.