Post by starstruck on Mar 20, 2012 19:44:41 GMT -5
Prefixes
It is not likely that the kit will be named for personality traits, seeing as they are too young to develop mental qualities different from their siblings. (This also means that "wild" as a prefix is not acceptable. All kits are wild, being feral, so this does not denote their appearance or identify them as an individual. Not to mention, no kit is going to be "wild" enough to deserve that sort of name, anyway, because during the time of naming kits are not coordinated.)
Kits do not run, pounce, bounce, or otherwise move in a fashion different than their siblings--all kits squirm, all kits sleep, eat, and mewl. Like people, personality doesn't develop until they've been exposed to their environment. They will be named something that differentiates them from their littermates, and most likely, that will be their coat color or their markings.
Kits will also not be named based on their mother's wants. If their mother wants them to be a good hunter in the future, she shouldn't name them Stalkingkit in hopes of him or her aspiring to her want. If they were to become physically harmed or unable to become a warrior, their name would not apply to them. However, with a name denoting their appearance--which can't change--their name will always represent that aspect of them.
This also means that any "Hopekit"s or otherwise unacceptable names referencing not the kit themselves, but external activities, are out of the question. Sensibility tell us that every queen is hopeful of their kits, so this name stands for nothing. Every mother is instinctively loving and nurturing, so if your Clan is made up of murderers and rogues--first of all, expect that to be frowned upon due to the reality of that plotline--expect all queens to name their kits in a very fond fashion. No queen is going to purposefully disrespect their offspring, it's completely unrealistic and completely foolish.
So, we'll describe the kit's initial appearance with the prefix. We'll only use appropriate words to denote their stature, markings, colors, and not hopes, dreams, or wishes.
The prefix, however easy to pick for your kit, can sometimes be harder to pair with a suffix. Always remember what your prefix stood for when the cat was a kit, and that will undoubtedly make choosing a suffix easier. The prefix MUST stand for the cat in some way, and the suffix should always enhance that image.
Suffixes
Many people have a weakness in suffixes, more so than with prefixes. They're the hardest part of creating the name, and often require a lot of thought, patience and criticism. It seems like a lot for a silly name, but once more, the name is the cat. It represents the cat wholly, and any name that doesn't do the cat justice isn't much of a name. This is where the suffix is needed most, because it will finalize your cat.
This part is very tricky, and to help along the way, I'll use my lovely Black--- as an assistant. In reality, his name is Blackpelt, but he's giving up his suffix to help us today.
Now that you have your prefix, we'll try singling other things out about our cat.
By the time the cat is named, they're around twelve-fourteen moons--depending on the circumstances. Younger cats are most likely going to be named something very simple and obvious, they're still young and prone to developing a deeper personality.
A young warrior just out of apprenticehood is likely to be named for a physical trait, such as coat characteristics. Graypaw was named a warrior at a very early age, and as we know, many of his opinions on life have changed throughout his years--any other name but Graystripe wouldn't fit him. Graystripe's gray stripe is a very noticeable physical feature, and every cat knows him for it--even if they know him for breaking the warrior code, too. (But no one should be known for that.)
The suffix should denote the most obvious trait your cat has. We'll use examples like we did above.
Sandpaw became Sandstorm because she was a very rude, blunt cat. "Storm" represents that trait very well. Her personality, now that she's been developed as a character, has changed, but that aspect of her doesn't seem to. Every cat still holds her in high regard as a powerful, smart cat.
Firepaw became Fireheart because every cat knew him as a kind and considerate cat. That was his strongest feature, and his most recognizable trait.
Goldenpaw was named Goldenflower for her motherly aspects, being a very kind and loving cat. The name wouldn't fit any other cat but her, as a queen that knows and respects her kits.
Bluefur, though wise and respected, was recognized by her fur. Almost always when some cat sees her they pay close attention to the color and detail of her dark, slate-colored fur.
Your suffix represents the cat as a whole, and sums them up. It completes their circle, and paints their final picture.
Black--- is a very simple cat. He has somewhat long fur, and a black coat (but like a lot of black cats, he also has remnants of tabby stripes if one were to look at him in heavy light). His eyes are dull and don't stand out very much, and he's built quite average for a feral cat. The only thing about him that stands out is his black fur. He was named Black-kit at birth for it, and the only way to finalize the prefix's representation is to denote that physical feature as his suffix. So, we'll call him Blackpelt.
The suffix should complete the prefix, describing what the prefix was meant to stand for. This means that no name is random!
What should your suffix be? Well, that all depends on your prefix. Normally, if your prefix is an adjective, it's very hard to pair with a suffix that sounds right. Undoubtedly, adjective prefixes (colors, most commonly, but also "spotted", "misty", and other words that describe something) are easier to stick with a suffix because your prefix will be describing your suffix. Spottedleaf is an adjective plus a noun. The prefix is directly describing the suffix as a spotted leaf, presenting a very obvious image. Noun/noun names, however, normally do not. Names such as "Featherstone" or "Lizardwind" are good examples of noun/noun names that many people would consider... but these names don't say anything about anything. What's a feather stone? What is the wind of a lizard...? Consider the meaning of your name before finalizing it, and whether or not they accent each other.
Do's and don'ts
What don't you do in a name? Well, there are tons of things you don't do... but, here's a few.
We'll start small and work our way up--well, not necessarily, there's no starting small in the "don't" section. These are basic--but unwritten--rules. Some of them the Erins have said, some of them have been observed, but all apply.
1) The moon, sun, and stars are sacred to the cats. These objects--or variations of the objects--are not to be used in names. (Tui (too-wee) Sutherland wrote SotC, where Sunstar and Moonflower are introduced. Vicky has corrected this mistake, as Tui did not know Clan traditions as clearly as the other Erins. Sunstar and Moonflower are mistakes, which still makes "sun" and "moon" unacceptable. Edit: Despite the fact Vicky cleared up the mistake, it still doesn't seem to apply to her, because we see a Sunpaw in Eclipse. No one really cares anymore, I guess. But, yes, it was admitted a mistake--even if Vicky has gone back on her word for a ten-hundredth time.)
"Star" is not used in a name at all unless the cat becomes a leader. There is absolutely no reason to use "star" as a prefix. It is very disrespectful to StarClan.
There's rumors that "stone" and "mouth" are also not acceptable due to Mothermouth and the Moonstone. It seems to target suffixes only, as Prefix/mouth and Prefix/stone do not occur in the books, but Stone/suffix names do. (IE: Stonefur describes the cat's fur, but if the cat were to be named Littlestone, for example, this may be too much of an implication toward the Moonstone.)
"VickyHolmes: You'll notice that we shy away from using Sun or Moon in any names because these objects, particularly Moon, have special significance for the Clans. You might be interested to know that in the very first drafts of the series, Bluestar was called Bluestone, but we changed it because it sounded too similar to "Moonstone"."
Examples of unacceptable names:
Moonfur
Sunclaw
Starkit
1a) This also applies to names that expand on the above:
Lunarfur
Solarclaw
Eclipseheart
Crescentpelt
2) Due to the fact that dreams are held in high regard, and are sacred in the ways of warriors, no variation of the word "dream" is to be used. This applies to the word itself, and synonyms or similar words (wish, hope, muse, desire, etc).
Examples of unacceptable names:
Morningdream
Dreamkit
Wishing-gaze
Musemind
3) Spiritual connotations--both in the human world and cat world--are not to be used. Words such as "spirit", "soul", and "angel" denote higher levels of being, an honor not worthy of warriors. This is only allowed for leaders through the use of "star" as a suffix, to represent their connection with StarClan. Vicky has stated that "spirit", "soul", and other words similar would not make it primarily because of their human connotations with certain religions. (Brightspirit's name, however much I despise it... is a "one time thing," said Vicky. And like many other names--Braveheart and Shinningheart included--are fan-based. Who knew?!)
Examples of unacceptable names:
Spiritsong
Angelwing
Blacksoul
Gentlespirit
Demonsythe
Soulflight
4) Words that tend to be seen as disrespectful in their literal sense are not to be used. Cats are literal in their naming, and do not use hidden messages. This means that names that include words such as "hollow", any variation of the word "fall", "burning", "searing", "singed", "shattered", "twisted", "broken", or any word related to the aforementioned is not acceptable--especially in a name that is given at birth. Certain words (such as "torn", "broken", or otherwise) are acceptable as renames, but most are not.
Examples of unacceptable names in either situation:
Brokenheart
Twistedface
Hollowsoul
Searingkit
Fallenbird
Examples of acceptable names for a rename:
-- Cats that get renames must have been in life-threatening situations, otherwise the name becomes meaningless. Every cat tears a claw every now and then, so "Tornclaw" isn't an acceptable name change. Most cats that get renames are then sent to be an elder, because any situation that would then require a name change usually hinders the cat from performing duties.
One-eye
Brokenleg
Tornfur
This also means that yes, Erins, "Birchfall" is not really a respectable name. The name denotes a falling birch (which for one, does not represent the cat for anything--appearance, personality, event even, that might have had something to do with the cat--it's a completely random and purposeless name), a very bad sign/event in a forest.
You must consider the meaning of your name when applying such harsh, disrespectful words. They are absolutely not tolerated.
5) Jewels and semi-precious stones are not acceptable in names. Silver and gold(en) are used because the terms for certain coloration and markings--technical terms--are actually "silver" and "gold", however, there are no markings classified as "jade", "ruby", "onyx" or otherwise. Secondly, the possibility of cats unearthing such rare jewels that aren't even found in the British Isles is an impossibility. Most stones must be mined for, and are found under certain conditions unavailable to the cats.
6) Remember that cats are not sophisticated. If the kit is red at birth, they are not "crimson", "scarlet", or "blood". They are red, or ginger. Cats don't have dictionaries and thesauri, so most words are unknown to them.
Examples of unacceptable names:
Scarletsky
Cobaltpaw
Jetkit
Burgundypelt
7) All Twoleg seasons are unknown to cats, therefore, an "Autumnspirit" is not acceptable, nor is a "Winterpelt". Seasons are referred to differently. This also goes for things such as oceans/seas, comets, and other things not commonly referred to in the books.
Examples of unacceptable names:
Summerheart
Oceanbreeze
Comet-tail
8) Animals found outside of the British Isles are not to be referred to. It's hard to keep track of all the animals that don't live in Britain, where the cats are located, but if you don't know for sure whether or not they can be found on the island, WIKIPEDIA IT. That is the simplest answer, and you won't look like a fool. Here are some common animals that usually get placed in names, that are NOT native--or found in--Britain: Wolf, coyote, cardinal, and bear. This also goes for plant species, such as the orchid, olive, and ebony tree. Please do your research on a species before placing it in a name. (Don't ask me why there are wolves in Eclipse. Apparently the mountains aren't in Britain, despite the fact the story takes place there. Also, some people claim that the wolf scene was removed from later publications.)
9) Everyone knows that Twoleg objects are not acceptable in names, that's obvious. However, that sometimes doesn't seem to apply--or gets overlooked. Many words even, don't seem to have human origins or connotations, but they do, and are not acceptable. Many common words used in names, such as "mask" and "dance" are human words to describe things in nature, but are not natural occurrences. A lot of people will defend that "mask" can be used because it's used to describe cat markings, but this is false. The only "mask" term used to describe a cat's marking is called mask-and-mantle, and I doubt you're going to be naming your cat Mask-and-mantleface anytime soon.
People will reference the "mask" of a raccoon, or the "dance" of courting birds, but these words are not recognized by cats. This also goes for the obvious materials, such as "ink", "sword", "dagger", and various metals (for reasons, see rule five).
10) You can't put a compound word in a compound word. Things like "butterfly" are already considered compound words, what Warrior names are, so putting two together is... ick.
Words you can't use: Butterfly, ladybug, dragonfly, sunflower, you know, those words.
This also applies to times of day (which are compound words). Twilight, midnight, afternoon, sunset, sunrise, among others, are not acceptable in a name because the name itself is a compound word (and you can't put two compound words together). Some times of day are acceptable, such as "dawn", "morning" and "dusk".
11) If playing in the original Clan settings, you can't use "shadow", "river", "thunder", or "wind" as your prefix--the reason being, those are the prefixes in the original Clan's names. If you're writing fan-fiction or RPing warriors of a different setting, those words would not be forbidden. (It is debatable whether or not the Clans were actually named after their first leaders or not, like SotC says. In the real books--can you feel my distaste for SotC?--it states most cats believe the Clans were named after the attributes of their environment. IE: ThunderClan has the thunderpath, WindClan has windy moors, RiverClan has the river, and ShadowClan lives in murky, cold, places. So, which ever you prefer.)
12) "Dirt" is considered an insult (as in "Dirtstripe") therefore would not be incorporated into a name. It is also the term for dung.
13) Don't forget the hyphen! Names that repeat a letter at the end of a prefix and the beginning of a suffix (One-eye, for example) require a hyphen. It is grammatically incorrect to remove the hyphen.
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It is not likely that the kit will be named for personality traits, seeing as they are too young to develop mental qualities different from their siblings. (This also means that "wild" as a prefix is not acceptable. All kits are wild, being feral, so this does not denote their appearance or identify them as an individual. Not to mention, no kit is going to be "wild" enough to deserve that sort of name, anyway, because during the time of naming kits are not coordinated.)
Kits do not run, pounce, bounce, or otherwise move in a fashion different than their siblings--all kits squirm, all kits sleep, eat, and mewl. Like people, personality doesn't develop until they've been exposed to their environment. They will be named something that differentiates them from their littermates, and most likely, that will be their coat color or their markings.
Kits will also not be named based on their mother's wants. If their mother wants them to be a good hunter in the future, she shouldn't name them Stalkingkit in hopes of him or her aspiring to her want. If they were to become physically harmed or unable to become a warrior, their name would not apply to them. However, with a name denoting their appearance--which can't change--their name will always represent that aspect of them.
This also means that any "Hopekit"s or otherwise unacceptable names referencing not the kit themselves, but external activities, are out of the question. Sensibility tell us that every queen is hopeful of their kits, so this name stands for nothing. Every mother is instinctively loving and nurturing, so if your Clan is made up of murderers and rogues--first of all, expect that to be frowned upon due to the reality of that plotline--expect all queens to name their kits in a very fond fashion. No queen is going to purposefully disrespect their offspring, it's completely unrealistic and completely foolish.
So, we'll describe the kit's initial appearance with the prefix. We'll only use appropriate words to denote their stature, markings, colors, and not hopes, dreams, or wishes.
The prefix, however easy to pick for your kit, can sometimes be harder to pair with a suffix. Always remember what your prefix stood for when the cat was a kit, and that will undoubtedly make choosing a suffix easier. The prefix MUST stand for the cat in some way, and the suffix should always enhance that image.
Suffixes
Many people have a weakness in suffixes, more so than with prefixes. They're the hardest part of creating the name, and often require a lot of thought, patience and criticism. It seems like a lot for a silly name, but once more, the name is the cat. It represents the cat wholly, and any name that doesn't do the cat justice isn't much of a name. This is where the suffix is needed most, because it will finalize your cat.
This part is very tricky, and to help along the way, I'll use my lovely Black--- as an assistant. In reality, his name is Blackpelt, but he's giving up his suffix to help us today.
Now that you have your prefix, we'll try singling other things out about our cat.
By the time the cat is named, they're around twelve-fourteen moons--depending on the circumstances. Younger cats are most likely going to be named something very simple and obvious, they're still young and prone to developing a deeper personality.
A young warrior just out of apprenticehood is likely to be named for a physical trait, such as coat characteristics. Graypaw was named a warrior at a very early age, and as we know, many of his opinions on life have changed throughout his years--any other name but Graystripe wouldn't fit him. Graystripe's gray stripe is a very noticeable physical feature, and every cat knows him for it--even if they know him for breaking the warrior code, too. (But no one should be known for that.)
The suffix should denote the most obvious trait your cat has. We'll use examples like we did above.
Sandpaw became Sandstorm because she was a very rude, blunt cat. "Storm" represents that trait very well. Her personality, now that she's been developed as a character, has changed, but that aspect of her doesn't seem to. Every cat still holds her in high regard as a powerful, smart cat.
Firepaw became Fireheart because every cat knew him as a kind and considerate cat. That was his strongest feature, and his most recognizable trait.
Goldenpaw was named Goldenflower for her motherly aspects, being a very kind and loving cat. The name wouldn't fit any other cat but her, as a queen that knows and respects her kits.
Bluefur, though wise and respected, was recognized by her fur. Almost always when some cat sees her they pay close attention to the color and detail of her dark, slate-colored fur.
Your suffix represents the cat as a whole, and sums them up. It completes their circle, and paints their final picture.
Black--- is a very simple cat. He has somewhat long fur, and a black coat (but like a lot of black cats, he also has remnants of tabby stripes if one were to look at him in heavy light). His eyes are dull and don't stand out very much, and he's built quite average for a feral cat. The only thing about him that stands out is his black fur. He was named Black-kit at birth for it, and the only way to finalize the prefix's representation is to denote that physical feature as his suffix. So, we'll call him Blackpelt.
The suffix should complete the prefix, describing what the prefix was meant to stand for. This means that no name is random!
What should your suffix be? Well, that all depends on your prefix. Normally, if your prefix is an adjective, it's very hard to pair with a suffix that sounds right. Undoubtedly, adjective prefixes (colors, most commonly, but also "spotted", "misty", and other words that describe something) are easier to stick with a suffix because your prefix will be describing your suffix. Spottedleaf is an adjective plus a noun. The prefix is directly describing the suffix as a spotted leaf, presenting a very obvious image. Noun/noun names, however, normally do not. Names such as "Featherstone" or "Lizardwind" are good examples of noun/noun names that many people would consider... but these names don't say anything about anything. What's a feather stone? What is the wind of a lizard...? Consider the meaning of your name before finalizing it, and whether or not they accent each other.
Do's and don'ts
What don't you do in a name? Well, there are tons of things you don't do... but, here's a few.
We'll start small and work our way up--well, not necessarily, there's no starting small in the "don't" section. These are basic--but unwritten--rules. Some of them the Erins have said, some of them have been observed, but all apply.
1) The moon, sun, and stars are sacred to the cats. These objects--or variations of the objects--are not to be used in names. (Tui (too-wee) Sutherland wrote SotC, where Sunstar and Moonflower are introduced. Vicky has corrected this mistake, as Tui did not know Clan traditions as clearly as the other Erins. Sunstar and Moonflower are mistakes, which still makes "sun" and "moon" unacceptable. Edit: Despite the fact Vicky cleared up the mistake, it still doesn't seem to apply to her, because we see a Sunpaw in Eclipse. No one really cares anymore, I guess. But, yes, it was admitted a mistake--even if Vicky has gone back on her word for a ten-hundredth time.)
"Star" is not used in a name at all unless the cat becomes a leader. There is absolutely no reason to use "star" as a prefix. It is very disrespectful to StarClan.
There's rumors that "stone" and "mouth" are also not acceptable due to Mothermouth and the Moonstone. It seems to target suffixes only, as Prefix/mouth and Prefix/stone do not occur in the books, but Stone/suffix names do. (IE: Stonefur describes the cat's fur, but if the cat were to be named Littlestone, for example, this may be too much of an implication toward the Moonstone.)
"VickyHolmes: You'll notice that we shy away from using Sun or Moon in any names because these objects, particularly Moon, have special significance for the Clans. You might be interested to know that in the very first drafts of the series, Bluestar was called Bluestone, but we changed it because it sounded too similar to "Moonstone"."
Examples of unacceptable names:
Moonfur
Sunclaw
Starkit
1a) This also applies to names that expand on the above:
Lunarfur
Solarclaw
Eclipseheart
Crescentpelt
2) Due to the fact that dreams are held in high regard, and are sacred in the ways of warriors, no variation of the word "dream" is to be used. This applies to the word itself, and synonyms or similar words (wish, hope, muse, desire, etc).
Examples of unacceptable names:
Morningdream
Dreamkit
Wishing-gaze
Musemind
3) Spiritual connotations--both in the human world and cat world--are not to be used. Words such as "spirit", "soul", and "angel" denote higher levels of being, an honor not worthy of warriors. This is only allowed for leaders through the use of "star" as a suffix, to represent their connection with StarClan. Vicky has stated that "spirit", "soul", and other words similar would not make it primarily because of their human connotations with certain religions. (Brightspirit's name, however much I despise it... is a "one time thing," said Vicky. And like many other names--Braveheart and Shinningheart included--are fan-based. Who knew?!)
Examples of unacceptable names:
Spiritsong
Angelwing
Blacksoul
Gentlespirit
Demonsythe
Soulflight
4) Words that tend to be seen as disrespectful in their literal sense are not to be used. Cats are literal in their naming, and do not use hidden messages. This means that names that include words such as "hollow", any variation of the word "fall", "burning", "searing", "singed", "shattered", "twisted", "broken", or any word related to the aforementioned is not acceptable--especially in a name that is given at birth. Certain words (such as "torn", "broken", or otherwise) are acceptable as renames, but most are not.
Examples of unacceptable names in either situation:
Brokenheart
Twistedface
Hollowsoul
Searingkit
Fallenbird
Examples of acceptable names for a rename:
-- Cats that get renames must have been in life-threatening situations, otherwise the name becomes meaningless. Every cat tears a claw every now and then, so "Tornclaw" isn't an acceptable name change. Most cats that get renames are then sent to be an elder, because any situation that would then require a name change usually hinders the cat from performing duties.
One-eye
Brokenleg
Tornfur
This also means that yes, Erins, "Birchfall" is not really a respectable name. The name denotes a falling birch (which for one, does not represent the cat for anything--appearance, personality, event even, that might have had something to do with the cat--it's a completely random and purposeless name), a very bad sign/event in a forest.
You must consider the meaning of your name when applying such harsh, disrespectful words. They are absolutely not tolerated.
5) Jewels and semi-precious stones are not acceptable in names. Silver and gold(en) are used because the terms for certain coloration and markings--technical terms--are actually "silver" and "gold", however, there are no markings classified as "jade", "ruby", "onyx" or otherwise. Secondly, the possibility of cats unearthing such rare jewels that aren't even found in the British Isles is an impossibility. Most stones must be mined for, and are found under certain conditions unavailable to the cats.
6) Remember that cats are not sophisticated. If the kit is red at birth, they are not "crimson", "scarlet", or "blood". They are red, or ginger. Cats don't have dictionaries and thesauri, so most words are unknown to them.
Examples of unacceptable names:
Scarletsky
Cobaltpaw
Jetkit
Burgundypelt
7) All Twoleg seasons are unknown to cats, therefore, an "Autumnspirit" is not acceptable, nor is a "Winterpelt". Seasons are referred to differently. This also goes for things such as oceans/seas, comets, and other things not commonly referred to in the books.
Examples of unacceptable names:
Summerheart
Oceanbreeze
Comet-tail
8) Animals found outside of the British Isles are not to be referred to. It's hard to keep track of all the animals that don't live in Britain, where the cats are located, but if you don't know for sure whether or not they can be found on the island, WIKIPEDIA IT. That is the simplest answer, and you won't look like a fool. Here are some common animals that usually get placed in names, that are NOT native--or found in--Britain: Wolf, coyote, cardinal, and bear. This also goes for plant species, such as the orchid, olive, and ebony tree. Please do your research on a species before placing it in a name. (Don't ask me why there are wolves in Eclipse. Apparently the mountains aren't in Britain, despite the fact the story takes place there. Also, some people claim that the wolf scene was removed from later publications.)
9) Everyone knows that Twoleg objects are not acceptable in names, that's obvious. However, that sometimes doesn't seem to apply--or gets overlooked. Many words even, don't seem to have human origins or connotations, but they do, and are not acceptable. Many common words used in names, such as "mask" and "dance" are human words to describe things in nature, but are not natural occurrences. A lot of people will defend that "mask" can be used because it's used to describe cat markings, but this is false. The only "mask" term used to describe a cat's marking is called mask-and-mantle, and I doubt you're going to be naming your cat Mask-and-mantleface anytime soon.
People will reference the "mask" of a raccoon, or the "dance" of courting birds, but these words are not recognized by cats. This also goes for the obvious materials, such as "ink", "sword", "dagger", and various metals (for reasons, see rule five).
10) You can't put a compound word in a compound word. Things like "butterfly" are already considered compound words, what Warrior names are, so putting two together is... ick.
Words you can't use: Butterfly, ladybug, dragonfly, sunflower, you know, those words.
This also applies to times of day (which are compound words). Twilight, midnight, afternoon, sunset, sunrise, among others, are not acceptable in a name because the name itself is a compound word (and you can't put two compound words together). Some times of day are acceptable, such as "dawn", "morning" and "dusk".
11) If playing in the original Clan settings, you can't use "shadow", "river", "thunder", or "wind" as your prefix--the reason being, those are the prefixes in the original Clan's names. If you're writing fan-fiction or RPing warriors of a different setting, those words would not be forbidden. (It is debatable whether or not the Clans were actually named after their first leaders or not, like SotC says. In the real books--can you feel my distaste for SotC?--it states most cats believe the Clans were named after the attributes of their environment. IE: ThunderClan has the thunderpath, WindClan has windy moors, RiverClan has the river, and ShadowClan lives in murky, cold, places. So, which ever you prefer.)
12) "Dirt" is considered an insult (as in "Dirtstripe") therefore would not be incorporated into a name. It is also the term for dung.
13) Don't forget the hyphen! Names that repeat a letter at the end of a prefix and the beginning of a suffix (One-eye, for example) require a hyphen. It is grammatically incorrect to remove the hyphen.
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