What’s In A Name? Decoding the Symbolism Behind Star Wars Names.

Myth-makers

“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare once asked. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The name’s the game and it has tremendous importance in mythology. IF you think I’m bazonkers, you won’t be alone, but you also won’t be right. There is actually a thing about this called “Kabalarians” in which, as their website boldly declares, “Since 1930 proving your names shape your life.” I prefer the mythology, but either way we both agree that names are significant. After the break we’ll take a closer look at the names in Star Wars…

 

Star Wars as we all know is a fantasy mythology set in outer space, called “space opera.” Mythology and symbolism go hand-in-hand as deep psychological concepts are brought to light through the symbolism of mythology. Symbols are important to the human psyche because they are often visual representations of complex ideas in which people make good, bad or neutral associations. I show you a symbol and you immediately understand the story behind it.

 

Death Star

 

Symbols and their associations are important pretty much in all aspects of artistic endeavor, especially in story-telling — literature, television and cinema. As such words are just as important as visual symbols as they, too, create strong associations which help to represent the character and/or themes of the central saga. It is little wonder that we find so many of these symbolic names within the Star Wars universe and NOT just weird sci-fi “space names.” There is a lot more to these characters than meets the eye and I’m NOT talking “Transformers” here. Screen Crush did their own name analysis, but aided by the Kabalarian “instant name analysis.” I, however, will give you my own thoughts on names in Star Wars.

 

THE PREQUEL TRILOGY

 

Anakin

 

ANAKIN = We’re introduced to “The Chosen One” who will bring balance to the Force. Anakin Skywalker is the quintessential Star Wars character and essentially the crux of the entire saga as both hero and villain. His name has several interesting facets. For instance, he was called “Ani” as a nickname. Ani is a kind of bird and of course birds are associated with flying or in the case of mythology “Skywalking.” Anakin Skywalker was a great pilot. Anakin has all kinds of connotations associated with his name, too many to list here.

 

 

Amidala

 

PADME = Sounds similar to Padma, which is Sanskrit for “lotus” flower.

 

AMIDALA = Back during the PT days, fans claimed that this was an anagram of “Dalai Lama.” It’s not a precise anagram but it seems more than coincidence that Queen Amidala was a child ruler of her people in very similar fashion to how the next Dalai Lama is chosen, identified in childhood as the next ruler of Buddhists.

 

Qui-Gon

 

QUI-GON JINN = Jinn in Arabic mythology were beings that were supernatural, just below Angels and Demons. Jinn is where the word “Genie” is derived from. Genies use magic to grant wishes and in the Star Wars universe Qui-Gon used its equivalent as the Force. For an interesting, but all-too-brief, read on symbols in these names check out kenobi.dk.

 

NUTE = Or as we know the word “newt,” which is a kind of amphibian meant to elicit an association with lizards and serpents. And of course serpents have been depicted as evil for ages as the king of all serpents, as the story goes, caused the fall of Adam and Eve.

 

GUNRAY = Is simply “raygun” that has been transposed. As this character’s story plays out we learn that he is used as a weapon by the Phantom Menace pulling the strings behind the scenes.

 

DARTH SIDIOUS = Darth is a title that means “dark.” Therefore dark side practitioners, (IE Sith) adopt names that reflect their character. This is the height of name symbolism in Star Wars. In Palpatine’s case he was dubbed “Sidious.” This is a shortening of the word “insidious,” which means “causing harm in a way that is gradual or not easily noticed.” The Phantom Menace.

 

Maul

 

DARTH MAUL = This is obvious as his name is his character: “to attack and injure (someone) in a way that cuts or tears skin : to attack (someone) and cause a bloody injury.” He was used simply as Darth Sidious’ hitman.

 

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

 

CAPTAIN REX = Rex is latin for King. Rex was a clone and fierce leader during the campaign known as “The Clone Wars.” Captain Rex was a noble and loyal leader/soldier under Anakin Skywalker.

 

STAR WARS: REBELS

 

KANAN =  Jedi Kanan most obviously elicits associations, at least for this Blogger, with the Canaan of the Bible. This isn’t an essay on the history of the word, but briefly Canaan was a land that was derived from a grandson of Noah:

Canaan first appears as one of Noah’s grandsons during the narrative known as the Curse of Ham, in which Canaan is cursed with perpetual slavery because his father Ham had “looked upon” the drunk and naked Noah.

 

The land of Canaan was a very important location in ancient times. Jedi Kanan could be considered cursed in the sense that he is one of the last of his kind — Jedi — being hunted down unto extinction. Although not a slave in the strictest sense, Kanan leads a very meager existence as he and his band of neerdowells attempt to eke out a living while battling the evil Empire.

 

EZRA = Like Canaan, Ezra has much Biblical significance. It is believed that the name Ezra is derived from “Azaryahu” or “God helps.” In the context of Star Wars we could read Ezra as “The Force helps.”

 

BRIDGER = Bridge means link, span, or nexus. Ezra Bridger is a hero in Star Wars that bridges the gap between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy.

 

HERA = Unlike Kanan and Ezra, Hera is founded in Greek mythology. Hera was a sister and wife to the Uber-God, Zeus. Hera was also the goddess of women and marriage. It then becomes no wonder that she is the love interest of Kanan.

 

KALLUS  = Whereas the hero’s name is usually veiled, some moreso than others, villains often have obvious names. Case in point Agent Kallus. His name is a spelling variant of the word “callous” which is defined as “not feeling or showing any concern about the problems or suffering of other people.” Agent Kallus’ character is his name.

 

ZARE LEONIS = This Imperial Stormtrooper cadet’s name is quite obvious. Leo is the sign for the lion in astrology. Lions are noble creatures, “kings of the jungle.” Fierce and mighty.

 

THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY

 

Skywalker

 

LUKE = Has Biblical implications as well, but obviously is a play on the creator’s own name — LUC, as in GEORGE LUCAS. Interestingly enough, Harrison Ford was in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now in which he also played “Luke,” Colonel Lucas as an homage to George.

 

SKYWALKER = This is the holy of holies when it comes to Star Wars names. Obviously this grandiose name conjures visions of someone who is so great and powerful, almost divine, that he can walk on air. At the very least the Skywalker lineage are great pilots as they have a great command of air and space (walking above the air in the heavens.) Probably whole books could be written about the significance of this name in the Star Wars mythos.

 

Space Pirate

 

HAN SOLO = Just as Luke Skywalker has a very fitting name for his character, so, too, does Han Solo. Han Solo was the “space cowboy.” As his name implies he was a loner, at least when it came to his own humankind. He did have a sidekick, friend, and protector named Chewbacca. But this sidekick doesn’t mitigate or lessen the symbolism behind being Solo. Han, at least at first, was a mercenary out for his own neck first and foremost, which is an important trait of the loner archetype.

 

Villainous

 

DARTH VADER = This is the fallen title of Anakin Skywalker — “Dark Father” — the father of Luke and Leia.

 

Yoda

 

YODA = Resembles “yoga” or “yogi” which is defined as a “guru” or spiritual adviser or master. Obviously, Yoda was a Jedi Master and trained hundreds of Jedi during his 900+ years. His last padawan was Luke Skywalker.

 

THE SEQUEL TRILOGY

 

And now we finally have some names to go along with the new faces of the franchise, the new characters that were revealed to us in “Black Friday’s” teaser trailer . . .

 

BB-8

BB-8 = Like just about every droid in the galaxy far, far away, this one has an apha-numeric designation. In this case BB-8 couldn’t be more on the nose as the letter “B” resembles and 8 which is exactly what this droid resembles — two spheroids stacked atop each other. BB connotes “BB gun” or “BB’s” more round spherical, in this case, projectiles. Does BB-8 contain some secret weaponry? BB also reminds one of “ball bearings” as it rolls across the desert landscape — a real practical prop and NOT CGI. Lastly, eight happens to be my favorite number as it is the only perfectly symmetrical number. Here’s a snippet about 8 in numerology:

It is true that the number 8, more than any other number, puts the emphasis in the areas of career, business, finances and authority. However, as with many other single-digit numbers, the shape of the number reflects its most important attribute, and in the case of the number 8, that is, first and foremost, balance. The 8 is the great Karmic equalizer, a force that just as easily creates as it destroys. When the 8 comes knocking, you can be assured that you will reap what you’ve sown.

 

Balance . . . Force . .  . It appears that 8 has a special place in JJ’s heart as well. Consider that in the epic show LOST, eight was one of the legendary numbers — 4 8 15 16 23 42. Also, JJ Abrams directed a movie entitled Super 8. Oh, and the teaser trailer was 88 seconds long. Hmmm . . .

 

Oscar Issac

 

POE = This X-Wing pilot played by Oscar Isaac looks pretty surly, like, he’s all business and his business is kicking ass and taking names. The name “Poe” is most famously associated with the macabre writer Edgar Allen Poe. EAP elicits words such as “dour,” “sullen,” and “gloomy.” It’s hard to tell based on a clip lasting only a few seconds, but this could be the temperament or disposition of Poe Dameron.

 

DAMERON = Dameron is also an interesting name as it also draws dark associations — DAM, or, more precisely, to be damned or cursed. OR in a more literal sense a dam as in blockage. This character’s name is full of dark symbolism.

 

Adam Driver?

 

KYLO REN = This figure figures to be evil. The caption reads “Kylo Ren ignites HIS lightsaber.” Either that’s deliberate misinformation or this is definitely a man, who we have speculated to be played by Adam Driver. So we should expect this character to be a Sith or dark side practitioner. But what of his name. Of the new characters his sounds, perhaps, the strangest. Well, a “wren” is a small type of bird, adding to the bird motif. NOT exactly a fearsome eagle, falcon, or raven . . . BUT it looks like this name has JJ Abram’s signature all over it. How? Well JJ conceived a book/online experience called “S” (“Ship of Theseus”) in which birds were pivotal clues:

This delicate balance of two seeming opposites or incongruences is reflected throughout S. Signe Rabe (p 361) means, literally, sign of the raven. The raven is also known as the wolf-bird, which represents the balance of the bird-figures of the skies and the wolf-figures of the earth that come together in the creation myth.

 

But, wait, there’s more! One of our Bloggers, Dekka129, has recognized that the name “Kylo” contains pairs of letters found in Original Trilogy characters — sKYwalker and soLO. AND an anonymous poster astutely commented in the Blog that Kylo Ren in reverse looks like this NEROlyk, or to be precise, Nero-like. Movie buffs will no doubt remember that “Nero” was the Eric Bana portrayed villain in the 2009 Abrams Star Trek reboot. It looks like Abrams has a preoccupation with the infamous Roman Emperor Nero, known for his ruthlessness and debauchery, infamously burned Rome and played a fiddle as his inferno raged. Nero represents contemptible disregard for human life and cunning madness:

He was rumored to have had captured Christians dipped in oil, and then set on fire in his garden at night as a source of light.

 

This practitioner of the dark side of the Force will be purely evil.

 

I saved the most interesting names for last. They are NOT interesting for what we see, but what we don’t see, as in LAST NAMES. This, in my opinion, is because JJ et al did not want to spoil the surprise as to who these two characters are. Quite obviously the last names are very revealing I suspect.

 

John Boyega

 

FINN = I think of a shark fin. A sharp and angular blade that cuts and slices. His absentee last name is interesting. There are many possibilities obviously. Could it be “Calrissian?” Well, we heard rumors way back that Rebels had some connection to the Sequel Trilogy. Could Finn’s last name be “Leonis?”

 

Daisy Ridley

 

REY = My first reactions are the most obvious ones — Rey as in sunray or “ray of sunshine,” or “ray of light,” or “ray of hope.” These are all aporpos as she is surely the heroin — who cuts through darkness — during the Sequel Trilogy. But upon further inspection Rey could also be influenced by Greek myth as a play on the name “Rhea” (Ray-ah.) Of particular interest:

Most ancient etymologists derived Rhea (‘Ρέα) by metathesis from έρα “ground”,[1] but a tradition embodied in Plato[2] and in Chrysippus[3] connected the word with ῥέω (rheo), “flow”, “discharge”,[4] which is what LSJ supports.[5] Alternatively, the name Rhea may be connected with words for the pomegranate, ῥόα, later ῥοιά.

 

The name of the bird species rhea is derived from the goddess name Rhea.[6]

 

Recall the wisdom of the ascended Masters:

“Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him” – Obi-Wan

 

“Yes. A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force.” – Yoda

 

Rey is also missing her last name. Is this because it’s “Solo?” Rumors of her living alone on a desert planet would be fitting if this is indeed the case. Let us know what you think in the comments below and in The Cantina.

 

+ posts

68 thoughts on “What’s In A Name? Decoding the Symbolism Behind Star Wars Names.

  • December 14, 2014 at 7:57 pm
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    Well well well…

    • December 15, 2014 at 5:15 am
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      the part about BB-8 being a practical prop seemed out of place… as if it was thrown in because everybody who mentions STar Wars VIi these days, it seems, feels it necessary to remind us that practical effects are “godly.”

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:10 pm
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    Nute Gunray = Newt Gingrich + Ronald Regan
    Which to Lucas translates to greedy republicans.
    Sometimes Lucas goes the Kubrickian way of duel meanings with as he refers to as , The Psychological Underpinnings in Mythology.
    He applies this to his own creative process as well.:)

    • December 14, 2014 at 9:39 pm
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      Obviously Lucas is a Leftist when it comes to politics. Just something he needs to stay away from, PT.

      • December 15, 2014 at 12:13 pm
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        Regan criticism implies you are a leftist in any negative sense? That seems a bit drastic.

    • December 15, 2014 at 4:08 am
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      Yeah, except Nute Gunray didn’t end a Cold War

      • December 15, 2014 at 6:05 am
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        What does Rocky Balboa have to do with anything?

      • December 16, 2014 at 10:27 am
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        Neither did Regan or Gorbachev… Thus the hand shake. Pay attention to the details.

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:12 pm
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    Regarding Finn: Don’t forget Fionn mac Cumhaill, the famous hunter and warrior of Irish mythology

    • December 17, 2014 at 12:32 pm
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      Huck Finn

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:24 pm
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    Poe is also rumored to fly a black X-wing, alluding to the black raven that squawks “Nevermore” in Poe’s famous poem.

    • December 14, 2014 at 8:28 pm
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      Good call

    • December 15, 2014 at 1:06 am
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      Maybe this character will die, then.

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:27 pm
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    NEROlyk. Tied to the rumored village burning?

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:31 pm
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    If Poe is a famous 19th century populist American writer, Finn is probably a reference to a famous 19th century American fictional character — young Huck Finn, known for his adventures along the Mississippi. If they’d cast Jesse Plemons as originally rumored this reference would be more obvious, since he has that quintessential Americana country boy look.

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:51 pm
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    Maybe they’re just fans of telletubies……

    • December 14, 2014 at 11:50 pm
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      Tinkiwinki Solo

  • December 14, 2014 at 8:57 pm
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    Other possibilities:

    BB-8 -> BB = baby

    DAMERON -> Damero is an old spanish word to name a checkers board = strategy

    KYLO REN -> sounds like a twisted Kenobi Ben. Also Nero= black in italian

    Finn-> Finn is a Norse name meaning Finder. Also: Finn MacCumhail, legendary Irish hero similar to Robin Hood.
    Also: Anglicized form of the Irish Fionn (fair, white, clear)= light side

    Rey -> Spanish for King = regal/royal

  • December 14, 2014 at 9:46 pm
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    Was just watching the old Droids cartoon on youtube to find the name Kybo Ren on it.

    Kylo —–Kybo Ren.

    Both are villains.

  • December 14, 2014 at 9:53 pm
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    No love for Leia, again?

    • December 14, 2014 at 10:46 pm
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      I hope Echo-7 will listen to her theme below, and then edit the article to include the overlooked Princess Leia. :'(
      http://youtu.be/UtkuZbcZORE

  • December 14, 2014 at 9:56 pm
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    Concerning Rey, I also read where it means “King” in Spanish. Also it could be short for her true name. Rachel.

  • December 14, 2014 at 10:33 pm
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    Skywalker

    – Sky – Norwegian for “cloud”. Luke’s future and decisions are cloudy from the onset, and are only revealed to him in time.

    – Wal – Northen English “wall”, topographical name for someone who lives by a spring – Luke is a symbol for a spring of new hope and life

    – ker – German “Kehre”, a “turn, bight, bend” – Luke’s life takes an abrupt turn at the onset, and he has many pivotal decisions ahead.

    Alternatively, Walker could be a reference to Mary Walker (1832-1919), a surgeon, nurse, and women’s rights leader – Luke heals the wounds of division in the force and works to liberate from Imperial oppression.

    Wow, Lucas obviously put a lot of thought into this.

    • December 14, 2014 at 11:52 pm
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      Yeah, it also sounds a bit friendlier than luke Starkiller

    • December 15, 2014 at 10:31 am
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      Yeah, like Lucas stayed up an extra hour after watching Kung Fu and In search of, to pour over old German texts, that’s problay when he stumbled across Vader/father.
      Then he accidently added the wrong thing to his warm milk and came up with the blue milk Luke drinks as he threw wrappers in the trash can coming up with R2D2 concept.

  • December 14, 2014 at 10:38 pm
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    That’s some creative bullshit right there

  • December 14, 2014 at 10:41 pm
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    Never have I seen a more wretched hive of over thinking.

  • December 14, 2014 at 10:42 pm
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    What about Nien Nunb, damn it?

    • December 14, 2014 at 11:02 pm
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      Don’t mention him – it’s a trap ! Lol

  • December 14, 2014 at 11:00 pm
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    Finn… as in Huckleberry Finn. That’s what I suspect.

  • December 14, 2014 at 11:18 pm
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    I can’t help but think of Luke and Leia as twins, and the significance of two names, four letters, both starting with L.
    Now we have Ren and Rey. Could they be solo twins?

    • December 14, 2014 at 11:51 pm
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      I have been saying this ever since the release of the names Rey and Ren are too close just to be a coincidence. Could Rey/Ren take the Jaina/Jacen-esque role. I know they are not adapting from the EU but they said they may cherry pick

  • December 14, 2014 at 11:25 pm
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    As Retrotek mentioned, this could mostly just be some overanalyzing, and coincidence. I’m not convinced they put quite so much time into naming. Some are obvious, but others are too complicated, like one commenter’s analysis of “Skywalker”, which to me seems very coincidental.
    And as always, we can retroactively reinterpret the roots of these names to fit with what we’ve seen.. Just like Nostradomus’ prophecies, I think we’re just trying to take old things and fit them in with new things. Old things being names of characters, and new things being our analyzing of them.
    But regardless, I enjoyed this article. Great research, and I’m excited to see if you’re right (:

    • December 15, 2014 at 12:03 am
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      The analysis of “Skywalker” was satyrical.

    • December 15, 2014 at 12:08 am
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      Yes what Jake said

  • December 15, 2014 at 12:18 am
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    Finn could *possibly* be a Calrissian ?

    But if Rey is a Rey Solo – and wasn’t the casting call asking for a “Rachel” ? – then I’m already wondering if the sabre wielder, who is “Kylo Ren”, may be “Ren Solo” (the Kylo being a name extension or a title or something) ??? Though I like the comment here that Kylo is “dark” in Italian, obviously the Sith title, like “Darth”, needs to be universal and non-country-specific.

    So we’d then have “Ren and Rey Solo”… like “Jacen and Jaina Solo” [EU]…. like “Luke and Leia Skywalker”…. like “Ani and Ami Skywalker” [I have the vague inkling that GL *originally* intended to promote ‘Amidala’ since ‘Padme’ was the ‘throwaway’ decoy character for TPM…. but ‘Padme’ became the popular choice ?]

    …… alliteration is EVERYTHING in George’s world ! ;o)

    Oh, and “Anakin” ? Back in the TPM day, we soon learnt that “Ana” means “without, and “kin” means “relatives”…..

    Nat

  • December 15, 2014 at 12:23 am
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    Rey is also the spanish for king!!

  • December 15, 2014 at 1:07 am
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    It will be really sad for the education systems if a kid automatically thinks of Eric Bana’s character in Star Trek when he hears the name Nero and not the Roman Emperor. Lol

  • December 15, 2014 at 1:33 am
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    Padmé is actually a spelling for lotus in sanskrit (just without the accent), and Amidala is the spiritual name for a lotus flower.

    Anakin has also been linked to a story of the Ana, which were giants, making Anakin mean the son of giants.

  • December 15, 2014 at 1:51 am
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    Jinn in Arabic refers to unseen creatures that are made of smokeless fire. Evil Jinns are demons. So it’s incorrect to say Jinns are below demons, as Jinn refers to both good and evil Jinns.

  • December 15, 2014 at 1:59 am
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    BB-8

    The Number 8 = The shape of the droid
    The Letters BB = What the droid was referred to from the first i.e “Beach Ball”

    • December 15, 2014 at 3:02 am
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      BB = Beach ball (as a production code name)is what I thought as well.

  • December 15, 2014 at 2:13 am
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    Yoda does sound like “Yoga” or “Yogi”, but the SW character’s name comes directly from the Sanskrit “Yoddha”, which means fight/fighter, as explained below:

    http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=yoddha&direction=SE&script=HK&link=yes&beginning=0

    Lucas got tired of using Sanskrit/Pali in SW (Yoda, Anakin, Padmé, Dagobah, Shaak Ti, being the most obvious examples). To those of us who know a bit about Buddhism this is simple enough.

    “REY = My first reactions are the most obvious ones”

    Most obvious meanings for a native English-speaker, perhaps. To those of us who speak Spanish the most obvious meaning of the word REY is the literal one: KING.

    Since Spanish has been used in SW before (see “Solo” and “Kamino”, the latter spelled with a C instead of a K), it’s certainly no stretch to think that Ridley character’s alleged name might have something to do with royalty (as in PRINCESS Leia’s daughter, for instance). Even though Reyna (queen) would be a better fit for a female character.

    Nice article, Echo-07, though not very well thought out, IMO.

    • December 15, 2014 at 3:08 am
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      Solo is Italian. So is Lando.

      • December 16, 2014 at 12:58 am
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        I don’t speak Italian, Retrotek, but since Spanish is my native tongue, I think I do know the meaning of “Solo”. As in “no vayas a ir solo por un callejón oscuro a la medianoche” (Don’t walk alone down a dark alley at midnight), for instance.

        • December 16, 2014 at 2:42 am
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          Then the Spanish borrowed it from the Italians. In fact, given the similarity of the two languages, I’m sure there is a lot of that going on between the two. But hey, we English speakers do it all the time ourselves. Its’ a good thing. But Solo is still of Italian origin.

          • December 16, 2014 at 6:57 am
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            No, Spanish doesn’t borrow anything from Italian. Both tongues derive directly from ancient Latin, so we have many, many words that are very similar, if not the same.

            English, on the other hand, does borrow from nearly all other tongues that have been spoken in the Western world: old Norse, Germanic, Celtic tongues, and Latin, just to name a few.

            Maybe that’s why you, as a native English speaker, might’ve thought that we Spanish speakers borrowed the word “solo” from Italian, and that Han’s last name is based on the Italian word. To me it will always be in my native Spanish tongue, though. Either way, the word means exactly the same in Spanish or Italian: alone/loner.

    • December 15, 2014 at 6:56 am
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      I agree darth vedder… thought this article stank of pseudo journalisim imo The simplest evidence of this is the Skywalker name as Lucas said himself over the last few decades that ”Skywalker” was someone who had their head in the clouds day dreaming.

  • December 15, 2014 at 4:20 am
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    All of these names mean something in Japanese,
    Rei = Zero
    Jin = People
    Kami no = of God
    Kiro (pronounced Keelo) = Yellow

    Lucas did draw from Kurosawa’s “Hidden Fortress” for the plot of both New Hope and Phantom’. Not that he knows what these words mean, I kind of wonder if he chose some of these because it sounded cool, it’s probably a case-by-case sort of affair.

    • December 16, 2014 at 12:53 am
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      Interesting bit about the Japanese “Kami no”. I still think the planet’s name comes from the Spanish “Camino” (road or path), though. Especially since Obi-Wan’s road or path to discovering the Sith/separatist conspiracy starts in planet Kamino, precisely.

      Can’t think of one good reason why the planet would have anything to do with “of God.” “Playing god”? Certainly, because of the cloning going on there, of course. But not “of God”.

      Oh, and Lucas did know the meaning of every single word he used for his characters’ names. At least those in Sanskrit/Pali.

  • December 15, 2014 at 5:53 am
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    I’m still trying to dcide whether you’re brilliant or insane or both for posting this post.

  • December 15, 2014 at 7:46 am
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    It was never complicated:
    Darth Vader, invader
    Darth Sidious, insidious
    Darth Maul, maul
    Darth Tyranus, tyrannical

    Han Solo, the loner
    Luke Skywalker, the kid with his head in the clouds
    Princes Leia Organa, fighting against a mechanical army
    Ben Kenobi, he’s noble

    • December 15, 2014 at 10:39 am
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      Yeah like
      Kylo Ren, Kill a Rey.
      Killing?
      Children?

      • December 15, 2014 at 3:59 pm
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        Lucas didn’t always do the whole descriptive names thing. Sometimes he just used sounds/words from other languages & etc. I think Abrams might be even less into it. All I meant was that the descriptive names from the OT were pretty straight forward. I don’t see anything quite as obvious with these new characters aside from maybe Rey (of light), but I guess we’ll see.

        • December 16, 2014 at 10:33 am
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          Yeah, I think the rest of their names and characteristics will be more revealed at the time. And I am sure they considered this to what we were given. Finn could be finicky for all we know, but Rey is probably Ray as in Ray of light, that I’m certain.

  • December 15, 2014 at 11:43 am
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    LOF clutching at straws spring’s to mind

  • December 15, 2014 at 1:40 pm
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    tobbacco was a product of empire , is brown and sometimes chewed .

  • December 15, 2014 at 5:54 pm
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    I think most of their names sound pretty short…. On the other hand, most of the main characters names in Star Wars are indeed pretty short. Luke, Leia, Han, Ben, Mace, Leia, Yoda… the only exception is Anakin. Poe is ok I guess, even though it sounds a bit too boyish. Kylo Ren sounds like something taken from a fanfiction, but perhaps it will grow on me. I dont agree with the author that Kylo Ren sounds like a n evil name, I think it sounds more like a pure Jedi name. And then we have Finn, which I really dont have anything to comment on. Lastly we have Rey, and I do hope that her real name is Reya or Reyna. If her name is just Rey its almost too obvious that they’re trying to make her like a tomboy or something. Reya och Reyna sounds more female, and not so damn androgynous like Rey.

  • December 15, 2014 at 6:52 pm
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    I actually really hate the names, poe sounds like a Teletubie and the others doesn’t sound like star wars names, as if the names were not chosen carefully. Kylo Ren sounds btw actually very interesting, but was actually hoping to see a Darth title.but still I’m very excited

    • December 15, 2014 at 6:54 pm
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      And poe also sounds like poo or poop as in shit

      • December 16, 2014 at 10:38 am
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        If you are going to criticise names post yours.

  • December 16, 2014 at 5:25 am
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    Well, 2 notes.
    Rey in Spanish means King, I am surprised the post didnt notice it. More than Ray or Rhea, Rey remembers King.
    Less important, Dameron-Damero or even Cameron. Damero in Spanish is Checkboard-Chess table, usually white-black can red-black too. Come from the game Draughts played in the same chess table in Spanish “Damas” same word for “Ladies”.

  • December 16, 2014 at 8:47 am
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    It’s loose but when I read BB-8. I see the capital B as a combined 1 and 3. So in a round about way we’re almost getting a 1138 (with an extra 3 in there) so maybe there’s a ever so subtle nod at that with this character name.

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