The mega name-meaning and reference thread

[Chrono_Tata]

Ooh. I doubt that's an intended meaning but quite interesting.

 

[WaterMystic277]

Ooh. I doubt that's an intended meaning but quite interesting.

Same, it's just a really funny coincidence!

 

[Denizen]

Here's something interesting, an Attack on Titans post came up on my dash listing name etymologies.

Apparently 'Levi' by itself means 'joined' which is stupidly befitting for Leviathan.

I was just reading Levi's wiki page when you posted that, weird coincidences everywhere. Attack on Titan also has a lot of meanings in the various character's names.

Jeez after looking at all the information Chrono has compiled I doubt there's much else left to add.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Jeez after looking at all the information Chrono has compiled I doubt there's much else left to add.

There is quite a bit left. :p I've been too busy/lazy to finish the list lol.

 

[Uzumakihero]

The meaning of Uzumakihero. Begin! HOW DEEP CAN YOU GO?!

 

[Kawalorn]

OK I know it might be too soon for this but could it be that in her win quote, Ms Fortune is actually referencing this? >

Just saw it a moment ago and it hit me like a brick. I also played this game way long ago. :P Didn't like it.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

On Salty, turns out Alex actually selected Big Band's surname based on the song Birdland which he likes. Not sure if he knows it's named after the famous club.

 

[Broseidon Rex]

I don't know if these two have been mentioned.
Trichobezoar (Filia's Level 3) is mass of hair found in the digestive tract from someone eating hair.
Probably not a reference but just looks similar, Vice Versa on Pummelhorse compared to Big Arm from Sonic 3

 

[iLoli]

HOLY SHIT I JUST GOT THAT SAGAN IS NAMED AFTER CARL SAGAN.

edit:After going back in the thread I just saw that someone else got it before I did.

 

[Dracogen]

Now, uh, I forgot in which stream I heard this in, but I think Alex said that he named Parasoul's royal family, the Renoirs, after the artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This piece, aptly named "The Umbrellas", was the inspiration:
http://www.renoirgallery.com/paintings/large/renoir-the-umbrellas.jpg

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Now, uh, I forgot in which stream I heard this in, but I think Alex said that he named Parasoul's royal family, the Renoirs, after the artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This piece, aptly named "The Umbrellas", was the inspiration:
http://www.renoirgallery.com/paintings/large/renoir-the-umbrellas.jpg

It was Alpha who said that he suggested it to Alex and showed him the picture, but yep you are correct.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Added some more name references in the second post of this thread. Check it out!

That means the name meaning/references of characters and places names are (mostly) done. I'll go through the thread again and see if I missed any characters or places. Will be starting with the move names next!

 

[CHAOS_FANTAZY]

*Incoming newb question*

Where, exactly, is Marie referred to as "Bloody Marie?" I've seen what is effectively all the dialogue in the game (I am missing after Marie 300), and I don't recall her ever being called that. She also isn't exactly covered in blood as she appears in-game...so where is she called Bloody Marie?
(Also, if it's a nickname of sorts, how did she earn that nickname?)

 

[Chrono_Tata]

*Incoming newb question*

Where, exactly, is Marie referred to as "Bloody Marie?" I've seen what is effectively all the dialogue in the game (I am missing after Marie 300), and I don't recall her ever being called that. She also isn't exactly covered in blood as she appears in-game...so where is she called Bloody Marie?
(Also, if it's a nickname of sorts, how did she earn that nickname?)

Good point; "Bloody Marie" is hardly ever used in the actual game, but it's found in several official materials. For example, if you look here and scroll down to Squigly's story, you can see her referred to as Bloody Marie. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keep-skullgirls-growing

Bloody Marie is named after the real-life Queen Mary the First of England, who earned the nickname Bloody Mary due to her widespread persecutions and executions of Protestants (Mary was a Catholic). Since Marie has conducted a campaign to slaughter members of the Medici clan, it's not hard to imagine how she earned such a nickname.

 

[Dracogen]

The Black Egrets are named after a species of herons that practice canopy feeding. They attract fish by using their wings to cast a shade in the water.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

That's already in the second post under Canopy Kingdom, yes, but thanks!

 

[Dracogen]

Aw crap, sorry. Probably eff'd up my ctrl-F search.
Welp, I'll be back when we do attack names; I've an affinity for wordplay ^__^

 

[Zazz]

I was wondering, but is Eliza party based on the old Twilight Zone episode "Queen of the Nile"?

 

[WaterMystic277]

I was wondering, but is Eliza party based on the old Twilight Zone episode "Queen of the Nile"?

Maybe?
Or it's just a coincidence, she's based on two sources, her aesthetic is based on Cleopatra and her name and blood concept is based off Elizabeth Bathory.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Maybe?
Or it's just a coincidence, she's based on two sources, her aesthetic is based on Cleopatra and her name and blood concept is based off Elizabeth Bathory.

Her diva aspect is also based on Elizabeth Taylor, who played Cleopatra.

 

[WaterMystic277]

Her diva aspect is also based on Elizabeth Taylor, who played Cleopatra.

I keep forgetting that.

 

[Slyzor]

Guys, I have some information about Ms. Fortune.
First, her name, Nadia is a very common Russian female name. The full version of this name (Nadezhda) is also translates as "hope".
Second, her phrase while doing lvl5 is: "Remember, remember the 5th of dismember" which is similar to 5th of December. So it's obviously a reference to some event that happened in this date.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

Guys, I have some information about Ms. Fortune.
First, her name, Nadia is a very common Russian female name. The full version of this name (Nadezhda) is also translates as "hope".
Second, her phrase while doing lvl5 is: "Remember, remember the 5th of dismember" which is similar to 5th of December. So it's obviously a reference to some event that happened in this date.

The 5th of Dismember is actually a reference to the 5th of November, the date of the Gunpowder Plot. Specifically, to the nursery rhyme:

Remember, remember,
The fifth of November.
Gunpowder treason and plot.
For I see no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
should ever be forgot.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot

Non-British people would probably be familiar with this event if they have read or seen V for Vendetta. :p

 

[Undeadtoon]

Apparently Squigly's last name, Contiello comes from the root word conte which in turn comes from the latin word comitis which roughly means companion or servant to a king or Emperor. Fitting for people who used to be friends with the Medici.

 

[Undeadtoon]

I keep forgetting that.

Another thing that I found out, apparently Cleopatra supposedly had a beautiful voice. Her singer persona might be a nod to that.

To quote Pluttarchus "sweetness in tones of her voice." Another noted historian Cassius Dio also mention Cleopatra's voice saying that she " possessed a most charming voice and a knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to every one."

 

[CHAOS_FANTAZY]

I'm sure it's already been noted, but I don't see it on the beginning list, so here we go. The name of Filia's Level 1 Blockbuster, "Gregor Samson," is a reference to Gregor Samsa, the main protagonist of the book The Metamorphosis, in which he transforms into an indescribably horrible vermin. Said vermin is sometimes mistranslated into "cockroach," hence the resemblance between Filia in this state and a cockroach.

Double's name may also be a reference to the term "Double Voice," a voice editing tactic where the same audio is played over itself at two different pitches (Supported by the fact that Double's own voice clips use this very tactic).

Has there been any thought as to what Marie's last name, "Korbel," might mean? I punched it into my search engine, and all it brought up were Californian wine companies.

 

[Undeadtoon]

I'm sure it's already been noted, but I don't see it on the beginning list, so here we go. The name of Filia's Level 1 Blockbuster, "Gregor Samson," is a reference to Gregor Samsa, the main protagonist of the book The Metamorphosis, in which he transforms into an indescribably horrible vermin. Said vermin is sometimes mistranslated into "cockroach," hence the resemblance between Filia in this state and a cockroach.

Double's name may also be a reference to the term "Double Voice," a voice editing tactic where the same audio is played over itself at two different pitches (Supported by the fact that Double's own voice clips use this very tactic).

Has there been any thought as to what Marie's last name, "Korbel," might mean? I punched it into my search engine, and all it brought up were Californian wine companies.

Apparently it's a German version of the french name Corbelle, with shares the some root Corp which is old French for Corvus, as in crows and ravens. Both names also mean basket or Basket maker.

 

[Undeadtoon]

A minor one but this had me grinning

So according to Alpha Peacock's concept art, Peacock's last name is Watson. Now assuming that they didn't change it for the final product, this is a actually pretty meaningful name. Watson literally means Son of Wat, Wat being a medieval nickname for Walter.

Who's a famous Walter we all know and love?

 

[WaterMystic277]

A minor one but this had me grinning

So according to Alpha Peacock's concept art, Peacock's last name is Watson. Now assuming that they didn't change it for the final product, this is a actually pretty meaningful name. Watson literally means Son of Wat, Wat being a medieval nickname for Walter.

Who's a famous Walter we all know and love?

OH MY OGD.

 

[Undeadtoon]

OH MY OGD.

P much my reaction. It actually took me awhile to figure out why he picked that name and I'm kicking myself for not noticing the meaning earlier. Plus Peacock has a lot of Disney (and Loony tunes, but that's another company) shout outs, abet Golden age era mostly. I thought that she was named after Watson from Sherlock Holmes until I found out what her name actually meant. Alex Ahad, you magnificent bastard.

 

[Undeadtoon]

Apparently there was a old Circe de sol act called Visa Versa, in which another acrobat would balance on top of another using tremendous physical strength. Vice Versa the hat could be a nod to that...

 

[SanoBaron]

Apparently there was a old Circe de sol act called Visa Versa, in which another acrobat would balance on top of another using tremendous physical strength. Vice Versa the hat could be a nod to that...

Also Bella's grab blockbuster.

 

[Chrono_Tata]

This was something from my call that I don't think was really a "lore" information, so I guess I'll just put it here instead. Also I want to post on this thread since I've put it on hiatus for ages. D:

- Alex chose professional wrestling as a theme to subvert the original poem, due to its parallel with the sport’s pursuit of larger-than-life fame and glory. Additionally, him defeating Grendel with his bare hands was somewhat like wresting.
- The concept for Beowulf wielding a folding chair also stemmed from the professional wresting theme which Alex came up with his co-writers before Persona 4 was released. His choice of weapon would have been unique in fighting games at the time. Oh well.

Hopefully I get some time and motivation to update this thread soon. It's not dead yet guys!

 

[Deltron0]

I always figured that Isaac was a reference to Isaac Asimov, the 20th centruy sci-fi writer. I won't pretend that I'm cultured enough to know his work, but appearently the premise of one of his series is about a man who creates a mathamatical formula that can predict the future. When he does this he sees that the galatic empire is going to fall and enter a 30 thousand year dark age.

A bit of a stretch, but maybe Isaac scienced his way into seeing a future Canopy Kingdom that fell under the skullheart and his motivation for his actions in the game is him trying to prevent his own hellish predictions.

But, this is one of the characters we know the least about so I could just be talking outa my ass.

Edit:

Isaac (JP: アイザック) is an archaeologist who has made unsettling discoveries below the Canopy Kingdom, only to have the evidence buried.

Well that shot some holes in my theory. Still, a reference to Asimov seems more likely than a reference to Newton.

 

[Jake Was Here]

Well that shot some holes in my theory. Still, a reference to Asimov seems more likely than a reference to Newton.

Can't it be both? After all, we know there's one other character in the game whose name is a double reference.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Báthory

 

[Undeadtoon]

Something interesting but Ottomo's pilot is named Tom right? So the name Tom is shorthand/nicknamed version of Thomas, the name meaning Twin.

Another possibility is Tom could be named after the character Thomas Hagan from the Godfather series?

 

[SanoBaron]

Something interesting but Ottomo's pilot is named Tom right? So the name Tom is shorthand/nicknamed version of Thomas, the name meaning Twin.

Another possibility is Tom could be named after the character Thomas Hagan from the Godfather series?

my guess is Tom Thumb

 

[chickenwithtie]

Vitale is an adjective and it means needed to live.

 

[WaterMystic277]

Vitale is an adjective and it means needed to live.

Oh shit, you're Italian aren't you? And aren't most of the names here Italian too?

Think you can give some trivia about the others?

 

[chickenwithtie]

Medici - not much to add, we all know why Alex chose this name, but there are some cute-but-kinda-offtopic facts:
They were actually bourgeoises and buyed the royal name.
They're seen in a good light in Italy.
The word medici is the plural of medico which means doctor.

Contiello is an actual used surname. There are no important italian figures named Contiello. The origin of the name is not clear neither, it's a rare name.

Sienna comes from Siena, a city known for its enormous medieval patrimony, situated in the Tuscan region, where Florence is the capital.

Also Leviathan traslates to Leviatano.
"Squiggly leviathan" would be Leviatano svolazzante.