Daydreamer🫐

Naming conventions:

Canon names:

Koro

Noa

Soona

Anaya

Dar

Oda

Luna

(Names given to ape characters in my fic: Kaya, Ocha, Ana, Lan)

Short, simple names. Longest is three syllables, shortest is one. Lots of ‘a’ sounds, open-central to back, ‘əʊ’ diphthong common. ‘N’ features a lot. 

Some remnants of human names. Luna, Noa very familiar to 21st century people. However, do they mean the same as they do now? Have they been passed down through generations? Luna is a common name to give animals, but Noa less so.

Noa is a very significant name in many aspects though. Noah the biblical figure— saved his family from a great flood. Both one letter away from "no" (first word an ape spoke) and "Nova," perhaps reflecting how he bridges the gap between his species and humans. But— did Dar and Koro know any of this? Unlikely. So, what could it mean? Did it just sound nice or does it have a separate meaning in Eagle Clan culture? (I like the idea that it has something to do with him being born at the end of a sunset, perhaps meaning nighttime/ nocturnal).

Do apes name their children for meaning or for sound? Is there a naming system or is it based on easiest phonetics for them to pronounce?

Don’t seem to name their children for natural features or surroundings. That seems to be reserved for the eagles (eagle Sun, for example). Perhaps because they, like humans, see themselves as slightly separate from the nature around them?

Gender does not seem to factor into their naming conventions. ‘A’ ending sometimes used for feminine names in fiction, but most ‘a’ endings belong to male characters. ‘Female’ human names for male apes and vice versa?— potentially.

‘A’ ending definitely most common.

Both vowel and consonant starts. 

Eagle Clan names could also be almost like eagle cries? Lots of hard sounds with open vowels? If they've been domesticating eagles since the ALZ virus spread, then it is very much an embedded part of their culture— their names would definitely reflect the animals they consider family.

Ideas for more Eagle Clan ape names:

Bayla/ Baya

Nora/ Nor

Alda/ Aldo (reference)

Rayn/ Rayna/ Rayana/ Ran/ Ray

Kyana/ Kyan/ Kay

Odo/ Odd

Layla/ Lay/ Lala

Nya

Lyra/ Lyda/ Lyna/ Leena

Alba/ Adda/ Alna/ Arra/ Aaron

Other ape names:

Raka (means “full moon” in Sanskrit)

Sylva, Lightning, Rust (all taken from natural/surrounding objects)(seem to be associated with the post-industrial landscape the coastal ape kingdom is set in, lots of metals, electricity and rust about)(more name ideas: Weld, Welt, Stain, Dross, Dregs)

Proximus Caesar (latin meaning nearest/closest/next, literally “the next Caesar,” likely taken from his history books)

Names seem to fall under the convention of “human names, but slightly to the left.”

Perhaps other clans have more nature-based names like Leaf, Flower, Oak, Ash, etc. (give me more ape clans, I beg of you)

Eagle Clan Culture:

Sign seems to be taught as they grow, we see the younglings talking but not signing. Body language is probably very important, same as it was when they were not evolved. Language is made up of spoken English, sign, and body language.

Probably easy enough to learn with enough observation. A lot of more complex human terminology seems to have been lost, and is being sparsely reintroduced thanks to ape exploration of human culture/ humans interacting with apes. Very grounded, abstract concepts seem to be used less.

Know that there is a bonding ceremony for ape and eagle eggs. Do they bond with their eagle whilst it’s still in an egg or do they exchange it for a birthed chick? Egg seems most likely. Noa says “our father” to Sun (re Koro) so it seems that the apes do raise the eagles themselves; “we will raise them together like we were raised.” 

(Side note: what are their ideas about sentience? Do they consider their eagles sentient like them???)

What does the bonding ceremony look like? Probably singing involved. Annual event— eagles breed once a year. They probably have their local breeding pairs’ timings memorised. Seems to be summertime in the film. Could even be Midsummer/ the summer solstice for extra celestial timing. 

Children are raised communally. They have their biological parents, yes, but they have many many mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. that all have a hand in bringing them up. Probably spend most of their day in ‘schools’ watching their elders do jobs around the Clan.

Song seems ceremonial to the Clan. Humming and singing to oneself might not be commonplace due to this. Human habit of humming and singing whenever bored will seem strange and perhaps almost disrespectful to the more strict members.

Probably have oral tradition since they do not seem to record things like humans do. Elders play a part in this? Or do they have assigned historians/ bards/ storytellers?

Very community based. Individualism is discouraged.

Main food seems to be fish and farmed goods. Do they need to hunt big game? Probably not, it’s never really mentioned. Also, they do not seem to have archery as a culture— could be wrong, archery is used to fish, but they also seem to rely on their eagles for fishing (kinda impractical, also kinda funny, “hello, you’re my child and you shall fish for me.”) They clearly preserve their food by smoking. 

Weaving and handicrafts seem important. Don’t wear clothing apart from shawls, but have lots of cloth around. Beads, bracelets, necklaces, belts, pouches, etc.: very decorated people, doesn’t seem to indicate status, mostly seems motivated by “hey here’s a pretty thing, I’m gonna wear it.” Only exception is feather cloak— Noa doesn’t wear this at the end of the film, perhaps as an indication of how things have changed. Everyone wears feathers in some way.

Hierarchy apart from Master of Birds/Chieftain and Elder Council seems relatively sparse. Great deal of respect, but not necessarily class. Any hierarchy present is based on knowledge and experience. 

Culture and tradition very central; however, by the end of the film this is dislodged a little. They have their ‘Law,’ but Noa learns when to keep it and when to break it— this likely spreads to the rest of the Clan as he becomes their leader. 

The colour blue features a lot. Probably important, sign of solidarity alongside the feathers. Promotes calmness, intelligence, rationality. Could also reflect how important water is to them as, despite its destructive nature, it provides their main food source of fish.