Weapon Name Trivia In Final Fantasy XIV
So here are the origins on a bunch of weapon names from Final Fantasy XIV, some from mythology, some from etymology, some just from bleedingly obvious common knowledge.
I’m sure this has been done to death already, but many of the lists exclude some of the more obscure or lesser-used weapons.
Also the Frontlines queue is really long.
Ordered alphabetically and by job.
Aldebaran : Aldebaran is the brightest star of the Taurus constellation.
Altair : Altair is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila.
Atlas : Aside from a collection of maps, Atlas was a Titan in Greek mythology condemned to hold up the sky for eternity by the Olympians.
Capella : Capella is the brightest star of the constellation Auriga.
Deneb : The brightest star of the constellation Cygnus.
Muspell : The primordial realm of fire in Norse mythology. Also appears in reference to a leader of a group of fighters, who were in turn lead by the fire giant Surt during Ragnarok in the Poetic Edda.
Sirius : The brightest star visible in the Earth’s sky. The name means “glowing” or “scorcher”.
Tenkan Chishi : Written as 天干地支 , “Tenkan Chishi” refers to the heavenly and earthly branches of the Chinese zodiac used to record and observe time.
The Evening Star : A blanket term referring to many things; in astrology it is most commonly used to refer to the planet Venus appearing in the western sky during sundown.
Vega : The brightest star of the constellation Lyra.
Artemis Bow : Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and childbirth. Artemis is often portrayed as a protector of young girls and one who relieves disease from women.
Astrild : Astrild is an old Nordic name for Cupid.
Berimbau : A berimbau is a Brazilian single-string percussion instrument.
Gandiva : The bow of Arjuna, the hero of the Hindu epic Mahabhrata. The bow was forged from moonlight by Brahma, the creator god of traditional Hinduism.
Raijodo : Written as “ 雷上動 “, the name literally means “motion of thunder”.
Rosenbogen : German compound word literally meaning “Rose’s bow”.
Sarnga : An alternate name for Sharanga, the bow of Vishnu in Hinduism.
Yoichi Bow : Most likely named after Nasu no Yoichi, a samurai of the Minamoto clan. The Tale of Heike states that while at sea, the enemy Taira clan placed a fan atop a ship’s pole, daring the Minamoto clan to shoot it. Nasu no Yoichi successfully shot the fan from a distance even amidst the rocking motions of the ship and waves.
Astrolabe : An astrolabe is a device used to predict the positions of the Sun, moon, planets, and stars.
Gambanteinn : Old Norse word meaning “magic wand” that appears in the Poetic Edda.
Hvergelmir : One of the three major springs that lays beneath the cosmic tree Yggdrassil in the Poetic Edda.
Kujo : Written as 九條, which literally means “ninth street”. May be a reference to the Kujo family which was a branch of the Fujiwara clan, a prominent clan during the Heian period. Or there might be a staff that is named “Ninth Street” for no reason other than giggles.
Laevateinn : A weapon referenced in the Norse Poetic Edda that most often appears as a magical sword, but sometimes as a wand or staff.
Lilith Rod : A reference to Lilith, a figure in Abrahamic religions most often portrayed as a succubus or demoness. In Judaism, Lilith was the first wife of Adam who was cast out of Eden for eating the Fruit of Knowledge.
Arondight : The sword given to Sir Lancelot du Lac by the Lady of the Lake.
Balisarde : The sword of Porthos from The Three Musketeers.
Balmung : The sword of Siegfried the Dragonslayer in the epic poem Nibelunglied. The sword is called “Gram” in the original Norse Volsung saga and “Nothung” in Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
Dainslaif : The sword of the Norse king Högni from the Saga of Hild in Norse mythology.
Kumokirimaru : “Spider Cutter”, a sword wielded by the commander Minamoto no Yorimitsu to slice a spider called a tsuchigumo as described in the Tale of the Heike.
Nothung : The name of Siegfried the Dragonslayer’s sword in Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. The sword is named “Balmung” in the Nibelunglied and Gram in the Old Norse Volsung saga.
Skofnung : The sword of the Danish king Hrólfr Kraki, renowned for its sharpness and imbued with the spirits of Hrolfr’s twelve berserker bodyguards. This must be the angriest sword ever.
Brionac : The name ascribed to the spear of the Celtic god Lugh.
Canopus Guisarme : Canopus is the brightest star of the constellation Carina.
Gae Bolg : The spear of the Celtic hero Cu Chulainn given to him by his mentor, the warrior woman Scáthach.
Grasitha : Transliteration of Grásiða, which means “Grey Flank”. The sword of the protagonist Gisli Sursson from the Gisla saga of Icelandic literature.
Longinus : Also known as the Holy Lance or the Spear of Destiny, Saint Longinus used his spear to pierce the side of Jesus as the latter hung on the cross, as described by the Gospel of John.
Rhongomiant : In Welsh Arthurian tradition, Rhongomiant is King Arthur’s spear.
Armageddon : The location of the biblical battle of end times where Jesus will return to Earth and defeat the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the Devil Satan.
Gjallarhorn : The horn of the Norse god Heimdallr who stands watch at the Bifrost, the bridge leading to Asgard.
Kunitomo : A family name and reference to the gun maker Kunitomo Ikkansai who also built Japan’s first reflective telescope.
Ai Apaec : The chief deity of the Mochica culture of northern Peru, Ai Apaec was worshipped as a creator, defender, a provider of sustenance, and the god of victory in battle.
Glanzfaust : German for “Shining Fist”.
Kaiser Knuckles : Kaiser is the German word for “emperor”, derived from the Latin “Caesar”.
Rising Suns : An epithet of Japan.
Senju : Written as “ 千手 “, translates literally to “a thousand hands” or “a thousand moves”.
Sphairai : A type of boxing glove used in ancient Greece.
Verethragna : An Avestan word literally meaning “smiting of resistance”, and the name of a war god who grants victory in battle.
Hofuds : Hofud was the sword of the Norse god Heimdall, guardian of the Bifrost, the bridge that leads to Asgard.
Kannagi : The Japanese word for a female diviner or shrine maiden who acts as medium between humans and gods.
Misericordes : Derived from the Latin misericordia, which means “act of mercy” or “mercy stroke”. Misericordes were narrow daggers designed to punch through gaps in a knight’s armour plating or the slot of a knight’s visor.
Ohojo : Named in the Japanese version as 大保昌 , the Ohojo is a dagger or tanto purported to belong to the Maeda clan during the Sengoku period.
Sasuke’s Blades : While there is a figure in FFXIV lore known as Sasuke, who was the shinobi responsible for bringing ninjutsu to Doma, the FFXIV Sasuke was likely named after Sarutobi Sasuke, a fictional ninja who often appears alongside Lord Yukimura as one of the Sanada Ten Braves during the Sengoku period. Sarutobi Sasuke is reportedly an amalgam of real-life figures Kozuki Sasuke and Sarutobi Nisuke.
Yoshimitsu : A Japanese name, the weapon is likely a reference to Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, another samurai of the Minamoto clan. Yoshimitsu is credited with creating the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, and reportedly dissected the corpses of men killed in battle in order to study vital points and joint locking techniques.
Yukimitsu : A Japanese name. Likely a reference to the Japanese swordsmith Tosaburo Yukimitsu said to have been the real or adoptive father of Masamune.
Vajras : A vajra, also known as a kila, is a three-pronged stake or knife used in Buddhist rituals.
Aegis Shield : The aegis of mythology is an item carried by Athena (and supposedly Zeus) in Homer’s Iliad. Its most common interpretation is as a shield, but it has also been depicted as a cover or length of golden animal skin.
Almace : The sword of the Bishop Turpin from the Song of Roland, a French epic about King Charlemagne.
Ancile : In ancient Rome, the ancilia were twelve sacred shields kept in the Temple of Mars. Legend states that the original holy shield fell from the heavens during the reign of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. Numa Pompilius ordered eleven copies made to confuse any would-be thieves.
Burtgang : Also known as Blodgang or Blutgang, Burtgang is the sword of the Germanic hero Háma, who appears in the epic poem of Beowulf.
Curtana : The sword of the French paladin Ogier the Dane as described by the Song of Roland. The name “Curtana” is also ascribed to a ceremonial sword used in the coronation of British monarchs, allegedly wielded by Tristan of the Knights of the Round Table.
Excalibur : The sword of King Arthur.
Onikiri : Japanese for “Demon cutter”.
Prytwen : In Welsh Arthurian tradition, the Prytwen or Prydwen is the name of the ship used by Arthur and his men to sail to the Celtic Otherworld.
Tyrfing : A magic sword and subject of the Old Norse Tyrfing saga. It was forged by the two dwarves Dvalinn and Durin, who were trapped by Odin’s grandson Svafrlami. The sword was also cursed to kill a man whenever it was drawn.
Zantetsuken : Written as 斬鉄剣 , it means “iron-cutting sword”.
Ars Almadel : Also known as the Almandal, the Ars Almadel is a mystic text containing the details of a ritual for communing with angels. The noun almadel refers to a kind of portable altar used in the ritual described by the Ars Almadel.
Ars Notoria : A part of the collection of occult grimoires known as the Lesser Key of Solomon, the Ars Notoria is a mystic text that contains a series of prayers meant to grant perfect memory and instantaneous learning to the wielder.
Deus Ex Gratia : Latin for “god from grace”.
Fagrskinna : Old Norse for “Fair Parchment”. Fagrskinna is also the name of a Norse saga that describes Norway’s history from the ninth to twelfth centuries.
Gogyo Sosei : The Japanese name for the Chinese philosophy of the cycle of the five elements.
Omnilex : “Law of All”, from the Latin roots omni (all) and lex (law).
Tetrabiblos : Literally means “four books”. Historically, the Tetrabiblos is a Greek astrology text written by Ptolemy alongside with the Almagest.
The Black Pullet : The Black Pullet is an occult grimoire meant to teach the reader about the magic of talismans and rings, including Kabbalah and the art of necromancy.
Almandal : A part of the collection of occult grimoires known as the Lesser Key of Solomon (which you’ll see referenced frequently), the Almandal, also known as the Ars Almadel, is a mystic text containing the details of a ritual for communing with angels. This is distinct from the very similar sounding almadel, which is a kind of portable altar used in the ritual described by the Almandal.
Apocalypse : An “apocalypse” traditionally refers to a revelation or disclosure of knowledge. The biblical Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation refers to John’s revelation of the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Cantamina Thavnaria : Cantamina is the plural form of cantamen, which is a spell or incantation.
Deus Ex Verbis : Latin for “god from words”.
Draconomicon : Roughly, “Law of the Dragon” from the Greek root draco (dragon) and nomos (law).
Gogyo Sokoku : The Japanese name for the Chinese philosophy of control of the five elements: wood, earth, fire, metal, water. Derived from “gogyō sokoku setsu”, literally “Five Phase Mutual Victory Theory”,
Morkinskinna : Old Norse for “moldy parchment” and the name of a saga about Norse kings.
The Red Pullet : An occult grimoire often associated with the Black Pullet. The Red Pullet is also referred to as the Red Dragon.
Bravura : The word “bravura”, derived from “bravo”, refers to a display of great skill or daring.
Eisentaenzer : German compound word for “Iron dancer”.
Kintoki : The popular name of the Japanese folk hero Kintarō. Roughly translates to “Golden Time” or “Golden Era”.
Parashu : The Sanskrit word for a battle-ax. In Hinduism, Parashu is a weapon of the god Shiva, given to Parashurama, one of Vishnu’s avatars. Parashurama used this weapon to rid the world of the tyrannical ruling class twenty-one times over.
Ragnarok : The battle of end times in the Poetic Edda. In the Ragnarok, many of the chief gods and goddesses are said to die, the world of Midgard submerged in water and reborn with two human survivors in an eternal winter.
Skeggiold : Old Norse for “Axe Age” or “Big Axe”. Skeggiold is also allegedly the name of a lesser Valkyrie, responsible for guiding the souls of warriors who die in battle to the afterlife, though I have yet to find any historical basis for this.
Ukonvasara : The hammer of the Finnish lightning god Ukko.
Alkalurops : Alkalurops is derived from the Greek word kalaurops, which means “shepherd’s staff”.
Astaroth Cane : Astaroth is a powerful greater demon of the First Hierarchy from the Ars Goetia of the Lesser Key of Solomon, said to be on par with Beelzebub and Lucifer.
Majestas : Majestas is a Latin word referring to royal authority or rulership.
Masakaki : A Japanese term (”true sakaki”) describing a kind of evergreen tree used in tamagushi, a traditional Shinto offering to the gods. Tamagushi was made by decorating a sakaki tree with zigzag-shaped paper streamers known as shide.
Mistilteinn : Translated as “mistletoe”, Mistileteinn is the sword of the Icelandic hero Hrómundr Gripsson from the saga of the same name. Hrómundr used it to kill the Swedish champion Helgi the Valiant during a Swedish invasion of Iceland.
Nirvana : Nirvana is an enlightened state of mind that is described as devoid of desire, aversion, and delusion in traditional Buddhism.
Prester : Also known as a prebyster, a prester is a leader of local Christian congregations, synonymous with priest.
Seraph Cane : Seraphs are the highest order of angel in Christian angelic hierarchy.
Thyrus : Also known as a thyrsus, a thyrus is a wand or staff of giant fennel covered in ivy vines and topped with a pine cone. It is most often associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of hard partying.
Yagrush : In Phoenicion mythology, Yagrush was one of two clubs used by the chief god Baal to defeat the rebellious sea god Yam.
“Baldur” weapons: Named after the Norse god Baldr. The old Norse word ‘Baldr’ has multiple possible meanings from its roots including “lord”, “shining”, or “brave”.
“Kai” weapons: The suffix 改 means “improved” or “changed”.
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