Hey, so how do you chose which name to use for characters with different versions? I started wondering this after reading this month's drabble, the one with Geraint. Do you choose the more well known version?
Sorry I just finished the Mabinogion and started Chrรฉtien, so reading Geraint there really made me think ๐
All things being equal, I generally go with the more well known version of the name/character. That's why we have Isolde in OKS instead of Iseult or Essylt etc.
That said, all things aren't always equal. If I've got a personal bias for a variation of the name, I'll sometimes go with that, which is why OKS has Morgana even though Morgan le Fay is the more common spelling now. (But growing up, "Morgana" was much more popular in the pop media I read/watched, so... ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ Also, it's interesting to note that a lot of the other Arthurian IFs use "Morgana" as well like Bastard of Camelot, Arthurian Tale: Camelot, Guenevere etc... maybe for a similar reason?)
Also, mentioned in the *Comment of Merlin's Guide
*Comment 'Cameliard' is probably slightly more popular spelling than 'Carmelide', but my brain refuses to parse that as anything except Camelizard (Camel Lard?), so we're not doing that.
No Camel Lizards!
OKS also tends to favor the OG Welsh version of the tales over the later English & Continental romances.
So, when it comes to Geraint vs Erec
"Geraint" + Enid gets 297k hits. "Erec" + Enide only gets 116k.
Geraint is the Welsh version of the tale
Geraint is what he was called when I was reading Arthurian classics as a kid. I actually had more stories about him than Tristan. (Not sure if that's a USA vs European thing. Tristan's tales seem really big over on the continent)
"Geraint" just sounds more old-timey Arthurian to me than "Erec"/"Erik"
Erec really stood no chance here.
