As an open-world dark fantasy RPG with lore written by George R.R. Martin and gameplayenvisioned by Hidetaka Miyazaki, Elden Ringis rich with symbolism and implication, a "show, not tell" narrative experience players are encouraged to decipher as they explore, fight, die, and resurrect. One interestingsource of symbolism in Elden Ring is the names the game's creators have given to Demigods, champions, and other major NPCs. Some of the characters have purely made-up fantasy names, while the names of others have roots in old languages like Anglo-Saxon and meanings fittingto the characters who bear them.
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Authors of fantasy fiction and developers of fantasy video games have a well-deserved reputation for giving their main characters exotic-sounding names in order to give their worlds a more old-fashioned feel. J.R.R. Tolkien, philologist and author of theLord Of The Rings trilogy, went the extra mile and fashioned names for characters derived from thecustom languages and writing systemshe created for his Elves and Dwarves. In contrast, R.A. Salvatore, author of several books set in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons & Dragons, made up the namefor his iconic Dark Elf Ranger character,Drizzt Do'Urden, on the spot during a phone call with his editor,inadvertently starting a trend in fantasy fiction where authors gave their characters names with too many syllables and apostrophes.
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George R.R. Martin,writer of the grim fantasy saga calledA Song Of Ice And Fire,is an author who tries to give his stories a realistic feel, but doesn't let historical facts get in the way of telling a good story. Hidetaka Miyazaki, lead designer for games like Dark Souls and current president of the Japan-based FromSoftware studio,drew from the cultures and trappings of Medieval Europe when designing the fantasy setting of Elden Ring,but also likely prioritized aesthetic appeal over historical accuracy. Even so, many of themedieval-sounding names Game of Thrones author Martin and FromSoft's Miyazaki gave to key Elden Ring characters have strangely appropriate meanings in the ancient languages theyoriginated from.
Meaning Of Elden Ring Demigod Names Like Godrick, Godwyn, & Godfrey
In theworld of Elden Ring, there are many Demigod rulers and champions whose names have the "God" prefix - only appropriate considering the divineconnection they have to the sky-spanning Erdtree. The two most noteworthy "god-children" mentioned in Elden Ringare Godwyn the Golden, whose death in the Night of the Black Knives heralded the cataclysmic wars of the Shattering, and Godrick of Stormveil, a runt of a Demigod whografted the flesh of monsters and heroes onto himself in order to attain the strength of his kin. Both of these Demigods seem to bechildren(or at least direct descendants) of Queen Marika's first consort, Godfrey the First Elden Lord, who established the golden age of the Erdtree, only to be stripped of his grace and exiled as one of the first Tarnished.
Each of these "god-prefix" Elden Ring Demigod names has roots in old Germanic languages, including the old Anglo-Saxon dialects core to modern English. The name "Godrick" is a combination of the Anglo-Saxon word for "God" (unchanged to this day) and "ric," meaning "ruler" or "mighty." The similar Anglo-Saxon name "Godwyn," also spelled as"Godwin" or "Godwine," translates to"Friend Of God" a fitting sobriquet for a divine champion famousfor defeating and befriending an ancient dragonlord. Godfrey, thefirst Elden Lord, has a name with Germanic roots that roughly means "Peace of God" according to the Posopography Of Anglo-Saxon England- an ironic title for a fearsome warrior, but an appropriate one for a champion who brought about a new age of prosperity.
What Elden Ring Names LikeRennala, Radagon, Radahn, Rykard, & Ranni Mean
If Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, fathered one major lineage of divine champions, then an equally prestigious bloodline of Demigods was birthed through the union of two great rulers - Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon and leader of the Glintstone Sorcerers at Raya Lucaria, and the red-headed Radagon, a Demigod champion of the Golden Order who harbored a strange secret.According to Miriel, Pastor of Vows (agiant turtle NPC in Elden Ring) Rennala and Radagon met on the field of battle, forged a peace between their respective nations, and became husband and wife, together birthing three Demigod children with tragic destinies and "R" prefixed names.
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Unlike the Demigod children of Lord Godfrey, Rennala, Radagon, and their children seem to have more fantastical names with no direct root in ancient languages. The name Radagon does sound similar to the feminine name "Radgund" (Ancient Germanic for "Counsel of War"), while Ranni, the disembodied Snow Witch, has a name similar to the real-life "Rani" (which can mean "Queen" in Sanskrit or "To Sing" in Hebrew). Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy, has an archaic-sounding version of the name Richard, old Germanic for "brave ruler"; both theserpentine Lord Rykard in Elden Ring and Godrick the Grafted share the "Ric" element in their name - aperhaps-unintentional nod to how both Demigods turned themselves into monstrous beings. General Radahn - both a fearless warlord and sentimental softy who mastered gravitational sorcery so his giant body wouldn't burden his favorite horse - has a name similar to Radovan, Rada, Radojka, and other sobriquets from Slavic languages - the "Rad" element of these titles roughly translates to "happy/willing."
Etymology Of Elden Ring Names Like Marika, Malenia, Mohg, & Morgott
Fantasy author George R.R. Martin, approached by FromSoftware to help with world-building and create Elden Ring's origin myths, has said he didn't choose to give Elden Ring characters namesto matchhisown initials. There is, however, a significant pronunciation pattern in the names certain lineages are given in FromSoftware's open-world RPG. The Demigod offspring of Marika and Godfrey have names starting with "God–." The children of Radagon and Rennala have names starting with "R." Finally, many of the Omen characters in Elden Ring – Morgott, the Omen King and Mohg, Lord of Blood in particular – have names starting with M. Morgott and his persona "Margitt, the Fell Omen" have both been jokingly referred as "Margaret" by members of the Elden Ring fanbase; the name of Margaret, which means "Pearl" in Ancient Greek, seems to have no link to Mohg, Margitt/Morgott or the other Omens, a clan of humanoids withhorns, tails, and other mutated growths on their bodies.
Malenia the Severed, Blade of Miquella, a Valkyrie afflicted with a contagious Scarlet Rot, became the mascot of Elden Ringin all but name back when its premiere trailer was released. Post release, Malenia's reputation changed, and she became known asone of Elden Ring's most challenging bosses– less a Goddess of Rot, and more a Goddess of "Rage Quit." For all the weight and significanceMalenia has in the game and story, neither her name, nor the name of her patron Miquella,seem to correspond toany modern or historic names (the name of the Goddess Malenia in Elden Ringdoes sound similar to the ancient Greek word Melania, meaning "black" or "dark," but otherwise lack any etymological link).
The name of Queen Marika, the goddess of the Erdtree whosedisappearance is the greatest mystery of Elden Ring, has a much more interesting etymological root. Inseveral real-world cultures, Marika is a diminutive of "Mary" or "Maria," a name most famously associated with the Virgin Maryrevered in both Christianity and Islam. In the Bible's New Testament, Mary, through immaculate conception, gave birth to the son of God, who was later crucified by the authorities of the Roman Empire. InElden Ring, Marika, progenitor of Demigods, is depicted with arms spread wide in many of the statues players can find while exploring the open world – a posture with parallels to crucifixion imagery.
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Sources: The Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England,
FAQs
What are the names in Elden Ring based on? ›
All of Elden Ring's main gods and demigods have names that start with one of George R.R. Martin's initials.
Why do Elden Ring characters have similar names? ›Repetitive names or phrases are often for familiarity so that readers/players/viewers can keep characters in mind. With Elden Ring, though, it's easy to confuse Godfrey the first Elden Lord for Godrick for Godwyn, but this is to help players understand the divine lineage of these characters.
What is the significance of a character's name? ›But it's important, because naming your character helps your reader build up a picture of who the character is. Novels, films, and TV series often reference the name of the principal character in their title ― think about “Jack Reacher”, “Endeavour”, “Poirot”.
What does the name Rennala mean? ›In Latin Baby Names the meaning of the name Renella is: Rebirth.
Is Radagon a real name? ›The Radagon family name was found in the UK in 1891. In 1891 there was 1 Radagon family living in Lancashire. This was 100% of all the recorded Radagon's in United Kingdom.
What does the name radahn mean? ›Meaning of Radhan: Name Radhan in the Indian origin, means Satisfaction; A name derived from the name Radha which means prosperity in Sanskrit. Name Radhan is of Indian origin and is a Boy name.
Why are Margit and Morgott similar? ›Margit, Morgott, and Mohg are three Omens—beings who were born “hideously” and are cast away to the sewers, often being considered signs of bad things to come—and players may face each of these characters in Elden Ring. Margit and Morgott are non-optional Elden Ring bosses, but facing Mohg IS up to the player.
What is the god name in Elden Ring? ›The demigod was Godwyn and the Omens were Mohg and Morgott. Godwyn the Golden was famous for defeating the dragons and gaining their respect. However, he was also the first demigod to ever die. He was assassinated in the Night of Black Knives through the actions of his half-sister, Ranni.
Why does Godfrey change his name Elden Ring? ›He was given the Beast Regent Serosh to control his urge for battle and his bloodlust, and his name was changed to Godfrey in order to complete his new identity not as a warrior, but as an Elden Lord.
What does the name Margit mean? ›Meaning:pearl. Margit is a girl's name meaning "pearl" that is a variant of the Greek name Margaret.
What does Mimir's name mean? ›
Origin:Scandinavian. Meaning:The wise one. Mimir is a boy's name of Scandinavian origin. During the war between the Vanir and Aesir in Norse mythology, Mimir was beheaded by the Vanir keeping him hostage and his head was used as a message to the Aesir.
What does Olena name mean? ›Olena, Olenna (Ukrainian: Олена) is a Ukrainian variant of the feminine name Helen. It is of Greek origin and means "sun ray" or "shining light".
Why is Marika called Radagon? ›Radagon is her second spouse and Elden Lord, a red-headed champion who mastered magic and incantations. All of this is well known and communicated to players early on, but what is less well known is the fact that Radagon and Marika are one and the same.
Is Radagon ranni's father? ›Lunar Princess Ranni is the daughter of Radagon, a champion of the Golden Order, and Queen Rennala, head of both the Carian Royal Family and the Academy of Raya Lucaria. She had two siblings, Radahn and Rykard.
Is Melina daughter of Radagon? ›There are hints in the game suggesting that Melina is another child of Radagon and Marika: The Naming Convention; most siblings in the lands between share the first letter of their name, Melina/Malenia/Miquella would be no exception to this rule.
What kind of name is Blaidd? ›The name Blaidd is boy's name meaning "wolf". A half-man, half-wolf character in the Elden Ring video game franchise bears this name, which fittingly is the Welsh word for "wolf".
What does the name Ciarán mean? ›Origin:Irish. Meaning:black; little dark one. Ciaran is a gender-neutral baby name of Irish origin.
What does Kieran mean in Celtic? ›Kieran means “little dark one” or “black-haired.” Borne by Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, this famous Christian Bishop is said to be one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland. The name Ciarán is said to have existed in the Irish language for over 1,500 years, a truly timeless moniker!
What gender is Margit? ›Margit is a feminine given name, a version of Margaret.
Is Margit Godrick brother? ›Later into Elden Ring, it is revealed that Margit the Fell Omen is the false identity of Margott the Omen King, a sibling of Godrick's and a fellow Shardbearer.
Is Margit The Omen King? ›
Morgott, The Omen King, also known as Morgott the Grace Given, is a Demigod Boss in Elden Ring. Morgott is the true identity of Margit, the Fell Omen, and the self-proclaimed "Last of All Kings".
Is ranni a god? ›Ranni the Witch, also known as Renna, is a supporting character in the 2022 video game, Elden Ring. She also serves as the deuteragonist of her own quest line. She is a four-armed witch that happens to be the demigod daughter of Radagon and Rennala, making her the sister of Radahn and Rykard.
Is Melina a demigod Elden Ring? ›Queen Marika, mother of demi-gods, is Melina's mother, making Melina a demi-god and, therefore, Ranni's sister.
Is Godrick a child of Godfrey? ›It is implied that Godrick is not actually a direct child of Godfrey and Marika, but instead a descendant as he is described by many to have a "distant relation" with "diluted blood." He also refers Godfrey and his lineage as his forefathers.
What is Godfreys lion called? ›The lion, Godfrey's companion named Serosh, has the appearance of Stand from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the otherworldly helpers who fight alongside characters starting in the show and manga's third part.
Is Morgott a child of Godfrey? ›Early Life. Morgott was born of the Golden Lineage, the offspring of the first Elden Lord, Godfrey and Queen Marika, and was the twin brother of Mohg.
What does the name Eilean mean? ›Origin:Gaelic. Meaning:Of Eilean Bàn; Of White Isle.
What does the name ysabeau mean? ›Origin of Ysabeau
A Spanish variant form of Elisabeth (God is my oath).
Girl. Invented by J. R. R. Tolkien, Galadriel takes aspects from the Sindarin and Quenya languages of Middle-earth, and means "maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance".
Why is Atreus named? ›Atreus of Sparta was a young soldier who fought alongside Kratos during many wars. Many years after his death, Kratos would name his son after the warrior.
What does the name Atreus? ›
Origin:Greek. Meaning:Fearless. In Greek mythology, Atreus is the father of King Agamemnon and king of Mycenae.
What does the name Vidarr mean? ›Vidar is a man's name from the Old Norse Víðarr, a composite of the words for "forest" and "warrior". In Norse mythology, Vidar is the son of Odin and the giantess Grid. At Ragnarök, he avenges his father's death by killing the Fenris wolf.
What does the name anora mean? ›Meaning:honor. Anora is a girl's name of Latin origin. This name is another form of the name Annora, which is a traditional name that translates to “honor”.
What does the name erynn? ›Erynn as a girl's name is of Gaelic origin meaning "Ireland".
What does the name Tylen? ›The name Tylen is boy's name meaning "maker of tiles".
What are GR and M names in Elden Ring? ›But the main four, as noted by PC Gamer, are Godfrey, Rennala, Radagon, and Marika. Their initials combine into G.R.R.M, not unlike George Raymond Richard Martin.
What do the letters mean in Elden Ring? ›If a sword has a letter next to the strength icon, it means the more damage you will inflict with that particular sword. Order of the letters: the scaling is divided into the letters S, A, B, C and D. It is important to be clear that S is the best, while D is the worst.
Why does Elden Ring have so many M names? ›It's because royal families in human history often like having similar names. All the characters you named except Miriel (as far as I know) are related.
Who is God in Elden Ring? ›The Fell God is a deity of fire in Elden Ring, mainly associated with one of its most powerful bosses: the Fire Giant. The Fire Giant that players encounter as a boss in Elden Ring is the last of his kind, an ancient race that lived in the Mountaintops of the Giants region.
Who is the coolest character in Elden Ring? ›- 8 Milicent.
- 7 Sellen.
- 6 Iron Fist Alexander.
- 5 Rya.
- 4 Goldmask.
- 3 Blaidd.
- 2 Melina.
- 1 Ranni.
Who is the half God in Elden Ring? ›
The Demigods are major antagonists of the 2022 video game, Elden Ring. They are the children and descendants of Marika and Radagon.
What does hugging the maiden do? ›If you hug the maiden, you'll receive Baldachin's Blessing, a consumable item uses FP to temporarily increase Poise. She may tempt you in with her shtick – "Great champion, would you allow me to hold you, but briefly?" – but you actually get a little debuff after this rare moment of tenderness.
What does hugging the girl in Elden Ring do? ›Elden Ring Fia's Hug Debuff Explained
This indicates a reduction in your HP. It's a small reduction of 5%, but it can still make a difference in most encounters, especially challenging ones such as the Margit and Godrick boss fights. The debuff isn't permanent, though.
Dexterity (DEX) is a Main Attribute that primarily allows the wielding of Dexterity-based Armaments (Weapons). It also acts as the primary modifier that influences the damage dealt by such weapons.
Is Radagon a boy or girl Elden Ring? ›Radagon is the male "other self" of Queen Marika and former husband of Queen Rennala. As Marika's King Consort, he would became the second Elden Lord.
Is Melina a demigod? ›Queen Marika, mother of demi-gods, is Melina's mother, making Melina a demi-god and, therefore, Ranni's sister.
Is Ranni good or evil? ›The Fingers and Ranni are in direct opposition, but neither one is “good” or “evil”; the former seeks to maintain the status quo (quite like keeping the Flame alight in Dark Souls' ending), while the latter wants something brand new for everyone who's suffering as a result of said status quo.
Do you fight Miquella? ›Since players never fight Miquella, it makes sense why his Great Rune is never used, but it seems as though there was once a version of the game in which Miquella had a greater presence. Elden Ring is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.