[NR] Northern name--ownership question

[Jennifer Smith]

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 4:41 PM,  <barrett1 at cox.net> wrote:
> We are still in the midst of deciding if we (a sizable majority) want to have a distinct name. I think that will continue to be discussed for some time.
>
> However, if we do, what about this?
>
> A.) Have the people vote to determine the top five names.
> B.) See how many of those names can be registered, and register them all as multiple titles for the Regional Herald.
> C.) Vote on those registered names, and release the others when the final name is chosen by the people.

The attempt to register multiple things with the intent of "saving
them for future use" and the like is generally seen as cluttering the
heraldic space, and strongly discouraged by the College of Arms.
Speaking as Star Principal Herald, I would be very adverse to this
idea, and would counsel my successors likewise.

> What, if anything, we chose to do with that registered heralds title in the future would be a different discussion. If we do wish to apply it further, it would be ours to use.

Well, speaking more properly, as a heraldic title it would be the Star
Principal Herald's decision as to how it's used. If anything is
registered with this sort of future use in mind, though, I don't see a
problem.

The point about just using a name and not registering it is a very
good one; there is, in fact, no reason to register a name at all,
until and unless things get far more official. It would, however, be
much nicer to have a register*able* name, as getting all fired up and
married to a name that turns out to be entirely unregisterable isn't
very fun at all when you do go to register it. Names are a very
personal thing, and I expect a regional name to be little different.
Speaking as a consulting herald, it might be best to come up with
several *possible* names, focusing more on what they're supposed to
mean or refer to, and a more general idea of the language of the name,
rather than the exact language and form. That would then give the name
gurus a solid starting point, and they could more easily come back
with a list of potential registerable names. Keep in mind that what
makes a period name pattern in one language may not make a period name
pattern in another language, so merely doing a translation may or may
not produce something usable.

There's no rush. :)

-Emma