What to name a summoner?

This entry is a response to, and is inspired by, a world broadcast early this morning by player estrellante on Cervantes server.

The broadcast asked: What's a good name for Catherine the Summoner?

Well, following the in-game trend of naming RNPCs with some derivative, diminutive, or other form of their previously given names, let's look first at the derivatives, diminutives, and other-language forms of the name Catherine.

According to Wikipedia, the earliest known form of the name is Katherine. This is an originally Greek name, and it had several meanings:

- "each of the two", "singly"
- from the name of the Greek underworld goddess Hecate
- possibly "injurious treatment"

The Romans then began to spell the name as Katharina/Katharine, with a meaning of "pure". This meaning is now the most associated with the name.

Funny how Catherine the Summoner is often described as a clean slate. And what's a related word to clean? Why, pure, of course.

Both Katharina and Katharine are now being used in current times as names; their French version is Catherine.

Other forms of the name include:
Czech - Kateřina
Russian - Yekaterina
Irish/English - Caitlin
Danish/Norwegian/German/English - Karen and derivatives
Irish/English - Kathleen and derivatives
German/Swedish/Hungarian/Croatian/Serbian/Slovene/Lithuanian - Katarina and derivatives
English/German/Swedish/Dutch - Katrina and derivatives
English - Kaylee [shiny!]

[from behindthename.com]

When I saw estrellante's server broadcast, though, the first name that popped into my mind pretty much marked me off as a geek: I PM'ed her [thanks to Arcleaumont] with the suggestion Yunalesca.

The first associated thing for some people when they hear the word "summoner" are the Square-Enix games Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, in which one of the main roles is played by Summoner Yuna.

According to the game, Yuna was named by her father, High Summoner Braska, after the first High Summoner, Lady Yunalesca. In addition, the name Yuna is of Okinawan origin and means "night".

Other summoners in Final Fantasy X and X-2 are:
Female - Summoner Dona, Lady Ginnem, High Summoner Yunalesca, Summoner Lenne
Male - Summoner Isaaru, Father Zuke, High Summoner Braska, Yu Yevon

Other summoners in the Final Fantasy games are:
Rydia of Final Fantasy IV
Garnet Til Alexandros XVII/Dagger/Sarah and Eiko Carol of Final Fantasy IX

There, I hope I've given you some suggestions on what to name your treasured summoner-doll, once you've obtained her that is. ^^