#Warrior Names

[bonefall]

Clan Culture: Names and Titles

A guide to the meaning behind warrior names in Better Bones, including when a kit receives their first suffix, what happens in the case of a conflict, and honor and dishonor titles.

Edit 1: More added to FAQ!

Clan cats ferociously value their titles through life. It is a symbol of their honor, the proof of their rank, and a sign that they are a blessed warrior of their Clan.

Famously, a warrior name consists of a prefix, and a suffix. The prefix is given by their kin, and the suffix changes at least three times within their lives. The first, -kit, is given when a kitten sees their first full moon with opened eyes. The second, -paw, is given at their apprenticeship ceremony. The last is awarded after completing their Warrior Assessment, as written in Law 12 of the Warrior Code.

Once a Clan cat has a suffix, to leave it out of their name is ONLY done by family, else it is a sign of open disrespect for their rank. To respectfully shorten a Warrior's name, one sound from the prefix and one from the suffix are combined.

Squirrelflight = Squilf / Pishkafsheek = Pishee

Hallowflight = Hawf / Shahafniooaw = Shaw

In Clanmew, some names can get quite long! The full title only has to be used during sacred ceremonies, so that StarClan will gaze down upon the warrior using their name as a vector. Nicknames are common; a full name is a holy incantation.

(Though, this works both ways. Some enemy warriors make a point to use the full name when they cuss you out in battle, so StarClan can watch them beat you up. It's especially funny when they do this and then get their ass kicked.)

Below the cut;

Fading Kits; The Promised Name and the First Name.

Journey to the Moonplace; Conflicts and Leader Choices

Pride and Shame; Honor and Dishonor Titles

FAQ

Fading Kits; The First Name and Prefixes.

It is a part of life, for cat parents of all cultures, that they will have at least one kitten in a litter who does not live past their first month. It's so normal that it is not treated like a tragedy, it's as expected as afterbirth.

In Clan Culture, these are called "Fading Kits" or "Faders," and the same word is used for the 'twinkle' of a star. It is believed that Faders are StarClan Warriors who get "caught" during their delivery of the souls of the other kittens, and briefly fall to earth before fading away again.

They're thought to be family, in most cases! It would be very insulting to tell your grandfather that you don't recognize him, so, kittens are not "named" until it's clear they are not simply faders.

The first rank a Clan cat has is "kit." They are given this suffix, along with their official prefix, after they witness their first full moon with open eyes. It is believed that a Fader would not be able to gaze upon the moon without bursting into tears and dying on the spot, desperate to return to StarClan's hunting grounds. This title is called the "First Name."

(Jaykit was slightly delayed in receiving his First Name, as there was some debate that he could complete this ritual. The matter was settled by the Cleric, Leafpool, describing the moon to him in detailed prose to which the 3-week-old replied, "ok")

Prefixes are taken from just about anything that Clan cats are familiar with. Animals, colors, plants, so on. The reasons these names are picked can range from it being a good physical description, to having an abstract symbolic meaning, to being in honor of another cat.

While no word is "banned," there are names that carry social connotations. Thistles, wildfires, and honeysuckles have political implications. Cuckoo birds are referenced as an extreme insult. Cooked food used in a name would be considered extremely silly. Parents may be talked to if the names they pick are considered bad or 'not serious.'

If the First Name is ESPECIALLY bad, to the point of being abusive, the Clan might refuse to honor it. This is rare, and subjective based on the culture at the time.

Fading Kit: A kitten that dies without an obvious reason before its first moon. Extremely common and expected within a litter; not named.

First Name: The first prefix a Clan cat has, earned after witnessing their first full moon with opened eyes.

Journey to the Moonplace; Conflicts and Leader Choices

According to legend, the very first "True Names" were given to the five founders, after the First Battle. Upon each leader, their ancestors bestowed the fragment of a star, so that they too would be able to bless their warriors with holy titles of their own.

This is a sacred responsibility. A leader is expected to put immense thought and care into bestowing a name upon their warriors. Part of this process is checking with StarClan to ensure that there is no spirit with the exact same name. Full titles are holy, an incantation that means you. It's EXTREME disrespect, both to StarClan AND the warrior, to make them share the same title.

If a leader is about to see a conflict when they're being given their -star suffix, StarClan itself will give them a new prefix... but they will always honor a meaningful personal request.

Though they act as an extension of StarClan, every leader is unique in the sorts of names they give! For example, Mistystar likes to "theme" litters with matching or similar suffixes, Brokenstar would pick names that sounded threatening and cool, and Bluestar preferred 'straightforward' names.

To challenge the name that a warrior has been given is a challenge against the leader that named them. You're calling into question something that they have the sacred authority to do-- and possibly even saying that they don't have StarClan themselves on their side. It's a very serious thing to do in public.

According to Law 12 of the Warrior Code, all apprentices must do three things before they can be considered a warrior. The Assessment, The Pilgrimage, and The Vigil. These are called The First Tasks.

These are typically done in order. After passing the assessment, the apprentice goes on a trip with their leader to the Moonplace, which is the Moonstone in the Forest, and the Moonpool at the Lake. There, the leader communicates with StarClan to present the name they've chosen, and to make sure that no spirit shares it. When approved, they return to the Clan where the Warrior Name Ceremony is held and the vigil is sat.

A warrior's first vigil will last for 12 hours. Since Clan cats are crepuscular, the apprentice may choose if they want to sit for a Day Vigil, or a Night Vigil. They must stay quiet for this entire time, unless interrupted by an incoming threat.

(However, this is a value so strong it can permanently impact a young warrior. Stoneclaw sat vigil on the night of the WindClan Massacre, and watched ShadowClan warriors kill her sister, mother, and father. She found herself unable to speak ever again.)

True Name: The full title of an adult Clan cat.

The First Tasks: Three actions that an apprentice must complete before becoming a full warrior, as outlined in Law 12.

Pride and Shame; Honor and Dishonor Titles

A full name is a holy incantation, calling upon StarClan itself to turn its gaze upon the warrior it describes. When that name no longer properly encompasses who that warrior is, the leader might choose to change it.

For outstanding achievements, a cat can earn an Honor Title.

There's many ways to earn an Honor Title. An act of inspirational heroism (Hallowflight), a huge discovery or contribution to Clan life (Leafpool), or even surviving an extreme injury that should have been deadly (Honeysnake). It's also common for them to be given for distinctive scars and injuries (Shredtail, Crookedstar), which are a point of pride for Clan cats and their battle-oriented culture.

Because it's totally up to the discretion of the leader, there are certain times in history where they become common, and others where they're rare. Some leaders believe that the first warrior name should be simple to encourage the quest for an Honor Title, while others believe that they should be spontaneous and sacred rewards.

For a crime or a terrible sin, a cat can be branded with a Dishonor Title.

Like their counterpart, Dishonor Titles can be acquired in all sorts of ways. Usually, they're given for codebreaking behavior, so that the whole Clan will address them by their mistakes for a certain amount of time and see them as an example. Some cats will even specifically request that their leader gives them a Dishonor Title after a serious failure-- it is thought that while they live under the shameful title to repent, their true, "holy name" can hide away until their pride recovers enough to wear it again.

Dishonor Titles are not supposed to be permanent unless the crime was severe, such as Darkstripe's poisoning of Sorrelkit. Before being cast out of ThunderClan, Firestar renamed him Belladonnaheart for what he'd done-- it would have served the double purpose of calling StarClan to witness the exile, AND of warning other cats of WHY he'd been cast out.

(though, it was undercut immediately by Tigerstar, who renamed him as soon as he had the chance. Debate rages on if Tigerstar had the holy authority to do such a thing, and what the 'true name' of the spirit now is.)

But, Dishonor Titles can also be used in cruel ways. When Swiftpaw was killed by the dogs and it seemed like his cousin Brightpaw wouldn't survive, Bluestar furiously challenged StarClan by giving her the warrior name "Swifthound." They would take TWO swifts to the stars, or leave her alone to recover. This was a terrible thing to do, to turn her into a pawn in Bluestar's war with StarClan and force her to wear the guilt of the gruesome death of her cousin as a holy title.

TigerClan also used Dishonor Titles in a shocking and sickening way-- by changing Stormpaw and Featherpaw into Graypaw and Silverpaw, to remind them that their birth killed their codebreaking mother, and that their traitor of a father was not here to pay for his crimes, so they would instead. Mistyfoot and Stonefur were also forced to take the names Festerberry and Heartworm.

Honor Title: A reward given for outstanding achievements.

Dishonor Title: A punishment given for breaking the Warrior Code or committing a sin.

FAQ

Q: "On conflicts; if a cat earns an honor title or becomes leader, does their old name get 'freed up' for a new warrior?"

Yes! Conflicts only apply to the final name; though the names of famous cats will be avoided generally (Tigerstar, for example.)

Q: "When a spirit fades away, is their name freed up?"

Yep. StarClan won't protest if a spirit is fully faded or forgotten; but they still won't allow cats to share names with famous individuals. For example, Tigerstar had been double-killed by Firestar, but StarClan still renamed Tigerheart to Heartstar.

Q: "Are there any outright banned prefixes or suffixes?"

Nope. Just use in-universe judgement as mentioned above. Every leader is different, and cultural views of certain prefixes shifts over time.

Q: "If conflict names are so discouraged, how do they deal with conflicting kits and apprentices in StarClan?"

Young cats that reach StarClan are called "cherubs." They unlock a full title based on the cat they "should have become" in life, and choose the age they wish to appear as. Cherubs are very special spirits that I'll get into with more depth another time!

Q: "Do Fading Kits exist in StarClan? Do they take up a name slot?"

No. If they weren't just a "visiting" spirit, the soul is young and clean enough to get immediately re-used for another Clan cat. They're not named.

Q: "I have a question about Tigerstar's authority to change names!"

These are ambiguous cases even in-canon, and actively debated within Clans and between individuals. Tigerstar had a lot of lives from the Dark Forest after being outright rejected by StarClan, and many cats wanted to discredit his rule on top of that, leading to some fractures in how Tiger-Titles work supernaturally.

Stormfur's strongly-held personal beliefs lead to him still referring to Stonefur by his Dishonor Title. Most Clan cats believe that Darkstripe's true name is still Belladonnaheart, so using his old name doesn't properly summon him. The most important factor is if the cat in question believes they're correct.

Q: "Can Honor Titles and Dishonor Titles be revoked posthumously? Can true names change after death?"

Yes, but it's difficult and rare. Either the leader who set the name can do it, or there would need to be lakewide acceptance of such a thing through a ritual or the slow turn of memory through generations. This is more controlled by mortal cat perception than StarClan's will.

[pigeonpuddles]

so warrior cats is generally agreed to take place in Europe.

and y'know what's native to Europe? hamsters. you heard me right, Cricetus cricetus, or the European Hamster, is an endangered rodent native to large swaths of Eurasia.

Y'know what that means? hamster is a valid Warriors name.

hey guys this is my new OC Hamsterkit.

[warrior-names]

Edgy Warrior Prefixes & Suffixes

Return to your roots. Make cringe emo cats. etc.

50+ prefixes and 30+ suffixes under the cut!

Prefixes

A

Adder-

B

Bat-

Belladonna-

Black-

Bleeding-

Bone-

Broken-

C

Cold-

Crow-

D

Dark-

Dead-

Dusk-

E

Ebony-

Echo-

Eclipse-

Ember-

F

Fallen-

Fang-

Flea-

Foxglove-

Frozen-

H

Hemlock-

Holly-

Hornet-

I

Ice-

J

Jagged-

L

Lost-

M

Maggot-

Mandrake-

Moon-

N

Nettle-

Night-

Nightshade-

O

Oleander-

P

Poison-

Q

Quiet-

R

Rat-

Raven-

Red-

Rot-

Rotting-

S

Scarlet-

Scorpion-

Shade-

Sharp-

Shattered-

Silent-

Skull-

Snake-

Spider-

T

Tattered-

Thorn-

Torn-

V

Venom-

Viper-

W

Wasp-

Withered-

Y

Yew-

Suffixes

B

bite

bone

burn

C

claw

crush

cry

E

echo

F

fall

fang

frost

G

glare

H

heart

hiss

hope

howl

M

moon

S

scar

scratch

shade

slash

smoke

snap

snarl

spirit

sting

strike

T

tear

thorn

tooth

W

wail

whisper

[pinkpawsdrawswc]

Rating Warrior Cat Names Pt.3

Mothwing: 1/10 boring. Moths have wings. I get her mixed up with Moth Flight a lot.

Leafpool: 1000/10 shes calm and discovered the moonpool! Leaf suits her medicine cat-ness, which is very important to her story, and helps tie in with Firestar’s quest, which was written after she had her name. Just works so well in-universe.

Jayfeather: 8/10 I like Jay but the fact its to do with the colour of his blind eyes and not his pelt, which is also blue(ish), is ehhhh. Being named for Crowfeather is legit hilarious lol. Accidentally named after his deadbeat dad’s ex-gf.

Hollyleaf: 7/10 Leaf works very well in her connection to leafpool and ironic since she’s the least ok with it. Holly is cute and creates the fandom depiction of her. But im not a fan of them together. If i search a tag for Hollyleaf imma see a lotta leaves and not cats.

Lionblaze: 4/10 Blaze suits him ig but it sounds strange next to dove, jay, leaf, feather ect… Lion works well while he trains with Tigerstar but otherwise, Lionheart is the better Lion-

Part 1 | Part 4

[evilneo]

so true. is strawpelt. trump. <- absolutely fascinated by the warriorsification of us politics when i see it happen

YES Strawpelt is Trump (awful hair), Lotusthorn is Kamala (Kamala means lotus flower) and Joe is Robinblaze (middle name Robinette which means bright flame). yes i put thought into the names. yes i will warriorify any person you put into my inbox. heart emoji <3

[pinestripe37]

Since we're excited to finally (hopefully) find out their warrior names when Star is out...

Came up with a bunch of random ideas I hadn't thought of before! This is fun! :D

[rustycottoncandy]

I just realized that "Sweetheart" could be a possible warrior name if we follow the naming rules in Warrior Cats!!! It could realistically have been Spottedleaf's name due to her scent!

[cervidaecorpse]

What.

Knowing people, this is not even a weird name.

If your sergeant asks, why you brought your cat to the battle field. 

[summer-skye-64]

I gave the Undertale cast warrior cat names

Ft. Translations into clanmew, which is from @bonefall and @troutfur

Frisk - Kindlepaw (Kagnampwyr)

A former kittypet who joined the clans out of curiosity, Kindlepaw was named for their striking tortoiseshell markings (being brown with patches of deep, fiery ginger, the most prominent of which being a heart-shaped marking on their chest). However, they initially regretted their decision, thanks in part to their immense dislike for combat and hunting. Eventually, they found success in acting as a forager of sorts, successfully locating a bunch of prey and herbs during a particularly harsh leaf-bare. Full name will be the honor title Trailblaze (Shofiswarfyf, “path has burned”, after the fact that they managed to create their own path in the clan without learning how to hunt or fight or become a cleric).

Flowey/Asriel - Flowerpaw (Ponmapwyr)

A golden and white tom who seems to hate everyone and everything, Flowerpaw is the only surviving child of Lightseed and Loststar after an accidental forest fire. Having lost one of his legs and all of his siblings, he went from kind and loving to a jaded jerk. Thankfully, his mentor seems to be helping him through his issues, and he’s slowly been growing nicer over time. Full name will be Flowerbloom (Ponmamwar, “flower will bloom”, after the fact that he’s working through his trauma and the hope that he’ll be able to heal from it).

Toriel - Lightseed (Shayuhi’i)

A white molly with striking pink eyes, Lightseed was named for the fact that she was always interested in kits and tending to the nursery, to the point she immediately got with the first tom she liked and became a permanent queen. She had at least eight kits, spread across three separate litters. Unfortunately, she lost all but one of them in a fire her mate accidentally caused. She never forgave him for that, and even temporarily left the clan so that she could deal with her grief without having to see her ex-mate. She eventually returns with Kindlepaw, who she adopted once she processed everything.

Sans - Bluebone (Luparbaben)

A small and round cat who is quick to crack a joke, Bluebone was named for the bone-like markings on his fur. While he tends to laze around camp like he’s lived there forever, nobody knows exactly where he came from, and he’s always quick to dodge the question whenever anybody asks. Some theorize that he is kin of the disappeared cleric Boneberry (Babenlepe), given their resemblance, but nothing has ever been confirmed. He mentors Kindlepaw, teaching them about the things clan cats do besides hunt and fight.

Papyrus - Redbone (Reybaben)

A tall and lanky cat, Redbone was named for his bone-like markings just like his brother. Unlike his brother, he’s always looking for work to do, whether it’s around camp or all throughout the territory. Part of this is likely to come from the fact that he was made a warrior late due to failing his first assessment. Despite that, he always tries to keep a positive outlook on things no matter what, believing that even the worst cats can change. This is why he was given Flowerpaw to mentor, much to everyone’s (including his own) surprise.

Undyne - Scaleclaw (Weeshkach)

A blue and ginger tortoiseshell with a large scar on her face, Scaleclaw is the current deputy. Fiercely loyal to Loststar, she is quick to lose her temper and attack, even without orders. This gets tempered whenever she’s with Redbone, an odd friendship born when they were both just kits. She’s been given a dishonor title previously for her temper, though (Floodstrike, or Worrlkubo, for how she tended to attack indiscriminately and ruined a diplomatic visit because of it).

Alphys - Lichenheart (Aweewababun)

A small golden cat, Lichenheart is currently the only cleric, having taken over after the disappearance of Boneberry. However, her connection to StarClan is incredibly weak, to the point that she often fakes signs to make herself look more skilled than she actually is. Her biggest shame is getting a large number of her clanmates killed with one of her false signs, though because she’s the only cleric she’s too afraid to come forward with the worry she’ll be forced to step down and leave her clan without one. However, she’s technically already breaking the Cleric���s Vow by being in a secret relationship with Scaleclaw.

Mettaton - Halfmask (Kanochpihaba)

A tall, silver tom with distinctive black markings (the most prominent of which being one covering half of his face) and quite a few scars, Halfmask is a very handsome tom. Being a former outsider, he was invited to join by Lichenheart, who created a set of leg braces for him due to the fact that he was having a hard time walking without being fully paralyzed. He’s definitely quite the showoff, especially after discovering that he was incredibly attractive by clan standards. That being said, he’s also incredibly loyal, often being the first to leap into action during a crisis.

Asgore - Loststar (Mwiskshai)

The current leader of the clan. Despite his imposing size and heavy scarring, Loststar is really a big old softy with a heart of gold. He used to be called Goldfluff (Rreenpfefi), the kind deputy and mate of Lightseed. However, when he was trying to get a cooking fire started, he somehow managed to set his tail on fire. In his panic, he causes the fire to spread and ends up destroying the entire camp and killing most of his children (as well as the leader). As penance, he takes on the name Loststar as a self imposed dishonor title when he claims his nine lives. He doesn’t blame Lightseed for leaving, nor does he get upset upon seeing her come back with Kindlepaw.

[conarcoin]

is homestuck a valid warrior cats name or am i a circus of clowns

sigh. yes, homestuck is a valid warrior name.

[bonefall]

would someone name their child "Terracottakit" i bring this up because i remembered cats can be named after tools in BB and i have to know

Yes, Terracottakit is a valid BB name! More tool and expansion names for everyone who wants to use them;

Prefixes/Valid baby names that won't culturally prompt a "bit odd innit?":

(So no foods)

Linen

Leather

Stitch

Wicker

Paint

Pigment

Ball

Turtle is the same word for bowl in Clanmew, because turtles are not native and ALWAYS turned into bowls when caught. Bowl/dish/plate/turtle is a valid prefix.

Cloth

Pawn (this word actually comes from nuts and acorns, funny enough. The etymology of pawn is super interesting)

Rope

Timber (canon name also)

Suffixes/Names that could hit like Honor Titles for skilled artisans, depending on the leader.

Bettle (to turn toxic or unpalatable things edible through processing)

Breaker (usually flax-related)

Weaver

Spinner

Charm

Carve (Snowkit's angelic name is Snowcarve)

Dye

Snare (as in trapping)

Net

Anyway. Fidgetspinner valid BB warrior name.

[clanslist]

Poll: Ravenpaw’s Warrior Name

Ravenpaw left the Clans before he could take a warrior name, even rejecting the offer much later in life. In a case where he stayed, what do you think Bluestar would’ve named him?

Vote Here!

[warrior-names]

Warrior Prefixes: White Cats

Words that aren’t derived from things found in North America or Europe aren’t included.

60+ prefixes under the cut!

A

Allium-

Aspen-

Aster-

B

Birch-

Blizzard-

Blossom-

C

Chamomile-

Chickweed-

Cloud-

Clover-

D

Daffodil-

Daisy-

Dogwood-

Dove-

E

Egret-

Ermine-

F

Feather-

Flower-

Flurry-

Frost-

Frozen-

G

Goat-

Goose-

H

Hare-

Hellebore-

Hemlock-

Honeysuckle-

I

Ice-

L

Laurel-

Lily-

Lotus-

M

Magnolia-

Milk-

Moon-

Moth-

Myrtle-

P

Parsley-

Pearl-

Petal-

Poplar-

Q

Quartz-

R

Rabbit-

S

Sage-

Salt-

Sheep-

Shell-

Snow-

Stoat-

Swan-

T

Tulip-

Y

Yarrow-

[pinkpawsdrawswc]

Rating Warrior Cat Names

Fireheart: 10/10 THE warrior cat. He is passionate, like a firey heart. Also implications of Bluestar naming him for Oakheart.

Greystripe: 4/10 He’s grey. He has a stripe. Boring. It was originally 5 but I deducted a point because they changed it to Graystripe later.

Tigerclaw: 9/10 Gives both a good idea of his appearance and personality. I think they gave him large claws just so it matched his name but it suits him so its fine.

Yellowfang: 2/10 It’s good for the original series but becomes confusing later. Why is that her name when she’s young? Would’ve been better if Brokenstar had renamed her Yellowfang out of spite.

Ravenpaw: 8/10 Raven gives the idea of a small, black bird. Good stuff. Since he never receives his warrior name it makes him seem small forever. Works for the original series, but in any other arc he’d be forgotten amongst the ’paws.

Part 2

[wc-confessions]

Are you guys still taking warriors names?

we are!

here is the post which tells you how to get one.

~ mod lichenbark