SWITCHABLE LETTERS
VOWELS
A, AU and O
French é and Roman AE
Césaire from Caesarius
E or É and AI or AY
Particularly noticeable in adapting Elezen names from real French (not always but often) but also between variants of French names.
I think it may be either using or mimicking older spellings, e.g. compare the progression of Old French fraisne, Middle French fresne, modern French frêne
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fraisne#Old_French https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fresne https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fr%C3%AAne#French
(Lots of spelling variants listed under "fraisne"; could be a rabbit-hole in itself treating them as endings that can be applied interchangeably to names with those spellings.)
EU and OU
French Leu, variant of Loup
https://www.behindthename.com/name/leu/submitted
French OU and Roman U
French Loup from Roman Lupus
CONSONANTS
B and L
I am not sure if there is real-world precedent for this, but it seems to have been done in creating certain Elvaan names from French: e.g. French Beauté, Beaumont seem to become Elvaan Leaute, Leaumont.
B and M
Latin Iacobus and variant Iacomus, from which we get English names Jacob and James
B and P
Late Roman Brancatius corrupted from Pancratius
https://www.behindthename.com/name/brancatius/submitted
C and T
Elvaan names seem to sometimes favour T where French would use C – e.g. Lutia possibly over Lucia
Direct import of Ancient Roman Lucretia instead of French Lucrèce / Gascon Lucrècia
Real example: Belgian French Mutien from Roman Mucianus.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/mutien/submitted
D and S – found in some Occitan names, e.g.
Languedocian Benaset (Benedict)
https://www.behindthename.com/name/benaset/submitted
F and H
Hauquet m Medieval Occitan, Gascon (Archaic): Variant of Fauquet.
Medieval Occitan Hòrt (form of Fòrt)
F and P
Arthurian Faramon, variants include Peremont
https://www.behindthename.com/name/faramon/submitted
I and Y
Compare Iolanda, Iolantha, Iolente to Yolande, Yolane, Yolanta
L and U
Albéric vs Aubéric
INITIAL EL vs L
French Éléonard, variant of Léonard
French Éléonore vs Éléonie vs Léonie
ADDED "I"
A recurring transformation from French to Elezen names is adding an extra "i" after some vowels, e.g. French Constant becomes Elezen Constaint.
May or may not overlap with switching E for AI
Some examples in actual French:
French surname Champaigne as a variant of Champagne
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...igne/submitted
VANISHING "S"
Seems to be a thing between older and newer French words/names
Estienne becomes Etienne
Chastelain becomes Châtelain
Castle becomes Château
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...lain/submitted
NORMAN OR PROVENÇAL EXTRA A
French Clémentine vs archaic Provençal Clementaina
French Félicité vs Norman Félicitaé
NORMAN EXTRA U
Norman Aungélina vs French Angeline
Norman Counstauntin vs French Constantin
(haven't checked whether this happens in all cases or just sometimes. Uncertain whether it's about different ways of representing the same pronunciation or if that diverged as well.)
SILENT H after T
French Clothilde vs Clotilde
Elezen Gaethan vs French Gaetan (it's possible the Elezen name is directly borrowing a different variant of the real name)
CH vs H vs [drop the letter]
Childebert vs Hildebert
Chlothar vs Lothar
Swapping of AIN and IN, and feminine forms AINE and INE
Swap endings CE or SE for T in male names
Some Latin names ending in masculine "tius" or feminine "tia" convert to ending in "ce" in French; other times "tius" simply becomes "t" – e.g. Ignace from Ignatius but Florent from Florentius (with Florence being the feminine counterpart). You can find examples of both these forms by browsing French names with the relevant endings *ce and *t.
Therefore I
think this means "ce" and "t" can be interchangeable endings for creating your own variants of existing male names.
Possibly also SE endings – e.g. Elvaan name Ambrotien vs Latian Ambrosius / French Ambroise. (Might be a matter of switching to T in combination with the IEN; compare again the Floren* group of names with "big" forms (M/F) Florent/Florence but diminutives Florentin/Florentine.)
https://www.behindthename.com/submit...ch/pattern/*ce
https://www.behindthename.com/names/...nch/pattern/*t
SWAPPABLE ENDINGS
RI or RY and RIC (for names with Germanic-derived endings)
IC and IQUE (in some cases IC is masculine and IQUE feminine, but IQUE can also be masculine)
QUE and CQUE and ending with S
IEN, IAN, ION, EON
ACE and ASSE and possibly AT
SILENT FINAL CONSONANT
D, T or X after a vowel, sometimes S after a consonant (at least I think that's the pattern)
It seems they get regularly switched around, dropped or added to names.
DIMINUTIVES
Part of the base name may be deleted before adding the diminutive – e.g. Medieval French Robinet, Robin are diminutives of Robert
NAME ENDINGS
-AGE, -AUGE, -EGE, -OGE
Elvaan masculine (15M, 1F) – though IGE seems to be feminine (3F, 1M)
-AIE
Feminine ending for Elvaan and Elezen x 11
Elvaan F: Vuliaie, Norejaie, Veujaie, Colmaie, Gournaie, Colleraie, Chuaie
Elezen F: Lisellaie, Cherlinaie, Fleuraie, Alisaie
Might be intended to evoke French feminine names ending with "ée" since the accented é can't be used in the game.
In real names it is actually more balanced between masculine and feminine names:
https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/pattern/*aie
Separately, the entry for surname Duvernay says: "from Gaulish
vern meaning 'alder' combined with Latin
-etum, whence Modern French -aie" – which I think just means that older names spelt with AY are now AIE.
Similarly, English surname Delaney from Norman French de l'aunaie meaning "from the alder grove"
https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/delaney-1
-AILE, -AILLE
5 x AILE, 6 x AILLE, both are fairly even mixes of surnames and both genders
It's possible some of the AIs are supposed to be Es and this may affect intended pronunciation of the LL (usually silent after I in French), but I'm not sure of the rules here.
-AIN, -LAIN
Masculine ending for Elvaan/Elezen names, also in some surnames. Also in real French.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit...h/pattern/*ain
Total 52 names end in AIN; within this 19 with LAIN. Only a single name in this group is feminine (Elvaan Chantain, which should probably be Chantaine).
Names ending with LAIN could be attributed to being crossed with the French name Alain, but it seems like there are too many to credit to a single name.
Also AINT, LAINT, AINTS, AIMT, EINT
-AINE, -LAINE
https://www.behindthename.com/names/.../pattern/*aine
Common feminine ending for French names and correspondingly for Elvaan/Elezen; not used for French masculine names (generally -ain is masculine, -aine is feminine) except for Melaine as a form of Melanius and perhaps other similar Latin conversions not listed on BTN.
Surname Couffaine notes that the suffix -aine means “of/from a place”.
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...aine/submitted
Violaine is a real-world example of AINE being used as an elaboration of a feminine name (Viola + aine).
https://www.behindthename.com/name/violaine
ELEZEN USAGE OF AINE (including above): 17 x female (11 of these being LAINE); 3 x Duskwight surname doubling as male name; 3 x only used as male names BUT two of these are mashup names with the "aine" originating from a French surname.
-AIRE
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*aire
Primarily a masculine ending for both Elvaan and Elezen names. As in real French, it is also occasionally feminine, in which case there is usually a masculine counterpart without the final E; curiously, one of the two female Elvaan names in this group (Eulaclaire) is made up of two real examples (Eulaire and Claire).
Total 23
M 16
F 2
S 5
-AIS
Used 17 times total - Elvaan male names and Elezen mixed male and surnames.
Often but not always combined with a single recognisable name, eg. Lionnellais, Grillairmais (I suspect is a variant or corruption of Guillaume)
-AISE
Feminine x 3: Lidaise, Norlaise, Paise – plus unconfirmed gender name Caulaise
-AIX
In real names, used for two French surnames, one female Catalan name, one male Judeo-Provençal name.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/pattern/*aix
https://surnames.behindthename.com/s...s/pattern/*aix
In game, strongly but not exclusively masculine: total 26 uses as mix of male, surname and two female names
-ANCE, -ENCE
Can be a French feminine counterpart to masculine names ending in ANT / ENT (e.g. Clémence vs Clément), but also see notes at CE
-ANT, -ENT
Total 47 ANT, 9 ENT – male and surnames
Common real endings
https://www.behindthename.com/names/pattern/*ent
-ARD
"ard" is a widespread ending, including French
https://www.behindthename.com/names/...h/pattern/*ard
Used for 19 x male names, 4 surnames (mix of Elvaan/Elezen)
-AS
See S
-AT, -IAT
In real French, AT is a regional suffix, e.g. Claudat
https://www.behindthename.com/name/claudat/submitted
Pierrat
https://www.behindthename.com/name/pierrat/submitted
(perhaps related to diminutive ET?)
Seems to have been used in this manner for a couple of Elvaan names: Charlaimagnat (Charlemagne) and Galaihaurat (possibly Galehaut + AT)
Overall, AT has been used 18 times but only in Elvaan names (no Elezen), mostly male with two surnames and one female.
-AUD, -AULT, -AUT, -AUX
Pronounced "oh"
Very common endings for Elvaan and Elezen masculine and surnames. AUX (but not AUD/AUT) is occasionally used for feminine.
AUD: 17, mostly M (two surnames)
AULT: 16, mostly M (three surnames) plus one female (Margault, in line with real-world Margot/Margaux)
AUT: 27 mixed
AUX: 70 mixed, including five female names
In real names it is sometimes a diminutive (particularly AUD, e.g. Michaud from Michel; surname Champaud from Champ), sometimes adapting Germanic names ending with -old, -ald etc. (e.g. Archambault from Archibold, Foucault from Folcwald).
I also came across one passing mention of a French surname with variant AULX, and BTN lists a similar surname with ending OULX – specifically Groulx, an alteration of Guéroult (Guérault is another variant). No Elezen names use this spelling form but you potentially could if you wanted to.
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...oulx/submitted
Several examples of French surnames ending with AUT – some of them indicate that AULT is an alternate spelling.
https://surnames.behindthename.com/s...h/pattern/*aut
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n.../pattern/*ault
https://surnames.behindthename.com/s.../pattern/*ault
Some French examples of it being interchangeable:
• surname Renault derived from given name Renaud
• Surname Devault is a variant of Deveaux
• Additional similar combos: AUD vs ARD vs ALD
-AUDE, -AUTE
Female ending – might be intended as a counterpart to masculine AUD etc. or might be its own thing.
Elvaan F: Leaute, Meumaude, Morunaude, Narsaude, Plaiaude
Elezen F: Edilaude (エディロード Edilodo), Mariaute
-AUE
Might be Elvaan feminine variant on AIE? Three examples: Jufaue, Luquillaue, Lamepaue
Real French names with similar endings are always accented OÉ; no direct examples of AUE
https://www.behindthename.com/names/...ch/pattern/*oe
-AULE
Elvaan masculine x 5: Abeaule, Caffaule, Beriphaule, Ceraule, Apstaule; however, the one Elezen use (Muriaule) is feminine.
Of note, Ceraule has a diminutive counterpart Ceraulian (see notes at IEN) and the other male names here could flow well with similar suffixes.
For real-world names there are examples of this being used for either gender. It is not used in surnames.
Names ending in AULE:
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*aule
-AURE
Elezen names:
F: Helaure, Nellaure, Prillaure, Adrienaure, Allenaure, Alinaure
M: Isildaure, Portaure
S: Dailebaure
REAL NAMES:
F: Isaure, Laure, Maure, Rosaure (adaption of Spanish Rosaura "golden rose")
M: Occitan Faure
(Maure has masculine counterpart Maur)
-AUX
See AUD
-BERT
Common Germanic name ending meaning "bright"; consequently found in Elezen names that are either directly borrowed French-Germanic names or modified versions.
Used 16 times for male Elezen and Elvaan names (plus one doubling as a surname).
-CHAMP(S)
FRENCH Deschamps, Duchamp, Duchamps = Means "from the fields", from French champ "field".
Used in Elezen surnames Alboichamps, Meulchamps, Notrelchamps and (without the S) Marcechamp; the only Elvaan use is male name Champalpieu.
-COIN, -QUIN, possibly -GUIN
COIN seems to be a variant of QUIN: see Latin name Quintus altered to Greek Kointos and then re-latinised to Cointus.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/cointus/submitted
https://www.behindthename.com/name/quintus
The French form of Quintus is just Quint
https://www.behindthename.com/name/quint/submitted
Cajun French surnam Aucoin
French surname Coindre
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...ndre/submitted
English Gascoine, meaning "from Gascony, France"
USES
F Jaquoinie
M Bauricoin, Cointiliaud, Driancoin, Jannequinard, Jonquinet, Quincompaix, Quinquerol
S Laurasquin
(May also group with GUIN: single male/surname Monranguin)
-DELLE
Surnames Raimdelle and Ordelle; also Elezen M Dellemont, not certain if they are related or if this is an illusion.
-DOUR, -TOUR
Elvaan M: Altedour, Harvetour, Roupatour
Elezen surname: Thaudour
-EAU, -EAUX
-eau is a medieval French diminutive suffix (entry for Thibeau)
https://www.behindthename.com/name/thibeau/submitted
Many surnames ending with -eau have a variant ending with -eaux
Surname Clemenceau is derived from masculine given name Clément (Clemence is the feminine version)
Comeau(x) is a Gascon diminutive of Combe
Devault, Devaux is a variant of Deveaux
Bideau/Bideaux
Bodeau/Bodeaux
Bordeau/Bordeaux
Boudreau/Boudreaux (variant of Beaudreau)
Breau/Breaux
Carreau/Carreaux (variants of Carrel – meanwhile Courcel is a variant of Courcelles but not sure if both sorts of transformation can be applied to the same base.)
-EL
French masculine diminutive (compare feminine ELLE)
65 uses
See also IEL, TEL
-ELLE, -IELLE
Feminine suffix
53 total ELLE names
11 IELLE names (all F)
Surnames: Raimdelle, Ordelle, Mariselle, Haurtelle, Tristelle, Nevelle
2 male names, one of which is also a surname (Tristelle) and the other sounds like it probably is also a surname (Lafaurelle).
-ELT
Elezen surnames x 4, plus one male name (Bricelt)
Not French but found in Dutch and elsewhere
https://surnames.behindthename.com/s...s/pattern/*elt
-ENT
See ANT
-EON
May be a variant of IEN; see notes there.
-EST
(pronounced "ay")
Occasional ending for Elezen M names: Aubriest (Auberi + EST), Blamprest (??? + Prest), Jauminfrest (???) – all three might trace back to Prest.
As a suffix, found in real names but no single source
https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/pattern/*est
-ET
French masculine diminutive suffix (from entry for Baudet)
-ETTA
Elvaan Foletta, Prietta
ETTE is preferred as the French form of real names.
-ETTE
French feminine diminutive suffix
35 uses: 33 F, 2 surnames (Hanette and Marette)
-EUX vs -EUSE
Real French gendered suffix pair
e.g. Généreux vs Généreuse, Gracieux vs Gracieuse, Précieux vs Précieuse
EUX is used 8 times for male Elvaan and Elezen names; two of these double as surnames.
However, the single use of EUSE is for a male Elvaan character (but you don't need to stick to that).
-FORT, -FAURT
Fort as in French surnames Beaufort, Montfort, Rochefort
https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/beaufort
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...fort/submitted
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...fort/submitted
Used for 2 Elvaan M, 8 Elezen mixed M/surnames - primarily surnames
-FRESNE
Comes up in two male Elezen names: Guillefresne and Niellefresne.
-GEANT
Pronounced "john"
Despite being highlighted in the official conventions as a typical Elezen name ending, only one actual Elezen name uses it, though along with two Elvaan names (and a third with variant "jeant" and possible misspelt fourth with "geat"). This is not found in any real French names; the closest is German-language Arthurian name Kalogreant.
Elezen M: Faustigeant
Elvaan M: Coribalgeant, Dapraugeant, Mulaujeant; possibly Mataligeat
-GNE
Falls within the described-as-feminine "NE" endings for Elezen names, but is only used for masculine and surnames.
Surnames: Bourbagne, Gorgagne (ゴルガニュ, Goruganyu), Peuclagne
M: Ompagne (オンパーニュ, Ompaanyu), Montichaigne (モンティシェーニュ, Montishēnyu)
I'm not sure what the intent is regarding pronunciation of these. The Japanese spellings of various names seem to be inserting an unnecessary U at the end (beyond what is necessary katakana-wise).
GNE in French should be more or less an "N" sound in English (compare champagne, Charlemagne)
Wikipedia's disambiguation list for the surname Montagne (= "mountain") does have some variants spelt Montagné, while the article on Montichaigne's namesake Michel de Montaigne does not use the accent but seems to give both pronunciations as options (but is a bit hard to follow). I'm not sure if we ever hear the character's name spoken in the English version of the game for confirmation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne
BTN says Montagne is MAW(N)-TAN
https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/montagne
Gorgagne likely from French Gagné
https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/gagne10
Also see related ending -GNON: Elvaan Arachagnon, Elezen Bruvagnon and Ishgardian noble surname Peulagnon.
-GUE
Elvaan-only masculine
Elmemague, Eauvague, Raigegue, Machegue, Esmallegue, Croumangue
Joining "I"
Generally the join between an existing name and suffix can have an I in the middle – for simplicity I am grouping these with the non-I version. For example, Arthurioux and Robertioux are obviously familiar names + IOUX but for assembling purposes I think it is neater to regard them as Name + I + OUX with the I being optional, rather than classing IOUX as a separate listing to OUX.
-IA
Feminine name ending - 30 total: 24 Elvaan, 6 Elezen.
"Less French" than IE but some names with this ending are still used in French.
-IAN
See notes at IEN
-IC, -IQUE
IC endings are primarily from Germanic names with element
ric ("ruler, king"); may also come from Latin names but not usually in French. Not to be arbitrarily applied to the end of other names – just an option to swap between the two spellings
https://www.behindthename.com/names/pattern/*ic
In some cases may be a diminutive – Breton Mathilinic is a diminutive of Matilin – though doesn't seem to be used this way in any Elezen names.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/mathilinic/submitted
9 male Elezen/Elvaan names use RIC endings, while one (Laurovic) seems to be mimicking French-derived-from-Latin.
In French, IQUE is more often a feminine form, but can be masculine, usually when adapting Latin names.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*ique
Here it is used for 2 female Elvaan names, 3 male Elezen names, so there seems to be a division between which gender it is for which game.
-IDE
Small cluster of mixed gender names
F: Halmide, Ystride, Elvide
M: Caiphimonride, Thierride
Examples can be found of it being used for both genders in real names:
https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/pattern/*ide
As a feminine ending it can be found as an elaborating suffix (Alma > Almaïde, Amena > Aménaïde); the entry for Zéolide says that it likely comes from “Zéolie with the then-popular feminine name suffix -ide”.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/almai12de/submitted
Alpaïde is the French form of apparently Frankish Alpaidis.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/alpai12de/submitted
Separately as a masculine suffix it is used in some French versions of Latin names ending in idus or ides
Arthurian M Clamide
https://www.behindthename.com/name/clamide/submitted
West Frisian M Tide ("TEE-da")
https://www.behindthename.com/name/tide/submitted
-IE
Very popular feminine ending - 126 total names (plus apparent surname Caufraisie, but being a single text mention it's possible that's a given name too).
Seems to be particularly used as a modification of real names ending with E (e.g. real names Albine, Nadine, Celine become Albinie, Nadinie, Celinie)
SEE ALSO: AIE
Switch IEN and IN endings for male names
e.g. Real names Benjamin and Firmin vs Elvaan/Elezen Benjamien and Firmien
-IEN and likely variants -IAN, -ION, -EON
https://www.behindthename.com/submit...h/pattern/*ien
The form IEN is normally preferred in French names, though IAN occurs as well. In reality ION seems to be a separate Greek suffix latinised as EON (e.g. Aktaion/Actaeon)
https://www.behindthename.com/name/aktaion); in Elvaan names it seems like they might be interchangeable.
IEN
IAN: Only used for three Elvaan M names
ION: 25 uses (23 Elvaan and 2 early Elezen names); 22 male, 2 female, 1 surname; the female names may be based on unrelated name Marion.
EON: Found in a small group of Elvaan names (5 M, 1 unidentified, 1 surname)
PAIRED NAMES
As in real French (e.g. Aurèle and Aurelien), there are some pairs of male Elvaan/Elezen names with and without the IEN ending:
Ceraule and Ceraulian
Leodaire and Leodarion
Clotaire and Clotairion
(You could also assume the existence of related feminine names, e.g. "Ceraulie")
-IENNE
Feminine counterpart to IEN, see notes at NE
-IEU
Used for 5 male Elvaan names
Lots of examples in French and adjacent languages
https://www.behindthename.com/submit/names/pattern/*ieu
-ILLA
Latin feminine diminutive suffix -illa
Mostly Elvaan F: Veilla, Pomilla, Anilla, Prunilla (Elezen), Curilla; also Machella
-ILLE
25 mixed uses, tending feminine
COMPARE REAL FRENCH – check ILLE not just RILLE
French unisex: Cyrille, Cérille
French feminine: Cyprille, Exérille
French masculine: Mascarille (theatre), Maurille, Wandrille, Xérille
https://www.behindthename.com/submit...pattern/*rille
Not found in surnames.
-ILLIE
Feminine Elvaan and Elezen suffix. In real names this is found more in English than French.
https://www.behindthename.com/names/pattern/*illie
Seems in keeeping with names ending with E in French altered to IE
Elvaan F: Chanteillie, Loillie, Mitillie, Macuillie, Nuillie, Juvillie
Elezen F: Adaillie, Mareillie, Millie, Aunillie
(other "llies": Ballie, Joellie, Couvoullie)
-IN and -INE
-in is a French masculine diminutive suffix (entry for Baudin, Hubertin)
-ine is a feminine diminutive suffix (entry for Hubertine)
Elezen INE also feminine suffix - a few male names mixed in but these are all using some combination-vowel (AINE, OINE, etc)
-ION
Ancient Greek suffix (e.g. Alexion, Tyndarion)
https://www.behindthename.com/name/alexion/submitted https://www.behindthename.com/name/tyndarion/submitted
Varyingly described as diminutive or patronymic
Not sure if it is masculine or unisex.
It is a common ending for specifically Elvaan masculine names, where it seems to be used interchangeably with French IEN – used for 24 names total: 1 Elezen M (Clotairion), 3 Elvaan F (Limion, Mildaurion, Villion), 21 Elvaan M
-IQUE
See -IC
JAN-
NOT A SUFFIX
Recurring element in the first part of names; a sort of average of all various forms of John:
French Jean
Medieval French Jehan
Catalan Jan
Galician Xan
Breton Yan, Yann
Italian Gian or other contractions of Giovanni
-JEANT
One-off variant of GEANT
-LAINT
Maybe should merge with AIN
Recurring Elezen surname element
Elezen S: Auberlaint, Estrelaint (also M), Padellaint, Robairlaint, Surlaint
Elezen M: Castellaint
It seems likely to me that Castellaint would also be a surname-as-forename.
See also LAIN (under AIN)
-LIN
-lin is a diminutive suffix (no gender specified but probably masculine – mentioned in BTN's article for Medieval French Doucelin
https://www.behindthename.com/name/doucelin/submitted)
-LONT (plus one "loint")
Not found in real names, but recurring in Elezen male names
Elezen M: Boiselont, Frandelont, Yvelont, Gibrillont (also a surname)
Elvaan M: Naguipeillont, Palarillont, Ruillont, Rholont
Elezen S: Roiteloint
MARCHE
Element of three names: Elezen Marcheterre, Elvaan Marchelute and Dagourmarche
-MARD
Masculine ending for French names:
Aymard, Domard, Hemard, Romard (Jèrriais)
Might fall under ARD
-MERT
Elezen x 3: Daranmert (M), Duremert (M/S), Urselmert (S)
In real names it is mostly found in Dutch and Frisian variants of Germanic names, often those originally ending in "bert".
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*mert
-MILLE, -MILE
5 + 2 uses, mixed gender, mostly Elvaan
-MOND
Elezen M Florimond, Nellemond (also a surname)
Found in real French names of Germanic origin, from the element
munt meaning "protection"
https://www.behindthename.com/element/munt
French pronunciation given in
https://www.behindthename.com/name/edmond https://www.behindthename.com/name/raymond as MAWN ("aw" as in b
ought, s
awn) – I also tried to copy the IPA notation but that doesn't want to display properly.
See also MONT
-MONT
Official Elezen guide says that this is pronounced "moan" but BTN indicates "MAWN" (see MOND above)
French word for "mountain" and found in various real surnames; alternately in forenames it also can be a variant of MOND and thus meaning "protection".
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*mont
https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/pattern/*mont
Common ending for Elezen male and surnames; rare for Elvaan male.
Elezen M only: Arismont, Dellemont, Edmont (real name), Erimmont, Huguemont, Jeantremont, Paulemont, Valtemont (plus Florimond)
Elezen M + S: Brucemont, Drillemont, Hortimont, Rontremont, Thierremont, Vairemont (plus Nellemond)
Elezen S only: Dailemont, Franchemont, Giphelmont, Rillemont
Elvaan M: Ragemont, Gulemont, Leaumont
(would Dellemont and Dailemont be variants of the same name?)
-NAUD
A possible recurring element that may have come about by misinterpretation, since there are names invented early in the game like Alphinaud that seem to be using the French suffix AUD, but then later in Endwalker the name Ruissenaud seems to be built from "ruisseau" + NAUD.
Or could come from something like the Château de Castelnaud but putting that in the translator just gives me "Castle Castelnaud" so I don't know if it has any particular meaning.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%...ud-la-Chapelle
-NE
Official naming conventions list NE as one of the typical feminine name endings; however, there are some amount of surnames and masculine names mixed throughout this list of over 200 total names. (Of particular note, the ending GNE is not used for feminine names at all.)
As a feminine ending it would be better described as NE or NNE
preceded by a vowel (including Y), though even this has some exceptions.
NE combining with various preceding vowels:
ANE = 15F, 2M…….. ANNE = 19F, 3MS
AINE = 17F, 7MS …. AINNE = 2F
ENE = 8F, 2M ………..ENNE = 14F, 1M
EINE = 5F
INE = ~70F, 15MS ... INNE = 19 F, 3M
ONE = 5F, 1S ………. ONNE = 7F, 1S
OINE = 2F, 3M …….. OINNE = 1F
UNE = 8F …………… UNNE = 2F (always part of a double vowel: *aune, *eune, *oune, *aunne, *ounne)
UINE = 1M
YNE = 3F, 1M………..(YNNE has no examples but should probably be valid)
-OGE
See AGE
-OIN, -OINT, -OUINT
Small group of mostly Elezen names, some covered by other groupings.
Elvaan M: Sapladrepoin, Eaugouint
Elezen M: Bauricoin, Driancoin, Beaudefoin
Elezen surname: Uchemantoin, Blodoint, Roiteloint
-OINE, -OYNE
Elvaan masculine but Elezen feminine
Elvaan M: Chelidoine, Sidoine, Yvantoine, Leonoyne
Elezen F: Uloine, Valeroine
-OIRE
Primarily Elvaan masculine ending (x5), one surname, one F Elvaan, one M Elezen – real French usage is similar.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*oire
-OIS and -OISE
Both are found in real French; gendering is somewhat unpredictable. For character names they are more consistently gendered.
OIS used in 6 Elezen surnames and 6 male names (mixed Elezen/Elvaan).
OISE used in 5 female names (4 Elezen 1 Elvaan): Alboise, Claroise, Hildoise, Yloise, Faboise
-OIT
Elezen/Elvaan male (x5) and surnames (x3)
-OIX
Pronounced "o-ah"
Highlighted in the lorebook as a masculine name ending
30 uses
-ON, -ONS
ON is a French unisex diminutive (e.g. source of Alison as a diminutive of Alice)
-OT and -OTTE
French diminutive (M & F) – for example, familiar French-derived English name Charlotte has a male counterpart Charlot.
However, OTTE can occasionally be masculine in other languages such as West Frisian, Dutch and Swedish.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*otte
-OU
BTN listings for Michou and Pascou note that -ou is a French masculine diminutive suffix
https://www.behindthename.com/name/michou/submitted
However, this is NOT generally used in Elezen names – there is one female and one male example (Nachou and Lassenchou).
-OUN
Provençal masculine diminutive, e.g. Provençal/Niçard masculine Aaroun (French Aaron), Abdoun (French Abdon), Gastoun (French Gaston) etc.
Only used in one Elvaan name Faroun
-OUD, -OUT, -OUX
Less commonly used than similar grouping of suffixes AUD / AUT / AUX but similarly the form ending in X is the most common one for Elezen names.
Usage: OUD , OUT , OUX = 22; most of the OUXs are double use as both male and surnames. There are two female Elvaan names listed (Haubijoux, Challoux) but
French-adjacent uses:
OUD mostly Dutch and African Arabic
OUT is used in Dutch masculine names where French would have AUD, e.g. Arnout vs Arnaud, Reinout vs Reynaud
https://www.behindthename.com/names/pattern/*out
OUX only a few real examples
M: Pardoux (form of Germanic Bardolph via Latin Pardulfus)
https://www.behindthename.com/name/pardoux/submitted
French Creole Yadoux
https://www.behindthename.com/name/yadoux/submitted
F: African French Bijoux ("jewels") – not used in France.
https://www.behindthename.com/name/bijoux/submitted
-PHIN and -PHINE
Masculine and feminine versions of an element occurring across several names
-QUE
18 total: mix of M, F and surnames - mostly Elvaan
See also IQUE, which can be a feminine or fancy masculine form of simpler masculine form IC
-QUET
Small cluster of male Elezen/Elvaan names: Francquet, Glarociquet, Pierriquet (also a surname)
Seems to be a medieval French/Occitan diminutive, or might just be a merging of names ending with C and the diminutive ET.
https://www.behindthename.com/submit.../pattern/*quet
For Elezen purposes, two of the three names seem to be simple "Name + QUET" formation.
-S
Some Elezen names have S at the end where the French original does not – for example, "Pierremons" might be constructed from Pierre + Philémon but there are no French names that end in "mons" (though a couple with "mans" or "ons").
There is also one example of the same name being used with and then without it: surname Beaudefoins from the name generator, later used for male character Beaudefoin.
REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES
https://www.behindthename.com/names/...nch/pattern/*s
French has various names that end in a silent S where other languages do not have it at all, e.g. Charles (Karl), Foulques (Fulk), Hugues (Hugh/Hugo), Jacques (Jacob/Jake), Yves (Ivo)
Besides French, Latvian names seem to add an extra S to names compared to the forms we recognise in English: Benjamins and Simons, for example.
Similarly, Lithuanian names add -AS to the end of masculine names, e.g. Benjaminas. (Latvia and Lithuania are both in the Baltic language group.)
https://www.behindthename.com/names/...age/lithuanian
Example in French that looks similar to how it is applied in some Elezen names: Entry for Gawain notes that the French form is " Gauvain or Gauvains"
https://www.behindthename.com/name/gawain
-TEL
Seems to be a rare but valid variant of French masculine diminutive EL, e.g. Caribbean French Léontel
https://www.behindthename.com/name/le10ontel/submitted, possibly to make it flow better.
-TEMPS
Old French
temps meaning "time"
Real French surname examples: Bontemps, Vieuxtemps ("old-time")
Used in two Elezen surnames: Fauchetemps and Fortemps, plus Elvaan male name Laujaquetemps.
TERRE
Recurring surname element for both Elezen clans:
Wildwood Iseterre, Terremiaux
Duskwight Grandeterre, Marinterre, Terrechant
Plus character name Marcheterre
Comparable French surnames
Sauveterre
https://surnames.behindthename.com/name/sauveterre
Santerre
https://surnames.behindthename.com/n...erre/submitted
-TTE
Besides the very feminine "ette", names of both genders can end with ATTE, ITTE, OTTE, UTTE
-UE
When not forming part of GUE or QUE names, UE seems to be used as an Elvaan-specific feminine ending (though real-world uses seem to be masculine, not used in French but in some related languages like Picard and Guernésiais
https://www.behindthename.com/submit...rd/pattern/*ue https://www.behindthename.com/submit...is/pattern/*ue – a rare combination in any case).
VAIN(S)
Comes up in a few names, though might just be an illusion that should be pointed back to suffix AIN.
Names where it can be explained: Ghivains (Ghivao + AIN), Gustavain (Gustav + AIN), Quevain (linked to Kevin), Percevains (Perceval + AIN + S)
Names where I have not found an explanation: Guildivain, Trisvain, Pierryvain