Nuim/Names

Structure
Merrow names have two parts, a matriname and a given name. A merrow's matriname is simply their birth mother's given name. A merrow with an unknown birth mother uses their matriarch's given name. If they don't have a matriarch, or  should be used instead.

A merrow's given name is composed of one or two morphemes and is rarely longer than four syllables. Given names usually come from natural nouns, positive adjectives, or a namesake. Male given names tend to come from plants, while female given names tend to come from aquatic animals. Neither male nor female given names are more likely to come from adjectives.

In order to be a namesake a merrow must be recently dead and somehow related to the child-to-be-named's household. In a village any recently dead merrow could serve as a namesake while in a city only merrow who the household personally knows or who are in the same line of business as the household could serve as namesakes.

Usage
A merrow can be addressed in two ways, with their given name or with a paired name. Addressing a merrow with their given name indicates informality or closeness. Typically only family and close friends address a merrow with their given name. Given names can also be used to indicate a lower position in a hierarchy. Elders address children with their given names, as can bosses with their employees.

Addressing a merrow with a paired name indicates more formality and distance. The exact construction of the paired name determines just how formal and who distant the addresser is from the addressee. A merrow's most neutral paired name is their matriname followed by their given name. This is appropriate for all but the most formal situations.

A common type of paired name consists of a merrow's occupation followed by their given name. These occupation names are rarely used between people who share an occupation. In business situations occupation names are often more formal than full names. Outside of business situations occupation names are about as formal as full names and a bit less distant. The status of the occupation also plays a role. is more respectful than, even if  is both an elder and a weaver.

A particularly respectful, if informal, paired name consists of the given name of a merrow's family member followed by their relationship with that family member. Generally only father/mother, son/daughter, or husband/wife relationships are used, though if another family member is particularly famous or important, their name and relationship may be used instead. If had a mother named  and a son named, she could be called   or.