Hey Storyers!

 

Here’s an EshChallenge for you!

 

Do you see any special meaning in Woodsy Troll names? Well, Woodsy Troll names do have meaning! But can you guess what it is?

 

Believe me, this is a really hard question. So, extra points to those of you really creative Storyers who can figure out your own meaning. Email your theories to us and we will post our favorites. For the rest of you, if you need some help:

 

Here are some EshClues:

 

– In Woodsy Troll culture, names work in two ways. First, just like our names, a Woodsy Troll’s last name tells what family you’re from. Beyond that, however, your last name also says what your family’s business is and this is where the whole subject of Woodsy Troll names gets very complicated. Lucky for you, we don’t need to get into a lot of detail here. But believe me, it is a very complicated subject! I mean, whole books have been written about it!

 

– Still, you need to know a little about Woodsy Troll family businesses to understand about names.  The most important thing to know is that a family’s business is given to it. The process starts when a Troll-girl turns Seventeen and her Folksies pair her with her future husband. The new couple then gets one year of working together before their marriage. The  family of the boy or the girl gives the new couple the tools and money needed to start a business, which they must learn to run. Assuming the new couple gets along during their one year of working together, which almost always happens, they marry at the end of the year and, after their marriage, they keep the business they started and it becomes a new family business.

 

Got that? Good! In case you still don’t have a clue about what Woodsy Troll names mean:

 

Here are some more EshClues:

 

– There are no special rules about which family is supposed to make the gift to the new couple. In the case of Duggan’s Folksies, the business of tool-making came from her Pops’ side of the family. However, Duggan’s Folksies are rare in that they received two businesses, one from each family. In addition to the McDuggan business of tool-making, they also received the Korney business of weaving. 

 

– What does this have to do with Woodsy Troll names? Well, in the typical situation, which family gave the business determines the last names of the toddles born to the starting-out couple. In other words, if the business came from the Pops’ family, all the toddles will have the same family name as their Pops. On the flip side, if Mum’s family gave the business to the new couple, all the toddles will have the family name of the Mum.

 

– In Duggan’s case, because her Folksies received businesses from both families, Duggan could have had either family name as her last name. To her relief, her parents chose McDuggan rather than Korney. On the other hand, Lambrell’s Folksies received only one business from one family, and so Lambrell’s last name is from her mother’s side of the family, the Quiverills, a famous clan of pottery-makers who gave part of their business to Lambrell’s Folksies when they were starting out.

 

– What about toddles’ first names? First-born toddles are the easiest. They use part of their last name for their first name. For example, Duggan is a first-born toddle, so she became Duggan McDuggan. If Lambrell had been a first-born toddle in her family, her name might have been something like Iverill Quiverill. However, Lambrell was not the first-born toddle, and so her Folksies were free to name her using the first name of any family Ancestor. Mum and Pops Quiverill both liked the first name of Lambrell’s great-great-Grandmum on her Mum’s side, the famous potterer, Lambrell Darding, and so they named her Lambrell Quiverill.

 

Did all that make sense? If yes:

 

Here’s another EshChallenge for you:

 

If you think you have names figured out, try making up your own Woodsy Troll names!

 

For example, try pretending that one family or the other of your Folksies gifted a business to them. The name of that family will be your last name. Then, if you are the first-born toddle in your family, you will need figure out a first name based on your last name. That will be your new first name. Or, if you aren’t a first-born toddle, you will want to find an interesting Ancestor’s first name to use as yours.

 

Try the same EshChallenge for others in your family or from other families!

 

Oh, one other thing you should know about Woodsy Troll names as you play this EshChallenge. Woodsy Troll names are never gender specific. Duggan, Lambrell, and Zagger could all be Troll-boy names or they could be Troll-girl name. And so, if you are a girl and you like the name of your Uncle Wilfred, you are free to name yourself Wilfred. And you boys out there, you are free to name yourself Carrie if you like that name.

 

Or not.

 

We would love to hear your names! So, email them to us and we will post our favorites!