bynamessuch

Bynamessuch is a fictional linguistic and cultural concept used in speculative fiction and online world-building glossaries to describe a naming pattern that pairs a by-name element with a descriptive epithet to identify a person or character without referring to a formal name. The term is not recognized in standard linguistics and is primarily found in fictional and fan-created contexts.

Etymology

The word combines by-name and such, and is reported to have emerged in early 21st-century online fan communities as a way to discuss how characters are named in alternative settings. In-universe histories and real-world discussions diverge on its origins, but the term is commonly treated as a practical label in naming discussions within fiction circles.

Characteristics

- Form: typically involves a by-name component followed by a descriptive epithet (for example, a title or role) to form a label such as “Lira the Silent Cartographer.”

- Function: signals identity, role, or social position while avoiding a formal or birth-name; aids world-building and character personalization.

- Variants: may appear as two-word phrases or hyphenated forms; sometimes multiple epithet components are chained.

- Context: prevalent in role-playing games, fan fiction, and collaborative wikis to describe how characters are introduced.

Examples

- “Aurelia the Night-Warden” describes a character by a descriptive role rather than a real name.

- “Harkon the Ward of Dawn” similarly uses a title-like epithet to anchor identity.

Use and reception

Bynamessuch is a niche term confined to fictional discourse and is rarely used in academic linguistics. It is valued for flexible naming in world-building but can be confusing outside its specific communities.

See also

Onomastics; Epithet; Pseudonym; Title (naming)