Angel names?

[rogueslayer452]

Why is it that whenever a female angel is introduced they have a humanized name as opposed to the other angels we've met?

I've seen arguments claim that it's because the names have biblical meanings, however that doesn't make much sense. Just because a name has biblical meaning doesn't make it celestial in its origin. Angels have unique names unlike our own because they aren't human; they have their own language predating any form of human language, their names should be foreign and strange and something completely otherworldly and ethereal. It's not that hard to research the different kinds of angel names and their origins (of religious and cultural background) to see which one fits the character they want the name to portray. There are literally thousands of names to choose from, most of them androgynous and all of them incredibly beautiful.

I don't know. It's just something that's been bugging me for a while.

Comments

[silverusagi]

Yeah, I've noticed that. The girl angels never get angelic sounding names. Or even, make some names up! 'Castiel' isn't a real angel name either, even if we have Cassiel.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I just don't understand their thought process.

It's not like they haven't been looking when looking for the other names (see: Inias and Samandrial, being the recent ones.) So honestly, it confuses and bugs me. :/

[gwaevalarin.livejournal.com]

I'm confused about that as well.
Rachel does turn up in the Dictionary of Angels, and she at least has the -el, but Anna? Hester? Naomi?
Then again, Balthazar, Joshua and Zachariah aren't angel names either.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

There's been speculation that Anna was Anael, though that's just mostly fanon explanation of the name.

I just don't understand how it's that hard to do a little research on angel names. I'm like, that's the fun part though! But then you realize, this show hasn't been really creditable when it comes to researching different kinds of mythologies and lore that would make sense. *sighs*

[gwaevalarin.livejournal.com]

You can find actual angel names that are similar to the Supernatural names in a few cases: Anna -> Anael, Balthazar -> Balthial, Zachariah -> Zacharael, but why not use these names in the first place then.
They do obviously know how to find angel names, see Inias, Samandriel etc. It can't even be laziness. I mean, if you don't want to do actual research, take the Dictionary of Angels, open a random page and point or something. *sigh*

I have read and accepted a really nice head canon for why Balthazar doesn't have (use) an actual angel name, though. So I'm good in that case.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Exactly, and it's not like they're worried about pronunciation issues or anything. So really, I have no idea what's going on in that department. :/

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

Hester, Rachel and Naomi are Hebrew/Biblical names, like Zachariah, Balthazar and Joshua. Anna isn't, but that was her human name. I guess they think the standard -el names sound masculine.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I just don't think the show has much consistency with what they borrow to fit their own mythology, they often just use whatever without much thought behind it. Like, for example, Uriel is considered one of the main archangels in angel lore, however on the show they made it seem like he was just another soldier within the garrison, despite the clear importance of archangels. Some have also speculated that Anna was Anael, however that wouldn't make much sense because why would her human name be the same as her given angel name, and why wouldn't they use that name once realizing her true nature?

The thing is, the names are just the tip of the iceberg of my pet peeves. It just seems like there's no clear stability of their own mythological lore in general.

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

Well yeah. That's one of the main things that turned me off the show.

[bittersweettwit.livejournal.com]

Anna at least has a good canon reason for making use of a human name rather than an angelic name... When we first met her she was a fallen angel in every sense of the word and until Pamela's psychic ritual didn't even know what she once was. It only makes sense that she'd continue to use the name that she has been going by for her entire "human" life which she still strongly identified by.

It seems that after this first appearance of a female angel where they actually had a good reason for using a human name the writers just decided to themselves they'd keep to this theme for all female angels *sigh*.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

But still, even if Anna personally chose to identify with her human name even after regaining her memories, wouldn't the other angels still have referred to her as the name she had in Heaven?

Then again, the show doesn't really think that far ahead. And sadly, I think you're right, that it's highly probable that they just went with that particular theme without thinking it over and realizing that it just doesn't make any kind of sense. :/

[bittersweettwit.livejournal.com]

I honestly think that in this particular instance Occam's razor comes into play and the answer is as you said the writers simply didn't think ahead :(

However the most logical in text explanation I can offer is as follows. We know from the words of Anna herself and the manner she was treated by Castiel and Uriel that for an angel to do what she did i.e. rip out her grace and fall was unthinkable. It was the ultimate form of blasphemy and completely went against the will of God, which for such a soldier like society was pretty much unthinkable (with the exception of Lucifer and other rebels of course, but I'm referring to 'orthodox' angels.

Therefore the name thing could probably be as simple as a sign of snobbery from Uriel and Castiel particularly Uriah! She had dared to fall low enough to become a human and therefore she was no longer worthy of her angelic name and should be referred to by the 'lowly' human name she was given instead, snobbery at its absolute best basically.

Of course as I admit earlier this is pure fanwank and there is no proper proof within the text to support this, but without relying on real life considerations I think it's the explanation that works best? Although I wouldn't blame you for thinking it sounds like a pile of crap since like I said its just random fanwank rationalizing lol.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

That's actually a pretty good theory, and it honestly works in the context that we know of.

In general I really do like particular fanon theories, and there are a lot of them out there, because most of them do work, especially considering that there's been a huge lack of background information to the actual lore of angels within the show itself (and some ends up just getting forgotten or made up on the spot, but that's another rant altogether.) So with your theory it really does work in context of what was revealed in canon. Some angels don't like humanity, some believe that humanity corrupts the very nature of angels. For example, we're seeing this right now with everything happening with Castiel. So it's not improbable that with Anna, after willingly ripping out her Grace and wanting to become a human, Heaven viewed her as a disgrace and an abomination.

And just yeah. Fan theories I like, because it allows us to make sense of the fuckery that is canon. ;)

[bittersweettwit.livejournal.com]

Indeed in spite of the fact that the bible tells us that God considers humanity to be the most beautiful of all his creation and even within the show the reason for the fall of Lucifer was his refusal to bow before man. It's quite clear that the distain towards mankind is not just limited to the Lucifer supporters but a general angel thing!

In fact I believe Anna and Castiel are the only angels we've ever met that it can be said truly care for man kind and not just each other or tolerate them for the sake of following God's will!

[mulder200.livejournal.com]

Why is it that whenever a female angel is introduced they have a humanized name as opposed to the other angels we've met?

Laziness?

I mean I noticed this awhile back. The male angel names ALWAYS sound better than their females. Sexism?