About tau names
Apostrophes do structural work in results like "Shas'O Ksi'm'yen Wua'ax" and "Por'Vre Sha'draig Nase'un", where the opening element marks caste and rank before the personal name even begins. That layering suits fire warriors, envoys, and ethereals in games inspired by Warhammer 40,000. Check the prefix when choosing, since a "Shas" result reads as a soldier and an "Aun" as a leader caste figure.
How tau names are built
Each name is built in three or four spaced parts: a rank-and-tier word (26 forms), a sept or location word (28 forms), then a personal name synthesized from two syllable pools (57 and 104 forms). The apostrophes inside the first two words (Shas'O, Vash'ya) are real structural features of the bank, marking the tiered caste-and-origin prefix that precedes the personal name.
Shas'O Ksi'm'yen Wua'ax
Shas'O (rank-and-tier word) + Ksi'm'yen (sept or location word) + Wua + 'ax (personal name, two syllables)
tiered caste prefix, then origin, then a two-syllable personal name
Aun'O Elsy'eir Oxaara
Aun'O (rank-and-tier word) + Elsy'eir (sept or location word) + Oxa + ara (personal name, two syllables)
Por'Vre Sha'draig Nase'un
Por'Vre (rank-and-tier word) + Sha'draig (sept or location word) + Nase + 'un (personal name, two syllables)
Naming notes
The prefix words read as a formal title-plus-homeworld string, and the synthesized personal name closes it with two syllables (Wua'ax, Oxaara, Bantes). That layered caste-then-origin-then-self shape is the signature, so the meaning lives in the order, not in any translatable roots. For fan fiction or tabletop the full string reads as a formal address; you can keep just the synthesized personal name for casual use. Hold the apostrophe-marked prefixes to keep the register.
Questions about tau names
- Are these official names?
- No. These are fan-made names in the Tau style, not official names, for original characters and fan creations.
- Why are the apostrophes there?
- They are structural, marking the tiered caste-and-origin prefix that opens the name, as in Shas'O. They are not decoration, so keep them to hold the register.
- Can I shorten the long full name?
- Yes. The full string is a formal address; for casual use keep just the two-syllable personal name at the end and drop the rank and sept words.