A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by some popes and monarchs during their reigns. Since mediaeval times, monarchs have frequently chosen to use a name different from their own personal name (and therefore the regnal name is technically a pseudonym) when they inherit a throne. The Pope (or Pope of Rome) (from Latin: papa, Papa, father; from Greek: papas / = priest originating from πατήρ = father )[1] is the Bishop of Rome and the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. ... A monarch (see sovereignty) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... A Reign is a period of time a person serves as a monarch or pope. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... A pseudonym (Greek pseudo + -onym: false name) is an artificial, fictitious name, also known as an alias, used by an individual as an alternative to a persons true name. ... The thrones for The Queen of Canada, and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Canadian Senate, Ottawa is usually occupied by the Governor General and her spouse at the annual State Opening of Parliament. ...

The new name (or sometimes the old one, confirmed) is followed by an ordinal to give a unique name for the period when the monarch is on the throne. However, in the case of a personal union, the same ruler may carry different ordinals in each state, as they are each assigned chronologically; but some may have more precursors of the same Christian name (usually from a different dynasty). An ordinal is the number placed after a monarchs regnal name to differentiate between a number of kings, queens or princes reigning with the same regnal name. ...

In parts of Asia, monarchs take era names. Even where that is not the case, rulers may — instead of a whole dynasty, as is the case with Georgian, referring to several Georges of the Hanoverian dynasty — become eponymous of their age, e.g. in Britain: Victorian (even applied to the rest of the world, and less correctly to its alleged prudish mentality) or Edwardian. Era may refer to: Era, a long period of history ERA Real Estate, also known as Electronic Realty Associates Inc. ... Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her Ascension to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victorian morality is a distillation of the moral views of people living at the time of Queen Victoria (reigned 1837 - 1901) in particular, and to the moral climate of Great Britain throughout the 19th century in... The Edwardian period or Edwardian era in the United Kingdom is the period 1901 to 1910, the reign of King Edward VII. It succeeded the Victorian period and is sometimes extended to include the period up to the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, the start of World War...

Ancient rulers

Ancient rulers in many parts of the world took regnal names or throne names which were different from their personal name. This is known to be true, for instance, of several kings of Assyria, and appears to be the case for several Kings of Judah. In Ancient Egypt, Pharaohs took a number of names. Although their personal name was usually among those used, another name, the Praenomen, was the most commonly used. An Assyrian winged bull, or lamassu. ... Kingdom of Judah (Hebrew מַלְכוּת יְהוּדָה, Standard Hebrew Malḫut Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Malḵûṯ Yəhûḏāh) in the times of the Hebrew Bible, was the nation formed from the territories of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin after the Kingdom of Israel was divided, and was named after Judah... Khafres Pyramid (4th dynasty) and Great Sphinx of Giza (c. ... The Fivefold Titulary of an Egyptian Pharaoh is the standard naming convention taken by the kings of Ancient Egypt. ...

East Asia

In parts of Asia, it is more a rule than an exception that monarchs take additional names when ascending, and quite often discard the name they were known by as princes. Often the assumed name is different from his childhood name, and a new temple name could be assumed. A posthumous name is sometimes accorded to a deceased monarch. See, for example, the list of Emperors of Japan. Temple names (Traditional Chinese: 廟號 Simplified Chinese: 庙号 Pinyin: miào hào;), are commonly used when naming most Chinese, Vietnamese (such dynasties as Tran,Anterior Lê and Nguyen Dynasty) and most Korean rulers of the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties. ... A posthumous name (Traditional Chinese: 諡號/謚號 Simplified Chinese: 谥号; Pinyin: shì hào; Romaji: shigō/tsuigō; Revised Romanization of Korean: siho) is a honorary name given to royalty in some cultures posthumously, that is, after the persons death. ... The following is a traditional list of Emperors of Japan. ...

Roman Catholic Church

Immediately after a new pope is elected, and accepts the election, he is asked by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, "By what name shall you be called?" The Pope-elect chooses the name by which he will be known from that point on.

During the first centuries of the church, men elected Bishop of Rome used their baptismal names even after their elections. The custom of choosing a new name began in AD 533 with the election of Mercurius. He had been named after the Roman god Mercury. Mercurius decided that it would not be appropriate for a pope to be named after a Roman god, so he decreed that he would be known as John II. Since that time the pope has customarily chosen a new name for himself during his Pontificate; however, until the 16th century some men used their baptismal names. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Pope. ... John II (born Mercurius) was Pope from 533 to 535. ... Look up Appendix:Most popular given names by country in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The last pope to use his baptismal name was Pope Marcellus II in 1555. The names chosen by popes are not based on any system other than general honorifics. They have been based on immediate predecessors, mentors, political similarity, or even after family members—as was the case with Pope John XXIII. The practice of a man using his baptismal name as pope has not been ruled out and future popes could elect to continue using their baptismal names after being elected pope. Marcellus II, né Marcello Cervini degli Spannochi (May 6, 1501 – May 1, 1555), cardinal of Santa Croce, a native of the area of Ancona, Italy, was elected pope to succeed Julius III on April 9, 1555. ... Blessed Pope John XXIII (Latin: ), (Italian: Giovanni XXIII), born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963), was elected as the 261st Pope of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City on October 28, 1958. ...

Often the man's choice of name upon being elected to the papacy is seen as a signal to the world of who the new pope will emulate, what policies he will seek to enact, or even the length of his reign. Such is the case with Benedict XVI - it was speculated that he chose the name because he wished to emulate the last Pope Benedict, and to also call attention to the fact that Benedict XV's reign was a relatively short one. Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: ; born April 16, 1927 as Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th reigning pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. ... Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ), (Italian: Benedetto XV), (November 21, 1854 – January 22, 1922), born Giacomo della Chiesa, reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from September 3, 1914 to January 22, 1922; he succeeded Pope Pius X (1903–14). ...

There has never been a Pope Peter II. Even though there is no specific prohibition against doing so, men elected to the Papacy have refrained from doing so. This is because of a tradition that only Saint Peter should have that honor. In the 10th century John XIV used the regnal name John because his given name was Peter. While some antipopes did take the name Peter II, their claims are not recognized by the Roman Catholic Church nor by anyone else today. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Saint Peter, also known as Simon ben Jonah/BarJonah, Simon Peter, Cephas and Kepha — original name Simon or Simeon (Acts 15:14) — was one of the Twelve Apostles whom Jesus chose as his original disciples. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... John XIV (died August 20, 984), Pope from 983 to 984, successor to Benedict VII, was born at Pavia, and before his elevation to the papal chair was imperial chancellor of Otto II, and was the latters second choice. ... For the book by Robert Rankin, see The Antipope. ...

Probably because of the controversial Antipope John XXIII, men avoided taking the regnal name John for over 600 years until the election of John XXIII. Antipope John XXIII Baldassare Cossa, (about 1370 – November 22, 1419), also known as John XXIII,was Pope or antipope during the Western Schism (1410–1415) and is now officially regarded by the Catholic Church as an antipope. ...

In 1978, Albino Luciani became the first pope to use two names for his regnal name when he took the name John Paul I. He did this to honor both John XXIII and Paul VI. With the unexpected death of John Paul I a little over a month later, Karol Wojtyła took the name John Paul II to honor his immediate predecessor. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Pope John Paul I (in Latin ), born Albino Luciani (October 17, 1912 – September 28, 1978), reigned as pope and as sovereign of Vatican City from August 26 to September 28, 1978. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... // Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II) born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Catholic...

Antipopes also have regnal names, and also use the ordinal to show their position in the line of previous pontiffs with their names. For example, Lucian Pulvermacher took the name Pius XIII when he had been named pope by the True Catholic Church sect. If a future legitimate pope takes the name that the antipope used, the antipope would have no bearing on what ordinal the new pope used. Such would be the case if a future pope took the name Pius, as he would then be known as Pius XIII. For the book by Robert Rankin, see The Antipope. ... Conclavist Pope Pius XIII Fr. ... The true Catholic Church (tCC) is a small Roman Catholic Conclavist (see sedevacantism) group based in Kalispell, Montana, United States. ...

United Kingdom

The monarchs in the United Kingdom have on three occasions used regnal names different from their first baptismal names. George VI of the United Kingdom, from Probert Encyclopedia This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

Queen Victoria was christened Alexandrina Victoria, but was styled Princess Victoria from birth and took the throne under that name. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 May 1876, until her death on 22 January 1901. ...

Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, her son, took the regnal name Edward VII when he became King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1901. This was in defiance of the wish of his late mother that her descendants would rule as double-barrelled Albert Edwards, Albert Victors, etc., indefinitely. The new King declared that he chose the name Edward as an honoured name borne by six of his predecessors, and that he did not wish to diminish the status of his father with whom alone among royalty the name Albert should be associated. It is likely that personal conflicts with his parents influenced the king's decision. The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... Motto Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right)1 Anthem God Save the King/Queen Territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Capital London Language(s) English2 Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch  - 1801–1820 George III  - 1820–1830 George IV  - 1830–1837 William IV  - 1837–1901... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (in full Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel) (26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...

In 1936, after the abdication crisis, Prince Albert, Duke of York, assumed the throne as King George VI. This was an effort to reinforce the stability of the monarchy, by using the name of his father King George V, as well as to continue Edward VII's tradition of not being King Albert. The Instrument of Abdication signed by Edward VIII Like King Henry VIII of England, whose wish to marry Anne Boleyn in the 1530s shook his kingdom, King Edward VIII created a crisis for the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth in the 1930s when he wished to marry Wallis Simpson. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ...

However most British monarchs use their first baptismal name as their regnal name. When Princess Elizabeth as Heir Presumptive became Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1952, she was asked what name she wished to use, and she responded, "Why, my own name; what else?" There had been speculation that she would leave the name Elizabeth as the unique possession of the earlier monarch who, as a consequence of the accession of Elizabeth II, has been since 1952 known as Elizabeth I of England. Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honor, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Elizabeth I redirects here. ...

It is rumoured that Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor) wishes to assume the regnal name of "George VII" upon his accession to the throne, in light of the unpopularity of both previous British kings who reigned using the name Charles.^[1] Charles I was beheaded for treason during the English Civil War (1642-1660) under the orders of Oliver Cromwell and is not remembered fondly; his son, Charles II, while in many ways popular, was nonetheless regarded with suspicion for his Catholic sympathies—suspicions borne out by his deathbed conversion—and for allowing the succession of his outwardly Catholic brother, James II. The regnal name George is dynastically acceptable to the Windsor family. The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948), is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Under an ambiguously-worded Order-in-Council issued in 1960, the name Mountbatten-Windsor is the personal surname of some of the descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. ... Oliver Cromwell (April 25, 1599–September 3, 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for making England a republic and leading the Commonwealth of England. ... Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 (de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... James II of England/VII of Scotland (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) became King of Scots, King of England, and King of Ireland on 6 February 1685, and Duke of Normandy on 31 December 1660. ...

If Prince William of Wales assumes the throne using his baptismal name, he would reign as William V. Assuming that he lives into his mid-80s and the UK remains a monarchy, there would then be a William reigning over England on the millennial anniversary of conquest of England by William I, better known as William the Conqueror, who established the modern state of England. Of course, Prince William might possibly take a regnal name different from his own. Both Charles and William have a middle name "Arthur", leading some to fanciful speculation that a real king of that mythical name might reign some day. “Prince William” redirects here. ... Combatants Normans supported by: Bretons, Aquitanians, Flemings Anglo-Saxons Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson † Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, but significantly more than the Normans The Battle of Hastings was... William I ( 1027 – September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ...

Regnal names in fiction

• In Star Wars, those people of Naboo who entered into political life adopted a "Name of State." This name of state is used for public occasions and represents the honor and dignity of the office one chooses. Padmé Naberrie adopted the name of Amidala. The leader of the Mandalorians traditionally took the name Mandalore to replace his own, but this practice was discontinued.
• Ralph Jones (John Goodman) — the King of the United Kingdom in the movie King Ralph — was asked to consider taking a regnal name by his private secretary. Ralph decided to keep his original name.
• When Kiril Pablovich Lakota (Anthony Quinn) is elected pope in the movie The Shoes of the Fisherman, he breaks with tradition and decides to continue being known by his given name, thus becoming Pope Kiril I. He explains that he was taking the name in honor of Saint Cyril.
• Upon ascending to the thrones of Gondor and Arnor, Aragorn of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings takes the name Elessar (Quenya; Elfstone), which was given to him by Galadriel.
• In the Transformers universe, leaders of the Autobots often lead under a new name. A3 led as Alpha Trion, Orion Pax as Optimus Prime, and Hot Rod as Rodimus Prime. However, the recipient of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership often displays a marked change in personality as well as their body changing form; as such taking a different name may be due to them being considered separate entities.
• In Sailor Moon, the character Usagi Tsukino was called Princess Serenity in a past life. When she regains her royal status, as the ruler of "Crystal Tokyo," she changes her name to Neo-Queen Serenity.

Opening logo to the Star Wars films Star Wars is an epic science fantasy saga and fictional universe that was created by writer/producer/director George Lucas during the late 1970s. ... Naboo is a fictitious planet in the fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly green terrain and which is the homeworld of two societies: the Gungans who dwell in underwater cities and the humans who live in colonies on the surface. ... Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in George Lucass science fiction saga Star Wars. ... A Mandalorian is a member of a group of masked warrior clans in the Star Wars universe. ... A Mandalorian is a member of a group of masked warrior clans in the Star Wars universe. ... John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is a Golden Globe award winner and Emmy award nominated American actor. ... King Ralph (first released on February 15, 1991) is an American film starring American actor John Goodman in the title role of Ralph Jones. ... Anthony Quinn (April 21, 1915 Chihuahua, Mexico – June 3, 2001 Boston, Massachusetts) was a two-time Academy Award-winning Mexican-American actor, as well as a painter and writer. ... The Shoes of the Fisherman is a 1963 novel by Morris West, as well as a 1968 film based on the novel. ... Statue of Saint Cyril at Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc. ... Flag of Gondor under the rule of the Kings; under the Ruling Stewards, the crown and seven stars were removed Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth. ... In the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien, Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. ... Aragorn (II., son of Arathorn II.) is an important character from J. R. R Tolkiens legendarium. ... John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was an English philologist, writer and university professor who is best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. ... The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by the British academic J. R. R. Tolkien. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Galadriel is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien, appearing in The Lord of the Rings. ... The Transformers (G1) 1984-1987, U.S. This page is a partner page to Transformers Universes, listing the various television series that the Transformer toyline has spawned since its creation in 1984. ... Alpha Trion circa 1985 Alpha Trion circa 9m BC A3 circa 11m BC Alpha Trion is a fictional character in the Transformers animated series. ... Optimus Prime is a fictional commander of the heroic Autobots and the main protagonist from the Transformers universes. ... Rodimus Prime (Rodimus Convoy in Japan, Rodimus Primo in France, and Captain in Italy) is a fictional character from the Transformers universe. ... Sailor Moon , officially translated as Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon) is the title of a famous media franchise created by Japanese manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. ... Usagi Tsukino , or Serena in the English versions) is the protagonist of the Sailor Moon metaseries as well as its title character, best known by her pseudonym, Sailor Moon. ... The manga was translated into English by TOKYOPOP (then Mixx). ...

References

See also

• Posthumous name
• Religious Name
• Chinese era name
• List of regnal numerals of future British monarchs

A posthumous name (Traditional Chinese: 諡號/謚號 Simplified Chinese: 谥号; Pinyin: shì hào; Romaji: shigō/tsuigō; Revised Romanization of Korean: siho) is a honorary name given to royalty in some cultures posthumously, that is, after the persons death. ... In some religious orders, a new member will often take a religious name after joining the order. ... A Chinese era name (traditional Chinese: 年號, simplified Chinese: 年号, pinyin nían hào) is the era name, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperors reign and naming certain Chinese rulers (see the conventions). ... This is a list of the regnal numerals which may in time be used by future British monarchs. ...