the official naming guide

hi everyone! gossamer is a traditional naming site, meaning we follow the naming rules of books 1-6. while erin hunter has not used her naming rules as strictly as we do, we still try and embrace how clan cats see the world and the attributes they associate with nature. a cat is named after nature, so it makes sense that names are not always as "creative" as people wish. in the end, creativity isn't even the goal: making a name is about keeping the suffix and prefix complementary. "firefur" might not be the most amazing of names, but firefur could have been the greatest of cats. we want to think beyond what we read and see and how we can turn a boring name like "orangepelt" into a leader and legendary character.

HOW CATS GET THEIR PREFIX

the first topic we need to discuss is how cats at birth get their prefix and why names like -brave, -happy, -lost, -legend, -loss and such are not good for prefixes. at birth, a cat's coat is very dull. a siamese cat is born all-white, but a queen would know if her kits would have pointed colors based on the father's genetics. other pelts are barely visible, as their fur is diluted, wet, and sticky. a cat has not opened their eyes, so naming a cat after their eye color cannot be possible, because cat's eyes do not open until 5-8 days after they are born, if shorthair, and 10-14 days for longhaired cats. by the time they are born they are given a prefix after their pelt color. kits have no personality--they are wiggling, squirming, crying balls of wet fur. their pelt color takes on the attributes of nature, and so a brown-tinted cat might take sparrow- and a gray-tined cat would be named storm- or dove-, because a storm has gray rainclouds and a dove is a light, liac color.

it is possible a queen also chooses a prefix (with color in mind) that might influence her belief of her kit. storm- is a strong and masculine prefix suggesting a cat with a temper, while dove- is a gentle feminine prefix resembling a calm and collected cat.

HOW CATS GET THEIR SUFFIX

a cat's suffix is a word resembling a certain trait from nature they present, eventually leading to their warrior ceremony. a cat earns their suffix, and after they have proven themselves to the clan, they will gain a suffix that complements what their warrior life will resemble. a cat who passes their assessment in the normal way will earn a normal suffix, like -pelt or -fur, -face or -flower. -face, -fur, or -pelt describe a cat's physical appearance. gray 'fur' (part of the pelt or the whole pelt), a black 'pelt' (full body color), or a brown 'face,' (this example would suggest a pointed cat). -face can also describe a pretty face, and -fur and -pelt might describe an unusually colored pelt (in bluepelt's case, bluestar's prophecy). a suffix does not describe eye color, but if -eye is used as a suffix, it describes a cat's watchfulness, eyesight, and scouting abilities.

on the other side, if a cat proves themselves worthy of being a warrior by battling bravely, saving a dying cat, or honoring the clan in some way, a cat is given a suffix to match that. if a cat has been loyal, honorable, and true to themselves, the suffix -heart is suitable. if a cat shows excellent fighting or hunting, -claw (battle) or -fang (hunting) are prefixes a leader would choose. a cat with exceptional healing abilities would be deemed -leaf, a cat with a bitter and unfriendly disposition or saved the clan in leafbare would be -frost. the suffix tells other clans what the cat is known for.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRADITIONALISM

traditionalism, sadly, is a forgotten art. the community of warriors is now for younger, more newer rpers who did not grow up with the same systems older members did. without the influence of traditional rpers, who have moved on with their life, people see these rules are "uncreative" and "boring," when they can be very fulfilling. having restrictions makes members focus on other parts of the character, and originality comes from the cat, not the name. i want people to try something different with this naming system. we have 42 suffixes and about 200 prefixes.