Word Origins
From Tar Valon Library
Many of the names, titles and objects in the Wheel of Time books are taken from history or mythology. Here we present some examples.
Contents
Shadowspawn
Also the trolloc bands:
- Ahf’frait: Ifrit: supernaturla creatures in Arabic and slamic culture
- Al’ghol: Ghoul
- Bhan'sheen: Banshee
- Dhjin’nen: Dijin
- Ghar’ghael: Gargoyle
- Ghob’lin: Goblin
- Gho’hlem: Golem
- Ghraem’lan: Gremlin
- Ko’bal: Kobald
- Kno’mon: Gnome
- Dha’vol: Devil
- Dhai’mon; Demon
Forsaken
- Asmodean: Asmodeus, a demon
- Anath: Western semitic goddess of war and sister of Baal
- Be'lal: A demon
- Selene A Moon godess in Greek mythology
- Ishamael: Ishmael, son of Abraham?
- Ba'alzamon Baal, a god or demon
Words from Arthurian Legend
- Elayne: Elaine, Arthur's half sister
- Gawyn: Sir Gawyn
- Galad: Sir Galahad, the pure
- Egwene al'Vere: Guinevere, Arthur's wife
- Lan: Sir Lancelot
- Morgase: Morause, Arthur's half sister and mother of Mordred
- Arthur Paendrag: King Arthur Pendragon
- Caemlyn: Possibly Camelot, which fits as the Arthurain motif is particularly strong in Andor
- Thom Merrilin: Merlin, the magician
- Tar Valon: Avalon, a legendary island
- Tigraine: Igraine, Arthur's mother
- Moridin/Mordeth - Mordred, Arthur's enemy
- Nynaeve: Niviane/Nimui/Nyneve
- Sa'angreal (plus angreal, ter'angreal): Sangréal, a false etymology for the holy grail, from the French Royal blood"
Stories from Earlier Ages
- Mosk: Moscow
- Merk: America
- Elsbet: Elizabeth the first of England
- Materese the Healer: Mother Teresa
Miscellaneous
- Tamyrlin (and Amyrlin): Tamerlaine, a 14th century Mongol conqueror
- Ogier: Ogre
- Eelfinn/Aelfinn: Possibly "Elven"
- Perrin: Perun, slavic god of thunder and lightening, associated with beard, hammer and axe
- Ghoetam: Siddhārtha Gautama, the Buddha
- Amaresu: Amaterasu, the Japanese goddess of the sun
- Shivan: Shiva, a Hindu god
