The Color Naming Rule is a set of guidelines that define how characters in the world of RWBY are named. The rules were first revealed by series creator Monty Oum as a guide for naming fan-created original characters.[2] Virtually all canon characters follow the rule.
The rules state that names of characters in RWBY must live up to at least one of the following requirements:
- Be a color
- Sound like a color
- Mean a color
- Makes people think of a color
The name can live up to this rule through a combination of requirements. For example, it can sound like a word that means a color or makes people think of a color, and it can sound like a word that means something that makes people think of a color.
The rule applies to first name, last name and even the combination of the first and last name as well as their surname[3].
Characters usually have a distinguishing feature (clothing or hair/eye color) that matches their namesake, but this is not always the case.
In addition, all team names must be a four-letter acronym that spells a word that also abides by the above criteria.
Background[]
An in-universe justification for the rule is given by Professor Ozpin in the episode "Field Trip".
During the Great War, one side destroyed art as part of their goal of suppressing all forms of self-expression. In defiance, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after a fundamental aspect of art - color. This symbolic gesture demonstrated that neither they nor the generations to come would tolerate such oppression. The latter group eventually prevailed, and the tradition of naming children after colors continues into the present day.
Explanations[]
Barring some exceptions, all characters follow the color naming rule. However, exactly how the names of certain characters allude to colors is not always clear. This list attempts to extrapolate the intended connection in cases where it is not immediately apparent.
Huntsmen[]
This list groups most characters of the show either by Team or association. All team names are four-letter acronyms that spell a word that is a color, sounds like a color, means a color or is evocative of a color.
Team RWBY[]
Ruby is a red-colored gemstone and a shade of red. The first four trailers released for RWBY, "Red", "White", "Black" and "Yellow", all shared a color theme that corresponded to one member of the eponymous Team RWBY. The lyrics of the song "Red Like Roses" refers to each of the four team members of Team RWBY by their color.
- Ruby Rose - Ruby is a gemstone known for its red coloration. Roses are a flower known to come in red varieties, as referenced by her music theme, "Red Like Roses". Ruby also alludes heavily to the fairytale character Little Red Riding Hood. She also first appeared in the "Red" Trailer.
- Weiss Schnee - Weiss or weiß is a German word meaning "white". Schnee means "snow" in the same language. Weiss also alludes to the fairytale character Snow White, and first appeared in the "White" Trailer.
- Blake Belladonna - Blake is an Old English word meaning "black". Belladonna, or Atropa belladonna, is a plant known for its incredibly toxic berries which also have a dark purple to black coloration. Blake also first appeared in the "Black" Trailer.
- Yang Xiao Long - Yang (阳) means "sun" in Chinese, which is evocative of the color yellow. Yang first appeared in the "Yellow" Trailer. Her fairytale allusion is Goldilocks, who is distinguished by her hair color.
Team JNPR[]
The Juniper plant bears blue berries and is known for the vivid yellow color that its leaves turn in autumn.
- Jaune Arc - Jaune is French for "yellow". "Arc" may be taken from "arc-en-ciel", French for "rainbow". Fittingly, some of his possessions, most notably his shield, have a symbol of a rainbow on them.[4]
- Nora Valkyrie - Speculative: Nora is possibly named after the Nora Barlow columbine, a flower with a vibrant pink coloration. On RWBY merchandise, her emblem is often colored pink.
- Pyrrha Nikos - "Pyrrha" is derived from the Greek adjective pyrrhos (πυρρός), which means "flame-colored". Monty has also stated that she was named for her hair.[5]
- Lie Ren - Speculative: Ren is Japanese for "lotus", a plant known for its bright pink flowers and green leaves. Ren's outfit is patterned after this color scheme, and on RWBY merchandise, his emblem is often colored pink.
Team CRDL[]
Cardinal is a shade of red and a bird, the males of which have feathers with a brilliant red coloration.
- Cardin Winchester - Cardinal is a shade of red. It is also the common name of a species of bird with a rich red coat of feathers.
- Russel Thrush - Speculative: Russel is a name that means red. The Riesling wine grapes are sometimes called russel. Thrush is a type of bird and most species are gray or brown in color.
- Dove Bronzewing - Bronze is a color, named after the metal alloy of the same name that has the same coloration. Speculative: Doves are also a bird species known for their pure white color. Another form of dove, known as a Bronzewing, has feathers colored bronze.
- Sky Lark - The sky appears blue during daytime. There is also a shade of blue known as sky blue. Speculative: Skylark is a type of bird with a brown body.
Team CFVY[]
Coffee is a beverage with a characteristic brown coloration.
- Coco Adel - Speculative: Coco is possibly named after the cocoa plant, which comes in a variety of colors but is mostly associated with its brown color when roasted.
- Fox Alistair - Speculative: Foxes are a carnivore species known for their reddish-brown or red-orange colored fur.
- Velvet Scarlatina - Velvet is a shade of brown, Scarlatina is derived from "scarlet", a shade of red.
- Yatsuhashi Daichi - Speculative: Yatsuhashi are a Japanese treat, often colored a warm brown tone. Daichi means 'earth' or 'ground' in the same language, which also implies a brown color.
Team SSSN[]
The Sun is a yellow star.
- Sun Wukong - The Sun is usually associated with its yellow color. Sun's namesake is often associated or is evocative of the color gold.
- Scarlet David - Scarlet is a shade of red with traces of orange.
- Sage Ayana - The leaves of the sage plant, when dried up, adopt a brown-green color that is known as "sage" or "sage green".
- Neptune Vasilias - Speculative: Neptune is an ice giant planet in the solar system with a deep blue color. Neptune is also the Roman God of the Sea, which is evocative of the blue color of the ocean.
Penny's Team[]
The team acronym, and thus its pronunciation, is currently unknown.
- Penny Polendina - Speculative: Penny's name can bring to mind the color of copper, which pennies are coated in. It can also bring to mind the green color (verdigris) that copper takes on when it is oxidized. Polendina is the derogatory nickname given to Pinocchio's creator, Geppetto, due to the resemblance his yellow wig bears to polenta in the original story.
- Ciel Soleil - Speculative: Ciel's name is French. Ciel means "sky" or "Heaven", the former being blue and the latter bringing white to mind. Soleil is French for "sun", which is commonly considered yellow in color.
Team STRQ[]
Stark White is a shade of white.
- Summer Rose - Roses are a type of flower that are usually a red color, but also exist in white varieties. Summer is a season that brings Whites, Yellows, Blues and Greens to mind.
- Taiyang Xiao Long - Like his daughter Yang, his name Tai Yang (太阳) refers to Sun, which is yellow.
- Raven Branwen - Ravens are birds known for their black feathers. Branwen is Welsh, meaning "blessed white raven/crow", which corresponds to her first name.
- Qrow Branwen - Crows are birds known for their black feathers. Branwen is Welsh, meaning "blessed white raven/crow", which corresponds to his first name.
Team ABRN[]
Auburn refers to a reddish-brown color, especially with reference to hair.
- Arslan Altan - Altan means "red dawn" in Turkish and "golden" in Mongolian. Speculative: Arslan is similar to the word Aslan which is Turkish for "Lion". Lions are feline animals, with light yellow fur.
- Bolin Hori - Hori roughly translates to "yellow" in Basque. Bolin is an ornamental name composed of the elements bo ‘farm’ + -lin, suffix of Swedish family names.
- Reese Chloris - Chloris is derived from the Greek word chloros (χλωρός) meaning "green", especially in relation to youth and vigor. Speculative: Reese is an Old English name which means "fiery or ardent" which bring fiery and warm colors to mind.
- Nadir Shiko - Speculative: When said together, Nadir Shiko's first and last names sound like Nadeshiko, the Japanese name for a family of pink flowers commonly known as carnations.
Team BRNZ[]
Bronze is a type of metal alloy with a characteristic brownish tint.
- Brawnz Ni - Brawnz sounds like "bronze", a metal alloy characterized by its brownish tinge. Miles and Kerry have also stated that he specifically alludes to the Fairly OddParents character Bronze Kneecap.[6]
- Roy Stallion - Speculative: Stallions are adult male horses, usually depicted with a brown coat. The name Roy is also believed to be connected to an old Gaelic word for red.
- Nolan Porfirio - Porfirio comes from the Greek Porphyry (Πορφύριος), meaning "purple clad".
- May Zedong - Miles and Kerry referred to her name as being a reference to a purple mushroom. Speculative: This could be in reference to Zhidong, a mushroom known for its reddish-purple cap.[7]
Team NDGO[]
Indigo is the color between blue and violet within the light spectrum.
- Nebula Violette - Violette is French for the flower viola. It is also the feminine French form of the word violet. Speculative: Nebulae can be seen in a deep violet color, amongst others.
- Dew Gayl - Speculative: Dew commonly forms on grass, which is typically green.
- Gwen Darcy - Speculative: Gwen is a Welsh name for "white" or "holy". Darcy is an Irish name, which translates to "dark one".
- Octavia Ember - Speculative: Embers are small flames or smoldering pieces of wood, which can be reddish-orange in color. Speculative: Octavia is the name of a species of raspberries, rubus idaeus. Raspberries are magenta/red in color.
Team FNKI[]
Funky- Speculative: may evoke multiple colors associated with disco music.
- Flynt Coal - Speculative: Flynt's name refers to a dull gray color also found in his clothing. His last name, Coal, is a deep black substance used as fuel for fires.
- Neon Katt - Speculative: Neon alludes to neon lights, which are glass tubes filled with neon gas, illuminating in a bright orange color.
- Kobalt - Cobalt is a chemical element with the symbol Co and silver-gray color.
- Ivori - Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks and teeth of some animals.
Other Factions[]
Outside academy teams, members of other factions are also based on certain colors as well.
White Fang[]
- Adam Taurus - Speculative: āḏām is linked to its triliteral root אָדָם (a-d-m), meaning "red". As a masculine noun, adam means "man", "mankind". The noun adam is also the masculine form of the word adamah which means "ground", "earth" or "clay". It is related to the words: adom (red), admoni (ruddy), and dam (blood).
- Sienna Khan - Sienna is itself a color, defined both as a "brownish-yellow" and a "reddish-brown".
- Ilia Amitola - Amitola is said to be either the Sioux[8] or Cherokee[9] word for "rainbow". Speculative: Ilia is the name of a species of butterfly, Apatura ilia, or the lesser purple emperor butterfly, bringing the color purple to mind.
Belladonna Family[]
- Ghira Belladonna - Like his daughter, his last name, Belladonna, is a plant known for its incredibly toxic purple to black berries.
- Kali Belladonna - Kali is Hindi for "black". Like her daughter, her last name, Belladonna, is a plant known for its incredibly toxic purple to black berries.
Schnee Family[]
- Jacques Schnee - Like the rest of his family, his last name means "snow" in German. Speculative: His maiden name Gelé means "frost" in French.
- Willow Schnee - Willow is a genus of trees, which are associated with the colors green and gray. Schnee means "snow" in German.
- Whitley Schnee - Whitley means "white meadow". Schnee means "snow" in German.
Cinder's Faction[]
- Emerald Sustrai - Emeralds are a green gemstone. Speculative: Sustrai means "roots" in Basque, which are typically evocative of a woody brown.
- Mercury Black - Black is a color. Mercury is a heavy silver-colored metal that is liquid at room temperature and is also known as "quicksilver".
- Roman Torchwick - Speculative: Roman's name and weapon could relate to the famous Roman candle firework which is normally associated with the color of fire (though it can be any number of common firework colors). Torch also brings to mind the colors of flame. Wick could also mean the wick of a candle, bringing flames and candles to mind.
- Neopolitan - Neapolitan is a flavor of ice cream that combines strawberry (pink), chocolate (brown) and vanilla (white) flavors. Neo's eyes are capable of switching between these three colors, and her hair and outfit also follow this color scheme.
Salem's Inner Circle[]
- Salem - Speculative: Although Salem does not follow the rule in-universe due to having existed for thousands of years, her name is attributed to two colors: Salem, a deep green, and Salem Blue, a very light blue. Salem is also a rosemary cultivar with pale-blue flowers.
- Arthur Watts - Speculative: A watt is a unit for measuring electrical power, and electricity brings to mind the color yellow.
- Tyrian Callows - Speculative: Tyrian likely refers to Tyrian purple, which is defined as an ancient crimson or purple dye obtained from gastropod mollusks.
- Cinder Fall - Speculative: Fall is the American name for autumn, a season usually associated with tree leaves turning red, orange and yellow. Cinders are the product of combustion, also evoking flame-like imagery.
- Hazel Rainart - Hazel is itself a color, defined as "a color that combines light brown with green and gray".
- Tock - Speculative: Tock is one of the sound clocks made, a device that tells time. Time as a concept is usually linked to yellow or gold.
Beacon Staff[]
- Glynda Goodwitch - Speculative: Her name implies that she was named after Glenda the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz, whose associated colors are Pink (from the 1939 film) and White (from the original novelization).
- Peter Port - Speculative: Peter is derived from the Greek word Πέτρος (Petros), meaning stone. Port may refer to port wine, which is typically a red coloration.
- Bartholomew Oobleck - Speculative: In Dr. Seuss' children's book Bartholomew and the Oobleck, oobleck is a green sticky substance.
Junior's Club[]
- Hei "Junior" Xiong - Hei (黑) is Chinese for "black".
- Melanie Malachite - Melanie is a Greek name derived from melania (μελανία) which means "blackness". Malachite is a mineral name derived from molochitis lithos (Μολοχίτης λίθος) which means "mallow-green stone". Appropriately, she has green eyes.
- Miltiades Malachite - Miltiades (Μιλτιάδης) is a Greek name which means "red earth". Like her sister, she also has the green eyes appropriate to her last name.
Atlas Military[]
- James Ironwood - Iron is a metallic chemical element with a silvery-gray luster. "Ironwood" is a common name for a large number of woods known for their hardness ("Ironwood" may or may not also refer to the tree that yields said wood).
- Winter Schnee - Winter is a season known for snow, which is white. Schnee means "snow" in German.
- Clover Ebi - A clover is a green leafy plant.
- Vine Zeki - A vine is a type of plant that takes the form of tendrils that climb or creep along the ground. Vines are often green or brown.
- Elm Ederne - An elm is a type of tree, bringing the colors green and brown to mind.
- Marrow Amin - Marrow is a substance that forms inside of bones. When bone is cooked, the marrow often takes on a brown color. Speculative: Marrow is also the name of a white-fleshed, green-skinned gourd.
- Harriet Bree - The name Harriet means "keeper of the hearth", which brings golden and brown colors to mind. Bree could be a play on Brie which is a white soft cheese.
Happy Huntresses[]
- Robyn Hill - Robyn is a variation on Robin. Robin is a species of bird that is known for their red-orange chest feathering and bright blue eggs. A hill is an elevated landform, which is often covered in grass and other plantlife, bringing to mind the color green. Speculative: Robin is also a nickname for Robert, which means "bright".
- Fiona Thyme - The name "Fiona" can be considered either a Latinised form of the Gaelic word fionn, meaning "white", "fair". or an Anglicisation of the Irish name Fíona (derived from an element meaning "vine"). Thyme is a green herb used in cooking that grows in spring.
- Joanna Greenleaf - The name Joanna means "God is gracious", bringing white and gold colors to mind. Greenleaf refers to the color green.
- May Marigold - The name "May" is another name for the hawthorn flower, which comes in various colors. Marigold is a yellow-orange flower.
Other[]
- Klein Sieben - Speculative: His first name is likely derived from International Klein Blue, a color created by French artist, Yves Klein.
- Leonardo Lionheart - Leonardo means 'brave lion' in Italian, bringing orange and browns to mind. Lionheart alludes more directly to the same case.
- Tukson - His name is likely derived of the Spanish given name Tucson, which means "black base".[10]
- Amber - Amber is a fossilized form of resin, a substance produced by trees. Its appearance has made its name a common color in its own right, defined as "a dark orange-yellow color".
- Cyril Ian - When said together, his name sounds like "cerulean", a deep shade of blue.[11]
- Lisa Lavender - Her last name, "Lavender", is the name of a light shade of purple.
- Lagune - Speculative: His last name is derived from "Lagoon", which are small bodies of water.
- Professor Peach - Peaches are fruits with pink or orange flesh.
- Perry - Speculative: "Perry" is the name of an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears.
- Spruce Willis - Spruces are a type of Pinacacea, characterized by light green leaves and almost white wood.
- Marcus Black - Like his son, his surname is literally a color.
- Henry Marigold - Marigolds are flowers with orange petals or some other combination of yellow and red.
- Oscar Pine - Speculative: "Oscar" is a species of fish, which comes in sub-species and different types of colors, including yellow or velvety brown varieties. "Oscar Gold" is also a color, based on the color of the famous Oscar statues. Pine is a species of evergreen tree, which are evocative of green colors.
- Merlot - Merlot is a type of grape most notably used in the making of red wine.
- Shay D. Mann - Shade is the darkening of color caused by shelter from direct sunlight.
- Pietro Polendina - "Pietro" comes from the Latin word "petros", which means stone, bringing to mind gray and brown colors. "Polendina" comes from the derogatory nickname that his allusion Geppetto was given in the original story because his yellow wig is similar to polenta, which is boiled cornmeal.
- Forest - A forest is an environment filled with trees, which brings to mind the colors green and brown.
Justice League[]
- Clark Kent/Superman - Clark comes from the Latin word clericus, meaning either "clerk", "scribe", "secretary", "scholar, or "cleric". Clerks normally wear white. Scribe also brings to mind black hues. The first two brings to mind white parchment and black ink (obviously aligning with his day job as a news reporter of the Daily Planet). Kent means high or coastal land which brings to mind yellows, blues and greens.
- Superman's alias is "The Blue-Red Blur", referring to the colors blue and red. His Kryptonian birth name, "Kal-El", means "Star-child", with "star" bringing the colors white and yellow to mind.
- Diana Prince/Wonder Woman - Diana's first name refers to a lost Goddess associated with the Moon, bringing to mind white and gray. It also comes from the Indo-European root word meaning "heavenly" or "divine", bringing the colors gold and white to mind. Her last name, Prince, is a royalty term that brings both the colors of gold and silver to mind.
- Wonder Woman's superhero name brings the color yellow to mind.
- Bruce Wayne/Batman - Bruce's first name means "Like wind through a thorn bush, through brushes and rushes and willow trees". Willow trees commonly bring browns and greens to mind. Wayne also means wagon builder and driver which also brings browns to mind.
- Batman's alias is "The Dark Knight", bringing to mind the color black.
- Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern - Jessica's first name means "rich" or "God beholds" which brings to mind golds whilst Cruz means "cross" in Spanish and Portuguese, either the Christian cross or the figure of transecting lines or ways, which brings to mind browns and silvers.
- Green Lantern's superhero name invokes the color green.
- Barry Allen/The Flash - Barry's first name is derived from Gaelic, possibly being an Anglicised form of the personal name Báire, which is a short form of the related Irish names Bairrfhionn or Barrfind ("fair-headed", "fair-haired"). and Finbar, or Fionnbharr ("fair-topped", "fair-haired"), which may bring to mind blondes or yellows. Allen is a variation of the surname MacAllen and may be derived from two separate sources: Ailin, in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, means both "little rock" and "harmony", or it may also be derived from the Celtic Aluinn, which means "handsome". Variant spellings include Alan, Allan, etc., which brings browns to mind.
- The Flash is known as "The Scarlet Speedster", invoking the color red, while his speed color is yellow.
- Mari McCabe/Vixen - Vixen's superhero name is named after the term for female foxes, bringing to mind brown and orange.
- Jesse Quick/The New Flash - Jesse's first name is common in many English-speaking countries of English and Dutch origin, derived from the Hebrew name Yishay which means "King" or "God's gift" and brings bright or gold to mind.
- Victor Stone/Cyborg - Victor is both a given name and a surname. It is Latin in origin meaning winner or conqueror, which brings to mind gold whilst Stone brings to mind grey.
- Arthur Curry/Aquaman - "Arthur" could come from the Celtic word artos meaning "bear", bringing to mind the color brown. Curry is a dish of meat and/or vegetables which is cooked in a spicy sauce, typically coming in colors between yellow and brownish-orange.
Trivia[]
- Interestingly, Ozpin was explicitly stated as the only character who does not follow the Color Naming Rule by Monty, the only character officially confirmed as such. Monty enigmatically attributes this to "reasons". The reason for this was revealed in "Unforeseen Complications", when Ozpin revealed he has been alive for thousands of years. Regardless of this claim, Ozpin alludes to the Wizard of Oz, who is associated with the color green, a color which is prominently represented in Ozpin's wardrobe as well as in his deep green Aura.
- It's possible that the "reasons" his name didn't follow the rule could be alluding to his original name, Ozma.
- Weapons and locations do not seem to follow the Color Naming Rule either. The Color Naming Rule also does not seem to apply to pet animals, since Zwei's name does not reference any color.
- The Color Naming Rule is referenced in "The Next Step" whilst Ren and Nora are discussing whether to call Team RNJR "Team JNRR" instead, with Ren stating that JNRR does not refer to a color.
- The Arc siblings are all a color of the rainbow, with one set of twins. Saphron is orange while Jaune is Yellow.[12]
- The Ace Operatives lacking a team color and ignoring the standard four-man squad convention was an intentional choice, made to show that Ironwood did not care about Ozpin's rules and his view of prioritizing efficiency.[13]
References[]
- ↑ RWBY DC Comic #1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Monty Oum's Twitter
- ↑ RWBY: Roman Holiday AMA Nov 10th
- ↑ Volume 1 Directors Commentary "Jaunedice"
- ↑ Monty Oum's Twitter
- ↑ Afterbuzz TV
- ↑ Afterbuzz TV
- ↑ 20000-Names.com
- ↑ SusanCraft.com
- ↑ Volume 2 Directors Commentary "Best Day Ever"
- ↑ Volume 1 Directors Commentary "Ruby Rose"
- ↑ Volume 6 Directors' Commentary Chapter 7
- ↑ RWBY Volume 7 Director's Commentary – Chapter 3
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