Regnal name

A regnal name, or reign name, is a formal name used by a monarch or pope during his or her reign. 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 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).

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), Edwardian.

Roman Catholic Church

Immediately after a new Pope is validy elected, and accepts the election, the man is asked by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, "By what name shall you be called?" The man chooses the name that he will be known as 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 533 AD 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 chose to use their baptismal names.

To date, the last Pope to use his baptismal name was Pope Marcellus II. 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.

There has not 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. However several antipopes have taken the name Peter II, but their claims are not recognized and their following is so small that it's nearly non-existent.

Because of Antipope John XXIII, men avoided taking the regnal name John for over 600 years until the election of John XXIII.

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 Wojtyla took the name John Paul II to honor his immediate predecessor.

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.

United Kingdom

The monarchy in the United Kingdom have also used regnal names at times.

Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the Heir Apparent, took the regnal name Edward VII when he became King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1901, largely out of deference to his late mother Queen Victoria's wish that no future British monarch be named Albert, following the death of her husband Prince Albert. Furthermore, Prince Albert, Duke of York, the Heir Presumptive, took on the regnal name of George VI when he inherited the throne in 1936 for the same reason; as he was not the eldest son, he was christened as Albert due to the fact that he had not been expected to become king.

However this practice is not always followed. 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 take the name of her grandmother, the queen consort Queen Mary, and reign as Queen Mary III. (Her given names are Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.) Elizabeth continues to use her baptismal name, and reigns as Queen Elizabeth II.

It is rumoured that HRH Prince Charles (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 the two previous British kings who reigned using the name Charles. Charles I was executed for treason, and his son Charles II is not remembered fondly. The regnal name George is dynastically acceptable to the Windsor family. It's also rumoured that Prince William will take a regnal name, as would Prince Harry in the event that he would assume the throne.

Other examples

• It is assumed that Norway's Crown Prince Håkon Magnus will assume the name Haakon VIII (with two a's instead of å) upon his ascension to the throne.

• The heir to the Dutch throne, Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, said in an interview he would assume the name of Willem IV ( William IV) when he accesses the Dutch throne. This is line with the previous Dutch kings William I, William II and William III.

Monarchs who did not choose a different regnal name

• Most current and recent European monarchs have used their first one or two given names, including Albert II of the Belgians, Juan Carlos I of Spain, Beatrix of the Netherlands, Margrethe II of Denmark, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and the former Constantine II of the Hellenes.

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. Padme Naberrie adopted the name of Amidala. Palpatine is also thought to be a Name of State, though this is speculation.
• 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 becomming Pope Kiril I. He explains that he was taking the name in honor of Saint Cyril.
• 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.
• The character Usagi Tsukino in Sailor Moon uses the regnal name Serenity as Queen of "Crystal Tokyo".

See also

• Temple name
• Posthumous name