Naming Your Theriotypes

Saying some things about therianthropy and naming your theriotypes.

1. Your theriotypes don’t have names. However, there can be some exceptions to this. For example, if you had a past life as a pet, then your theriotype could have that name, as well if maybe you were a circus animal. Other than that, though, they don’t have names.

2. It doesn't make sense to name them. Do bears use human words? No. Do wolves name their pups things like “Moon” and “Cherish”? No. So why would you name your theriotype?

3. “But it feels… natural.” Then that would be a preferred name. Face it. Cats don’t go like, “[insert cat noises] Lillie.” (Translation: Hi Lillie!) Cats don’t have the vocal capability to give each other “human word” names.

4 Naming your theriotypes also doesn’t make sense because your theriotypes ARE you. They aren't a separate identity who needs a different name.

I am open to correction and discussion.
(Also this may have been terribly formatted but I am terrible at writing things sooo..)

I name my theriotypes, but only for the sake of simplicity. Eg. so I can write”crystal” instead of “my snow leopard theriotype”
I just do it to be easier to type XD but in my opinion, my theriotypes did not have names whatsoever. You can name your theriotypes, but that was not their real name.

(2024-06-13 18:18)crystalsnowleopard Wrote:  I name my theriotypes, but only for the sake of simplicity. Eg. so I can write”crystal” instead of “my snow leopard theriotype”
I just do it to be easier to type XD but in my opinion, my theriotypes did not have names whatsoever. You can name your theriotypes, but that was not their real name.

Then that just implies they are a seperate entity from you?

Rain isnt a theriotype name, even if it seems more 'naturalistic' to me. instead, it helps me find a space of inner peace and being one with nature. it isnt naming my feline theriotype, or differentiating it, just helping me to feel whole and like myself. i AM Rain. thats my preferred name (though few irl use it as such), and yes it makes me feel better abt myself similarly to how it does when i use neopronouns, but it holds no theriotype connection. im my opinion, agreeing with @~sage_on_pawrs~ and @Abysmal., that would make it appear that my theriotypes are a separate identity by naming them, rather than being them. also elaborating on Sages point, though felines may recognise eachother, they have no 'naming system' as such that im aware of. i communicate with each of my cats in a slightly different welcoming tone, which sort of acknowledges their 'names' in a way, though i suppose that is likely the human part in me assigning names to specific things. i find it a strange concept, to need to know what something is and call it such. sometimes things just... are. u dont k what they are, and thats ok sometimes. they are things. thats that. if i dont k what smth is i dont go 'oh! thats a... what should we call it?' i just say its a thing. because it is. to me, assigning things names just confuses me. i can recognise the differences, plants have different shaped leaves, cats different pelt patterns and colours, humans have different hair styles or eyes etc. i can see difference, and i will acknowledge it. to me that is 'naming', putting into memory the differences and looks of smth even if it isnt labelled, its recognising it and giving it a place in ur brain even if not saying exactly what it is. i don't point out to myself thats its a redwood tree, instead i go up to the tree, remark to myself how intersting it is and remember it as a red tree. it is a red tree. i do not need to assign it a label, if ik what it is thats good enough for me.


went off on a bit of a ramble/ tangent there that makes no sense lol- idk if i worded that right but hopefully that's ok XD, im always open to others viewpoints, and will not shame those who name theriotypes, i simply don't see a need to perceive them as anything else other than a part of yourself. if i said anything incorrect, or confusing, please just let me k i apologise, i am very tired lol

cya!
Rain

I tend to call my theriotypes "Cat" and "Owl", like a name. Just easier to type for me.

I call my type(s)* just "Leaf" just because of the magical powers I could used in my dreams while I was my theriotype and because of my two fursona they are also named after their ability.
If I don't do it I just call them/it* simply "Luchs" (lynx). I feel addressed enough by this word.

*how do I even pronounce it correctly if these two types are directly bound together? Lol

I feel like as an issue this might get a... bit overblown. There are therians who aren't 1:1 of earthen animals, and thus might have a degree of sapience. Names could also be a translation of what you remember from your last life. If you are a wolf for example and you have a heavy memories or intuition of having a name or experience associated with the moon, then you might translate that as "I was a wolf named Moon", which is just the simplest way without getting into it. We are in a human body and thus when we talk about this and we aren't communicating like our theriotypes would.

There are also cases where theriotypes might have a level of quasi-separation. There was an older therian podcast I can't for the life of me find again, but one of the hosts had an experience where he treated his wolf theriotype like something that was separate to him (if anyone knows what I'm talking about, please let me know, because it looks like it was nuked from the internet). Additionally, you can be a therian because of parallel lives or separate soul experiences, in which case it might make sense to name the theriotype separately from you.

I guess it might also depend on how you define naming a theriotype, since there are people who have a unique therian community name. The concept of a "were name" goes back to AHWW.

-Anonymous

To while I have not named any of mine. I don’t see the issue. It’s YOUR identity. Thus you can do whatever you want with it.

I usually try not to judge other people's choices no matter my opinion, so I say whatever. Live and let live.

Me personally, I see my theriotypes as me. Not an extension of me or otherwise — they are me. So I don't really get naming them, since wouldn't that just be your actual name? Unless maybe you were a domesticated creature, but then do you go by that name as well?

[shrug] I really don't care. Everyone's experiences are different.

I don't think it really matters whether someone names their theriotypes or not. I personally haven't, although i have kind of nicknamed my sea wolf Delta. I only really think of it as that when I'm drawing it though, so Delta is probably just a character i created to express that wolf part of me I Don't actually see or call myself Delta at all. Idk if i explained that very well, sometimes its easier thinking of names than 'my sea wolf theriotype' every time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯