Trek in-universe eponyms

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Has anybody heard of #BirdNames4Birds? Basically, it's a movement that rejects taxonomic eponyms of historical figures, in favor of more descriptive names.

It occurred to me that if this practice spreads to all scientific disciplines, Trek will be anachronistic in that there are many planets named after objects and people that have no connection to the world, save for discovering it, or its resemblance to things in Human culture.

 

[at Quark's]

What kind of 'descriptive' planet names would you suggest, then? Rocky Wasteland With A Frigid Climate III ?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I suppose such a naming practice might move in and out of vogue.

Perhaps for planets, naming preference goes toward the native species, or in the case of uninhabited, the first species to lay claim.

Makes me think of this:

 

[StarCruiser]

Okay - people will always be people. There may be a formal name for a world but, those who colonize it, will almost certainly start using a 'name' that they, or someone comes up with.

We've always done something like that - everywhere we've ever gone. It's not likely to change at any point in the next 10,000 years.

 

[at Quark's]

The problem I see with it is that space might simply be too large. There must be millions of stars just in Federation territory alone. So either they'll have to go with systematical naming, or not mind that there will be many multiple systems carrying the same names- just like in the names of actual villages and cities.

 

[PoorSailorsAirline]

or not mind that there will be many multiple systems carrying the same names- just like in the names of actual villages and cities.

Ask anyone who's ever booked a flight to Sydney, NSW, Australia and ended up in Sydney, NS, Canada. It does apparently happen at least once every couple of years. Or if you're Canadian you'll probably have to refer to someone you know who lives in London as "not the one with Big Ben, the Ontario one."

Like mentioned above, I'm sure there's lots of 'local' names for planets and star systems in common use vs. the 'official' names. As an example, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Earth technically called "Sol III" and while we're at it, Earth only means Earth in English. So maybe we're getting some UT-gobbledygook like '120 Gamma Perseus' or '315 Beta Eridani' or whatever from the conn officer, but everyone knows the ship is off to Rura Penthe or Hellguard? (The anecdote I've heard and love about things like this is, 'when was the last time you referred to toothpaste as dentifrice?' - good point! )

 

[at Quark's]

Ask anyone who's ever booked a flight to Sydney, NSW, Australia and ended up in Sydney, NS, Canada. It does apparently happen at least once every couple of years. Or if you're Canadian you'll probably have to refer to someone you know who lives in London as "not the one with Big Ben, the Ontario one."

Something like that actually happened to my cousin's husband. He's an expat manager working for a multinational in Bahrain. One day his secretary had fallen ill, and he was invited to a meeting in 'Frankfurt'. So he booked his flight ticket himself, and flew to Frankfurt, Germany. (Being European, that would have been his first thought).

Turned out he had misunderstood, and was expected to appear in Frankfort, Kentucky.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Apparently the rumor that Austria has a special counter at its airports for people who were supposed to be going to Australia was just that, a rumor.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Has anybody heard of #BirdNames4Birds? Basically, it's a movement that rejects taxonomic eponyms of historical figures, in favor of more descriptive names.

What is the point?

It occurred to me that if this practice spreads to all scientific disciplines, Trek will be anachronistic in that there are many planets named after objects and people that have no connection to the world, save for discovering it, or its resemblance to things in Human culture.

Probably best not to worry about it, Laura.