Non-canonical Fire Emblem names
Credits: King Marth 64 (research)
This page covers English Fire Emblem names and titles mentioned in official/licensed English media, but beyond the context of the original Japanese-only games they come from. This includes cameos or references in an English Fire Emblem game to a Japanese-only title.
For the purposes of this site, these names are treated as non-canonical and non-official because they often differ between media and some are later overruled--for example in a remake or re-release--in favour of a different name. However, some people might find these names useful, as some are as "official" as you can get, while others are just plain amusing.
Main Definitions
NOJ: Nintendo of Japan name. From the official site, in-game and/or the game code.
Fan: Fan name. Derived by English Fire Emblem fans. There are other fan names besides the one listed; the fan names listed here are the ones commonly used on this site.
Official: From the North American (NA) or European (EU) version (English language option) of the character/location's debut game.
Non-canonical Sources
List
Note: "Reliability" measures the chance of the names from the source accurately reflecting the names in a possible re-release. However, even for the highest scoring source, this chance is still fairly low (unless Nintendo of Europe have their say!).
The first two sources pre-date the first official English Fire Emblem by many years, so it's unlikely the localisers had any forward-planning when it came to naming. Many of the names here differ from the ones used in the official English version of Shadow Dragon.
| Source | Description | Year | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Power | Nintendo Power, the official Nintendo magazine in North America. | 1996 | ★ |
| Anime | The Mystery of the Emblem original video animation (OVA). | 1998 | ★★ |
| SSBM | Super Smash Bros. Melee, a Nintendo-developed fighting game. | 2001 | ★★★★ |
| Official Site | The official English Fire Emblem site. | 2003 | ★★★★★ |
| The Blazing Blade | The first Fire Emblem officially released in English. | 2003 | 10★ |
| SSBB | Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the sequel to Melee. | 2008 | ★★★ |
| Awakening | The 13th Fire Emblem title. | 2013 | 12★ |
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power, the official Nintendo magazine in North America, wrote an infamous article on Genealogy of the Holy War, located here. The article itself acknowledged Nintendo of America, at the time, had no plans for an English release. So even if Nintendo of America agreed with the names, it's unlikely they gave them serious thought.
While most of the names in the article never appeared again, the name Serlis is later reused on the official site, although it is later axed in favour of Seliph in Fire Emblem Awakening.
| NOJ/Fan | Nintend Power | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon of Darkness and Sword of Light | The Lightning Sword and Dark Dragons | Shadow Dragon and Blade of Light |
| Marth | Marus | Marth |
| Hardin | Hardaine | Hardin |
| Mediuth | Medious | Medeus |
| Mystery of the Emblem | Secret of the Crest | Mystery of the Emblem |
| Genealogy of the Holy War | The Descent of Jihad | Genealogy of the Holy War |
| Siglud/Sigurd | Zigludo | Sigurd |
| Celice | Serlis | Seliph |
Fire Emblem Anime
The Mystery of the Emblem original video animation (OVA) closely followed the story of Book 1, but it lasted for two episodes before being cancelled. By some stroke of luck, the OVA was officially released in English, but not published by Nintendo. There were two versions of the OVA--one dubbed with English voices and the other retaining the original Japanese voices, but with English subtitles. Curiously, some of the names differ between the dub and sub.
Note: Only names written in text (for example in the subtitles, credits or the packaging) are included in this chart.
| NOJ/Fan | Dub | Sub | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marth | Mars | Mars | Marth |
| Sheeda | Shida | Sheida | Caeda/Shiida |
| Jeigan | Jeigan | Jaigan | Jagen |
| Abel | Abel | Able | Abel |
| Barts | Barts | ? | Barst |
| ?/Cornelius | Cornelias | Cornelius | Cornelius |
| Dohga/Doga | Doga | Dohga | Draug |
| Elice/Ellis | Elis | ? | Elice |
| Garnef | Garnev | Garnef | Gharnef |
| Gazak | Gazak | ? | Gazzak |
| Gohdon/Gordon | Gordon | Gordon | Gordin |
| Kain | Kain | Cain | Cain |
| ?/Leeza | Lisa | ? | Liza |
| ?/Mostyn | Mostin | ? | (King Talys) |
| Oguma | Ogma | Oguma | Ogma |
| Himan | Haiman | Hyman | Hyman/Reynard |
| Jurian/Julian | Julian | Julian | Julian |
| Rena | Lena | Lena | Lena |
| Nabarl/Navarre | Navarre | Navahl | Navarre/Nabarl |
| ? | Peket | Bect | (Anime only?) |
| Jiol | ? | Zion | Jiol |
| Anri | Anri | Anri | Anri |
| Mediuth | Medius | Medius | Medeus |
| Falchion | Falcion | Falcion | Falchion |
| Akaneia | Akanea | Akanea | Archanea/Akaneia |
| Aritia | Aritia | Aritia | Altea |
| Durhua | Durhua | Durhua | Dolhr/Doluna |
| Khadein | Khadin | Khadin | Khadein |
| Gra | ? | Gra | Gra |
| Talis | ? | Talis | Talys |
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, a Nintendo-developed fighting game that stars Marth and Roy. It was released before the first official Fire Emblem release and the popularity of Marth and Roy is said to have influenced Nintendo's decision to release the Fire Emblem series overseas. In terms of the names, there are no complaints here really, besides Pherae being called Pharae, Dolhr/Doluna as Dolua without the N, and Archanea/Akaneia as Akanea without the I in this game.
The "Sword of Seals" referenced in Melee is the name of item, although it's also the name of the game in the Japanese version. But, as of Roy returned to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U as a Downloadable Veteran Fighter, his trophy info still has his sword as the "Sword of Seals" while the name of the game was still referred as Binding Blade after Fire Emblem Awakening was released that still used the name of Roy's game with that title which the localized team for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U probably forgotten to fix that and didn't realized that the Sword used the same Kanji as the game title, but thanks to the localization on Fire Emblem Heroes and Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Roy's sword is now matched the name of the game's localized title (without "The" in it).
Also, Guinivere was actually called Guinevere which it's also her name from the Japanese version of Binding Blade and The Blazing Blade.
| NOJ/Fan | SSBM | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Marth | Marth | Marth |
| Hardin | Hardin | Hardin |
| Mediuth | Medeus | Medeus |
| Anri | Anri | Anri |
| Falchion | Falchion | Falchion |
| Akaneia | Akanea | Archanea/Akaneia |
| Aritia | Altea | Altea |
| Durhua | Dolua | Dolhr/Doluna |
| Roy | Roy | Roy |
| Guinevere | Guinevere | Guinivere |
| Sword of Seals | Sword of Seals | Binding Blade |
| Pherae | Pharae | Pherae |
| Ostia | Ostia | Ostia/Ositia |
| Lycia | Lycia | Lycia |
| Bern | Bern | Bern/Biran |
The Blazing Blade
The seventh Fire Emblem title and the first to be released officially in English. It follows the exploits of Eliwood, Hector and Lyn as they bring order to the continent of Elibe, 20 years before the events of Binding Blade. Because it's a prequel, some characters from Binding Blade are referenced in the dialogue or make cameo appearances.
The following names are treated as official names and not cameos, because they appear in the main story and cannot be avoided: Roy, Lilina, Zephiel, Guinivere, Murdock (and all the country names).
Roy and Lilina appear briefly at the very of the game, although this scene was cut from the European version. The term "Demon Dragon" also appears during this segment, although it's later translated as "Mage Dragon" in Shadow Dragon. For reference, the DST translation patch calls it "Dark Dragon", which may be slightly misleading. During when Idunn was brought back in Fire Emblem Heroes, Idunn was now referred as "Demon Dragon" again.
Silesia is referenced in "Royal Palace of Silezha", a bonus track only obtainable in the American version through the Mario Kart Double Dash!! Bonus Disk and in the Japanese version via a special event. It was changed to Silesse in Fire Emblem Awakening.
| NOJ/Fan | The Blazing Blade | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Roy | Roy | Roy |
| Lilina | Lilina | Lilina |
| Fa | Fae | Fae |
| Igrene | Igrene | Igrene |
| Sofiya | Sophia | Sophia |
| Geese | Geese | Geese |
| Nimue/Niime | Niime | Niime |
| Magic/Demon Dragon | Demon Dragon | Mage Dragon (Shadow Dragon)/Demon Dragon (Heroes) |
| Silesia | Silezha | Silesse |
Official Site
The official English Fire Emblem site, located here. Has a lot of textual errors in the Path of Radiance section, possibly from a pre-release version? The Japanese-only titles are mentioned in the History of Fire Emblem mini-section.
The game titles "Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light" and "The Binding Blade" are later reused in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
However, during the release of Shadow Dragon, the European official Nintendo site referred to Dark Dragon and Sword of Light as "Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light" here, removing the unnecessary "s" in "Dragons" to fit with the remake. Then, later, the Iwata Asks for Shadow Dragon referred to Dark Dragon and Sword of Light as just "Shadow Dragon", to completely match the remake's name.
| NOJ/Fan | Official Site | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon of Darkness and Sword of Light | Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light | Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light |
| Marth | Marth | Marth |
| Mediuth | Medeus | Medeus |
| Aritia | Altea | Altea |
| Gaiden | Gaiden | Gaiden |
| Arum | Alm | Alm |
| Cellica | Celica | Celica |
| Mystery of the Emblem | Monshou no Nazo | Mystery of the Emblem |
| Genealogy of the Holy War | Seisen no Keifu | Genealogy of the Holy War |
| Siglud/Sigurd | Sigurd | Sigurd |
| Celice | Serlis | Seliph |
| Thracia 776 | Thracia 776 | Thracia 776 |
| Sword of Seals | The Binding Blade | The Binding Blade |
| Roy | Roy | Roy |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The sequel to Super Smash Bros. Melee. Features some localisation errors in the Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn content, which brings doubt on the communcation between the localisation teams. The European version of Shadow Dragon follows most of the names here to a tee, but apparently this decision was made by Nintendo of Europe's localisation team, independent of the original American team. With one only exception of the Archanean/Akaneian related content in Super Smash Bros. Brawl that was never been reused in either of the versions of Shadow Dragon was Navarre/Nabarl's name as Nabaaru.
Celice and Mila are referenced in the music track "With Mila's Divine Protection (Celica Map 1)".
| NOJ/Fan | SSBB | Official (NA/EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon of Darkness and Sword of Light | Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light | Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light |
| Marth | Marth | Marth |
| Hardin | Hardin | Hardin |
| Mediuth | Medeus | Medeus |
| Anri | Anri | Anri |
| Sheeda | Shiida | Caeda/Shiida |
| Nabarl/Navarre | Nabaaru | Navarre/Nabarl |
| Akaneia | Akaneia | Archanea/Akaneia |
| Aritia | Altea | Altea |
| Durhua | Doluna | Dolhr/Doluna |
| Gaiden | Gaiden | Gaiden |
| Cellica | Celica | Celica |
| Mila | Mila | Mila |
| Mystery of the Emblem | Monsho no Nazo | Mystery of the Emblem |
| Sword of Seals | The Binding Blade | The Binding Blade |
| Roy | Roy | Roy |
| Lilina | Lilina | Lilina |
| Rutger | Rutoga | Rutger |
| Dieck | Deke | Dieck |
Awakening
Fire Emblem: Awakening features dozens of references to past titles, thanks to the DLC and SpotPass content, which has a large focus on legacy titles. Many of the names are consistent with those from previous official media. Two notable exception is Silesse, which was known as Silezha in The Blazing Blade and Seliph, which was known as Serlis in the official website for The Blazing Blade; this is a good example that obscure cameos aren't always reliable.
And also that Binding Blade's title "The Binding Blade" (from the official website and Super Smash Bros. Brawl) was called "Binding Blade" without the "The" included in this game (which The Sacred Stones's SpotPass team doesn't have "The" in this game). Mystery of the Emblem and Genealogy of the Holy War title for the SpotPass teams were definitely called "Mystery of the Emblem" and "Genealogy of the Holy War" (which its the same title from the Japanese version), but not called as "Monshou no Nazo" and "Seisen no Keifu" (which they were previously used in the official website for The Blazing Blade and Mystery of the Emblem as "Monsho no Nazo" in Super Smash Bros. Brawl).
In Fire Emblem Heroes, alot of legacy characters who appeared or mentioned that retained their localized names from Awakening. However with the exception of Raquesis, Orsin, and Loptyr from the Judgral series, they were changed to Lachesis, Osain, and Loptous in Fire Emblem Heroes. However, on until September 2nd, 2020, Ulster was the only character from the Judgral series that gotten a patch localized name change from Ulster to a new localized name as Scáthach from the 4.8.0 Update in Larcei's and Shannan's description along with removing the line of Larcei mentioning her brother's name to Kiran. It's really unclear if this change was a sign of a Genealogy of the Holy War remake could be in the works after Three Houses's development and had to change it or Intelligent System had plans on to add Scáthach to Fire Emblem Heroes afterwards.
Please click here to view the name chart.
