A name is a word used to refer to an individual person; although multiple persons may use the same name, the specific individual being referred to can typically be made clear through context or additional descriptors. There are two types of names used in the Corvidan Archipelago: primary and secondary names. Primary names are written first, with the secondary name appended if necessary. Having at least one primary name is socially expected, but secondary names are optional or reserved for the cultural elite. Children are named by their caretaker/s at birth, but an individual who no longer self-identifies with any of their current names can discard or alter them without stigma. Many Corvidans use multiple nicknames interchangeably, either based on their primary name or completely unrelated to it. There is no restriction on what can be used as a name, although common themes include virtues (Mercy, Verity, Temperance) and nature (Primrose, Lily, Hemlock). A family might choose their primary names based on a common theme - famously, all the members of the Kor'onen family in Iryna have primary names beginning with K.
Naming conventions vary across islands in the Archipelago, and within the cultures of each island. The vast majority of individuals in Iryna exclusively use a primary name, although some of the most historically-influential wealthy families share a secondary name to reflect their heritage. However, even those Irynians who have a secondary name are typically referred to only by their primary name, unless their heritage is relevant to the conversation. In Oxana, only nobles are allowed to have secondary names, which are used as a signifier of hereditary status. It is considered highly disrespectful or intimate to omit a noble's secondary name; in casual conversation, a noble might be referred to with only their secondary name, in contexts when using their full name would be cumbersome. When two nobles have children, the secondary name of the higher-status noble is generally passed down to all offspring regardless of the parents' gender, but the exact arrangement depends on the marriage contract. On the other islands in the Archipelago, usage of secondary names is more common across all social classes, and often refer to an individual's profession or place of residence rather than their heritage. For instance, if a pastry chef named Karen Baker raised a child named Cody who became an artisan, he might take the name Cody Wright. However, he could also take the name Cody Septeiven if he was a resident of that island, take his parent's name and become Cody Baker, or refer to himself as Cody without a secondary name.