What is the common name for Nightborne?

[Korsha]

Are we just going to call them Nightborne? It's just odd to me we can't call them elf like we've always done night elf, high elf and blood elf.

If we were to call them elf, I just don't see an obvious choice. Shaldorei means children of the night, but obviously night elf is already taken by the kaldorei, children of the stars.

Only thing my limited imagination can come up with is dark elf, but doesn't seem fitting.

You guys have any suggestions or ideas? Or shall we just stick with Nightborne as the informal name?

Side note: Reason I made a post on such an unimportant topic, I was thinking about in-game interaction. I hope NPC's will call Lightforged Draenei and Highmountain Tauren just Draenei and Tauren, as the whole thing is quite a mouthful in casual conversation, and that got me thinking about above topic.

[StationaryHawk]

They're Nightborne.

[Arrashi]

Its Yetanothergoddamn'dorei.

[Deleted]

Nightborne are basically Nightelves. There is not much difference, or say, 10k years ago Nightborn called themselves Kaldorei.

So what is actually the purpose of this thread?

[derpkitteh]

Nightborne are basically Nightelves. There is not much difference, or say, 10k years ago Nightborn called themselves Kaldorei.

So what is actually the purpose of this thread?

they have undergone a clear physical evolution, just like thalassian elves. they're not night elves anymore.

idk though. we got velf, helf, belf, and nelf. maybe shelf?

[Deleted]

Nola'dorei is the official name, it's actually mentioned in quest texts a couple of times.

[Beloren]

Nightborne elf is the common name. Shal’dorei the elven name. Nightborne like in Night Elf Highborne

[Aucald]

I tend to use the more common names (e.g. Nightborne, Night Elves, Blood Elves, etc.) unless I'm talking about their internal cultures, politics, or what have you. Kind of an internal/external divide - when I'm talking about the Warcraft universe at large I use their common name, but if we're delving into the culture or history specifically I'll swap to using the formal declarations like Shal'dorei, Kaldorei, Sin'dorei, or Ren'dorei.

[ONCHEhap]

Nightborne elf/Shal'dorei

[Fyersing]

Nightborne elf is the common name. Shal’dorei the elven name. Nightborne like in Night Elf Highborne

As far as we're aware, there are three different types of denomination. Theoretically, a designated group could use any combination of these:

• Their is a native demonym (i.e. what they're called in their language). This includes names like Kaldorei, Quel'dorei, Sin'dorei, etc.
• Their is a transliteration of the native demonym, used formally (i.e. Highborne, Nightborne, etc.).
• Their is a transliteration of the native demonym, used informally (i.e. Night Elf, Blood Elf, etc.)

I think what's confusing the OP is that all of the other denominations utilize an informal demonym (i.e. Night Elf, Blood Elf, Void Elf, High Elf, etc.), while Blizzard has elected to forego this convention and limit the denizens of Suramar to more formal designations.

At a glance, I could see why this seems peculiar to players. It does make sense, though, within the existing naming structures and especially when we consider the group in question (the culture of the Nightborne would certainly qualify as "high culture", that their self-designation would reflect this isn't really surprising). Furthermore, I'd posit that many of the potential colloquialisms are inherently problematic:

• As we're talking about the Shal'dorei ("Children of the Night"), otherwise known by their formal demonym Nightborne, it would seem like the choice for an informal demonym is clear -- we should be calling them Night Elves, but we can't. The amount of work that would be required to officially re-designate the existing Night Elves, as something more fundamentally related to their self-designation like "Star Elf", would be enormous and probably to little or no benefit.
• They could always go with "Dark Elf", but it doesn't really fit at all at a thematic or conceptual level.

It's likely that the Nightborne, if they had to be given an informal callsign, would likely also refer to themselves as Night Elves. Which is probably why Blizzard has opted not to utilize that type of name for them.

[Obelisk Kai]

If we have to give them a name that matches the other Elves, it's Dark Elf.

They are Dark Elves. Allied with Orcs, magical, blue and black skin. Fits the trope really.

Little surprised they weren't called Dark Elves to begin with...

[Velshin]

Nola'dorei is the official name, it's actually mentioned in quest texts a couple of times.

Hmm interesting indeed I always thought they are called the Shal'dorei.

[Venziir]

Hmm interesting indeed I always thought they are called the Shal'dorei.

He's pulling your leg.

- - - Updated - - -

If we have to give them a name that matches the other Elves, it's Dark Elf.

They are Dark Elves. Allied with Orcs, magical, blue and black skin. Fits the trope really.

Little surprised they weren't called Dark Elves to begin with...

Hm, you know... That's actually a pretty good call to be honest. Hadn't thought of that. Suddenly I like 'em all the more.

[FuxieDK]

The common name is OhNoNotAnotherLousyElf...

Funny, because Void Elves will go under exactly the same name..

[My User Name]

Drows or drow elves.

I prefer Dark elves myself though.

[FuxieDK]

If we have to give them a name that matches the other Elves, it's Dark Elf.

They are Dark Elves. Allied with Orcs, magical, blue and black skin. Fits the trope really.

Little surprised they weren't called Dark Elves to begin with...

There is no similarities with Dark Elves, in any fantasy universe I have explored..

[Velshin]

Hm, you know... That's actually a pretty good call to be honest. Hadn't thought of that. Suddenly I like 'em all the more.

Tell me about it !! the name Dark elf reminded me of my first character in EverQuest a shadow knight dark elf! ahhh the nostalgia.

[zlygork]

Nightborne, or Shal'dorei. Crack elf if you want to feel funny.

[chubbybunny]

Perhaps they're called NBE's

[MechaCThun]

I think Nightborne is the common name for them.

They refer to themselves as the shal'dorei, much like the night elves and blood elves refer to themselves as the kaldorei and sin'dorei. That is their name for them in their language.

I forget what language the Nightborne speak, but their name for themselves is shal'dorei with them commonly being referred to as Nightborne.