# Weapons with personal names in myth/folklore **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069 "2010-04-14T15:32:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/21 "2010-04-14T18:22:17Z")
Siegfried’s sword is called Balmung in the Niebelungenlied, Gram in Norse mythology and Nothung in the Wagner operas. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/22 "2010-04-14T18:25:55Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > BB King has [Lucille](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_(guitar)). Well, it is an “axe”, after all. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/23 "2010-04-14T18:39:38Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The legendary Jayne had his Vera. Inspiring Mal to say that classic line, “Well, my days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.” ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/24 "2010-04-14T18:51:18Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I’m pretty sure HeMan’s sword had a name. > [@JSexton](#): > > I don’t think so, but Lion-O’s was the Sword of Omens. Yes, He-Man’s sword did have a name, the Power Sword. Awe inspiring, I know. I should also note that it is technically only one half of the Power Sword. Skeletor had the other half, and when they’re joined together it becomes little more than a key to Castle Greyskull. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/25 "2010-04-14T19:08:04Z")
I guess Fat Man and Little Boy aren’t yet considered folklore? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/26 "2010-04-14T19:18:38Z")
If you count shields as weapons, the Greeks had the Aegis. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/27 "2010-04-14T19:25:30Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Davy Crocket’s rifle was named “Old Betsy.” > > I don’t know if Jim Bowie’s famous knife had a name of its own, but knives that are supposed to be patterned after it are called Bowie knives. The movie [The Iron Mistress (1952)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044753/) was based on a novel by that name and there are versions of Bowie knives by such knifesmiths as [Randall](http://www.randallknives.com/catalog.php?action=modeldetail&id=32) and [Cooper](http://people.consolidated.net/keen/) (among others) who refer to specific models of Bowies as “Iron Mistress” even if the general public probably lets Bowie knife refer to any large fighting knife. The recent thread on “John Wayne vs. Clint Eastwood” had more details if you’d like more. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/28 "2010-04-14T20:24:08Z")
**Mr. Pointy** BtVS ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/29 "2010-04-14T20:52:00Z")
I guess that _The Last of the Mohicans_ is old enough to count as myth or folklore. Wasn’t Natty Bumpo’s (Hawkeye) trusty flintlock called _Killdeer_? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/30 "2010-04-14T21:17:00Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > In Jack Chalker’s Dancing Gods series, Joe (the human who’s swept up into a fantasy world) is given the last unnamed sword in that realm. He names it “Irving,” after his son. There’s a scene something like this: Defeated warrior: “Please, give me the name of the sword about to take my life!” Joe: “Irving.” Defeated warrior: \ _“Irving?!”_ _\_ ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/31 "2010-04-14T21:18:53Z")
My weapon will be named Death Dealer, and all will tremble when I wield it! ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/32 "2010-04-14T21:19:59Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > BB King has [Lucille](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_(guitar)). > > ::d&r:: Hey, axes count! ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/33 "2010-04-14T22:04:11Z")
Odin’s spear is named Gugnir. The Irish hero Cuchulainn had a deadly spear called Gáe Bulg. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/34 "2010-04-14T22:12:09Z")
How about the [Spear of Destiny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Lance): > [@](#): > > The **Holy Lance** (also known as the **Spear of Destiny** , **Holy Spear** , **Lance of [Longinus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Longinus)**, **Spear of Longinus** or **Spear of Christ** ) is the name given to the [lance](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance) that pierced [Jesus’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus) side as he hung on the cross in [John’s account](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_John) of [the Crucifixion](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/35 "2010-04-15T15:51:32Z")
Incidentally, one legend states that the Spear of Longinus was forged into the pommel of Joyeuse, the sword of Charlemagne I posted about earlier. It’s all just one big circle! ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/36 "2010-04-15T16:29:15Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > The Irish hero Cuchulainn had a deadly spear called Gáe Bulg. I’m afraid to ask how that’s pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/37 "2010-04-15T16:51:29Z")
Here’s a good place to start: [List of mythological objects](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mythological_objects) Not all of the have names other than Shield of Wolverine, but there are many named weapons in the link. A few not listed in this thread: Caladbolg, Tyrfing, and Rhongomiant. Some of the names I recognize from video games like Final Fantasy, but a lot of them are new to me. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/38 "2010-04-15T18:43:45Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > I’m afraid to ask how that’s pronounced. It is pronouced “Bob”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/39 "2010-04-15T18:57:32Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > It is pronouced “Bob”. Yeah, well Bob sounds a lot better than “Gay Bulge” which is what that scans kinda like in English. Can you imagine the exchange that \*\*Der Trihs \*\*offers with that included? > [@](#): > > Defeated warrior: “Please, give me the name of the sword about to take my life!” > > Joe: “Gay Bulge.” > > Defeated warrior: \ “You are killing me with your gay bulge?!” > > \ The mind fairly reels… ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069/40 "2010-04-15T19:37:18Z")
The Romans distinctly lacked such a tradition. I believe they looked at weapons as little more than tools for a specific task, and would no more have named a sword than they would a rake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weapons-with-personal-names-in-myth-folklore/536069.md?page=3)