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merry_s_name

Merry's Name

Maeriberī Hān” (マエリベリー・ハーン), or “Merry” (メリー, Merī), is a blonde college student in Touhou Project from a highly advanced, near future Japan. The true romanization of her name is open for interpretation, but most of the English community assumes it's “Maribel Hearn”.

Canonical

In Changeability of Strange Dream, she reveals her full name in the narration for the second track, then she mentions for the fifth track that the people of Japan have trouble pronouncing her name. From this point forward, the narration often mentions her name once or twice. She doesn't actually say her full name until the story for the eight track of Dateless Bar “Old Adam”, introducing herself to the patrons.

Etymological analysis

Maeriberī (マエリベリー)

  • It's possible that “Mae” (マエ) could be “Mæ” which creates the confusion. However, “Mæ” is closer to “May” (メイ), so it's possible that her name was romanized incorrectly. Märiberi? Meriberi?
  • Mulberry (マルベリー, Maruberī) is a fruit that will turn purple when it matures. Yukari's name can be interpreted as “purple”, thus providing sustenance for the Yukari-Merry connection.
  • It could be a corruption of “my reverie” (マイ・リヴェリー, mai riverī), considering that “reverie” could mean “daydream” or “imagination” and serve as an uncommon translation of “gensō” (幻想).
  • The English community uses “Maribel” (マリベル, Mariberu) or “Maribelle” as a rough approximation, followed by “Merryberry” (メリベリー, Meriberī) and “Mæriberry”.

Hān (ハーン)

  • “Hān” (ハーン) is commonly interpreted as “Hearn” as ZUN made an off-hand comment in 2005 about Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) connecting her and Yukari.1)
  • “Yakumo” (八雲) could have the on-yomi reading of “Haun” (ハウン), but it should be noted that the surname in Chinese would be interpreted as “Bāyún” or “Baat-wàhn” instead.

Notes

  • LINE has a list of authorized Touhou Project characters and they've somehow managed to translate “Hān” (ハーン) as “Harness” (ハーネス, Hānesu),2) even though it's obviously wrong.3)
merry_s_name.txt · Last modified: 2022-09-25 02:28:25 by namelessrumia