Policy:Article Naming

BattleTechWiki has several categories of articles on the mainspace, with BattleMechs, Characters and Products being just a few of the numerous representatives. In order to establish consistency between like-minded pages, a naming convention has been established to guide the naming of future pages.

Characters

Middle and abbreviated names

Generally, use the most common format of a name used in reliable sources: if that is with a middle name or an abbreviation, make the article title conform to that format. Examples: Kester Hsiun Chi, Elizabeth Jordan Liao, Lester J. Otto.

For abbreviations:

• If the version of an article name with the first and middle names written in full is used nearly as often as the version with abbreviated names followed by a period, prefer the version with these names written in full.
• Where the subject uses two consecutive initials, the space between initials is used. Example: T. S. Elliot.

Important: provide redirects wherever possible (or appropriate disambiguation where redirects are not possible) for all other formats of a name that are also in use, or could reasonably be typed in BTW's "Search" box by someone looking for information about that person.

Adding middle names, or their abbreviations, merely for disambiguation purposes (if that format of the name is not commonly used to refer to the person) is not advised.

Multiple and changed surnames

Some Western cultures use a "double last name" format. Also, people sometimes change their surnames, particularly on marriage.

The general rule in such cases is to title the article with the name by which the person is best known. Some examples are listed below.

• Danai Liao-Centrella – Liao is the last name of her father, Centrella of her mother.
• Raymond-Roger Marsin – Born and known fully as Raymond-Roger, his article would not be shortened to Raymond Marsin.
• Jessica Sandoval-Groell – Her maiden name is combined with her married name, for which she was most well known.
• Kym Sorenson – On marriage she became Kym Hasek-Davion, but she is still best known by the surname Sorenson, so the article title reflects that.

If a name is the evident choice of the article subject, it is likely to be common; but evidence of actual usage is to be preferred if available.

Adding or subtracting a second last name artificially, as a disambiguation aid, is rarely advised. The most usual form of the name is the one that should be used.

Multiple Characters, Same Name

The BattleTech universe, utilizing a feudal aristocracy based on familial lines, has multiple characters that share the same name. For example, Ian Davion was a regent of the Federated Suns, and while the first (currently known) to bear that name, is not the one most readers expect to read about, as he lived in the late 2500s (26th c.). Instead, the primary article bearing the name Ian Davion describes the better known and older brother of Hanse Davion, who lived in the late 2900s (30th c.) and early 3000s (31st c.).

In the instances where multiple characters share the same name, the character that is best known should receive the primary article title, while all others should be titled with that same name, with the century of most notable activity indicated as well. For example, the latter Ian Davion gets the expected title (ex: Ian Davion), while the former would be titled with the century for which he served as regent (ex: Ian Davion (26th c.). Creating a re-direct from a similarly titled page for the primary character to the main article would also help this character be quickly identified in searches. The {{Otheruses}} tag should also be employed on each article to lead users to the other characters.

In the rare case that two characters inhabit the same centuries and cannot be distinguished as above, the relationship might be the best way to further break them out. For example:

• Sami Taisto (father), Sami Taisto (son)
• Irvine Muir (27th c., grandfather), Irvine Muir (27th c., father), Irvine Muir (28th c.).

Ordinals (I, II, III, etc.) should only be used when the character is best known by that convention. Otherwise, the above guidance is more appropriate to resolving character identification issues quickly.