Samurai traditionally have several names. (learn more) They change their name to fit different situations and life stages. This was normal within the Samurai rank.
Mori Ranmaru 森 蘭丸 was one of the famous samurai page who served Oda Nobunaga 織田 信長 and died young. Ranmaru and his younger two brothers named Rikimaru 力丸 and Bōmaru 坊丸, perished defending Nobunaga against Akechi Mitsuhide 明智 光秀 during the Honnō-ji Incident.
The transition of his names are as follows.
乱、乱丸、乱法師→森乱成利→森蘭丸長定→森蘭丸長康
⒈ 乱、乱丸、乱法師
Yōmyō 幼名, childhood name
nnnnnnnn乱
reading: ran
meaning: rightly administer
Ranmaru was born in 1565 as the third boy of Mori Yoshinari 森 可成. He had several childhood name, Ran 乱, Ranmaru 乱丸 and Ranhōshi 乱法師. Ran 乱 has two antinomic meaning, originally “confuse” and “rightly administer”. His name is thought to be the latter. Maru 丸 means a chamberpot, to expel the devils by stench. Hōshi 法師 means monk, being under the protection of Buddha. Both was a common suffix name word.
⒉ 森 乱 成利
Myōji 名字, family name
nnnnnnn n森
reading: mori
meaning: forest
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
nnnnnnn乱
reading: ran
meaning: rightly administer
Jitsumyō 実名, true name
nnnnnnn 成 利
reading: nari, toshi
meaning: success, interest
His full name, Mori Ran Naritoshi 森 乱 成利, was written in an old document called Kongōji-Monjyo 金剛寺文書. Nari 成 of his true name “Naritoshi” is thought to a part of his father name “Yoshinari 可成”.
3. 森 蘭丸 長康
Myōji 名字, family name
nnnnnnn n森
reading: mori
meaning: forest
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
nnnnnnn蘭 丸
reading: ran, maru
meaning: orchid, a chamberpot
Jitsumyō 実名, true name
nnnnnnn 長 康
reading: nari, yasu
meaning: long, rich and peaceful
In Jyozankidan 常山紀談 published in 1770, about 200 years passed after his death, his true name was described Nagayasu 長康. Naga 長 of Nagayasu is thought to a part of his lord name Nobunaga 信長. The name was also found in Taiheieiyuden 太平英雄傳, Ukiyo-e series of famous Samurai by Utagawa Kuniyoshi 歌川 国芳.
His pseudonym was change from 乱 to 蘭. This might be because people in Edo era idealized him as a beautiful samurai boy to perished his lord Nobunaga.
4. 森 蘭丸 長定
Myōji 名字, family name
nnnnnnn n森
reading: mori
meaning: forest
Kemyō 仮名, pseudonym
nnnnnnn蘭 丸
reading: ran, maru
meaning: orchid, a chamberpot
Jitsumyō 実名, true name
nnnnnnn 長 定
reading: nari, sada
meaning: long, stable
In Kanseichosyushokafu 寛政重修諸家譜 published in 1812, his real name was described Nagasada 長定. Naga 長 of Nagasada is thought to a part of his lord name Nobunaga 信長 too.
Like Ranmaru, a samurai being changed his names after the death by later generation is rare. This shows how people loves Ranmaru and that it was common to change names as natural among old Japanese.
If you want to get your own samurai names like the above, click the bottom below. I can put your principle into a Samurai name according to the information you provide.
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