Source of Battlestar names

[SpyOne]

Hi, folks, I'm new. I've used the Search function, and can't seem to find an answer.

Now, to be clear, I am not asking about where people get names for them, but rather where the names themselves come from.

What I mean is: Pegasus was a flying horse in Greek Myth.

In fact, there is a heavy Greek influence on all of them.

Rycon is the one I want to know about most. I can't find anything at all on where the name Rycon comes from.

[SpyOne]

I ran down some of the names, both official and not. Here's what I came up with:

Galactica, from the Greek meaning circle of milk. I'm not kiddiing: even the Greeks called it the "milky way". :)

Atlantia, from Greek by way of Latin, derived from Atlas, a mountain in Lybia believed to hold up the world.

Acropolis, from the Greek for a fortress (literally "top of the city", cince the fortress would be built on high ground).

Triton, from Greek Myth, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite

Pacifica, from the latin meaning of peace or suited to restore peace.

Columbia from the name of Christopher Colombus (Colombo) aka Christobal Colon, used to mean America or North America. I am sure this goes back to Greek myth at some point, but can't find proof.

Pegasus, a winged horse of Greek myth who created a fountain by striking the ground with it's hoof. Also, a constellation near Aquarius and Andromeda.

Rycon, the name of a Norwegian company offering help to hearing impaired people looking for work, a UK company supplying parts and materials to the shipping container sector, and a Toronto digital imaging company.
Need some help on this one. :)

Solaria, from the Latin meaning sun terrace.

Cerberus, the 3-headed dog guarding the gates of the afterlife in Greek myth.

Bellerophon, the hero who rode Pegasus and slew the Chimera.

Olympia, a plain in Greece.

Vallian, meaning brave.

Prometheus, from the Greek meaning forethought, the Titan who gave mankind fire which previously was reserved for the gods.

Argo, the ship of Jason sent to find the Golden Fleece. Also, a constellation between Canis Major and the Southern Cross.

Poseidon, Greek god of the sea.

So, some of the very cool sounding ones actually have lame meanings, but so does Galactica herself. :p And still no clue about Rycon.

[SpyOne]

One other thing:
Assuming the names used are Latin, and follow the grammar rules of Latin;

Galactica, Atlantia, Pacifica, Columbia, Solaria, and Olympia are all "she" ("feminine nouns").
Triton, Pegasus, Cerberus, Bellerophon, Prometheus, and Poseidon are all "he" ("masculine nouns").

I'm not sure about Acroplis and Argo. Valliant is not Latin and Rycon is weird.

[repcisg]

You need to remember some research (not a lot) was done for the Pilot, Saga of a Star World, and the two part episodes. For the rest of the series the writers were winging it. Rycon could easily have come from two or three guys sitting in a room drinking their favorite adult beverage and simply dreamed it up. Like Nikon the camera to Ricon to Rycon. Or Yukon to Rycon. Just simple word games that came up with what sounded cool. They even used the names of some of Glens favorite places in the Hawaiian islands. Time was the problem, there just wasn’t enough to do proper research before shooting.

[The Ninth Lord]

It is possible that "Rykon" is of Greek origin. Although I couldn't find it in any greek dictionaries or mythology references, I did discover that there was a mansion of the "greek revival style" built in 1835 that was named "Rykon." Presumably the people naming the mansion got it from something greek, but that's speculation on my part.

You can read about the mansion at http://www.triode.net.au/~dragon/travel91.html - just do a "find" on "rykon"

:salute:

[SpyOne]

Originally posted by repcisg
Rycon could easily have come from two or three guys sitting in a room drinking their favorite adult beverage and simply dreamed it up. \
In support of this notion is that the episode where Rycon is mentioned does not have either Glen Larson or Donald Bellasario listed either under "written by" or "Teleplay by". Take the Celestra and Fire in Space are the only episodes with that distinction, both having their teleplay by Jim Carlson and Terrence McDonnell and various folks credited with writing the story.

Just saying that Glen would choose a name that sounded right to Glen, and it would fit with others in other episodes by Glen, and the same is true of Donald, so when somebody else does only 2 episodes without either Glen or Donald, it is bound to be a little different.

[SpyOne]

Sorry about bumping a blast from the past, but I wanted to include this link:
http://battlestargalactica-fleets.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10085

That's a newer thread where more leads on the origin of "Rycon" can be found.
So, if you found this thread with a Search, you should check out that one too.

[skippercollecto]

I'm going to confuse the issue here....
In the novelization of "Saga," the Atlantia has a sister ship, the Pacifica. How did two Colonial ships end up being named after Earth's oceans?!
Mary

[Gunstar Aries]

Rycon, the name of a Norwegian company offering help to hearing impaired people looking for work, a UK company supplying parts and materials to the shipping container sector, and a Toronto digital imaging company.

Send them an email and ask if they're BSG fans.... :thumbsup:

[SpyOne]

How did two Colonial ships end up being named after Earth's oceans?!
Mary
Remember, the Greeks hadn't ever seen the Pacific; it was named by a Spaniard, IIRC.
Atlantia, from Greek by way of Latin, derived from Atlas, a mountain in Lybia believed to hold up the world.

Pacifica, from the latin meaning of peace or suited to restore peace.