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Pattern's Real Name


Child of Hodor

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I saw this question in the comments on the WoR reread https://www.tor.com/2014/07/24/words-of-radiance-reread-chapter-6/

"1. Braid_Tug

Okay, with Syl’s name discussion last week I have to ask this.

Why does she get to remember her name in WoK, but Pattern is given a name? When he becomes more aware, will he remember a different name? Or will he just accept Pattern as his new name and identity?

Was Syl originally named by one of her past KR’s? or is her name part of identity as an honor spren?"

 

This is something I had not thought about before. Pattern is the only bonded spren whose name we see picked by the Radiant. Maybe other bonded spren just go with the name their Radiant gives them, but Pattern is the only one we have seen do this. 

My theory is Pattern has another name, but he goes by what Shallan chose for him because it is a "lie" and it allows Pattern to have a secret. As a cryptic he loves lies and secrets so he would enjoy going by a name other than his real one.  

One caveat to this is that Shallan bonded Pattern as a child and was far enough along to summon him as a blade. He may have told her his name is Pattern when she was little and she thinks of him as Pattern as an adult automatically while suppressing the memory of Pattern telling her his name. It seems like she made up a name for him, but in reality she already knew it. 

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It's not a secret, it's just that his real name isn't terribly practical for humans to say. From WoR, chapter 13:

Quote

She dipped her rag in the bucket. “Do you have a name? I’ve called you Pattern, but it’s more of a description.”

“Name is numbers,” Pattern said. “Many numbers. Hard to say. Pattern . . . Pattern is fine.”

 

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