this post was submitted on 11 Nov 2025
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Which always annoys me. I'm just giving them my name, not my identity. And definitely not any sort of power over me.
Once upon a time it was believed that to know a thing's true name was to have complete power over it.
This isn't commonly held today )why would it be) but I think that's where this trope comes from.
Source? I've heard people say that, but I don't know of any stories where that happens. I've seen something saying Rumpelstiltskin is an example, but as far as I can find the queen got to keep her baby because Rumpelstiltskin agreed to let her if she guesses his name. It doesn't look like knowing his name itself had any effect.
Also, if that is true, then this fey taking things literally would have the opposite effect. If you just tell the fey your name, or they find out through any other method, then they'd have power over you. But if they literally take your name, then it's their name, and now you know their name and you can control them.
No clue where I learned that. So take it with a grain of salt.