Ever wondered where esper names come from?

[Illusion]

I'm impresed with the large and varied number of summons in the FF series, and at the many uses they tend to have. I'm a big fan of summoners in any game they appear and always try to have on my party. But since FF already has its base of summons/espers, I think it's easy to get used to them and just focus on their use. However, if you ever take a couple of minutes to google them up, you might find a few interesting things about them. For example, Bahamut surprised me when I found out that its origins are in Arabia (I'm not sure, I already forgot) and that it is originally a fish of enormous proportions that upon its back carries a bull that holds the world (or something like that).

Ifrit also has its origins on Arabia, as a demon of fire. It can also be spelled as Efreet.

[Cereal~Killer]

Leviathan is referred to in the bible and has been described as one of the seven princes of Hell.

Shiva is a Hindu deity.

Odin is a mythical creature said to be connected to a horse called Sleipnir, wields a gungnir spear and can shape-shift into different animals or beings.

And no, I did not already know those (though I already had an idea of what Leviathan was). I Wiki'd a couple of them.

[Victoria]

Odin is not merely some mythical creature. Odin is the Norse GOD!
Hades is the god of the underworld.
Quetzalcoatl is also a Mesoamerican diety, a 'feathered serpent'.
...I don't remember any others.

[Kyreaan]

Not really <;<. Let's see.

Shiva- Hindu god, one of three

Odin- Norse mythology, "The All Father", leader of the Asgardian Gods

Phoenix- Egyptian mythology, bird that would burn in its own flame and then rise from the ashes reborn

Siren- Greek and Roman mythology, not sure which came first, sea creature who called out to sailors in an enthralling song to lure men to their deaths on shore (I think to eat them)

Leviathan- one of the Espers named after a character in the Bible, a sea monster; to make sure, I found this on a search engine: "In Demonology, is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper". I guess that would make it a Yama King?

Lich- old school monster from a lot of games, ie. D&D, a magic caster who turns themselves into an undead creature as a form of immortality

Ramuh- not sure about this one, but I keep thinking it's from another old mythology?

Moogle- great trivia question; I always thought it was FF only

Byblos- supposed to be from the Bible as well; one of the older FF games had this Esper fight you in a library first before you can summon him

SPOILER!!:

I loved getting this guy in the party in FFT after completing the Deep Dungeon.

Cyclops- from Greek and probably also Roman mythology, great monster with only one eye

Salamander- old school mythology, and I always thought it was from Egyptian mythology, Apep, the fire serpent; one of my favorites in FFT

Cactuar- I have no idea what the Japanese were thinking; I'm stumped

Those were off the top of my head. I found this in a search:

Final Fantasy Name Origins

[Illusion]

Those were off the top of my head. I found this in a search:

Final Fantasy Name Origins

Great find! I think it's so interesting to see where this kinds of aspects in games come from.

[espritduo]

I've done a lot of research on the origins of the names of things from the Final Fantasy series over the years. Pretty much every summon in the entire series, as well as almost all monsters, and even weapons and items, have names derived from real-life mythologies, folk lore, religions, literature, etc. If you see a name that looks strange, it's a safe bet that it's a reference to something outside of Final Fantasy.

Here's a rather large list I've compiled containing every summon in the entire series, and where it got its name from.

FFIII (the first FF with summons)

Bahamut - A monstrous fish with the head of an elephant(or hippo) from Arabian mythology said to hold the world on its back. Directly above it is Kujata, a giant bull with a ruby on its back, which is of course the Kjata summon from FFVII. It's appearance in Final Fantasy as a dragon comes from Dungeons & Dragons, where Bahamut was king of the dragons.

Leviathan - A primordial sea monster from the Bible. Sometimes described as a whale, sometimes as a serpent, sometimes just a large fish, it is one of the beasts that is said to return on Judgement Day. It's the aquatic counterpart to the land-based Behemoth.

Ifrit -Also known as Afrits, Efreets, or Ifreets, these are jinn's(spirits) from Arabic mythology(which is why his name was translated as Jinn in the english version if FFIV SNES). The ifrit is actually one of five types of jinni, and is said to be the strongest. Like FF's Ifrit, the Arabic ifrit is usually demonic in appearance with horns and hooves.

Shiva -Despite the name similarity, this is most likely not the Hindu Shiva, which is male, but the Slavic Siva, which is female, and is pronounced exactly the same (shee-vah). In Slavic mythology, Siva was the goddess of life and fertility, although she has no obvious connections with ice or cold, besides coming from the mythology of a generally cold region(Russia).

Ramuh - This one is a bit of mystery. His english name in the SNES version of FFIV is Indra, although he has always been called Ramuh in the japanese versions. Indra was a major Hindu diety of storms, which fits his appearance in Final Fantasy. The name Ramuh, however, does not exist anywhere as is. There is a famous king in Hindu texts called Rama, however, who has connections to Indra. The difference between Ramuh and Rama is only one letter in Japanese, so it's possible the summon is a reference to Rama.

Titan -Not just one being, but an entire race, the Titans were the original rulers of the Greek pantheon of gods, but were eventually overthrown by the more familiar Olympian gods such as Zeus.

Odin - Odin is the chief god of Norse mythology. He rides an eight-legged horse called Sleipnir(although he usually only has four or six legs in FF), and wields a lance called Gungnir. His famous Zantetsuken sword, however, is purely a Final Fantasy invention.

Chocobo - This is one of the few names in Final Fantasy that has no real origins, and is most likely purely an invention of Square. The bird itself however was probably a reference to the giant flightless birds used for travelling in the classic anime, Nausicaa Valley of the Wind.

Final Fantasy IV

Mist Dragon - Although there is nothing mythological about the Mist Dragon's name beyond the fact that it's a dragon, there is a type of dragon in Dungeons & Dragons called the Mist Dragon which looks similar to FFIV's version.

Sylph - Sylphs are elemental spirits coined by the Renaissance philosopher Paracelsus. They are said to be spirits of wind and air, and have come to be associated with medieval faerie-folk in general.

Asura - In Hindu mythology, the Asuras were a group of dieties opposed to the Devas. Sometimes they were good, sometimes bad. The version seen in FFIV with its three faces and four arms looks more like the traditional depiction of a high-level Hindu deity like Vishnu or Shiva than the relatively low-level asuras.

Imp - The imp is a rather ubiquitous creature from European folklore that has appeared in many places. It's english name in FFIV SNES, Goblin, is also a rather common creature from European folklore with similar appearance and attributes.

Bomb - Pretty self-explanatory. Bombs go boom.

Cockatrice - The Cockatrice is a mythological creature from medieval European folklore. It was originally known as the lizard-like basilisk, but over time it gained more bird-like features and came to be called the cockatrice. Unlike in the FF games, the glance of the cockatrice and basilisk did not turn people to stone, but outright killed them instantly. The mixing of the myth of Medusa with that of the Basilisk probably gave us the petrifying nature of the Basilisk and Cockatrice as seen in the games.

Mind Flayer - The octopus-faced arcane wizard known as the Mind Flayer was another enemy lifted directly from Dungeons & Dragons. D&D most likely was inspired by the Cthulu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft when designing this strange creature.

Final Fantasy V

Remora - While there is an actual fish called the remora, the name itself comes from early Roman folklore. The mythological remora was pretty much exactly the same as the real-life fish that was named after it - a tiny fish that latched onto larger objects in order to feed, and its appearance in FFV is much the same.

Phoenix - An immortal bird of fire and rebirth found in multiple early myths, most notable the ancient Greeks. The actual name "phoenix" comes from the greek word for purple, a highly valued color of dye traded almost exclusively by the Phoenicians. The Greeks used the word first in connection to the legendary bird, although the legend itself was probably inspired by the Egyptian Bennu bird.

Syldra - Originally translated as Hydra, the multi-headed beast slain by Hercules in Greek mythology, in the PSX version of FFV. The actual name Syldra means nothing, and may be a combination of Sylph and Hydra. The literal Japanese name, "shirudora" also agrees with this combination.

Golem - The golem is a man-made construct from ancient Jewish lore, made from clay. Once made, it must follow the orders of its creators. The famous Golem of Prague, used to defend the city from invaders, is probably the inspiration for Golem as a protector of man. The idea of golems made from other materials such as metal came from the golems of Dungeons and Dragons.

Catoblepas - Catoblepas was another creature form Roman folklore. It was said to have a pig-like head on a large cow-like body, connected by a long, thin neck. It's large eyes were said to kill instantly anyone it looked at. This fits with the monster's appearance in the FF series, usually as either a cow or pig monster that turns its enemies into stone at a glance. Its name was originally translated as Shoat in FFVI. A shoat is simply another word for a young pig. Not very fantastical.

Carbuncle - While there are several different usages of the word carbuncle, the FF creature is a combination of two. The first use is an old word for any type of uncut red gemstone, which we see on Carbuncle's head as a ruby. The other type of carbuncle is a creature with a precious jewel in its forehead said to have been sighted in South America by early Spanish explorers. Final Fantasy's carbuncle combines the creature with the stone.

Final Fantasy VI

Siren - The sirens were malicious sea creatures from Greek mythology that lured sailors to their deaths with their beautiful appearance and mesmerizing song. The Siren Esper of FFVI is a reference to the Siren boss from FFV. FFVI started the tradition of using a boss from an older game as a new summon, a tradition that has carried on in every main series game right up to FFXIII with Hecatoncheir.

Kirin - The kirin is the oriental version of the unicorn. It is usually depicted with a long neck, and horns or antlers, and is a creature of good luck. It was probably inspired by the giraffe, which it closely resembles. It's appearance in Final Fantasy once again comes more from Dungeons and Dragons that actual mythology.

Cait Sith - Cait Sith are fearsome cat-like spirits from Celtic folklore. They are said to be all black with a white patch on their chests, much like FF's Cait Sith. It was translated as Stray in the original FFVI, which is a rather mundane name for the creature. The boots it wears are probably a reference to Puss in Boots, a famous French fairy tale about a mischievous talking cat. Sounds like our Cait Sith, eh?

Maduin - This is possibly derived from Mael Duin, a famous hero from Celtic mythology, but the slight similarities end at the name. More likely, this is simply an original name given to an Esper who was more an actual character than simply a random summon monster.

Phantom - A phantom is another word for a ghost. Nothing spectacular about this name.

Bismarck - Although there is no creature called Bismarck, the Bismarck was a very famous German battleship during World War II.

Unicorn - The unicorn is a fairly well-known mythological creature appearing in many cultures from ancient Greek to China. It is always a horse-like beast with a single horn, and is usually imbued with amazing healing powers.

Seraph - Also known as Sraphim in the SNES version of FFVI, the seraphim were the highest class of angels in Christian mythology. The properly translated name for this summon according to the japanese is Seraphim, however this is the plural form of seraph, so in this case, the Japanese had it wrong, and the english translators for the Advance version of FFVI had it right.

Zona Seeker - The name and appearance of this odd Esper is pretty much a mystery. The Esper's appearance is hard to discern from its small sprite, but it appears to be some sort of caped, skeletal being. the word "zona" can refer to a type of fish, a type of disease, or the Spanish word for zone(which is what was used in the SNES translation of FFVI), none of which fit this creature. Even odder, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Reaper-type enemies in FFXII, and this gives a clue to what exactly the Esper was intended to be. Some sort of interdimensional mage-ghost? Who knows.

Quetzalli - While the SNES version's name, Palidor, doesn't appear to mean anything, the proper name of this summon, Quetzalli, is a type of tropical bird found in Central America. This summon is not to be confused with Quetzalcoatl, since they are two different Central American creatures that happen to use the same word "quetzal" in their names. Quetzalcoatal was named so precisely because of the quetzalli feathers he used for his headdress.

Fenrir - Fenrir is the monster wolf that will kill Odin in the final battle of Ragnarok in Norse mythology.

Lakshmi - Called Starlet in the SNES FFVI, which is simply a small star or a rising actress. Its proper name, Lakshmi, is the Hindu goddess of good luck and prosperity.

Valigarmanda - This is a strange one. It's SNES FFVI name, Tritoch, probably refers to it's tri-elemental attack, but the -toch part is meaningless. It's japanese name is even harder to define, and seems to be a combination of variable, garuda and salamander, which does fit its appearance and attack.

Midgardsormr - The Midgardsormr(which you may recognize better as the Midgar Zolom) was a gigantic serpent in Norse Mythology. It was so long that it stretched all the way around the world, biting its own tail. the SNES FFVI name, Terrato, simply refers to it's earth-based attack, the word "terra" meaning earth.

Alexander - The relatively common nature of this name makes it hard to pin down, but there's a good chance this refers to the Greek conquerer Alexander the Great, the most famous Alexander and one of the most famous and successful war heroes of all time. The name "Alexander" itself means "defender of men", and fits the summon rather well, especially in FFIX. Also, the city Alexandria in FFIX is named after the real-life ancient cities of Alexandria, renamed after Alexander the Great conquered them. Another fun fact about Alexander is that his appearance is based on the Amano artwork for the Giant of Babil from FFIV.

Ragnarok - Ragnarok is the name for the end of the world in Norse mythology. It has no connection to any kind of sword or weapon outside of Final Fantasy, however.

Crusader - This Esper's actual name is Jihad, which is the Islamic word for a holy war. This is also the actual name of Vivi's Doomsday spell in FFIX. Because of the obvious terroristic overtones this word has for Americans, Jihad has never been translated as such in english, and despite the word's benign meaning, this is probably for the best. Crusader is a good substitute, since a crusade is the exact same thing as a jihad.

Raiden - Raiden is another name for Raijin, the Japanese god of thunder. Despite being the powered up version of Odin, there is no connection between the two mythologically, and Raiden does not ride a horse or wield a sword. Raiden does however have a companion beast named Raiju, which may be what the creature he is riding is supposed to represent.

Final Fantasy VII

Choco/Mog - The Chocobo has already been discussed, and is probably an original creation by Square, but the Moogle does have a meaning outside of Final Fantasy. The Japanese name for moogles is moguri, which is a combination of the japanese words for mole and bat. And doesn't the moogle look like a mole-bat?

Kjata - Kujata is the giant bull the stands on the back of Bahamut in Arabic mythology. On Kujata's back is a giant ruby. If you look closely at the Kujata summon from FFVII, you can see giant rubies sticking out of its back.

Typoon - Properly translated as Typhon, but better known as Chupon, the monstrous companion of Ultros in FFVI. Typhon was a great beast of Greek mythology, and the father of Orthros. Orthros being the proper name for Ultros.

Hades - Hades was the god of the underworld in Greek mythology, and also the name for the underworld itself.

Knights of the Round - This powerful summon refers to the Knights of the Round Table from Arthurian legend. The knights are typically depicted as numbering twelve, with King Arthur at the head(although the actual number of knights varies widely from story to story). The summon follows this depiction faithfully, showing twelve knights attacking the enemy party, finishing with a king-like figure wielding a sword that can only be King Arthur and his Excalibur.

Meteor - Although not a summon monster exactly, it is summoned by Sephiroth, and is typically seen in almost a divine perspective in the Final Fantasy series. This has precedent in mythology with the great star of destruction known as Wormwood from the Biblical Book of Revelations. Wormwood is sometimes interpreted as a meteor, sometimes as an angel, sometimes as person.

Final Fantasy VIII

Quezacotl - This is an abbreviated form of the name Quetzalcoatl, a major deity in Central American mythology. It is depicted as a giant feathered serpent which controls the heavens. The Quezacotl of FFVIII fame does not look very much like a feathered serpent, but it does look almost identical to the final form of the Ultimate Being from Parasite Eve...

Diabolos - While it is called Diablos in FFVIII, the proper name for this demonic summon is Diabolos, as seen in FFVI Advance. Diablos is actually something entirely different in the FF series(a random enemy), so it should not be confused with Diabolos, despite the nearly identical spelling and meaning. Diabolos is the greek word for devil, while diablos is the spanish word for devil.

Brothers - The brothers Minotaur and Sacred, while both being bulls, are from two completely different mythologies. The Minotaur was a half-man half-bull trapped in a maze in Greek mythology, and Sacred is probably meant to be Sekhmet, an Egpytian god of destruction. It could actually be Sacred, however, since the bull is considered a sacred animal in many middle eastern religions. Either way, this summon is a reference to the Minotaur and Sacred/Sekhmet bosses in FFV, who were also brothers in that game. One was fought in a pyramid, lending validity to the Egyptian origin of the name for Sacred/Sekhmet. Incidentally, the symbols on the brothers' shoulder pads are the japanese kanji for "older brother" and "younger brother".

Doomtrain - Despite its appearance, this summon is not a reference to the Phantom Train of FFVI, at least not in name. The proper translation for this strange summon is Glasya Labolas, a demon of the occult. It is said to have been one of the 72 demons summoned by King Solomon, hence why the Solomon Ring is necessary to acquire the GF in FFVIII. Why the GF appears as a train is a mystery, especially since Glasya Labolas has appeared twice before FFVIII in the series. It first appeared as a giant in FFIII, and appeared again as a giant in FFVI(translated as Borras in the SNES version).

Eden - An unique summon, since Eden is not a being, but a place. This is of course referencing the Biblical Garden of Eden. A fitting ultimate summon in a game featuring large robotic ships called Gardens.

Pandemona - A shortened form of Pandemonium. Like Eden, Pandemonium is not a being, but a place. Pandemonium was the capital of Hell in the famous poem, Paradise Lost. It is also the final dungeon in FFII. The word means "all demons" and is usually used nowadays to refer to anything chaotic or wild. This fits in with the summon's chaotic tornado attack that sends enemies flying.

Cerberus - The classic three-headed demon dog that guards the gates of Hades in Greek mythology.

Tonberry - This little guy is a tough nut to crack. The name means nothing, but his appearance of a fish-like franciscan monk with a lantern does fit into both medieval and Japanese folklore. The monkfish was a creature in both cultures that had the body of a fish, but the bald head and robes of a monk. Strange, no?

Cactuar - It's a cactus. The Japanese name for these pests is sabotender, a combination of saboten (cactus) and pretender, which is exactly what they are. The larger version that you have to fight to obtain the summon in both FFVI and FFVIII is called Jumbo Cactuar(Gigantuar in FFVI Advance), or in Japanese, Jumbotender, a combination of jumbo and pretender.

Gilgamesh - Gilgamesh is a real life hero from ancient Mesopotamian myth. He is the central character in "The Epic of Gilgamesh", where he is a warrior king who fights many deadly beasts alongside his faithful companion Enkidoh.

Final Fantasy IX

Ark - Ark's appearance is a reference to the transforming robots popular in anime. The name refers to an ark, like the Biblical Noah's Ark. Perhaps this implies that Ark was the ship the Terrans used to travel to Gaia in FFIX? Coincidentally, Ark was the name of the spaceship used to transport the Autobots to earth in the Transformers animated series.

Madeen - Madeen is simply a mistranslation of Maduin, with the same muddy origins.

Atomos - Atomos is the greek word that the word atom is derived from. The word means "unable to be divided". Since Atomos specialty is dividing an enemy's HP, this name may be in reference to Atomos splitting an enemy down into its smallest parts with its gravity-based attacks.

Final Fantasy X

Valefor - Valefor is another demon from the occult , said to have been summoned by King Solomon.

Ixion - Ixion is a tortured figure from Greek mythology. He was a king who murdered his father-in-law and tried to sleep with Zeus's wife. In punishment for these acts, he was bound to a flaming wheel for all eternity. Ixion appearance in FFX of a horse is due to the fact that Ixion was the father of the centaurs - half-horse, half-man creatures.

Yojimbo - Yojimbo in FFX is a throwback to the FFV enemy of the same name. In Japanese culture, a yojimbo is another word for a bodyguard. The appearance of Yojimbo as a samurai is probably due to the popular Akira Kurosawa film, Yojimbo.

Magus Sisters - The Magus Sisters - Cindy, Sandy, and Mindy - of FFX are a throwback to the Magus Sisters of FFIV. Their names in Japanese are Dog, Mag, and Rag. I believe these names have some significance in Japanese culture, but I have been unable to find out what.

Anima - Anima is the feminine part of the male psyche in Jungian philosophy, the counterpart to the animus in the female psyche. This is fitting for FFX's Anima, which is the fayth of Seymour's mother that he summons when in danger.

Final Fantasy XI

Garuda - The Garuda is a giant bird-like creature in Hindu mythology, said to be the mount of Vishnu, the supreme diety in Hinduism. The Garuda summon in FFXI is a throwback to the infamous Garuda boss from FFIII.

Final Fantasy XII

Belias - Better known as Belial, this is another of the occult demons. Belias is said to be the lord of lies, and one of the most powerful demons of Hell, next to only Lucifer. Like all the FFXII summons, Belias is based on a previous boss from the series. This is the Lucavi Velius from FF Tactics, and represents the Aries zodiac sign, The Ram.

Mateus - Mateus was the real name of the Emperor of Palamecia from FFII, and is who this summon represents. This summon features an imprisoned blue-skinned woman who may represent Shiva, since this is the Ice-elemental summon of FFXII. Mateus is the the Pisces esper, The Fish.

Adrammelech - This is another demon from the occult, like many of the Lucavi. It is said to have the head of a mule, although the Adrammelech in FF has the head of a goat. Adrammelech was said to be another very powerful demon, and very prideful. Like Belias, Adrammelech represents Adramelk from FF Tactics. He represents Capricorn, The Goat.

Zalera - The name Zalera(or Zarela) has no meaning in its own right, but it is possibly an anagram for Azrael, the Archangel of Death in both Islam and Judeo-Christian belief. This would not be the first time an anagram has been used, since Nanaki(Red XIII) from FFVII is an anagram for Anakin(Skywalker). Zalera is another Lucavi from FF Tactics, and represents the Gemini zodiac sign, The Twins. His appearance entwined with a young woman references this. Also, Zalera is a reference to Sephiroth from FFVII, who Elmdor, the human that transformed into Zalera in FFT, is based on.

Shemhazai - Better known as Shemyaza, this is a fallen angel from the
Judeo-Christian apocrypha(books that didn't make it into the Bible). Shemyaza was said to be a guide for mankind, but was tricked into teaching them the art of war. Shemhazai represents the Sagittarius zodiac sign, The Archer. Although Shemhazai doesn't have a bow, she(yes, it's a female) does have a gun, which amounts to the same thing. Unlike the other Espers of FFXII, Shemhazai does not reference any past bosses from the series.

Hashmal - The Hashmallim were an order of angels in Judeo-Christian belief. Hashmal is the singular form of the word. Hashmal is Hashmalum from FF Tactics, and represents the Leo zodiac sign, The Lion.

Zeromus - Zeromus is the final boss from FFIV. His name is a combination of zero and Zemus, the name of the Lunarian who's hatred gave birth to Zeromus. Zeromus represents the Cancer zodiac sign, The Crab. While Zeromus from FFIV has little resemblance to a crab, FFXII's Zeromus has a pair of very large pincers, like a crab.

Exodus - This is supposed to be Exdeath from FFV, but it was mistranslated as Exodus. An exodus is when a large group of people flees an area. The Biblical Exodus of the Jews from Egypt is the most famous of these. The name has little meaning for the Esper, who is seen as a judge sitting on a large set of scales and represents the Libra zodiac sign, The Scales.

Cuchulainn - This is the Lucavi Queklain from FF Tactics. Cuchulainn was the most famous war hero of Celtic folklore, a rather odd choice of name for the disgustingly perverse Esper. Cuchulainn represents the Scorpio zodiac sign, The Scorpion. Since scorpions are known for their poison, this is a fitting sign for an Esper specializing in status ailments.

Chaos - Chaos is the final boss from the original Final Fantasy. In FFXII, the Esper is seen sitting on a pedestal accompanied by four elemental spirits, and wears a set of great bull's horns. The horns tie him to his zodiac sign, Taurus, The Bull. The four elementals with him represent the four Chaos Fiends of Air, Earth, Water, and Fire from the original FF. The word "Chaos" itself is from Greek mythology, and was the primordial force if disorder that filled the universe before the world was made.

Ultima - Ultima(or Altima) was the final boss from FF Tactics and the leader of the Lucavi. In it, she was a beautiful female angel represented by the Virgo zodiac sign, The Virgin. The word ultima simply means "the highest" or "the last". It is usually the ultimate black magic spell in the FF series.

Zodiark - Zodiark is a combination of the original name for ultimate summon from FF Tactics, Zodiac, and the ultimate dark-elemental summon from FFIX, Ark. The zodiac, of course, is the collection of 12 signs that make up the major constellations and is used heavily in astrology. The actual summon represents the 13th unused zodiac sign, Ophiuchus, The Snake, which is also referenced in FFIX. Zodiark is seen as a degenerated snake in FFXII, and as a winged celestial sphere in FF Tactics.

Final Fantasy XIII

Hecatoncheir - The Hecatoncheires were three giants from Greek mythology. they were said to have fifty heads and a hundred hands, which fits the many-handed Eidolon perfectly. This Eidolon is a throwback to the Hecatoncheir boss from FFIII.

Brynhildr - Brynhildr was a valkyrie from Norse mythology. She features prominently in Wagner's epic opera , the Ring of the Nibelung, which depicts the fall of the Norse gods.

Nix - Nix were water spirits in Germanic folklore.

Stiria - Stiria is the latin word for an icicle.

Final Fantasy Tactics

Salamander - While there is an actual animal called salamander, this animal and the FF Tactics summon got thier name from the salamander of ancient Greek and European folklore. The mythical salamander was said to be a great lizard that dwelled in flames.

Faerie - Faeries are a wide class of benevolent spirits from European folklore. Faeries were generallly small and human-like in appearance.

Lich - The word lich is an old english word for corpse. The lich was a popular undead enemy from Dungeons & Dragons, which is where Final Fantasy gets many of its creatures.

Cyclops - Cyclopes were one-eyed giants from Greek mythology. They were related to the hundred-handed giants, the Hecatoncheires.

Summon monster groups

Espers - The word "esper" is derived from ESP(extrasensory perception), ie a creature with pyschic abilities would be an ESP'er. This word has been used in works of science-fiction before, so it is possible Square got the term from literature.

Genju - "Genju" is the japanese name for the summons in FFVI. A genju is the japanese word for any mysterious or mythological creature in general. The word translates directly to "Phantom Beast".

Eidolons - An eidolon is a greek word for the spirit form of a person, summoned under specific conditions. It's more or less a fancy word for a summoned spirit.

Aeons - The word "aeon" usually refers to a vast period of time. In Gnosticism, it is a name for the various emanations, or levels of manifestation, of God. This latter mystical meaning is probably the intended reference for the summons of FFX.

Lucavi - The word lucavi is properly translated as rukavy, a russian word for the devil. This is fitting for the demonic Lucavi of FF Tactics, who actualy refer to themselves as the devil on a few occasions.

Totema - The word Totema comes from the Native American totem, which is a spirit that is responsible for an entire tribe of people. This fits in with FF Tactics Advance, where each Totema is summonable by a specific race.

And that pretty much covers every summon in the series.

[Rocky]

Although not an Esper, I think the name "Cait Sith" is pretty ironic when given more than just an initial thought. In the Celtic mythology, a Cat Sidhe (or Cait Sith) is a witch that transformed herself into a cat, still retaining her power and using her deceptiveness to trick others. Anyone who has played through FF7 will see how this is played out to a tee.

[TheNiteAngel]

Being a big mythology buff there are several that I had already known, but I even found more interesting information from a few of you. I love reading into these, and one good source that I go to is ffcompendium.com It's not updated anymore since FF12 but has been left up with an extreme wealth of info on these things. If you go down I think to miscellaneous, there is a section on Name Origins to all sorts of summons, characters, places, and monsters. I was just on the other day as I've been going through FFIV. Check it out

[nickness89]

Wow, I recognised a few of the summons throughout the years from studying Mythology of certain cultures, but it's good to know that nearly every single one is, in one form or another, linked to rel mythology, and not just made-up.