Cloud's Name

[The Witch]

All right, I am fully aware that what I'm about to type will either be seen as HIGHLY crack theory or makes a lot of weird sense. Either way, I think it's a unique discussion.

Cloud's name of course is said Kuraudo in Japanese. Did any of you ever wonder why the Japanese way of saying Cloud was "Kuraudo" when the real Japanese word for cloud, like clouds in the sky, is supposed to be said as "kumo"?

Me and my sister love Italian, and one of the reasons we love VII so much is because all the Italian names. Some of the Italian names in VII are, Vincent Valintine, Lucrecia Crescent, Elena, and possibly Cloud. Yes, I said Cloud.

How? Mistranslations my friends. Mistranslations. They mistranslated Aerith's name as "Aeris" so it's really possible.

I think, the Japanese call Cloud "Kuraudo" in pronunciation rather than say the actual Japanese word for Cloud witch is "kumo" because they're really trying to say the Italian boy name; Claudio. And if you know the meaning to this name you'd know it's meaning is stuff like lame/disabled, stuff that matches Cloud's personality of being fragile.

And before anyone says; "Why wouldn't they fix mistranslations?" because,
1. It's Cloud Strife for god sake. Fan girls and boys would have flipped.
2. Look what happened with Aerith.
And 3. We were already use to our anti hero being Cloud.


Now, c'mon, that's a lot of weird coincidences if you ask me.

So, was Cloud's name really supposed to be Claudio Strife, keeping the Italian vibe like his parallel, Vincent Valentine? Or is this another fun, yet very odd, discussion?

 

[Sora_lion_heart]

I agree with you about how the couldn't fix the translation and you may be right about it all. I just think that it was more dreamy and original to call him cloud. Have you ever wondered about Squall's name? Squall meaning a wind storm...

 

[The Witch]

I agree with you about how the couldn't fix the translation and you may be right about it all. I just think that it was more dreamy and original to call him cloud. Have you ever wondered about Squall's name? Squall meaning a wind storm...

No, I hadn't ever thought of Squalls name.

By the way, thanks for thinking it makes some sense.

 

[Testra]

That is a very good point you got there It would kinda take the effect out of Cloud's name if after all these years we suddenly have to start calling him Claudio Strife.
But its just the way the world goes... Stupid mistranslated names

As you pointed out the fact the name Claudio means lame/disabled it matches perfectly what Cloud essentially was, a fragile person.
Which is now making me think about all the names out there that don't quite match up to their real life counterparts etc.

 

[The Witch]

That is a very good point you got there It would kinda take the effect out of Cloud's name if after all these years we suddenly have to start calling him Claudio Strife.
But its just the way the world goes... Stupid mistranslated names

As you pointed out Princess Bubblegum and the fact the name Claudio means lame/disabled it matches perfectly what Cloud essentially was, a fragile person.

Wow, thanks for seeing some good point to my post. I was thinkin' people would have just poked fun.

 

[Ewan]

Back when I was a FF7 nerd, I read the Nomura likes to design characters and give them names that have something to do with the weather and nature and shite like that.

Tidus came from a word meaning Sun.
Squall comes from the word meaning sharp increase in wind speed according to wiki.
Sora came from sky apparently.
Lightning is well... lightning.

I think he is literally supposed to be called Cloud because he's always depressed about something which reflects dark rain clouds etc.

 

[Testra]

I wouldn't poke fun as most of the stuff I find seems to end up one way and its usually me and a whole lot of poking.
But that point has actually made me think about all the names from games and anime's that dont quite work out when trying to pronounce them etc.

 

[The Witch]

Back when I was a FF7 nerd, I read the Nomura likes to design characters and give them names that have something to do with the weather and nature and shite like that.

Tidus came from a word meaning Sun.
Squall comes from the word meaning sharp increase in wind speed according to wiki.
Sora came from sky apparently.

I think he is literally supposed to be called Cloud because he's always depressed about something which reflects dark rain clouds etc.

See, that's what I thought too. But if the Japanese really intended on Cloud's name being like the word cloud, as in clouds in the sky, they would have still called him Kumo in Japanese pronunciation.

 

[Ewan]

Do the Japanese only have one word for cloud? Other than that I'm not sure/don't care that much anyway.

 

[The Witch]

Do the Japanese only have one word for cloud? Other than that I'm not sure/don't care that much anyway.

Yes. And it's Kumo.

 

[Testra]

It would make sense though if you think about it as it would fit in alongside the other Italian names featured in the game.

 

[The Witch]

It would make sense though if you think about it as it would fit in alongside the other Italian names featured in the game.

Exactly my point in pointing out the other Italian names like Vincent Valentine, Lucrecia, etc.

 

[Testra]

I knew Vincent Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent where of an Italian background bit I had never thought of Elena as being one
Im sure the name Elena has its roots in Spanish though but ill take your word for it as I am sure im wrong tho

 

[The Witch]

I knew Vincent Valentine and Lucrecia Crescent where of an Italian background bit I had never thought of Elena as being one
Im sure the name Elena has its roots in Spanish though but ill take your word for it as I am sure im wrong tho

Yea, Elena is latin, making it both Spanish and Italian.

 

[Testra]

Thank god for that I hate looking stupid in front of people atleast we can both be right
And by the way you got a good taste in music

 

[AddleBoy]

I think, the Japanese call Cloud "Kuraudo" in pronunciation rather than say the actual Japanese word for Cloud witch is "kumo" because they're really trying to say the Italian boy name; Claudio. And if you know the meaning to this name you'd know it's meaning is stuff like lame/disabled, stuff that matches Cloud's personality of being fragile.

I very much doubt that his name is supposed to be Claudio. If the Japanese wanted to pronounce Claudio, the would say it "Kuradio", not "Kuraudo". And about why would they have Cloud instead of Kumo? Hell, you can pretty much say the person who came up with the name liked the English way better. In the Japanese versions of FFVIII, FFX, and FFXIII, why didn't they use the Japanese words for the names of the main characters?

 

[Testra]

Well they did in the japanese version

It may be a possibility though seeing as there are several other Italian based names in the game so having one more wouldn't exactly matter would it?

 

[The Witch]

I very much doubt that his name is supposed to be Claudio. If the Japanese wanted to pronounce Claudio, the would say it "Kuradio", not "Kuraudo". And about why would they have Cloud instead of Kumo? Hell, you can pretty much say the person who came up with the name liked the English way better. In the Japanese versions of FFVIII, FFX, and FFXIII, why didn't they use the Japanese words for the names of the main characters?

You know how the Japanese say Lucy? Lucia. I'm talking about the Japanese pronouncing Cloud's name as "Kuraudo" rather then the real pronunciation which is "kumo"; since kumo is how they say cloud, that should have been how they pronounced it. But they pronounced it completely different.

It may be a possibility though seeing as there are several other Italian based names in the game so having one more wouldn't exactly matter would it?

Nope. And it'd actually go pretty well with the rest.

 

[AddleBoy]

You know how the Japanese say Lucy? Lucia. I'm talking about the Japanese pronouncing Cloud's name as "Kuraudo" rather then the real pronunciation which is "kumo"; since kumo is how they say cloud, that should have been how they pronounced it. But they pronounced it completely different.


Nope. And it'd actually go pretty well with the rest.

Kumo isn't the pronunciation of the English word, cloud, it's the Japanese word for cloud. "Kuraudo" is the Japanese pronunciation of the English word, cloud. There's a difference.

 

[Channizard]

See, that's what I thought too. But if the Japanese really intended on Cloud's name being like the word cloud, as in clouds in the sky, they would have still called him Kumo in Japanese pronunciation.

Exactly my point in pointing out the other Italian names like Vincent Valentine, Lucrecia, etc.

Well lovely, I'm going to have to disagree on you with the whole Italian thing they got going on. Each character's name has a meaning.

Cloud Strife is simply as it is. Nomura did want several characters throughout the series with 'Earthy' names. Cloud, Terra, Aerith, Squall, Tidus, Yuna, etc...

He is meant to have a rainy-cloud personality as when we first meet him, and even still near the end, he barely ever smiles... he's a really negative person. The 'Strife' part in his name is meant to signify all the hardship that has gone on with his life. Experimentation, failure, mental instability... Cloud has a lot of 'strife' with his life and what he has had to deal with.

--

Now with Vincent, his name comes from two area. 'Vincent' comes from the word vincere, which means 'to conquer or prevail'. Vincent's main goal in the game, and joining Cloud and co on their journey is so that he may confront Hojo and defeat his sins, atoning for his failure of protecting Lucrecia. He wants to overcome his guilt and his past.

Nomura has said that Valentine comes from Saint Valentine. The story of Saint Valentine goes briefly as he was a who had secretly married young couples after Claudius II had declared that young men did not fight as vigorously in war after they had been with a woman. He was executed shortly after he was found out. There are variations of this story involving St Valentine with Cladius' daughter, but either way the story of St Valentine is a tragic one, as was Vincent's.

--

Now Lucrecia comes from the Shakesperian Poem, The Rape of Lucrece. The main symbology between Lucrece and Lucretia, is that Lucrece was a woman who was raped by Tarquin, and describes it through the poem as if she were a fortress under attack. Later on she commits suicide to absolve herself of her guilt, similar to how Lucrecia locked herself away in the cave as a 'suicide attempt' (since she could never die) as she felt so much remorse for what she had done to Vincent.

The rape is easily depicted/referenced in VII as Hojo rapes this woman's body and uses her for science (although she was willing in the beginning).

--

As an addendum, saying Kuraudo instead of Kumo is because it's his name, y'know? Aerith is easily translated to Earth (and quite obviously), yet they don't call her by her Japanese translated term... do they?

I still love you though bby. <3