[QUOTE=awdaniec666;277231]Interesting topic. I can only speak for the topic I spend most time with (Early modern period in central and east Europe). Going through contemporary memoirs of military men I never found evidence for naming the swords in this area and time-period specifically. But it seems like a thing they could have done, naming ships is something that has been done at least since the middle-ages for example. I wonder about the connection between epic stories and named swords, dramaturgy maybe?[/QUOTe
One of the first few books I owned in my early days of collecting, mid 60s, was "The Archaeology of Weapons". R.Ewart Oakshott, 1960, in its dedication it says. "..for NICK, who said, 'why not write a book?'.
Nick was none other than AVB 'Nick' Norman, who wrote the monumental "The Rapier and Small Sword 1460-1820", 1980.
On p.106, Oakshott;
"....another thing we find in the Norse tales is that all swords (and most spears and many axes too) are named. This is undoubtedly a custom going very far back, and in its earlier forms at least must have been closely associated with magic and the belief that all objects, as well as men and animate beings had souls, and that a name had great power in it".
further,
"...man has always been reluctant to abandon his ancient beliefs, and the swords personality seems to have stayed with it, though it was not often written about".
Actually, the names of swords and their personalities were indeed written about, the first coming to mind is always 'Excalibur', and the story behind that name is virtually the essence of Arthurian legend.
Oakeshott relates the Icelandic tale of the sword Skofnung, belonging to the 5-6th c. king Hrolf Kraki, buried with him in his grave. It was stolen from the grave by Skeggi and served generations onward. It had a charm called a life stone and there were many protocols and beliefs on the use of the sword.
With many of the Norse weapons, they had fearsome names like cleaver of limbs or other such graphic and psychologically horrific descriptive names.
With chivalry, thence later Victorian writing, swords were steeped in romance and the names were more in that accord.
Glen, excellent reference! and one can browse through it almost endlessly and it is almost addicting reading these terms that occur throughout literary history, with comprehensive lists of these famed and fabled sword names.
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