Klingon nomenclature: the Historian's Bane

[Zor]

Among the Klingons you have a given name and a Patronym (Worf Son of Mogh) while the government of the Klingon Empire is largely feudal with ruling dynasties with lands and soldiers and ships under their control. However said Dynasty is given the name of it's ruling patriarch (House of Worf, House of Duras, House of Quark). This means that whenever a Patriarch dies and is replaced the name of the House changes. This is inevitably going to cause confusion as a language can only carry so many names. You could have several houses of Kor at the same time and the house of Worf might have been The House of Duras.

Frankly the question "So what House are we talking about again" is going to be a Common Refrain of anyone studying Klingon History or trying to keep track of Klingon Politics.

Zor

[Lord Revan]

Never heard of "House of Worf", it was always "House of Mogh" in the episodes I've seen, in fact only Houses I know of that had their namesake confirmed to be alive were "House of Martok" and "House of Quark", "House of T'Kuvma". Martok was up-lifted peasant so he would be the first leader of his house anyway, Quark is the same case, while at least based on EU sources "House T'Kuvma" explictly changed their name to that. also in the mid 2250s House Kor was lead by general Kol

More likely explanation is that Klingon houses are named after their founders (or signifgant individuals in case of name changes) and Houses have traditional names that they tend to use.

[Elheru Aran]

More likely explanation is that Klingon houses are named after their founders (or signifgant individuals in case of name changes) and Houses have traditional names that they tend to use.

This. As well, it's probably not terribly unusual for the House name to be occasionally repeated as a personal name. And yes, that would result in something silly like "Mogh, of the House of Mogh", but they might have something along the lines of Mogh II, Mogh III, and so forth. For clarity one would hope they don't do father-son with the same name, because "Mogh, son of Mogh, of the House of Mogh" would be a bit much.

As far as the chroniclers go, they probably have rules about being careful to note dates alongside any repetitive naming... so "Mogh, third of that name, Klingon Year 4533" or some such.

[Crazedwraith]

Doesn't house of Quark confirm it is named after the current head? Quark takes over a house and it becomes the House of Quark at the end of the episode they let the woman take charge and it becomes the House Of Grilka.

Worf leaving it as House Of Mogh was supposed to be the exception rather than the rule I thought though I couldn't cite anything that said it explicitly.

[Darth Lucifer]

Never heard of "House of Worf", it was always "House of Mogh" in the episodes I've seen...

Correct. Worf in his later years joined the house of Martok, before that he was formally referred to being from the House of Mogh. Somewhere along the line his brother Kurn was forced to abandon his ties to the House of Mogh (Gowron seized their assets and lands) and subsequently had his memory and DNA wiped, assuming a new identity as Rodek from the house of Noggra.

[Lord Revan]

Doesn't house of Quark confirm it is named after the current head? Quark takes over a house and it becomes the House of Quark at the end of the episode they let the woman take charge and it becomes the House Of Grilka.

Worf leaving it as House Of Mogh was supposed to be the exception rather than the rule I thought though I couldn't cite anything that said it explicitly.

Like House Martok, House Quark would be an exception to the rule, there's plenty of examples where the House name does not match the personal name of the current head of the House. Just from the top of my head House Mo'kai lead by Ujilii(or J'ula depending on the source) in 2250s, House D'Ghor lead by Dennas in 2250s, House Kor lead by Kol in 2250s, House Mogh lead by Worf in 2360s.

Also House Duras didn't become House Toral or be named after one the sisters of Duras.