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I was checking out some of the history on a few shoguns in Japan. I noticed that they had a lot of names that they went by. Does anyone know why?

Could you give some examples? All the ones I can find in a quick search have a family and given name.

If I had to guess the two most likely reasons for a lot of names is that either a) you're confusing titles with names or b) you're seeing all the possible pronunciations of the characters used, kanji tell you next to nothing about how they are pronounced, especially when in someone's name.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Could you give some examples? All the ones I can find in a quick search have a family and given name.

If I had to guess the two most likely reasons for a lot of names is that either a) you're confusing titles with names or b) you're seeing all the possible pronunciations of the characters used, kanji tell you next to nothing about how they are pronounced, especially when in someone's name.

For instance, Hideyasu Yuki; He has names like Tokugawa Ogimaru or Cha-Cha who is also known as Lady Yodo. To make things more interesting Musashi Miyamoto who also went by Shinmen Takezo and Miyamoto Bennosuke.

Originally posted by atv2
For instance, Hideyasu Yuki; He has names like Tokugawa Ogimaru or Cha-Cha who is also known as Lady Yodo. To make things more interesting Musashi Miyamoto who also went by Shinmen Takezo and Miyamoto Bennosuke.

can you translate those at all?

I think Sym might be onto something with titles and naming conventions.

For instance, Ibn Rushd is known as Averroes in European texts, and I am sure he picked up a title or two somewhere, much like how Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar can be El Cid or El Campeador

Tokugawa were a shogun dynasty

Originally posted by atv2
For instance, Hideyasu Yuki; He has names like Tokugawa Ogimaru or Cha-Cha who is also known as Lady Yodo. To make things more interesting Musashi Miyamoto who also went by Shinmen Takezo and Miyamoto Bennosuke.

Miyamoto's names seem to be a result of a combination of him trying to distance himself from his past and lack of records about his actual family. He apparently identified himself as "Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Genshin" (which seems to have something to do with wisteria shampoo and the atomic bomb) in one of his books which is where the name Takezo comes from. Lots of damaged records contain references to names historians seem to think may be more likely candidates for his real birth name. Bennosuke is the most popular.

If I had to guess the other examples are combinations of actual names, nicknames (like Cha-Cha) and names they decided were better sounding or fitting (the Japanese are pretty big on that sort of thing and royal types are famous for it all over the world).

Originally posted by atv2
For instance, Hideyasu Yuki; He has names like Tokugawa Ogimaru or Cha-Cha who is also known as Lady Yodo. To make things more interesting Musashi Miyamoto who also went by Shinmen Takezo and Miyamoto Bennosuke.
huhm here's a short example as to why:
Musashi Miyamoto, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke, or by his Buddhist name Niten Dōraku.
Well one obviously is his Buddhist name. Shinmen takzeo - Shinmen is a clan and Takezō is his birth name. Bennosuke is just like his childhood name in Japanese. Musashi is believed to have been taken from another warrior Musashibo Benkei who was a great warrior monk and is just an indication that he was really good with a sword. Sorry for the run on. But a lot of the names are because of reasons like those. They don't actually mean anything in Japanese other than just a name.

Prominent figures in the clan will have a title which would vary with dialect. example: Treasurer -Trez-

The birth name is mandatory example: Joey

The Family name is mandatory some family names can be long and descriptive example Van Henegoor of Hesse-link.

A nickname like Short-stuff, El Loco etc which describes their character

There is the Marriage Name or Name of Conquest If Joey marries a Warlords Heir he becomes a Warlord or a prince if he marries a princess.. If Joey defeats a warlord he owns his opponent's assets privileges name and rank

The religious name Example Cassius Clay + NOI = Mohammed Ali

There are names assigned to identify economic and social interests example Watchmaker

Then there are names of notoriety example Jack The Ripper.

Result:
Watchmaker Joey.
Trez Short-stuff.
Joey Van Henegoor of Hesse-link.
Joey CallmeChristian.
Prince Charming
Lord Axeswinger
The Man With No Fear

Maybe they collect their ancestors names like the Spanish do

Is it so japaneese have so many I really don't know this yet but I'll definately try to find out this why they have so many as soon as I know I'll definately Inform you ok.

Cause they try to be Prince obviously.

It's already been explained why they had so many names back in the day.