Can Anyone Help Me Choose a Fitting Title to My Story

[Mari More]

Just like the title of this thread, I would like to ask you guys to help me choose a title for my story. The story has magic-related elements in it and it's important in the story as a whole. Fire element, water element, earth element, air element, light and shadow element. My main character (MC) is a light and shadow element user but isn't the book's female lead (FL) because the MC transmigrated/reincarnated in her own novel. The book she wrote is called Inamorata which literally translates to "the woman I love" and the book's original female lead is a Duke's daughter. However, after she (the author and the MC) reincarnated in the book, it now became in her perspective. The MC is a princess who is the only person who possess the light and shadow element for generations and there's no known fact and info about her element so she's left to experiment and discover her powers all by herself- thus being dubbed as "useless". However, she's still loved greatly by her father and lived a good life of a secluded princess (it is on her own accord to seclude herself because her father loves her so much that it kinda threatens the position of her eldest brother as the crown prince)

My story's synopsis/description goes like this:

I, Iris Cylian Lazuli, the only princess of Cerulean Kingdom almost died right after I was born.

Adrian Benedictus Lazuli, a man with an iron fist, is a strict and noble king praised for his ruling in the kingdom. Since young, he was regarded as a genius who will carry the declining kingdom where it was once. Although I am a daughter from his fifth consort, I have him wrapped around my fingers.

The main genres of the story are fantasy, romance and slice of life. I've been thinking of titles for this story but the one that sticks to me most is "Bituing Walang Ningning" which means "a star that doesn't shine/a star who lost its light" because a) the element she has is based on twinkle of the stars b) she'll use the "power of the star" which at the end of the story c.) princess = bituin (a star); useless = walang ningning (doesn't shine because she is deemed worthless) but there's already a renowned series in the Philippines with the same title but diff. story line.

My next title would be
1. Kutitap = which means twinkle/sparkle/glimmer
2. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow = it has to do with the story's plot twist so I'm not gonna delve in that
3. A Second, a Minute & a Lifetime = same with number 2

If possible, I want my title to be something like "so close, yet so far" vibes or "until our next life" vibe. Please suggest things like that too in the comments section below

 

[Lynea]

Okay...do you want a title in english or in a different language?

 

[Lynea]

Why not just call it Light and Shadow? Or Fallen Princess, Dying Star?

 

[Mari More]

Okay...do you want a title in english or in a different language?

It would be better if it's in Filipino or non-English word like Latin. And I'm leaning more on those words that click without being lengthy but all I came up with is kinda lengthy

 

[Lynea]

Ok, well I've got nothing to contribute in terms of Filipino but I can help with more Latin-based things. Just need time to look some things up.

 

[Mari More]

Ok, well I've got nothing to contribute in terms of Filipino but I can help with more Latin-based things. Just need time to look some things up.

oh, my god. thank you, you're the best! you've been helping me since the first day i joined the community <3

 

[pmmg]

There is already a story called Bituing Walang Ningning?

How about just ‘useless’?

 

[Lynea]

"Beyond Life and Stars" in Latin = Ultra Vitam et Stellas
Idk if that's what you're looking for, but it's an elegant title.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Bit out of left field and it is the motto of the entire University system of California but how about Fiat Lux - Latin for Let there be Light?

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Mari More]

Hi,

Bit out of left field and it is the motto of the entire University system of California but how about Fiat Lux - Latin for Let there be Light?

Cheers, Greg.

kinda like it! but if it became my title, it's not only related to the said university but there's a "link" with the Christian God (don't know) who said "Let there be Light" in I don't know which day. but i liked the idea, thank you

 

[pmmg]

The main genres of the story are fantasy, romance and slice of life. I've been thinking of titles for this story but the one that sticks to me most is "Bituing Walang Ningning" which means "a star that doesn't shine/a star who lost its light" because a) the element she has is based on twinkle of the stars b) she'll use the "power of the star" which at the end of the story c.) princess = bituin (a star); useless = walang ningning (doesn't shine because she is deemed worthless) but there's already a renowned series in the Philippines with the same title but diff. story line.

I don't follow this, is this saying the Title 'Bituing Walang Ningning' has already been used as a title and means 'Princess Useless'?

 

[Mari More]

I don't follow this, is this saying the Title 'Bituing Walang Ningning' has already been used as a title and means 'Princess Useless'?

Hi, Bituing Walang Ningning translates to Star That Doesn't Shine and the Filipino series with that name focuses on an aspiring singer who reaches for her dreams. However, in my case, if I use Bituing Walang Ningning as a title, it will have different meaning or symbolism. The "bituin" in my title would be the princess "who will use the power of stars on the crucial moment". And the "walang ningning" would symbolise that same princess who is viewed as "useless" by her people because she can't display her true powers (she doesn't know how but will still use her power to the max at some point). My problem is, though the meaning behind the title and the story itself are different, people might mistaken my work as the older Bituing Walang Ningning series or criticize me for using a known TV Series Title to gain fame.

 

[pmmg]

Just using google translate

Princes of useless light translates to: Prinsesa ng walang silbi na ilaw

That is not even close to 'Bituing Walang Ningning'.

How would it become Bituing? is her name star?

 

[Mari More]

Just using google translate

Princes of useless light translates to: Prinsesa ng walang silbi na ilaw

That is not even close to 'Bituing Walang Ningning'.

How would it become Bituing? is her name star?

No. it's not the literal translation of "Bituing Walang Ningning". It's just symbolism like metaphor. like i compared the word bituin to the princess because first, she's like a dream come true to her parents and where do people wish when they are desperate? stars, like wishing stars and star is english for bituin. walang ningning is the literal translation of "doesn't shine" and the princess, although a princess, "doesn't shine" because she's overshadowed by her brothers (they are top of their calibers) and that's the reason why she is called "useless."
bituing walang ningning doesn't literally translate to princess useless, i just relate the words and the symbols of it to form my title. but sadly, like i've said, there's already a series with the same name

 

[pmmg]

So if your title was in english you would want it to be star doesn't shine, or star that does not shine? How about star unshining?

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

If it's a star that doesn't shine - Black Star? Dark Star's been used, but the only Black Star I can think of is a Bowie album.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Leonardo Pisano]

In quaerere de lumine (Sa paghahanap ng ilaw)
Quest ad lucem

Just a quick & dirty suggestion

What I usually am looking for is a title with a double meaning ...