Title for Female Knights

[el-remmen]

In a basically egalitarian fantasy society, where women can and are knighted and can hold their own against men in the martial skills - what should such a woman be called?

So far, I am going with "Sir" for both men and women.

I considered "Lady", but "Lady" is not only too genteel, I also reserved it for the female counterpart to a "Lord".

Are there any example from real world history and/or legends or fantasy novels/comic books and the like, I might pilfer?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cedric]

Dame

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Sir.

In an egalitarian fantasy society, why couldn't the word be gender neutral? Ever watched Battlestar Galactica?

Edit: Ma'am is the equivalent honorific in today's US military, FWIW.

 

[el-remmen]

Dame

Ah yes, Dame.

I can't believe I didn't think of that. . .

But then again, I may stick with 'sir' if only because it commands more respect even today and I want to avoid the OOC mockery of the term "dame" in the chauvanistic context.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

In a basically egalitarian fantasy society, where women can and are knighted and can hold their own against men in the martial skills - what should such a woman be called?

So far, I am going with "Sir" for both men and women.

I considered "Lady", but "Lady" is not only too genteel, I also reserved it for the female counterpart to a "Lord".

Are there any example from real world history and/or legends or fantasy novels/comic books and the like, I might pilfer?

Thanks in advance.

dame \'dam\ n [ME, fr. OF, fr. L dominica, fem. of dominus master; akin to L domus house (13c).
1c - a female member of an order of knighthood - used as a title prefixed to the given name.
- Webster's 9th New Collegiate

 

[Aus_Snow]

Sir.

Ser?

 

[Hypersmurf]

In a basically egalitarian fantasy society, where women can and are knighted and can hold their own against men in the martial skills - what should such a woman be called?

Dame is the traditional honorific.

We're using 'Sera' in a game I'm playing in at the moment. (vs Sir, rather than Ser, interestingly.)

-Hyp.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Ah yes, Dame.

I can't believe I didn't think of that. . .

But then again, I may stick with 'sir' if only because it commands more respect even today and I want to avoid the OOC mockery of the term "dame" in the chauvanistic context.

Point me to the uncouth rake who dares mock Dame Judith Anderson, Dame Judi Densch, Dame Edna...

 

[CrusaderX]

How about Majestrix? That may be much too regal for a knight, but I do love the way it sounds.

 

[Sejs]

How about Majestrix? That may be much too regal for a knight, but I do love the way it sounds.

1) The whole Majesty angle is strictly royalty. Use it loosely and you could get in a lot of trouble, depending on how touchy the society is about that sort of thing.

2) It sounds like a combination of 'Majesty' and 'Dominatrix'. I'm not sure I'd even want to be called that as an honorific.