Chapter naming
 

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Some GLO's start with Alpha and go through the Greek alphabet until they hit Omega. Then they start with Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega, Beta Alpha through Beta Omega, etc.

Others break it down by state, so the first chapter in Massachusetts would be Massachusetts Alpha, the first chapter in Ohio would be Ohio Alpha, etc.

AEPhi did something a little different. They went from Alpha to Omega, then went from Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega, then Epsilon Alpha through Epsilon Omega, then Phi Alpha through Phi Omega. After that they started over with Beta Alpha. So I'm from the Beta Epsilon chapter, but we were the 101st chapter chartered.

HTH :)

some do it backwards..they go from Alpha to Omega then Alpha Alpha to Omega Alpha. Then Alpha Beta to Omega Beta..etc. My org.( Theta Chi) doesn't double the letters. It went from Omega to Alpha Beta. and then Beta Alpha to Beta Gamma.

Alpha Phi Chapter Naming...
 

Alpha Phi chapters are named in alphabetical order as they are incorporated. Thus...

Alpha (Syracuse University), our founding chapter, through the Greek alphabet to Omega (University of Texas).

There is only one collegiate chapter that begins with "Alpha" and that is our very first chapter at Syracuse. So we have no "Alpha Alpha" chapter, for example.
Instead, after the first 24 (Alpha through Omega), we began at Beta Alpha (University of Illinois), our 25th chapter.

Interesting side note: All Alpha Phi chapters are named in order of the Greek alphabet except the Eta chapter at Boston University. This chapter should have been Gamma--or the third chapter--but was incorporated as the Eta chapter because it had seven founding members and Eta is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet.

Jen

Tri Deltas and Delta Gammas....
 

I am not sure how Delta Delta Delta denotes its American chapters, but in Canada, it goes Canada Alpha, Canada Beta, Canada Gamma, Canada Delta (they've had up to 4 Canadian chapters).

Not sure how TriDelts denote their USA chapters...they use a different method though for their USA chapters...

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Another thing...some GLOs have chapters will have a "deuteron"...
A "deuteron" (D) after the chapter name indicates that the chapter has been inactive at some point in its history but is currently an active chapter.
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Delta Gamma: they pretty much use the Alpha Gamma, Alpha Delta, Alpha Epsilon method (they're up to Eta Eta right now)...however, the first few chapters were able to use whatever they wanted. The first ever chapter for DG is "Psi" (now closed). Then, DG realized that they needed to start naming their chapters in a more orderly fashion, so they use the method that is in place today. However, you still see a bit of the here and there method that they used to use....for example, DG's chapter at U of Washington in Seattle is "Beta" chapter, but it is actually not the second ever chapter...it is farther down the line than that.

Good one
 

CutiePie2000: Good catch on the deuteron! I never would have thought to mention that!

Jen

Omega Chapters
 

None has mentioned this yet either. Some sororities and fraternities, use the Omega chapter as one to honor brothers and sisters who have passed on.

My sorority is just at Delta (We label our chapters, and pledge classes, with alphabetical increments).

Alpha Omicron Pi started off going from Alpha to Omega and then(I think) to Alpha Beta, Alpha Gamma, etc, etc. But when we got to a LOT of chapters, some of chapters took letters that also meant their college. For example, I attended Elon College and my AOTT chapter their is Epsilon Chi. And I am now an advisor at Georgia State and they are the Gamma Sigma chapter. I thought that was neat and always easy to remember. Anyone else do anything like that?

something i've always been told is that most all glo's before they get their actual charter on a campus and are just a colony, will add an alpha to the end of what they currently are, ie sigma chi alpha, is that true for any/all glo's that you know of? My friend was telling me this, so I just started thinking about Lambda Chi, and how their name implies (to those who know, at least on our campus) are forever like a colony. I'm not degrading, that's just the only org i know of off-hand with an alpha at the end, but i don't know much about glo's outside what's at my campus.

Another interesting note:

While TKE does Alpha Alpha when they run through the greek alphabet (that being the 25th chapter), we don't have any Eta Chapters, it simply skips from Zeta Omega to Theta Alpha.

Various reasons for this are bandied about the chapter, personally, I think it's because they didnt want anyone to be the "Eta Pi" chapter. (apologies go out to any chapters that are Eta Pi)

rofl, GMU!

We name like AEPhi said. We went Alpha through Omega, then Delta Alpha through Delta Omega, Phi Alpha through Phi Omega and Epsilon Alpha through Epsilon Omega. Now we're in Gamma. Colonies get single letters until they are formally chartered, and then they get a dual letter name.

TKE also has a chapter that has an unusual chapter and its called the Scorpion chapter. Its at Cornell University. It would have be our sigma chapter but they took that name thats why we don't have a sigma chapter.

Re: Omega Chapters
 

TKE says when a member dies that they entered the chapter eternal.

Correction about AOII
 

AOII actually allows each chapter to pick their own name. Usually its to honor someone assisting with the founding of the chapter, the initials of the chapter submotto, college initials, part of the local that became and AOII chapter, etc. This is why there is no reason to the founding dates and the chapter name--and why there is a triple letter chapter and why, for example, Chi Sigma was founded WAY before Chi Psi, and also all the TN chapters have Omicron.

SigmaChiCard: There is no set rule for locals. Some use the letters of the group they are petitioning plus another letter (not necessarily alpha) at the beginning, end or even in the middle. If the group was a local prior to even considering petitioning a national group, they may simply continue using their original name. Some groups petitioning GLOs do not even have Greek letter names.

CutiePie2000: Good point on the Deuterons. But it’s not just related to reinstated chapters. Theta Delta Chi for example, when they reached the end of the alphabet simply started again at Alpha and added Deuteron. Kappa Alpha did something similar, but used the word “Prime” instead of “Deuteron”. Phi Sigma Kappa too, but they have a lot more chapters, so they’ve gone through Deuteron, Triton, Tetarton, Pentaton, Hexaton and Septaton.

Other chapter naming conventions and “oddities”:
- Simply named after university (Acacia, Alpha Delta Phi, Delta Chi, Delta Upsilon).
- Calling chapters “Zetas” (Lambda Chi Alpha) or “Phis” (Alpha Chi Rho) or “Alphas” (Chi Psi) or “Charges” (Theta Delta Chi).
- Skipping specific letters in chapter naming (Sigma Chi and “Beta”).
- Using the name of the local fraternity as the chapter name when absorbed.
- Merger of several nearby chapters into one (Beta-Gamma-Zeta chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi).
- Special symbolic or honorary chapters (Constantine chapter, Omega chapter, Chapter eternal).

This is an interesting topic.

wptw

Chi Omega does it in reverse order, not using Omega (since, like others, that's our memorial chapter). So our first chapter was Psi, and we worked back to Alpha. Then, we go to Psi Alpha and work back to Alpha Alpha. So, it's also reverse order, in that the second greek letter is the constant rather than the first (like most go Alpha Beta , Alpha Gamma, Alpha Delta...but we go Delta Delta, Gamma Delta, Beta Delta, Alpha Delta). So, it's pretty cool to be unique like that! I don't think anyone else has done it that way!

I always wondered what the heck Deuteron meant :) . I know we have ADPhi as the Peninsular chapter. So what does that mean?

Re: Memorial Chapter Names...
 

When an Alpha Phi sister passes away, she is said to have entered the "Silent Chapter."

Jen

Some GLOs will "recycle" chapter denotations too...
 

I know that Chi Omega will "recycle" chapter denotations, because there used to be Chi Omega - Phi chapter at Hellmuth College (now closed) in Canada. Then Phi chapter closed.

Then it was Chi Omega - Phi chapter at USC.
That chapter is now closed.
In checking in at www.chimomega.com, there doesn't apprear to be a Chi Omega - Phi chapter in existence at present.

Took the words right out of my mouth ;).

Here's how ASA names chapters.

Except for Alpha chapter, all the chapters established in the 1900's - 1910's died out or were surrendered to other groups. By 1914 we had contacted 3 local groups who wanted to become part of us and Reorganization took place. These 4 chapters were named Alpha, Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, and Alpha Gamma. These are the only chapters that will ever bear the "Alpha" as a first letter.

After that we went to double letters - Beta Beta, Gamma Gamma, on thru the alphabet, and then onto Beta Alpha, Beta Delta, etc. The only current exception is Kappa Phi at Mt. Union - this was one of our original chapters before Reorganization and it was recently recolonized.

As far as colonies we used to call them Delta Beta Colony or whatever chapter name was next in line, but that became a problem when several colonies didn't charter and it threw the naming off. So now they are just Greek Chat U. Colony until they fully charter.

Alpha Gam's method of naming chapters goes by geographical area. Its somewhat complicated, and I'm too lazy to restate it here, LOL. For those who are really interested, check out the "I Cracked The Code" thread in the AGD forum. That thread will give you the total skinny.

Our first 3 chapters (Alpha, Beta and Gamma) were actually all at the same school. The second college was the Delta chapter. It all continued alphabetically until we got to Eta Alpha-Eta Omega. We just skipped those as well as Iota Alpha-Iota Omega. I think our next chapter will be Kappa Iota at PENN. :)

With Phi Sigma Sigma, we went Alpha at Hunter College to Omega... and then Beta Alpha through Beta Omega... etc... we are Gamma Gamma at Clarion U.

We had an Alpha Alpha chapter, it started when the Alpha at Hunter, split, since Hunter split. So we had Alpha and Alpha Alpha.

Tau Beta Sigma, the idea was started at Texas A&M but they couldnt get incorperated in TX, so they gave their ideas to the Womens band club at Oklahoma State, and they became the Alpha, and Texas A&M, the Beta... We are Delta Omicron :)


Interesting!

<3 Ali

Kappa Sigma's first chapter was called Zeta Chapter, at the University of Virginia

Can you explain why that is or no?

I know that Phi Delts use the state and a chapter letter, since the chapter here is PA XI.... :)

Lemme think...

Nope cant think of anything more to say :)


<3Ali

OOH thought of more.... Phi Sigma Sigma does not re-use names, Pi chapter at Syracuse closed and then re opened this past year as a colony!!! (90 women stated the colony, how awesome is that!?) So our closed chapters can re open as the same letter name.

Right now our oldest chapter is Delta, I think its at SUNY Buffalo? I am most likely wrong, I know its at SUNY something, but Im tired, so who knows!

Its sad that our Alpha chapter cant re-open, Im pretty sure that Hunter is now a NON GREEK SCHOOL... damn those silly fools!!!

Phi Beta goes alphabetically, Alpha-Omega, then Alpha Alpha-Alpha Omega, etc. Although we initially skipped our Gamma chapter.. I've heard (unofficially) that it had something to do with an organization already at the school where the would-be Gamma chapter colonized having a similar name- so we just skipped to Delta. A few chapter later, there was a Gamma chapter, and then ever since then we've continued in alphabetically order.

Our closed chapter also reopen with the same name... in fact a little over a year ago we reactivated our Alpha Epsilon chapter at the U of Houston, and they keep the same name.

We also have a lot of alumni chapters- they are all named alphabetically but with a Pi in front of the name. So the first alumni chapter is Pi Alpha, then Pi Beta-Pi Omega... then Pi Alpha Alpha, Pi Alpha Beta-Pi Alpha Omega, etc.

The one exception to this is our online chapter, wich is Pi Epsilon Alpha (we jumped ahead quite a bit on that name).

online chapters
 

Can someone please explain what an on-line chapter is?

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DU does it differently. Out of respect to the school (I believe is what I read), each chapter is named after the educational institution it is at. We are the Miami Chapter (Miami of Ohio).

Lambda Chi Alpha goes by the Greek Alphabet.

Alpha Zeta being the founding chapter, (Zeta is our term for chapter)

That is one reason I am so Proud of being the Lambda Chi Zeta, it was between 2 other colonys and we got it!

At a National Conference, Our President was sitting with several other Brothers from other chapters and was asked what Zeta he was. He told them LX and they told him know we know what Fraternity as you are here but what chapter, he said no I am LX chapter!

He felt higher than a good kite when thay went nuts saying how great that was!!!

Well my lips are getting sore from tooting my horn!!!!!!:D

No.

The first six letters were initially skipped for various reasons, but some were re-visted (Gamma at LSU, for example) again for varying reasons. Thus, our founding chapter is known as Zeta chapter, at UVA, chartered in December of 1869.

When a chapter is re-opened, the school changes, etc, a 'prime' is generally added to the end, ie Eta Prime at Duke (which was initially chartered at Trinity, before they joined.)

Other than that, generally it's "A-A, A-B, A-G, A-D" etc through the alphabet, with exceptions for single letters (ie Phi chapter exists).

Re: online chapters
 

For Phi Beta, our online chapter is just that: a chapter that meets online. We have lots of alumni chapters, but only in large cities. For those of us who wish to participate in chapter life post-college, but don't live close to a "real life" chapter, we have the option to joing our Internet chapter.

We meet twice a month in a chat room.. we are working on by-laws, pay dues, complete individual service projects, etc. We are going to have a real-life meeting next summer at our National Convention.

The online meeting is a fairly new concept, and it's really kewl to be active in forming how it works. (One of our alumnae in a "real life" chapter is also a communications professor who is quite interested in how things go for us because online business meetings are quite cutting edge still).

This is only our second year and we just kicked off (following an academic calendar since many members are teachers), but it's really fun to be involved with a chapter.

KSig, thanks for the info. I appreciate that.

Alum Initiate "Chapter" for Alpha Phi
 

Like many Greek groups Alpha Phi has an Alum Initiate program, whereby an unaffiliated woman who has made significant contributions to Alpha Phi may be asked to join as an Alum Initiate. Women who join in this manner become members of the "Alpha Lambda" chapter.

There is some significance to this chapter designation, but I cannot remember what it is off hand.

It is of note, however, because, besides the "Alpha" chapter (our first, which was founded at Syracuse University in 1872), there is no other chapter whose name begins with "Alpha."

Our first few chapters were named by geographic location, then at a convention they were renamed and the system of Alpha, Beta, ect. was started, this kept up until the alliance with Alpha Sigma Chi in 1879. What should be our Beta Epsilon Chapter is actually called Sigma for various reasons.

As GMU skips eta, not nationals, but our chapter in terms of pledge classes skips beta because of the incident of our founding