Chapter Names?
 

Something I don't understand because we don't have a chapter that does this (Also stupid question time):

DeltASig uses the sequence of the Greek Alphabet to name chapters (Alpha, Beta, all the way to Alpha Alpha and so forth).

Other IFC and PHC houses uses the State first THEN uses the Sequence (California Epsilon, Florida Delta)

Now, I've seen this thing where a chapter is "Omega Deuteron " or "Xi Pentaton" What exactly is Deuteron or Pentathon, and how does this chapter listing work?

Hi Stan,

It's just another way of denoting chapters after you go through the 24 letters of the greek alphabet. The first 24 chapters would typically be named Alpha through Omega. Then the next 24 would be named Alpha Deuteron through Omega Deuteron, meaning "second Alpha" and "second Omega".

Then after deuteron you have...
Triton
Tetarton
Pentaton
Hexaton
Septaton
etc.

They're just greek words meaning "the second", "the third", etc.

Phi Sigma Kappa is the main group using this convention.

On badges and other documents, this is represented in several ways. Alpha deuteron might sometimes be A', or it might be A with a small delta superscript, or Alpha with a small 2 superscript, or it might be A and then a small delta with a line beneath it.

wptw

We went through the alphabet then started back with Beta Alpha. We use deuteron to denote chapters that have recolinized.

Some fraterities (including mine) omit the last letter 'Omega' or any combination with it from chapter naming. reserving that for deceased members.

Chi Omega goes backwards through the alphabet.
The Omega chapter is reserved for Chi Omegas that have passed away. The founding chapter, at the University of Arkansas, is Psi chapter. Then we go to Alpha Psi and work backwards - Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Alpha Phi etc. Then on to Beta, then Gamma and so forth.

So we name backwards and we are (as we discovered on another thread) the only southern founded NPC sorority to have a monogram badge. Guess my founders were some crazy, cooky ladies!!! :D

xo_kathy, you so crazy. :p

ASA changed its way of naming chapters after our reorganization in 1914. The 4 chapters that participated in that are Alpha, Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta and Alpha Gamma. These are the ONLY four chapters that will ever start with Alpha. After that we did double letters (Beta Beta, Gamma Gamma etc) all thru the alphabet and then went back to Beta Alpha, Beta Gamma, Beta Delta etc. We are up to Theta Beta now, we skipped Eta for whatever reason.

Our Kappa Phi chapter at Mount Union was a recolonization of a pre-reorganization chapter and so they kept their original chapter name.

We used state, then the sequence.

My chapter: New York Eta

There Alpha begins only one chapter in Sigma Nu. The double letters all start with Beta. There also is no Omega. We're the Mu Tau chapter and are the 272nd to be installed.

Well, I thought Kappa's naming system was pretty straightforward. Until I took a good look at my Kappa Notebook's chapter listing, that is. It starts out with single letter naming, in order of the Greek alphabet. But then things start getting really strange. Here's the names of our first few chapters, with their founding date. (Deuterons are used to indicate an active chapter that was once inactive, and I've starred currently inactive chapters.)

Alpha Deuteron 1870
*Beta 1871
*Gamma 1872
Delta 1872
Epsilon 1873
*Zeta 1874
Eta 1875
Iota 1875
Theta 1875
*Beta Gamma 1876
Lambda 1877
Mu 1878
*Nu 1879
Omicron Deuteron 1880
Chi 1880
Pi Deuteron 1880
Rho Deuteron 1880
*Tau 1881
Kappa 1881
Beta Beta 1881
Upsilon 1882
Beta Zeta 1882
*Phi 1882
*Xi 1882
Beta Tau 1883
Psi 1883
Omega 1883
Sigma 1884
Beta Rho Deuteron 1885
Gamma Rho 1888
Beta Nu 1888
*Beta Alpha 1890

After that, the naming system more or less stabilizes into a pretty common pattern, based on the date of founding. I'm at a loss to explain this... perhaps a more knowlegeable Kappa can step in. I'll try to ask some of our advisors, or try some of the resources in our archives. *conspires to get her hands on KKG: A history*

Beta Theta Pi named in order...Alpha to Omega, than Alpha Alpha etc.

My chapter is the Alpha Tau of Beta Theta Pi, but we weren't founded in that order - in those days of the late 1880's, Beta would give the names of inactive chapters to new chapters as a way to conceal chapter death. The original Alpha Tau chapter was William and Mary - When they recolonized several years ago they were given the designation of AT ', like Alpha Tau Prime or something. Upon receiving their charter in August they were given the chapter designation Zeta Upsilon.

Phi Mu Alpha uses a chapter designation system that I haven't seen used by any other GLO. (And I have no idea how we got started using it.)

Like many (most?) other groups, our first 24 chapters have single-letter designations in Greek-alphabetical order, Alpha through Omega. (We do use Omega.) But then things get odd. The next chapter after Omega was Alpha Beta, then Alpha Gamma, Alpha Delta and so on. Once we got to Alpha Omega, we went to Beta Gamma, Beta Delta, Beta Epsilon.... After Beta Omega came Gamma Delta, Gamma Epsilon, and ... well, you see the pattern. Only letters that come (alphabetically) after the first letter of the chapter designation were used for he second letter.

Using this method, we finally got around to only one "Psi ____" chapter: Psi Omega. We then went back to Beta and chartered Beta Alpha, then Gamma Alpha and Gamma Beta, then Delta Alpha, Delta Beta and Delta Gamma, and so on. The result is that the Beta Alpha chapter is significantly younger than the Beta Gamma chapter.

We never use double letter designations (Beta Beta, Gamma Gamma, Delta Delta, etc.) The one exception is Alpha Alpha, which is the designation for honorary members initiated by the national fraternity.

We do not reuse or recycle chapter names, nor do we change chapter names to indicate that they have been inactive and reactivated. With regard to colonies, if a colony is a reactivation of a charter, the colony would be known by the chapter name (i.e., Alpha colony). If the colony is for a completely new chapter, we use the state name and a Greek letter (i.e., Massachusetts Alpha colony), which would, upon chartering, be named according to the regular system.

As for other fraternities, it is interesting to me that the only two GLO's I have ever seen hyphenate chapter names (e.g., Alpha-Beta) are Kappa Sigma and Pi Kappa Alpha, both of which were founded within a few years of each other at the University of Virginia. I wonder if there is a historical connection/reason that they both hyphenate chapter names.

what wptw stated is correct in most cases for our chapters. My chapter is Nu Pentaton meaning we are the 13th chapter in the 5th teir, making us the 65th chapter. Except in the case of former Phi Sigma Epsilon chapters that merged then they are denoted by their old one letter designation with Episilon preceding it so that the Alpha chapter of Phi Sigma Epsilon became Epsilon Alpha chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa

Phi Delta Theta uses the State-Alpha Combo, and has since the beginning I believe. One reason of course is to note the ranking (founding) of chapters within the state, and before we had a structured headquarters and the alpha chapter had temporarily closed the Alpha chapters in each state had the rite and responsibility of granting charters for that particular state.

I think it's interesting that we go through the alphabet and then to Beta Alpha rather than Alpha Alpha or Alpha Beta. The only chapters of Alpha Phi that start with "Alpha" are the Alpha chapter at Syracuse and the Alpha Lambda chapter, which is the chapter for alumnae initiates.

AEPhi did the following:

Alpha through Omega
Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega
Epsilon Alpha through Epsilon Omega
Phi Alpha through Phi Omega

then we started over with Beta Alpha, and are currently up to Beta Epsilon.

I believe that rechartered chapters get their old chapter designation back, without any "deuteron" or anything.

The differences are so interesting :)

Chapter Names
 

In Alpha Phi Omega, we name chapters this way:

Alpha thru Omega, then
Alpha Alpha thru Omega Omega, then
Alpha Alpha Alpha up to our current, which is Alpha Epsilon Omicron.

Chapters get their names when they are chartered, so you can get an indication of how old they are. And the names 'stay' with the school. If a chapter goes under, when a new chapter is re-chartered at that school, they get their old name back.

Hope this is of interest

Boy, if ya'll have never heard of this, you may get confused so here goes:


Each new chapter can choose her own chapter name, as long as it hasn't already been used. My chapter is the 134th chapter of AOII and is named Pi Alpha. This is in honor of our prior local sorority, Alpha Pi. Our chapters at Western Kentucky and Indiana University are named in honor of alumnae who helped found each chapter. Our chapter at Kentucky is Kappa Omega (I think they're our 132nd chapter) for the "U"niversity of "K"entucky. Same for our chapter at Eastern Kentucky University, Epsilon Omega! We have an Omega chapter, at Miami (OH.)


Christin

And to add to the 'confusion,' just look at the chapters in Tennessee. They all contain Omicron (UTK = Omicron; MTSU = Rho Omicron, etc). The names can also be chosen as the abbreviation of the chapter's sub-motto in either English or Greek. I think it's rather cool to do it this way because it makes the chapter even more special (not only the motto of AOII to hold special and live by but also the chapter. . .)

Sarah
Beta Gamma (To Become Best)

The naming of DPhiE chapter is similar to what AEPhi alum described. Alpha to Omega, Delta Alpha to Delta Omega, Phi Alpha to Phi Omega, Epsilon Alpha to Epsilon Omega, Alpha Alpha to Alpha Omega, Beta Alpha to Beta Omega, and Gamma Alpha. I assume that after Gamma Omega, they will go to Zeta Alpha. :)

Theta Chi Goes Alpha through Omega. Then Alpha Beta-Alpha Omega. NO double letters. We are Iota Zeta. We are the youngest.

We go thru the alphabet as you described. Our Alpha Deuteron is for convention initiates.

Now that is really cool, a chapter for convention initiates! What a wonderful and special thing for them.

What wonderful things we learn here on GC.

Christin

I forgot to mention that if a chapter closes and then is rechartered they recieve the old chapter designation. Also my chapters ritual #1 was initiated at our convention.

Our convention/honorary initiates are called the Theta Chi chapter. If not iniated by the Grand Chapter as an alumnus, you are a member of the chapter that initiated you.

While officially Alpha Sigma Phi does not initiate honorary members, there is a special status for those initiates who were made members at a Convention or National Leadership Conference. These members do not belong to any chapter, but are designated "Members-at-Large" or "M-A-Ls", unless they so choose to affiliate with a collegiate chapter.

There is a thread on the AGD site that explains how chapters are named. I am pretty sure the first 24 was based on where they were?? After that, it was based on regions of the North American continent the chapter was...we have chapters in Canada and US including Hawaii. I couldn't find the name of the thread!:p

The first 24 Alpha Gam chapters are Alpha-Omega, and each chapter name was designated by when they were founded. It looks like the change to Region-Order happened in 1922.

We do the Standard Alpha through Omega and then Alpha Alpha through Omega Omega (though we are only at Upsilon Epsilon). Each chapter is given it's designation at chartering, before that they are colony '#' or if it is a restart of an old chapter they are colony "old chapter designation". So my Chapter now is Tau Omega, we were Colony 717. There are a few exceptions however, there is no Eta chapters, i assume to avoid Eta Pi. Also our Sigma Chapter is know as Scorpion Chapter. Scorpion was the name of their local fraternity, when they joined TKE they were allowed to keep it as their chapter designation.

AGD names their chapters by Province...

So they skip from:
Alpha Omega to Zeta Alpha
Beta Omega to Eta Alpha
Gamma Omega to Theta Alpha
Delta Omega to Iota Alpha
Epsilon Omega to Kappa Alpha

and so on...

Lynn, here is the thread you were trying to find:
http://greekchat.com/gcforums/showth...=chapter+names

This is a great thread!

ADPi started with Alpha through Omega, then Alpha Alpha, etc. They're now on Eta Omega and the next chapter (hope we get some new chapters soon!) would be Theta Alpha.

They were founded slightly out of order originally, since the early colonies were given letter designations before they were formally chartered/initiated... Now I think they're just the _University_ Colony of ADPi until chartering and initiation, when they get whatever's next in the alphabet. Recolonizations get the original university chapter name without any change.

While I, as a local sorority alum initiate, was initiated directly into my college chapter, alumnae initiates since 2001 are apparently initiated into Omega Alpha chapter, but those who were in locals that went ADPi can request affiliation with their college's ADPi chapter.

As far as hyphenated chapters go, MysticCat didn't mention the one Sinfonia chapter that *is* hyphenated: Eta Omicron. The Eta chapter at Cincinnati College of Music and the Omicron chapter at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music ended up merging when the schools merged, so there's no Eta Omicron chapter, and no Eta or Omicron by themselves.

I had never heard about that, Kate. Thanks for passing along this historical tidbit!

Damn, I didn't know every GLO had an even more distinct way of naming their chapters than I thought. Cool guys, thanks for the insight.

These are all interesting! Now for a GLO-specific question:

How does KD name their chapters?

I'm curious because my mom's chapter is Delta Sigma and is at the Univ. of South Alabama. South wasn't founded until 1969. However, the Sigma Lambda chapter is at Auburn and has been active since 1922.

Before I stumbled on this thread, I thought pretty much everyone used the system AZD does--Alpha (first chapter) through Omega, then Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega, Beta Alpha, etc. I knew some organizations let chapters pick their names and that some didn't keep chapter designations school-specific.

Guess it's just that curiosity bug kickin' back in.

from Ordinary Miracles: 100 Years of Kappa Delta Sorority :

"The first few Kappa Delta chapters were named in Greek-alphabet order. But because in the early years the groups were permitted to choose their own names, they soon deviated from this scheme. Chapters like Rho Omega Phi, Phi Delta, Sigma Sigma, Phi Psi, and Sigma Delta elected to keep versions of their local names. Other unusual chapter names are:

Kappa Alpha: So named because KA Order at Florida State College helped the group to organize and advised them which national sorority to petition.

Lambda: Named for Judge William Levere, a national leader of SAE, who was a key figure in the chartering at Northwestern.

Epsilon Omega: Named for Edith Orilla Knox, the National Chapterian who worked with the chatper as the University of Kentucky in securing its charter.

Mu: Named in honor of Marion Mullins, the Millsaps chapter's assistant installing officer, who was National Treasure at the time.

Once the sorority returned to standardized names, the 1919 Convention voted to make "Sigma" the key letter (as in Sigma Epsilon), in honor of retiring National President Marion Mullins, an initiate of Sigma Chapter. When the "Sigmas" were completed, "Alpha" for Alpha Chapter, became the next key letter."


I hope that answers your question!

to add to what ta kala stated-

they seem to pretty much go in order now, but when we colonize from a local, it seems that sometimes they'll pick a chapter name that has significance to that local- either the locals name or something else that has special meaning.

SAI does the same thing as AEPhi and DPhiE...

Alpha through Omega
Sigma Alpha through Sigma Omega
Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega
Iota Alpha through Iota Omega
Beta Alpha through Beta Omega
Gamma Alpha through Gamma Omega
....
and now we're on the Lambda alphabet! Of course, we skipped "Iota" between the Theta and Kappa alphabets, since those had already been used. There are a few random namings here and there, but I don't know the history of those.

Pi Phi uses what someone called the "state Alpha" method...for instance, there are 3 chapters in Alabama and they're named for the order in which they were founded.

Alabama Alpha--Birmingham Southern
Alabama Beta-University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
Alabama Gamma--Auburn University :D

We've gone as far as Nu in California!

ZTA named the chapters the usual way of Alpha through Omega, Alpha Alpha through Alpha Omega, Beta Alpha etc.

We skipped over Epsilon, though.

That's interesting - what's the significance of skipping Epsilon?

We skipped over Eta, as I believe several other GLOs have done.

I'm not sure although I've been told it's because ZTA Nationals didn't like the way it sounded.