I cracked the code!
 

OK, OK, I admit I'm a total dork, but Whitney's question at the end of my daily post thread was bothering me and I just HAD to figure it out.

So here is how I believe IHQ figures out the names:

Remember the original five provinces came about in this order:
1. Alpha: NorthEast
2. Beta: Upper MidWest
3. Gamma: SouthEast
4. Delta: West
5. Epsilon: Lower MidWest

Alpha went through the entire alphabet with Alpha Omega chartering in 1971. The Northeast chapters then jumped to Zeta, which is the 6th letter of the alphabet.

See what I mean? It goes in groups of 5! So here's how every single future chapter will be named:

The Northeast Province went from Alpha to Zeta. Once we charter Zeta Omega, the northeast chapters will go to Lambda. When they charter Lambda Omega, NE will go to Pi. From Pi it will go to Phi.

Upper Midwest Provence is still on Beta Tau. Once we charter Beta Omega the Upper Midwest will go to Eta, then Mu, then Rho, then Chi.

The Southeast Province went through Gamma, then it jumped to Theta. Once Theta Omega is chartered, SE chapters will jump to Nu, then Sigma, then Psi.

West Province has only gone to Delta Sigma (go OTW!), but once it charters Delta Omega, Western Chapters will go to Iota, then Xi, then Tau, then Omega.

Lower MidWest Province finished Epsilon, then moved to Kappa. After Kappa is finished, it would go to Omicron, and then Upsilon.

I know this sounds complicated, but if you write out the Greek alphabet and then place each province next to it, I promise the pattern will jump out at you immediately!

OK, I know I am totally sick and have WAY too much time on my hands. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

Maria, don't feel bad about having lots of time on your hands. Honestly, if you hadn't tried to figure it out, I probably would've. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

A lot of things make sense now. I was wondering why chapters in the same state had a different first letter...this was the case in the Northeast (i.e.: Michigan and Pennsylvania)...now we know why.

I wonder if IHQ's going to establish new colonies anytime soon???

quote:
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Originally posted by OohTeenyWahine:
A lot of things make sense now. I was wondering why chapters in the same state had a different first letter...this was the case in the Northeast (i.e.: Michigan and Pennsylvania)...now we know why.
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Yeah, I was a little confused by the fact that most Michigan chapters start with Zeta (of course we're the first, Zeta Alpha ) and why Role Call at IRD was always out of order...thanks for clearing that up, Maria! A long way down the road, I wonder when and where the first 3 letter chapter will appear?

Maria, (being music)"Did you ever know that you're my hero" (end music). ha ha Speaking of dorks, I guess I am too at heart. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif Oh well! Thanks though...I hate being the one to ask all the questions and never have the answers!

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Whitney

Maria:

Thanks for figuring that out. I have always wondered how they assigned the chapter names, because we realized they weren't in exact order! I'm impressed that you figured that out!!

Emily

Girls, thank you for your praise! I was so impressed with myself last night that I went to bed with a big ol' grin on my face. Like this one--- http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif--see?

I have to add that the South is Theta's, Theta was used for Belmont, Georgetown, and Florida (the last three chapters added) and Kappa was used for Corpus Christi. I love to find patterns and had found the same pattern(s). Good job!

My chapter, Epsilon Alpha, was the first double-letter chapter. (Chartered 5/7/22.)

When I was chapter consultant for extension and was sent to Texas A&M to start the chapter there (February, 1975), I pointed out that the next Epsilon in line was Epsilon Pi. No one had realized that, so Grand Council (its name at the time) had all the chapters vote. The result was that EPi as a chapter name was skipped and the A&M chapter was ERho.