Dear fig collectors,

We can all help clean up some of this fig naming mess, incorrect spelling of fig names by doing a quick search and asking on the forum,  yes thank you for asking " GINA". The ones I notice are the french ones of course and  sometimes make the same errors with figs from other countries. We are a diverse group , we can help each others,  we need to question when we see multiple spellings for the same fig.  The point is to become aware , mistakes will be made, no problem, so long that eventually we know what the correct spelling is.

As far as the naming of the figs,  in France there are different names  for the same variety as well, for example :"Madeleine blanche des deux saisons" is also called "Jaune d'Argenteuil". More often than not it is a  descriptive regional appelation.

I hope no feathers are ruffled, my intent is to help in the simplest way and mind you I make mistakes as well even in french!
Joseph 

Point well made!!
If we don't start it will never be any better, one little question....HOW THE HELL DO WE DO IT???, LOL
monumental task but could be done.

Since I just potted some "Brunswick" (AKA "Magnolia") I am wondering why I even care about the "Magnolia" name?  Back in the day, "Magnolia" was the number one fig for production in the state of Texas,  Where did the "Brunswick" name come from?  I call mine "Brunswick" because when I found this fig I posted pictures and the collective wisdom of this forum identified it as "Brunswick" so I stick with that.

I don't know whom is the keeper of the keys to this...UCD, LSU, Texas A&M, etc ????  I believe the data exists in each one of those places, when I questioned the UCD "names" Jon said that each UCD "name" was unique to an unique cultivar, seems to be a starting point.

I am way to old to start this project but I can help.

The names are decidedly confusing. I look up Lemon for example and it leads me to something else. If they're not different what do we do? Call them by the name on the available list we like best? LOL Danny you brought up Brunswick AKA Magnolia...another example would be Golden Celeste AKA Champagne. Anybody have the etiquette on this?

>>> another example would be Golden Celeste AKA Champagne

That is an easy one!

LSU Champagne (formerly Golden Celeste) is totally different
from UCD Golden Celeste. Both are good figs.

http://figs4fun.com/Thumbnail_LSU_Golden_Celeste.html

http://figs4fun.com/Thumbnail_Golden_Celeste.html

 When you use common names, as fig varieties are, there seems to be no agreed upon rules, few authorities - just some tradition and 'making it up as we go'. The names are a mess, in part because the varieties themselves are, for the most part, interrelated and difficult to tell apart - they are the same species afterall. And people having carried fig cuttings to all corners of the earth, naming as they went... And of course with people naming and re-naming their own trees with family names, friend names, location names, and color references... Even people lying about what they are selling for $$. Or people simply making mistakes. Or making identification via 'mine looks like that photo so that's what I'll call it'. And of course different languages...  Oy.

It's such a mess and so many players, I doubt there's much hope.

Oh Gorgi, By the time I get fruit on it I won't be able to find the pic and I'll ask again...assuming I don't murder it in the meantime :)
Thanks for the input, I need to look around the varietal catalog more.

It's much harder to tell figs from one another, than say, loquat varieties.  Loquat varieties might be more similar to each other than figs are, but what small differences there are, are consistently there, and not constantly genetic drifting from cutting to cutting or being affected by every little environmental circumstances.

I am ok with figs having different names, once I get my list straight  :) ?,  what I was proposing is that we pay more attention to the spelling, that we can control individually.