Tutankhamun Cartouches

Names in cartouches of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (and original name Tutankhaton, left).

In Egyptology, it is believed that the names of the pharaoh changed in the 4th year of his reign. According to the Egyptologist Cerny, this became known from the inscription written during the time of this Pharaoh, on the step pyramid – Djoser.

One also frequently sees honorific transposition within personal names and proper nouns. Here are the glyphs composing the name of King Tut:

We know the name as Tutankhamun (“Living image of Amun”), but it’s written differently. the name imn (“Amun”), the great God of Thebes who was the focus of royal cult and worship for most of the New Kingdom. So although the name is said “Tutankhamun,” when written it gives most importance to the deity Amun. (The three glyphs at bottom say “Ruler of Southern Heliopolis” [i.e., Thebes], a common epithet for Tutankhamun.)