My home is my castle

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Of course, the Slavic names are also based on Slavic roots. Reading the chronicles, historians often come across names with roots -world-, -svyato-, -slav-, -rad-, -stani-, -vyache-, -volod-, -mir-, -love-, -neg- and others … Since most of them are used by us in everyday life, therefore, at the level of innate intuition, we understand the meaning of ancient names. For example, Lyudmila means “dear to people”, and Bogdan means “given by God”. It is curious that such namesake names are still preserved among different Slavic peoples. For example, in the countries of Western Europe, the name Voislav is popular (howl + glory = glorious warrior), while our Russian navigator and geographer of the 19th century Rimsky-Korsakov bore the name Warrior.

But there were also some preferences in the traditions of names in different Slavic territories. For Russian people, names with the roots -volod- and -vlad- were preferred, such as Vsevolod and Vladimir. But Serbs prefer names with the root -mil-: Milava, Milos, Milica, Milodukh, Milodan.

Traditions of princely names

A child who appeared in a princely family, and the name should have been chosen exclusively euphonious. Therefore, we know ancient rulers with traditionally "prestigious" and "positive" names: in the chronicles we meet Vladimir, Vsevolod, Yaroslav, Vyacheslav. Traditions also prescribed for the heirs of the ruling dynasty to use a common root in names. For example, the sons of the prince of Novgorod and Kiev Yaroslav the Wise were called Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, Vyacheslav.

But his grandson and son of the Kiev prince Izyaslav Svyatopolk, although he did not inherit the princely name (they say that he was illegitimate), he did not forget to take into account the “hereditary high root” in the names of his children, and they received the names of Sbyslav, Izyaslav, Predslav, Yaroslav, Mstislav and Bryachislav.

This is how strong the desire is through the names to declare their rights to the Kiev throne! After all, initially the name served as a surname.

Another curious tradition that has survived to this day is the continuity of names in the same family. Naming a baby after a grandfather or grandmother is not only a tribute to ancestors, but also echoes of the ancient belief in the ability to transmigrate souls. They wished the child only happiness, therefore they called him by the name of a relative, believing that all the good qualities of the ancestor would be passed on to the representative of the new generation.

How to protect a child with a name

Both in Russia and in many other cultures, giving several names to a child at once was considered mandatory. The logic is simple: in people one name is used while the rest remain secret. Accordingly, evil forces do not know him and cannot harm him. But sometimes the desire to mislead spirits became somewhat strange by modern standards. So, the baby could be called Nelyub, Nekras, Gryaznoy, Ghoul, Besson, Nevzor.

That is, the child received a name in honor of some flaw, although in reality it might not have it. It seemed to the ancient Slavs that harmful entities would not contact such a "spoiled" person. Philologists even have a term for such names - preventive. Over time, surnames were formed from them, and now you can meet the Nekrasovs, Bessonovs and Gryaznovs. So such a surname is not an indicator of the inferiority of ancestors, but a kind of amulet.

Another option to show evil spirits that this baby should not be touched is to pretend that the child does not belong to this clan-tribe. The newborns received the names Foundling, Priemysh, Nayden, Nezhdan, Nenash. Thus, the parents believed that unkind forces launched on a false trail would not be able to do anything bad to the child. Interestingly, modern dads and mothers would use such methods of protection from the evil eye and damage?

A special place in the Slavic namebook was occupied by names derived from totem animals. In ancient times, it was believed that a baby with such a name would absorb the virtues of the patron saint of the tribe, because wild animals in their concepts possessed mystical abilities. So, the bear has always been associated with unprecedented strength, the wolf was endowed with agility, courage and devotion to comrades. And even a hare could "give" names to children, because he was a symbol of speed, resourcefulness and fertility. Another argument in favor of the name-totem was the belief that a predator does not attack a baby who is "of the same blood with him." So even now in Serbia you can find a person with the name Vuk (Wolf).

Subsequently, such names were taken as the basis of many common Russian surnames: Volkovs, Medverevs, Zaitsevs, Vorobievs, Lisitsyn, Barsukovs, Solovievs, etc.

In contrast to the name-amulets, the Slavs still like to use names that reflect the positive qualities of a person: Radmila (caring and sweet), Rada (joy, happiness), Slobodan (free, giving freedom), Tikhomir (quiet and peaceful), Yasna (clear). Parents who call their children this way probably hope that their children will grow up just like that.

A nickname is a sign of personality

If now the presence of a nickname is usually something offensive, then among the ancient Slavs there was no particular difference between a name and a nickname. The middle name, indicating some personality of the owner, was usually given as the child grew and was used on an equal basis with the name at birth.

It had a special meaning: by the nickname it was easy to understand what kind of person we are talking about, what traits of character or appearance he possesses. For example, in history there are many princes named Vsevolod. But when the annals say about Vsevolod the Big Nest, it immediately becomes clear that this is the great Vladimir ruler, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky (an excellent warrior, "gatherer of lands"), who had eight sons and four daughters. Wise, Bogolyubsky, Prophetic, Krasno Solnyshko, Grozny, Nevsky, Donskoy, etc. - all these are courageous and stately nicknames of the ancient Russian princes.

However, there were also not such "valiant" nicknames. For example, a playful baby could later be called Prokud, a plump one - Kvashnya, with speech impairments - Shevkun, and a child with a big head could well become Golovan for life. Do not think that noble princes avoided offensive nicknames. So, Tsar Vasily II was called the Dark - at the end of his life he had to fiercely fight for power with another Vasily - Kosy. And Ivan III, according to the historian Karamzin, was called the Tormentor by the people.

Often a nickname indicated an occupation. For example, grandfather Shchukar from Mikhail Sholokhov's story was probably a fisherman. Crucian carp, Bream, Catfish are other nicknames.

Why Dobrynya is not necessarily kind, and other features of Slavic names

In Old Russian literature, it was common to use both full names and their diminutive versions. Fairy tales in which the main characters are called Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich can be a striking example. The name Dobrynya is quite likely formed from the Old Russian Dobroslav and does not mean at all sweet and warm, as you might think, but strong and healthy. Many names in short form have come down to the modern namebook. For example, Boris (Borislav), Putyata (Putimir), Tverdilo (Tverdislav), Ratsha (Ratibor).

Another feature of Slavic names is the reflection in the name of the situation in which the baby was born. So, the common surname Tretyak came from a name meaning that this baby was the third for the parents. And names such as Frost or Yarets could tell in what weather the child was born.

How the arrival of a new religion affected the nominal traditions of the Slavs

Integration into European culture, which occurred with the advent of Christianity, brought about changes in the fashion for names. So, many Greek, Hebrew and Roman names have become widespread. Vasily, Yuri (George), Alexander, Peter and other names became popular.

Some found a Russian translation - the Greek Photinia was transformed into the "light of the earth" - Svetlana. Now of the ancient Slavic names, only a few are most often used, and for the most part these are the names of princes. And all because the Slavic name-book was replaced by the Holy Tsesles - the Orthodox calendar, where every day of the year is dedicated to the memory of this or that saint. Therefore, only the names of the canonized Slavic rulers got there.