As it is believed in many cultures, the name given to a person at birth determines to some extent his future fate. This belief was also widespread among the ancient Slavs, whose female names we will discuss below.
Naming traditions in ancient Rus'
Such a reverent and serious attitude to the name often led to the fact that a person was named twice. One name was known to everyone and served only for communication, while the other, genuine, was not given to anyone except the closest people, relatives and friends. Old Russian female names were also selected in accordance with this rule. Keeping them secret helped protect the girls from the influence of evil spirits and harmful witchcraft. At the same time, often the first name was, as it is now called, negative. That is, it reflected any negative traits or concepts. This type includes such old Russian female names as Zloba, Nekrasa, Kriva and so on. It was believed that if you call a girl like that, then the property of the name will depart from her. And in life, the opposite, positive meaning will prevail. Given this name at birth. The second naming took place when the child reached the age of majority (according to ancient standards). That is, this naming was part of a person's initiation into adulthood, into society. The name was chosen most often on the basis of the personal qualities that the girl possessed. An example here is such old Russian female names as Vesselina and Golub.
Name sources
The Slavs had a huge variety of names. In general, all the old Russian female names known today, as well as male ones, can be divided into five groups. The first includes those that are the names of representatives of the animal world or plants. For example, according to this principle, a girl could be called Pike, Swan, and so on. The second group includes a list of old Russian female names, which are numerals. That is, the girl could be called the serial number of her birth in the family - Pervusha, Osmaya, etc. The third group suggests that the name was given to the child in honor of some goddess. For example, in honor of the goddess of beauty, the baby could be called Lada. The fourth type includes names based on the personal qualities of a person. We have given examples of this type above. And finally, the fifth group is the most beautiful old Russian female names, since they consist of two bases. What makes them especially capacious, sonorous, intricate and filled with deep meaning. Vivid examples here are the names of Yaroslav, Tikhomir, Radimir. From this group, by transformation and reduction, a subgroup of simpler names has come. Svyatosha, Milonega, Yarilka are typical examples of this kind. From all the listed groups, Old Russian female names for the child were freely chosen, although hypothetically, the Magi could have some influence on the choice.
Old Russian names after Christianization
The Church, expanding its influence in the Slavic lands, devoutly fought against everything pagan. It is not surprising, therefore, that after Christianization, most of the original Russian names were forgotten and replaced by Greco-Roman and Jewish variants. There were even lists of names forbidden by the church and to be forgotten. First of all, it included, of course, the names of pagan gods (Lada, for example). In addition, those worn by the leaders of the pagan opposition were forbidden to be used. This was done so that the memory of them was erased. After all, if no one names a child in honor of the disgraced sorcerer, then after the death of the hero of the opposition, no one will remember. Unfortunately, today the original Slavic names in Russia are very rare. Old Russian female names, like male ones, have not yet come out of the shadows. Although the traditional Christian variants have been replaced by Soviet ones, now Western European forms are also actively penetrating.
Old Russian female names and their meanings
Below we provide a list of the main Slavic female names. Due to centuries of oblivion, not all Old Russian female names have come down to us. Therefore, a complete list cannot be compiled. But those that remain will be quite enough for our article.
B
Bazhen. This name means a desired child.
Beloslav. A name consisting of two bases - "white" and "glory". Accordingly, its meaning is "white glory".
Berislav. Means "taking glory".
Blagoslav. Means a woman glorifying goodness, kindness. Can be shortened to Blagan, Blagin.
Bogdan. Literally means "given by God". Short form - Bozena.
Bozhidar. Almost the same as Bogdana, only not given, but given by God.
Boleslav. This beautiful name should be understood as "glorified."
Borislav. So called a woman fighting for glory.
Boyana. In the old days, this word was called storytellers who told legends and myths.
Bratislava. The name is based on two roots: “fight” and “praise”.
Bronislava. Means "defender of glory".
Bryachislav. The first root in the name is closely related in meaning to the modern verb "rattling". Accordingly, the meaning of the name is "rattling", that is, "praise on a musical instrument."
IN
Velimira. The name comes from the concept of "big world".
Velislav. Literally - "the most glorious." Abbreviated versions: Velichka, Velichka.
Wenceslas. "Crowned with glory" or "wearing a wreath of glory."
Faith. A name preserved by tradition. Doesn't need translation.
Veselin. He speaks of the cheerfulness and cheerful disposition of his bearer. The feminine form of the name Veselin. The name Vesela has the same meaning.
G
Gorislav. Means "burning in glory".
Gradislava. This name means a woman guarding glory.
Granislav. The literal meaning is "improving fame."
D
Darena. Denotes "donated". Darina, Dara are shortened versions of this name.
Dobromila. Obviously, he speaks of a kind and sweet woman.
Dragomir. Literally - "the one that is dearer than the world."
Dobroslav. This name can be interpreted as "glorifying kindness." An alternative meaning is "good fame".
AND
Zhdana. The name means the expected child.
Z
Zvenislav. In modern Russian, it means "announcing glory."
Goldenflower. Short form - Zlata. Obviously, it semantically correlates with the golden color.
AND
Spark. It comes from the word "sincere".
Languor. Talks about languor. As expected, reflects the fact of difficult childbirth.
TO
Casimir. This name is common in Poland today. Means "showing the world".
Krasimira. "Beautiful and peaceful woman" - this is how the name is understood today. Abbreviated to be Krasa.
L
Lada. The name of the goddess of beauty, love, marriage and peace.
Love. The name is still popular in Russia today. The form Lyubava is also known. Doesn't need comments.
Lubomir. Says that the bearer of the name loves the world.
M
Malusha. Another form is Mlada. Means small or younger.
Milan. Means just a nice woman. Also known are such forms as Milena, Milava, Umila, Milica, Milada.
Mstislav. Means a woman glorifying revenge.
Miroslav. This is the name of a woman who glorifies the world.
H
Hope. The form of Hope is also known. The name is well known even today.
Nekras. A striking example of a "negative" name. Means an ugly woman.
P
Putislav. The meaning of the name is "praise intelligently."
Putimir. This name consists of two bases: "peace" and "put" (means "mind"). Accordingly, it can be understood as "a woman who has a peaceful mind."
R
Radislava. It translates as "caring for glory."
Radmila. This is the name of a sweet and caring woman.
Rodislav. This name means "glorifying kind."
WITH
Svetislav. A name that means "glorifying light." Alternative form - Svetoslava.
Svetlana. A common name today. He speaks of the spiritual lordship of his bearer.
Svetozar. The literal meaning is illuminating.
Stanimira. A name that translates into modern Russian as "establishing peace."
T
Tverdimir. Obviously, the name comes from the phrase "solid world", which can also be understood as "stronghold of the world."
Tverdislav. Similar to the previous name, but with a shift from the concept of "world" to the concept of "glory".
Tvorimira. This is the name of a woman who creates, creates the world.
H
Chaslava. Means a woman, looking forward, that is, waiting for glory. Another well-known form of this name is Cheslava.
Chernava. So called black-haired or swarthy woman. Another form of the name is Chernavka.
I
Yaroslav. This name is not forgotten even today, although it is found mainly in the male form. Means a woman glorifying Yarilo - the god of the sun.
Jaromir. The interpretation of the name gives the concept of the solar world or the world of Yarila.
The name determines the fate of a person. This is the key to his inner self. After all, it was not without reason that in Rus' a person had two names, one - false, for everyone, and the other - secret, only for the person himself and his very close people. This tradition existed as a protection against unkind spirits and unkind people.
Often the first Slavic name was deliberately unattractive (Kriv, Nekras, Malice), for even greater protection from the evil. After all, without a key to the essence of man, it is much more difficult to cause evil. The rite of second naming was performed in adolescence, when the main character traits were formed. The name was given based on these traits. Slavic names abounded in their diversity, there were groups of names:
1) Names from the animal and plant world (Pike, Ruff, Hare, Wolf, Eagle, Nut, Borsch)
2) Names in order of birth (Pervusha, Vtorak, Tretyak)
3) Names of gods and goddesses (Lada, Yarilo)
4) Names according to human qualities (Brave, Stoyan)
5) And the main group of names - two-basic (Svyatoslav, Dobrozhir, Tikhomir, Ratibor, Yaropolk, Gostomysl, Velimudr, Vsevolod, Bogdan, Dobrogneva, Lyubomila, Miroljub, Svetozar) and their derivatives (Svyatosha, Dobrynya, Tishilo, Ratisha, Putyata, Yarilka , Miloneg).
From the listed names, it is easy to trace the process of creating a derivative name: the second part is cut off from the two-base one and a suffix or ending is added (-neg, -lo, -ta, -tka, -sha, -yata, -nya, -ka).
Example: Svyatoslav: Holy + sha = Holy.
Of course, the names of people carry a significant part of the culture and traditions of the whole people. In Russia, with the advent of Christianity, Slavic names almost completely fell into oblivion. There were lists of Slavic names forbidden by the church. Why this happened is not difficult to guess. One part of the names (Lada, Yarilo) were the names of the Slavic gods, the owners of the second part were people who, even after the Christianization of Rus', tried to restore the cult and traditions (magicians, heroes). To date, only 5% of children in Russia are called Slavic names, which certainly impoverishes the already meager Slavic culture.
LIST OF SLAVIC NAMES
Bazhen is a desired child, desired. The names have the same meaning: Bazhai, Bazhan. Surnames arose from these names: Bazhanov, Bazhenov, Bazhutin.
Bazhen is a female form named after Bazhen.
Beloslav - From BEL - white, turn white and GLORY - praise. Abbreviated names: Belyay, Belyan. Surnames arose from these names: Belov, Belyshev, Belyaev.
Beloslava is the female form named after Beloslav. Short name: Belyan
Berimir - caring about the world.
Berislav - taking glory, taking care of glory.
Berislav is a female form named after Berislav.
Blessing - glorifying kindness.
Blagoslav is a female form named after Blagoslav. Abbreviated names: Blaga, Blagana, Blagina.
Fornication - dissolute, unprofitable. One of the "negative" names. From this name arose the surname: Bludov. Historical personality: Fornication - governor Yaropolk Svyatoslavich.
Bogdan is a child given by God. The name has the same meaning: Bozhko. Surnames arose from these names: Bogdanin, Bogdanov, Bogdashkin, Bozhkov.
Bogdana is the female form of the name Bogdan. Short name: Goddess.
Bogolyub - loving God. From this name arose the surname: Bogolyubov.
Bogomil - dear to God. The name has the same meaning: Bogumil.
Bozidar - gifted by God.
Bozhidara is a female form named after Bozhidar.
Boleslav - famous. Historical figure: Boleslav I - Polish king.
Boleslav is the female form named after Boleslav.
Borimir is a fighter for peace, a peacemaker.
Borislav is a fighter for glory. Abbreviated names: Boris, Borya. Surnames arose from these names: Borin, Boriskin, Borisov, Borisikhin, Borichev, Borischev. Historical personality: Boris Vseslavich Polotsky - Prince of Polotsk, founder of the Drutsk princes.
Borislav is a female form named after Borislav.
Borsch is one of the personalized names of the plant world. In the literal translation: Borscht is the tops of plants. From this name came the surname Borshchev.
Boyan is a storyteller. The name was formed from the verb: bayat - speak, tell, sing. The names have the same meaning: Bayan, Bayan. From these names came the surname: Bayanov. Legendary personality: songwriter - Boyan.
Boyana is the female form named after Boyan.
Bratislav - From BROTHER - to fight and GLORY - to praise.
Bratislava is the female form named after Bratislava.
Bronislav is a defender of glory, protecting glory. The name has the same meaning: Branislav. Short name: Armor.
Bronislava is the female form named after Bronislav.
Bryachislav - from BRYACHI - rattling and SLAV - glorify Historical personality: Bryachislav Izyaslavich - Prince of Polotsk.
Budimir is a peacemaker. From this name came the surnames: Budilov, Budischev.
Velimir is a big world.
Velimira is a female form named after Velimir.
Velimudr - knowledgeable.
Velislav - great glory, the most glorious.
Velislav is a female form named after Velislav. Abbreviated names: Vela, Velika, Velichka.
Wenceslas - dedicated to glory, crowned with glory.
Wenceslas is the female form named after Wenceslas.
Faith is faith, true.
Veselin - cheerful, cheerful.
Vesselina is a female form named after Veselin. The name has the same meaning: Vesela.
Vladimir is the owner of the world. The name has the same meaning: Volodimer. From this name came the surnames: Vladimirov, Vladimirsky, Volodimerov, Volodin, Volodichev. Historical personality: Vladimir I Svyatoslavich the Red Sun - Prince of Novgorod, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Vladimir is the female form named after Vladimir.
Vladislav - owning fame.
The name has the same meaning: Volodislav. Short name: Vlad. Historical personality: Volodislav is the son of Igor Rurikovich.
Vladislava is the female form named after Vladislav. Short name: Vlad.
Vojislav is a glorious warrior. Abbreviated names: Voilo, Warrior. Surnames originated from these names: Voeikov, Voinikov, Voinov. Historical personality: Warrior Vasilyevich - from the family of Yaroslavl princes.
Vojislava is a female form named after Vojislav.
The wolf is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surname: Volkov.
Raven is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surnames: Voronikhin, Voronov.
Vorotislav - returning glory.
Vsevolod is the ruler of the people, who owns everything. From this name came the surnames: Vsevolodov, Vsevolozhsky. Historical personality: Vsevolod I Yaroslavich - Prince of Pereyaslavsky, Chernigov, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Vsemil - beloved by all.
Vsemila is the female form named Vsemila.
Vseslav - all-glorifying, famous. The name has the same meaning: Seslav. From this name came the surname: Seslavin.
Historical personality: Vseslav Bryachislavich Polotsky - Prince of Polotsk, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Vseslav - the female form named after Vseslav.
Vtorak is the second son in the family. The names have the same meaning: Second, Vtorusha. Surnames came from these names: Vtorov, Vtorushin.
Vyacheslav - the most glorious, the most glorious. The name has the same meaning: Vatslav, Vysheslav. Surnames came from these names: Vysheslavtsev, Vyacheslavlev, Vyacheslavov. Historical personality: Vyacheslav Vladimirovich - Prince of Smolensk, Turov, Pereyaslavsky, Vyshgorodsky, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Vyachko is a legendary person: Vyachko is the progenitor of the Vyatichi people.
Godoslav - The name also matters: Godlav. Historical personality: Godoslav - the prince of the Bodrichi-rarogs.
Dove - meek. From this name came the surnames: Golubin, Golubushkin
Much - skillful, capable. From this name came the surname Gorazdov.
Gorislav - fiery, burning in glory.
Gorislava is a female form named after Gorislav.
Gorynya - like a mountain, huge, indestructible. Legendary personality: hero - Gorynya.
Gostemil - dear to another (guest). From this name came the surname: Gostemilov.
Gostomysl - thinking about another (guest). Historical personality: Gostomysl - Prince of Novgorod.
Gradimir - keeping the world.
Gradislav - guarding glory.
Gradislava is the female form named after Gradislav.
Granislav - improving glory.
Granislav is a female form named after Granislav.
Gremislav - famous.
Gudislav is a renowned musician trumpeting glory. Short name: Gudim. From these names came the surname: Gudimov.
Darren - donated.
Darena is the female form of Daren. The names have the same meaning: Darina, Dara.
Devyatko is the ninth son in the family. From this name came the surnames: Devyatkin, Devyatkov, Devyatov. Dobrognev
Dobrolyub - kind and loving. From this name came the surname: Dobrolyubov.
Dobromil - kind and sweet.
Dobromila is a female form named after Dobromil.
Dobromir is kind and peaceful. Abbreviated names: Dobrynya, Dobrysha. From these names came the surnames: Dobrynin, Dobryshin. Legendary personality: hero - Dobrynya.
Dobromir is the female form named after Dobromir. Goodwill - kind and reasonable. From this name came the surname: Dobromyslov.
Dobroslav - glorifying kindness.
Dobroslav - female form named after Dobroslav.
Domaslav - glorifying relatives. Abbreviated name: Domash - one's own, dear. From this name came the surname: Domashov.
Dragomir is more precious than the world.
Dragomir is a female form named after Dragomir.
Dubynya - similar to oak, indestructible. Legendary personality: hero - Dubynya.
Druzhina - comrade.
The common name has the same meaning: Friend. Surnames came from these names: Druzhinin, Drugov, Drunin.
Ruff is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surname: Ershov.
The lark is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surname: Zhavoronkov.
Zhdan is a long-awaited child. The surname came from this name: Zhdanov.
Zhdana is a female form named after Zhdan.
Zhiznomir - living in the world.
The hare is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surname: Zaitsev.
Zvenislava - announcer of glory.
Winter - harsh, merciless. From this name came the surname: Zimin. Legendary personality: Ataman Zima from Razin's army.
Zlatomir - the golden world.
Zlatotsveta - golden-colored. Short name: Zlata.
Malice is one of the "negative" names. From this name came the surnames: Zlobin, Zlovidov, Zlydnev.
Izyaslav - who took glory. Historical personality: Izyaslav Vladimirovich - Prince of Polotsk, founder of the Polotsk princes.
Sincere - sincere. The name has the same meaning: Iskra.
Iskra is the female form named after Iskren.
Istislav - glorifying the truth.
Istoma - languishing (possibly associated with difficult childbirth). From this name came the surnames: Istomin, Istomov.
Casimir - showing the world.
Casimir is the female form named after Casimir.
Koschey - thin, bony. From this name came the surnames: Koshcheev, Kashchenko.
Krasimir - beautiful and peaceful
Krasimira is a female form named after Krasimir. Short name: Beauty.
Curve is one of the "negative" names. From these names came the surname: Krivov.
Lada - beloved, dear. The name of the Slavic Goddess of love, beauty and marriage.
Ladimir - getting along with the world.
Ladislav - glorifying Lada (love).
Swan is a personified name of the animal world. The name has the same meaning: Lybid. From this name came the surname - Lebedev. Legendary personality: Lybid is the sister of the founders of the city of Kyiv.
Luchezar - a luminous beam.
We love - beloved. From this name came the surname: Lyubimov.
Love is beloved. The name has the same meaning: Lyubava. Surnames originated from these names: Lyubavin, Lyubimtsev, Lyubavin, Lyubin, Lyubushin, Lyubimin.
Lyubomila - beloved, dear.
Lubomir is a loving world.
Lubomir is a female form named after Lubomir.
Curiosity - loving to think.
Lyuboslav - loving glory.
Lyudmil is dear to people.
Ludmila is the female form named after Ludmila. Historical personality: Ludmila - Czech princess.
Mal - small, younger. The name has the same meaning: Malay, Mladen. Surnames came from these names: Maleev, Malenkov, Maltsov, Malyshev. Historical personality: Mal - Drevlyansky prince.
Malusha is a female form named after Mal. The name has the same meaning: Mlada. From these names came the surname: Malushin. Historical personality: Malusha is the wife of Syatoslav Igorevich, the mother of Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
Mechislav - glorifying sword.
Milan is cute. The name has the same meaning: Milen. Surnames originated from these names: Milanov, Milenov.
Milana is the feminine form of Milan. The names have the same meaning: Milava, Milada, Milena, Milica, Umila. From these names came the surname: Milavin. Historical personality: Umila is the daughter of Gostomysl.
- caressing, caring.
Milorad - sweet and joyful. From this name came the surname: Miloradovich.
Miloslav - nicely glorifying. Short name: Miloneg.
Miloslava is the female form named after Miloslav.
Peaceful - peace-loving. From this name came the surname: Mirolyubov.
Miroslav - glorifying the world.
Miroslava is a female form named after Miroslav.
Molchan - taciturn, silent. From this name came the surname: Molchanov.
Mstislav - glorifying revenge. Historical personality: Mstislav Vladimirovich - Prince of Tmutorakansky, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Mstislava is a female form named after Mstislav.
Hope is hope. The name has the same meaning: Hope.
Nevzor is one of the "negative" names. From this name came the surname Nevzorov.
Nekras is one of the "negative" names. From this name came the surname: Nekrasov.
Nekras is the female form of Nekras.
The eagle is one of the personified names of the animal world. From this name came the surname: Orlov.
The eighth is the eighth child in the family. The name has the same meaning: Osmusha. Surnames originated from these names: Osmanov, Osmerkin, Osmov.
Peredslava - The name Predslava also matters. Historical personality: Predslava - wife of Svyatoslav Igorevich, mother of Yaropolk Svyatoslavich.
Peresvet - very bright. Historical personality: Peresvet - warrior of the Battle of Kulikovo.
Putimir - reasonable and peaceful
Putislav - praising reasonably. The name has the same meaning: Putyata. Surnames came from these names: Putilov, Putilin, Putin, Putyatin. Historical personality: Putyata - Kyiv governor.
Radigost - caring for another (guest).
Radimir - caring about the world. The name has the same meaning: Radomir. Short name: Radim. Surnames came from these names: Radilov, Radimov, Radishchev. Legendary personality: Radim is the progenitor of the Radimichi.
Radimira is a female form named after Radimir. The name has the same meaning: Radomira.
Radislav - caring about glory. The name has the same meaning: Radoslav.
Radislava is the female form of Imney Radislav.
Radmila is caring and sweet.
Radosveta - sanctifying with joy. Joy is joy, happiness. The name has the same meaning: Rada.
Razumnik - reasonable, reasonable. From this name came the surname: Razin. Historical personality: Razumnik is a student of Cyril and Methodius.
Ratibor is a defender.
Ratmir is the defender of the world.
Rodislav is a glorifying family.
Rostislav - growing glory. Historical personality: Rostislav Vladimirovich - Prince of Rostov, Vladimir-Volynsky; Tmutarakansky; The ancestor of the princes of Galicia and Volyn.
Rostislava is a female form named after Rostislav.
Svetislav - glorifying light. The name has the same meaning: Svetoslav.
Svetislava is a female form named after Svetislav.
Svetlan - bright, pure soul.
Svetlana is the female form named after Svetlana.
Svetovid - seeing light, perspicacious. The name has the same meaning: Sventovid. The name of the West Slavic God.
Svetozar - illuminating with light.
Svetozara is a female form named after Svetozar. The name has the same meaning: Svetlozara.
Svyatogor - indestructible holiness. Legendary personality: Svyatogor is an epic hero.
Svyatopolk is the leader of the sacred army. Historical personality: Svyatopolk I Yaropolkovich - Grand Duke of Kiev.
Svyatoslav - sacred glory. Short name: Saint. Historical personality: Svyatoslav I Igorevich - Prince of Novgorod and Grand Duke of Kiev.
Svyatoslav - female form named after Svyatoslav.
Slavomir - peace glorifier.
Nightingale is a personified name of the animal world. From this name came the surnames: Nightingale, Solovyov. Legendary personality: Nightingale Budimirovich - a hero from epics.
Som is the personified name of the animal world.
Snezhana - white-haired, cold.
Stanimir - establishing the world.
Stanimira is a female form named after Stanimir.
Stanislav - establishing glory. From this name came the surname: Stanishchev. Historical personality: Stanislav Vladimirovich - Prince of Smolensk.
Stanislav is the female form named after Stanislav.
Stoyan is strong, unbending.
Tverdimir - from TVERD - solid and WORLD - peaceful, peace.
Tverdislav - from TVERD - solid and GLORY - to praise. From this name came the surnames: Tverdilov, Tverdislavov, Tverdislavlev.
Tvorimir - creating the world.
Tikhomir is quiet and peaceful. From this name came the surname: Tikhomirov.
Tikhomir is a female form named after Tikhomir.
Tur is a personified name of the animal world. Legendary personality: Tur - the founder of the city of Turov.
Brave - brave.
Chaslav - looking forward to glory.
Chaslava is a female form named after Chaslav. The name has the same meaning: Cheslava.
Chernava is dark-haired, swarthy. The name has the same meaning: Chernavka. Surnames came from these names: Chernavin, Chernavkin.
Pike is a personified name of the animal world.
Yarilo - the sun.
Yarilo - God of fruits in the form of the sun. From this name came the surname: Yarilin.
Jaromir is a sunny world.
Yaropolk is the leader of the solar army. Historical personality: Yaropolk I Svyatoslavich - Grand Duke of Kiev.
Yaroslav - praising Yarila. From this name came the surname: Yaroslavov. Historical personality: Yaroslav I Vladimirovich - Prince of Rostov, Prince of Novgorod, Grand Duke of Kiev.
Yaroslav is a female form named after Yaroslav.
People have always been careful about choosing a name, because this is an energy-information program that is set from birth and accompanies a person throughout his life. The character and fate of not only its bearer, but the whole country depends on the name. After all, the more people have strong and "good" names, the stronger the country.
Rus' was famous for its people, nowhere were there so many heroes, and today we propose to recall and consider the forgotten male names. Almost all of them have disappeared into oblivion. When the baptism of Holy Rus' took place, they were replaced by Greek, Jewish, Roman and other names of alien origin.
Why are the old names forgotten?
At the baptism of Rus', faith also changed; the pagan gods were replaced by the one God for all people. Until the moment of baptism, many people were named after the pagan rulers, so, for example, the name Jaromir happened, and it consists of two parts - the name of the god Yarilo plus the world. Changing faith, people wanted to completely eradicate the old deities, erase them from memory, so they even changed their names. Bogatyrs and sorcerers were forcibly baptized and called them as the new Christian faith prescribed.
Male Slavic names and their meanings have almost been completely forgotten. Many parents mistakenly believe that they call their children old, forgotten, but still real Slavic names. For example, the same Ivan is a name known from many fairy tales, which is considered Russian. Yes, it is Russian, but not Slavic, and came from John, a Jewish name, and appeared after baptism.
Many more can be attributed to such "erroneous" names, for example, Matvey, Zakhar, Luke, Daniel. An overview of male Slavic names and their meanings is in the further content of the article. We will consider the most "strong" and beautiful, and future parents will be able to pick up a real Old Slavic name from the list.
How to recognize?
Male Slavic names were selected with particular care, and their meanings carried a sacred meaning. You can recognize such a name, and very simply. For example, the name Casimir is Slavic. It consists of "seems" or "to show" and "world", that is, "showing the world." But Parnassus - a name that is considered Slavic, is not such, since no sense is caught by the ear.
It is also worth noting that the sound "a" was very rarely used in Ancient Rus' when criticizing a baby. More often they chose softer ones - "i", "e", "I".
Most often, male Slavic names consisted of two bases, and their meanings were immediately clear. The first part was the main one and was given at birth. The second part was added when the child grew up to a certain age, and it symbolized merit, a sphere of influence, or some object. Smerds, that is, people who are insolvent, powerless, were left without the second part of the name.
How were children named in Rus'?
Men's and were chosen by parents and reflected the type of employment. For example, peasants who were engaged in farming, fishing and hunting named children without any special tricks, and their sons were called Hare, Catfish, Pike. It is from peasant names that many surnames originated.
Often, from birth, the baby was named so that he would not be jinxed - the name was the complete opposite of appearance, character and mental abilities. Thus, the boys were called Fools, Neglyady, Spite, Nekrasami and other ugly names. P
Later, when the guy was transferred to the upbringing of men, he was already named so that the name reflected the essence of the person. Future governors became Yaropolks, Dobrognevs and Ratibors. Hunters were given the names Brave, Stoyan, Eagle, Wolf and others like that. The particle "holy" was added to future clergy, hence the name Svyatoslav - the real, ancient Slavic.
Often in families, children were called by the name-number by which they were born. There were usually many children, so parents did not bother with the choice. This is how Pervushi, Vtoraki, Tretiaki, Osmins and others appeared. Over time, the name changed to a two-part one, but family members continued to call the person as they were called at birth.
Terrible Slavs
It was male Slavic names that played a big role, and their meanings fully revealed the essence of the character. If a boy was strong, grew and strong by the age of seven, he was transferred to a squad for education. And there the boy was already named, based on his qualities. For example, Dubynya is strong and powerful, like an oak tree. Gorislav is steadfast as a mountain, but at the same time a nice guy! Dobrognev is angry, but in the name of good, that is, he will strike all enemies for the sake of his homeland. Winter is prudent, persistent and cold. Mstislav - famous for his revenge.
Boys with disabilities
If a child with physical disabilities was born in the family, then he was called the same as ordinary children, that is, a name that would not jinx it, but it already reflected the essence. For example, Nevzor - blind, blind, Koschey - skinny, Nekras - ugly, ugly. When the child grew up, his name also changed. Usually, boys with disabilities grew up into kind, filled with love for everything guys. This is how the Bogomils appeared - dear to the gods, Peaceful - loving everyone, peaceful, Blessings - famous for their kindness, Sestromils and Bratomiras - loved by brothers and sisters (that is, by all people).
Names that have come down to us
There are still popular male Slavic names today, and many are interested in their meanings. The list is small, but everyone has at least one acquaintance with such a name as Vladimir, Vsevolod, Vladislav. They have come down to us, since such names were worn by rulers, representatives of rich and noble families, governors. Less popular today are Wenceslav, Borislav and Borimir.
Examples from fairy tales
Some male and female names and their meaning existed even after the baptism of Rus'. These are fake names that were given to babies in order to ward off misfortune, evil forces and the evil eye from them. You can remember from the fairy tales such heroes as Ivan the Fool, Koschey, the Unsmiling Princess. Even in a literary work, the ancient Slavic name-dummy has been preserved - Mazai, that is, smeared.
Beautiful male Slavic names and their meanings: a list
Today, Slavic names are gaining more and more popularity. Returning to one's roots plays an important role in cultural self-determination. Of course, we are not talking about a complete rejection of the names we are used to, just among the ancient and forgotten there are many beautiful ones:
- Borislav - struggle, glory;
- Bogdan - given (donated) by the gods;
- Burislav - like a storm, indestructible;
- Veleslav - great, glorious;
- Vsevolod - owning everything;
- Dobrynya - kind;
- Zlatan, Zlatodan - precious;
- Mstislav - irreconcilable, glory, revenge;
- Ratmir - protecting the world;
- Svetoslav, Svetozar - bright, illuminating the world;
- Svyatopolk (Svetopolk) - commander;
- Svyatogor - holy, mighty, powerful;
- Tikhomir - calm;
- Yaroslav - glorious, bright;
- Yaropolk is a formidable commander, warrior.
The name determines the fate of a person. This is the key to his inner self. After all, it was not without reason that in Rus' a person had two names, one - false, for everyone, and the other - secret, only for the person himself and his very close people.
The name determines the fate of a person. This is the key to his inner self. After all, it was not without reason that in Rus' a person had two names, one - false, for everyone, and the other - secret, only for the person himself and his very close people. This tradition existed as a protection against unkind spirits and unkind people. Often the first Slavic name was deliberately unattractive (Kriv, Nekras, Malice), for even greater protection from the evil. After all, without a key to the essence of man, it is much more difficult to cause evil. The rite of second naming was performed in adolescence, when the main character traits were formed. The name was given based on these traits. Slavic names abounded in their diversity, there were groups of names:
1) Names from the animal and plant world (Pike, Ruff, Hare, Wolf, Eagle, Nut, Borsch)
2) Names in order of birth (Pervusha, Vtorak, Tretyak)
3) Names of gods and goddesses (Lada, Yarilo)
4) Names according to human qualities (Brave, Stoyan)
5) And the main group of names - two-basic (Svyatoslav, Dobrozhir, Tikhomir, Ratibor, Yaropolk, Gostomysl, Velimudr, Vsevolod, Bogdan, Dobrogneva, Lyubomila, Miroljub, Svetozar) and their derivatives (Svyatosha, Dobrynya, Tishilo, Ratisha, Putyata, Yarilka , Miloneg).
From the listed names, it is easy to trace the process of creating a derivative name: the second part is cut off from the two-base one and a suffix or ending is added (-neg, -lo, -ta, -tka, -sha, -yata, -nya, -ka).
Example: Svyatoslav: Holy + sha = Holy.
Of course, the names of people carry a significant part of the culture and traditions of the whole people. In Russia, with the advent of Christianity, Slavic names almost completely fell into oblivion. There were lists of Slavic names forbidden by the church. Why this happened is not difficult to guess. One part of the names (Lada, Yarilo) were the names of the Slavic gods, the owners of the second part were people who, even after the Christianization of Rus', tried to restore the cult and traditions (magicians, heroes). To date, only 5% of children in Russia are called Slavic names, which certainly impoverishes the already meager Slavic culture.
Alphabetical lists of the names of saints mentioned in modern calendars (monthly books) of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church:
1) "Orthodox Old Believer Church Calendar for 2017",
edition of the Metropolis of Moscow and All Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow, Rogozhsky settlement, 29),
cm. male names (A to K) male names (L to Z) female names (A to Z)
2) "Orthodox Old Believer Church Calendar for 2016",
co setter and editor-publisher Bishop Zosima Donskoy and Caucasian (Rostov-on-Don),
Alphabetical list of the names of saints from the calendar of the Russian Old Orthodox Church:
source documents - "Old Orthodox Church Calendar" (for 2009 and 2017), andbuilder of the Old Orthodox Patriarchy of Moscow and All Rus' (Moscow, Novokuznetskaya st., 38),
Months of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church can be found, for example, on the site "Old Believers of the Mari Territory" (http://maristarover.ru/), see link.
Months of the Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church(prepared by the Riga Pomor Epiphany Old Believer Community and the Union of Old Believer Parishes of Estonia, published annually on the Starover Pomorets website, Riga, http://starover-pomorec.eu/, see Monthly Book for 2016, Monthly Book for 2017
http://www.endzeli-starover.com/Monthly Angel Pomeranian Old Believer community (Old Orthodox Pomeranian Church of Latvia)
Which is correct: Old Believer or Old Believer? WITH Taroverians about themselves (sociolinguistic aspect).// The article was published in the journal "Vestnik RUDN", series "Theory of language. Semiotics. Semantics", 2012, No. 3, pp. 96-104 // Author N.V. Ivanova, Department of Russian Studies and Slavic Studies, Daugavpils University (Latvia) // An analysis of various points of view on the Old Believers is presented: official, recorded in the dictionaries of the Russian language; points of view of representatives of other faiths; viewsOld Believers on themselves, .
On the names of the Old Believers of the Urals and Siberia, as well as the descendants of immigrants to Canada and the USA.Many traditions of naming were “cut down with an ax” in the Soviet years, almost literally. A large array of names has moved into the category of "rare names", and many Russian names have almost completely fallen into disuse. It turned out to be possible to search for the lost among the Old Believers of the Urals and Siberia, as well as among the descendants of immigrants to Canada and the USA - Russian Old Believers, Dukhobors (Doukhobors) and Molokans, who managed to preserve the heritage of their ancestors, adapting it to modern realities. We offer you an article by the famous linguist Nikitina Serafima Evgenievna “On the proper name in Russian confessional groups” (published in 2004) - you will definitely learn something new for yourself! .
This link is the site of Russian Doukhobors in Canada "Dukhobor Genealogy Website": http://www.doukhobor.org/ (in the Doukhobor Names section you will find interesting material on the topic, and in particular, 1. Russian Male Names Among the Doukhobors, 2. Russian Female Names Among the Doukhobors , 3. English-Russian Name Cross-Index , 4. Russian-English Name Cross-Index , 5. Guide to Doukhobor Names & Naming Practices).
Names of the Old Believers of the Ural Cossack Host
The article "Namebook of the Old Believers-Priests of the Land of the Ural Cossack Army" was published in the journal "Questions of onomastics" (2009, No. 7, pp. 81-99, author Alois Ilyich Nazarov; journal website http://www.onomastics.ru/). The article presents the name of the Old Believers-priests of the land of the Ural Cossack army, extracted from several parish registers (1832-1837, 1841) of the Old Believer chapel in the city of Uralsk. Lists of male and female names of the Old Believers of the Ural Cossack army and the Orthodox of Petropavlovsk are given. Read here: abstract, article text.
The name of the Old Believer community on the territory of the Miory district of the Vitebsk region.
Iset Old Believer Names in Modern Linguistic Consciousness: Structure, Semantics, Pragmatics (Based on the First All-Russian Census of 1897). Kuznetsova Yanina Leonidovna. Abstract of the dissertation for the degree of candidate of philological sciences. Specialty 10.02.19 - the theory of language. The work was done at the Tyumen State University (Department of General Linguistics), Tyumen, 2006, .
Female anthroponymicon of the Old Believers of the Iset volost at the end of the 19th century. Author Kuznetsova Yanina Leonidovna. Published in the collection "Bulletin of the Tyumen State University. Socio-economic and legal research", issue No. 7 / 2006, pp. 138-141, .
The structure and content of the holy calendar of the Old Believers of the Fedoseevsky consent. Author Alla Kamalova (Warmian-Mazury University, Olsztyn, Poland). Published in the collection "Orthodoxy in the Slavic world: history, culture, language", pp. 95-113. Publisher: Centrum badań europy wschodniej Uniwersytetu Warmińsko-Mazurskiego w Olsztynie, Olsztyn 2014. ISBN 978-83-61605-30-0. Electronic version of the article (pdf, 10 Mb) .
Anthroponymic space of the village of Verkhniy Uymon, Ust-Koksinsky district of the Altai Republic (on the example of proper names). AuthorsT.N. Nikonova, L.I. Tolstykh, N.A. Kulikov. Published in the monograph "Communicative culture of the Old Believers of Gorny Altai", pp. 138-141. Editorial and publishing department of the Gorno-Altai State. University, 2014, 104 pages. ISBN 978-5-91425-109-0, .
Grandfather Stepan, Martyan and Mamelfa, or Russian Old Believers in Bolivia / Full director's version of Sergei Yastrzhembsky's film "Grandfather Stepan, Martyan and Mamelfa, or Russian Old Believers in Bolivia", filmed in 2012 in Bolivia. Shown in 2013 on the channel "My Planet". The film is preceded by a conversation with Archpriest Leonty Pimenov (Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church). Watch on YouTube, time43 min. 25 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdgqMg5X28. Interview with S. Yastrzhembsky about this film -.
Russian Old Believers in Uruguay.According to Jewish law, a circumcision ceremony was performed on the baby on the eighth day after birth, while the baby was given a name. This rite was also performed on the incarnated "from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin" incarnated Son of God, and He was called the name Jesus, which means Savior. The Lord, the Creator of the law, having performed the rite of circumcision, showed us an example of how to fulfill the Divine decrees. At the same time, the Lord accepted circumcision so that later no one could doubt that He was a true Man, i.e. truly embodied, and not ghostly, as some heretics taught. In the New Testament, the rite of circumcision gave way to the sacrament of Baptism. // From the ROCC calendar for January 14 (January 1, old style)
