Old Russian two-part names (composite names) are well known to us from the annals - not least because they were originally the names of the Old Russian elite. Apparently, they were the basis of many ancient Russian one-component names known to us: Vadim - Vadimir, love - Lubimir, Ratsha - Ratislav (Ratslav), Saint - Svyatoslav.
Actually, such two-part names are characteristic not only for the Old Russian language, but also for Slavic languages in general. Moreover, in the Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian and Polish languages, much more of these names have been preserved, and they are still actively used: for example, Vojislav Kostunica (Prime Minister of Serbia) Cheslav Sabinsky (Polish director) Jaromir Jagr (Czech ice hockey player) Radoslav Bachev (Bulgarian football player), etc. In part, this happened because very few ancient Russian names got into the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the custom give the child two names - "native" Slavic and baptismal, taken from the church calendar. Therefore, in ancient Russian sources, a double name is often found: " Prince Theodore and Mirsky Mstislav", "Joseph, and the worldly Ostromir", "having called him Vasily in holy baptism, the worldly name grew to him". Yaroslav the Wise had a Christian name George , his sons Vyacheslav, Izyaslav, Svyatoslav And Vsevolod- respectively Mercury, Dimitri, Nikola (Nicholas) And Andrey , and the son of Izyaslav Svyatopolk, founder of the Mikhailovsky Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv - Michael . And only a few princes who fell into the Orthodox calendar managed to "drag" their original names behind them - Vladimir(Vladimir the Great, in baptism - Basil), Boris And Gleb(sons of Vladimir, in baptism - Novel And David ). But the half-brother of Boris and Gleb, Yaroslav the Wise, officially got into the holy calendar only in 2005, with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II.
(By the way, the custom of double naming existed among the Eastern Slavs until the 17th century: for example, Hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky had the Christian name Zinovy, so he sometimes appears in the sources as Bogdan-Zinovy Khmelnitsky).
Many two-component Slavic names got into the Russian calendar from other Slavic sources: martyr Ludmila Czech, saint Vladislav Serbian(although in the Old Russian language there was a similar name Volodislav). By the way, some names that we today consider traditionally Polish, Czech or Serbian were also common in Ancient Rus': Stanislav(one of the sons of Volodymyr the Great), Boleslav(daughter of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich), Miroslav(Miroslav Gyuryatinich, Novgorod mayor), etc. However, these names were not included in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church, although some of them are present in the Catholic calendars.
Peaceful or glorious?
Usually the meaning of ancient Russian names is clear without translation: Svyatoslav - "holy" + "glory", Vsevolod - "owning everything." But here we come across the name Ostromir - what kind of "sharp world" is this? And by the way, who should a man named Zhiroslav praise? Why is Gostibor fighting with guests and what does the first component of the name Izyaslav mean?
To get answers to most of these questions, it is usually enough to look into the dictionary of the Old Russian language and find out that "izyati" means "to take", "guest" is not only a guest in the usual sense, but also a foreigner, and the word "fat" meant wealth, abundance.
The issue with Ostromir is not so easy. From the dictionary we learn that "sharp" means "brave, resolute". Accordingly, Ostromir is a "brave world"? Quite a paradoxical name. Although, on the other hand, there are a lot of names starting with "-mir" in the Old Russian name-book: Vladimir, Gostimir, Ratimir, Radomir ... True, sometimes for some reason they were written through "yat": Volodymyr, Gostimir, Ratimer, Radomer and pronounced accordingly. Volodimer , Hostimer , Ratimer , Radomer . Even if you make allowances for the pronunciation of an unstressed vowel, you must admit that "peace" and "mer" are two big differences.
There is a version that the component peace/mer was borrowed from the Germano-Scandinavian marr/mer meaning "glorious, famous". Moreover, in parallel with the Slavic name Vladimir, there was a Scandinavian Valdemar/Valdimarr- "glorious ruler." Vladimir is a princely name, the first bearer of this name known to us is Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (Vladimir the Great), a descendant of the notorious Varangian Rurik. Perhaps Prince Svyatoslav gave his youngest son the Scandinavian name Valdemar, adapted to the Slavic pronunciation: Volodimer. Moreover, in Russian it sounded like an ordinary two-part name - "owning the world." Therefore, the Slavic peace/mer easily took its place among other name-forming components: -glory, -boron, -love. At the same time, it is possible that some names were not formed from a borrowed world/mer, but directly from the Old Russian "peace"(world).
New life of ancient Russian names
The fashion for pagan Old Russian names, like any fashion, goes away and returns with the constancy of the pendulum. The first sign can be considered the famous poet Velimir Khlebnikov, who at one time was fond of the ideas of pan-Slavism (like many representatives of the Russian intelligentsia) and took the pseudonym Velimir instead of his passport name Victor. Once again, pagan names "resurrected" after the October Revolution, when young parents, eager to "break with the old world" by all means, began to look for any names for their children that were not associated with traditional saints. True, the Jaromirs and Vseslavs were significantly inferior in popularity to the Vladlens, Revolutions and Electrifications, but nevertheless the tradition was laid down seriously and for a long time.
Today, Russian-speaking countries are experiencing a new wave of fashion for Old Russian and Slavic names. Partly - because of the mass attempt to "return to the roots", partly - because Western names like Jeanne, Edward or Angela have already become boring. Now children are given not only Old Russian, but also Bulgarian, Czech, Serbian, Polish names: Snezhana,Milan,Krasimir,Boleslav,Bratislava.
Slavic names are not only borrowed, but also invented. They are successfully invented by the authors of the now fashionable "Slavic fantasy", contribute to the common cause and numerous groups of neo-pagan Rodnovers who are trying to revive Slavic paganism as a modern religious cult. Rodnovers, passing the rite of passage, change their passport names to "native" ones: Mlad, Ogneslav,Veleslav. Many Rodnover names are either borrowed from the Veles Book, which most Slavic experts recognize as a fake, or are modeled after real-life composite names using Slavic and pseudo-Slavic roots: Goemysl - "comprehending the life force ("goe" - the power of life and fertility)" (hereinafter, interpretations are given according to A. V. Trekhlebov's "Slavic name-book" - ed. ), Vladduh- "twice-born - in body and spirit, i.e., possessing a devaconic (spiritual) body)",octopus- "eight-eyed, all-seeing",Rostichar- "increasing the gifts of sacrifices ("chara" - a sacrificial bowl: "cha" - a bowl, life force, "Ra" - the sun)",Pillarlight- "beacon, i.e. a person who has a powerful energy channel of communication with a generic and spiritual egregore",Bozhed- "home of God".(By the way, in Dahl's dictionary the word "bozhedom" is interpreted in a slightly different way: "bozhedom, bozhedomka - poor, despised in an almshouse").
Of course, most of the Rodnover names are unlikely to take root in wide use: few parents have the courage to call the child Stolposvet or Vladdukh, whatever these names mean. However, real-life Slavic names are becoming more and more popular with us, and for good reason - for the most part they are very beautiful and, unlike names of foreign origin, are understandable without translation.
About the list of names posted on this site
Why two-part names?
In fact, there are quite a lot of Old Russian names recorded in medieval sources - only one "Dictionary of Old Russian Personal Names" by N.M. Tupikova gives them several hundred. The problem is that it is very difficult to distinguish between personal names given at birth and nicknames. Moreover, in official sources, both could be used with equal success as a name: cf. Kornilko Fool, peasant of the Yazholobitsky churchyard And Fool Mishurin, clerk of Moscow . At that time, a child could indeed be called the name Fool - there was a custom to specifically give children names with a negative meaning in the hope that evil forces would not be tempted by such a "poor-quality" child and would not take him away from his parents, sending illness or some kind of misfortune. The only question is whether the peasant Kornilko the Fool was given this name at birth along with the Christian Korniliy (Kornilko) or this nickname, earned by him already at a conscious age for unprecedented intellectual abilities?
There is no single answer to this question. But the Fool is still flowers in comparison with some names found in ancient Russian sources. There quite officially appear such personalities as the Novgorod icon painter Ivan Dermo Yartsev son, native Petrusha Bzdyachiy , peasant Kirilko Byakin son-in-law (a man who had a father-in-law named Byaka), a Moscow clerk Gryaznusha Kolodnich , resident of Novgorod Wanking Nezdylov son , pop Ghoul Dashing - the first copyist of books known in Rus' and his colleague, someone “Vasian, a sinner in a foreign shop, according to the(by nickname or worldly name) Dracula ” (!). Unlike these marvelous names, the two-part names known to us from the ancient Russian chronicles do not raise doubts - these are names, and not nicknames or analogues of modern surnames. For readers interested in the full range of Old Russian names, I recommend the Dictionary of Old Russian Personal Names by N.M. Tupikov, which you can download.Why are there so few names on the list?
Indeed, there are many more two-part names in Slavic languages. But this list does not represent common Slavic, but Old Russian names - that is, names recorded in Old Russian sources or left their mark on surnames and geographical names (for example, Radonezh- possessive from Radoneg). It is logical to assume that in Ancient Rus' there were many more two-part names than we know. Our ancestors could well be called Krasimirs, Lyuboslavs and Radosvets - the laws of the language fully allow the existence of such names. However, until sources are found in which they would be mentioned, it is better to refrain from including them in the list.Why are there so few female names?
Every name once invented by people carries a meaning. Old Russian female names are distinguished by their beauty and uniqueness, because they appeared in different periods of the long-suffering history of Ancient Rus'. The wealth of female names was to the taste of modern parents, and many girls already have beautiful old names. Melodiousness and deep meaning attract not only Russians, but also other peoples.
It is impossible to find out the origin of absolutely all ancient names, but research does not stop. Names are a source of history and traditions, with their help you can learn about the life of your ancestors, their views, look at the world through their eyes. Names help contemporaries find out how their ancestors treated people.
It is even more difficult to study old Russian female names, because usually they had several meanings and interpretations. In different regions, one name could mean different phenomena and things. Therefore, today there are several versions for one name.
Names and traditions
In the old days, children were called names that characterized habits or appearance. It was an ancient tradition, because people have long believed that the name contains a fateful code. And so the names of the girls Krasava, Razumnitsa appeared.
It is worth noting that such a tradition was not only among the Slavs. The Indians and Chinese also named their children according to tradition. In India, they gave characteristic names, like Ayashi (small), Evoti (great). The Chinese tried to give the child a terrible name, because they believed that bad spirits could covet a beloved child, and if you call him almost insulting, the spirits will think that this child is not loved. This was more about boys, although girls were given strange names.
The Slavs attached great importance to the family and occupation, some names are even associated with the sequence of the birth of children. So Lydia would mean "first". The name Pervusha was popular.
The Slavs believed that the name is the key to the inner world and gave the girls two names. So there was a tradition to choose a name for people and for the family. The first was said to everyone, and the second was known only to the closest, and it kept a secret good meaning. The first was usually ugly and repulsive, but it allowed the truth to be protected from bad tongues.
The second name was given only at a certain age, when the teenager showed character. However, the tradition did not take root - usually the girl was the way her first name characterized her. The second name, due to not being used, lost its meaning.
Church calendars
After the adoption of Christianity, the names were entered into church calendars, and, as it were, they gave the child to the protection of the guardian angel. As you know, not all Slavs willingly accepted the customs of Christianity, therefore, for a long time, children, in parallel with Christian names, were given old pagan nicknames. Later, many of them became modern surnames.
However, the pressure of Christianity was great. Closer to the 17th century, many old Russian female names went out of use. They were replaced by the names of states that spread Christianity or were influential at that time - Byzantium, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Syria. Many names were transformed into the Russian manner, and, for example, instead of Avdotya, Evdokia turned out. Today, many would be surprised how their names sounded in the original.
Only the names of the saints remained unchanged. The ancient tradition of giving a child two names also took root in Rus', but the second name given at baptism was usually not used. The second name was often Greek.
The church list provides a large number of female names to choose from. Both believing Christians and atheists can choose names. Moreover, the calendar allows you to select a name by month and even birthday. To name a child according to the Saints means to give him protection from a saint revered on this day. There is another tradition, to choose a saint on the eighth day after birth. If there are no Saints on the birthday, then they choose the name of the saint honored on the fortieth day. It used to be on this day that a child was baptized.
It is also allowed to use a male name if there is no female name according to the Saints. Therefore, there are so many asexual names (Eugene, Alexandra, Yaroslav, Vyacheslav).
Types of Russian names
The Slavs definitely loved beautiful two-base names. For example, Svetozar, Miroslav, Lubomir, Dobrognev,. Often girls were called names that emphasized certain traits of their character. So the names Arina (calm), Dobrava (kind), Barbara (wild), Svetlana (bright), Arsenia (courageous) appeared. Since the Slavs revered the cult of animals and plants, many girls' names are taken from the world of flora and fauna. These are Azalea, Akulina, Pike.
There were names borrowed from the gods. The famous was considered the goddess of the morning dawn, Apollinaria - the goddess of the sun (about the ancient Greek god of the sun Apollo), the goddess of beauty and love Lada. Some native Russian names were modified participles (Bazhen). A separate group included names for princely children (Vyacheslav).
Today you can find Old Slavic names that actually had only a Slavic root. There were names that translated Greek and Roman.
It is impossible to compile a complete list of beautiful names of antiquity, but here are some of the most popular:
- summer.
- donating.
Agnes is chaste.
Vesta is the guardian of the hearth.
- the chosen one.
Bela is beautiful.
Ada is decorating.
- serene.
Bogdana - given by God.
Agnia is immaculate.
Dobrava is good.
- reigning.
Beatrice - blessing.
Eupraxia is a virtue.
Casimira - showing the world.
Ariadne is sleeping.
- protector.
Joy is joy.
Svetlana is bright.
Milana is cute.
Reward - Reward.
Dove is meek.
Mstislav - revenge and glory.
Lyubomila - love and peace.
- cold.
Ladoslava is fine.
Loving wisdom is loving wisdom.
The fire control is bright.
Arrow is an arrow.
Young is young.
Snow White - Snow White.
Milonega is sweet and gentle.
Diva is divine.
Domoslava - glorifying the house.
Chaslava - looking forward to glory.
Radmila is a sweet joy.
Slavunya - glorifying.
Lyubogneva - loving to be angry.
Rusana - blond.
Delight is sweet.
Beauty is beautiful.
Goodness - doing good.
Vesnyan - spring.
Zhdana - desired.
Jaromila is dear to Yarlu.
In the 19th century, many old Russian names were forgotten. Russian versions of foreign names came into use:
- someone else's.
- comforting.
Ursula is curious.
Irma is meticulous.
- black eyed.
Nellie is careless.
- honest.
- skillful.
Choosing a son's name is a difficult task for all parents. After all, the name will remain with the child for life, it will be his reflection. Therefore, the issue of a name for a boy must be taken seriously. At the moment, there are names of various origins in the world - Italian names, Kazakh, Greek, Old Russian names of boys and girls. If you decide to give your son an old Russian name, then our article is just for you.
It should be noted that among the old Russian names there are a huge number of beautiful and sonorous names, and if they are used correctly, you can significantly influence the fate of the child, that is, in the process of education, strengthen positive traits in the child’s character and develop good qualities in him. Among the old Russian names, princely names are in special demand. As a rule, men with such names as Vladimir, Vsevolod, Svyatoslav. The name Yaroslav gives the child a strong masculine character and charisma. There are also good old Russian names for boys, the owners of which were not princes, but were worthy men. For example, the name Bogdan (given by God). A boy named Bogdan will be a calm person who knows his own worth, adherence to principles and stubbornness are the bright features of Bogdan. Boriss (wrestlers) are smart, achieve great success, scrupulous, with a sense of humor. And there are many such old Russian bright and meaningful names.
Old Russian boy names:
Bogumil - dear to God
Krasimir - the beauty of the world
Budislav - be glorious!
Krasislav - the beauty of glory
Boleslav - glorifying
love - favorite
Belogor - from the white mountains
Ludimir - bring peace to people
Beloyar - furious
Lubomil - beloved
Bazhen - divine
Lubomir - loving peace and peace
Bueslav - stork
Luborad - pleasing with love
Budimil - be nice!
Lyuboslav - glorifying love
Bogolep - divine
Ladislav - glorifying beauty
Bratislav - brother, friend of glory
Ladislav - glorifying people
Belimir - white, pure
Lubodron - beloved, dear
Bogumir - bring peace to God!
Lucheslav - in a ray of glory
Borislav - stormy glory
Lyubodar - giving love
Volodar - giving freedom
Ladimir - peaceful
Vitoslav - the glory of life
Peaceful - loving world
Vlastislav - who owns the world
Milava - sweet, kind
Vladimir - who owns the world
Young - young
Vyacheslav - glorifying advice
Mirodar - giving peace
Venislav - crowned with glory
Milan - sweet, kind
World - worldwide
Myslemir - thinking about the world
Vseslav - famous
Moguta - powerful, mighty
Vysheslav - famous; all glory
Miloslav - dear glory
Vlastimir - rule the world
Mladen - young
Vsemil - dear to everyone
Milorad - dear, kind
Verislav - faithful
Hope - hope expectation
Vojislav - glorious warrior
Negomir - gentle and peaceful
Vadim - called, invited
Found - found
Vladislav - owner of glory
Neroslav - fastening glory
Vadislav - called
Witty - sharp-minded
Gleb - sweet, affectionate
Ocheslav - desperate glory
Gradibor - creating force
Oleg - light, fast
Gorislav - glorifying high light
Wonderful - wonderful
Gorisvet - high light
Peresvet - bright
Gostislav - ready glory
Putislav - the path of glory
Gradimir - creator of the world
Premislav - take glory!
Gift - gift to the world
Pervoslav - ahead of glory
Drogoslav - dear glory
Ratislav - military glory
Dobrava - dobreeding, carrying
Radimil - sweet joy
Daroslav - giving the word
Radey - joy, joyful
Act - acting, active
Ratibor - the chosen warrior
Daromir - giving peace
Radibor - chosen from joyful
Dobran - giving good
Ruslav - fair-haired
Daren is a gift to the world
Radislav - rejoicing in glory
Given - given by God
Radim - sweet joy
Drogorad - dear joy
Ratmir - advocating for the world
Drogomir - dear world
Radosvet - the light of joy
Danko - luminous, day
Rusimir - Russian world
Divislav - in the radiance of the word
Radimir - caring about the world
Daniyar - given to shine
Radovlad - own joy
Dobrolyub - loving good
Svetovid - light, holy
Danislav - giving glory
Svetozar - illuminated by light
Daromysl - thinking, thinking
Holy fighter, warrior
Dragoljub - kind, beloved
Svyatomir - holy world
Dobroslav - glorifying goodness
Svetovik - light
Dragovit - appreciating life
Svyatorad - holy joy
Damir - who gave the world
Tikhoslav - quiet glory
Yeseny - clear sky
Trajan - third son
desired - desired
Die - peace, appeasement
Zhelislav - desired glory
Tenderness - tenderness
Zhdanimir - the waiting world
Delight - Delight
Zhiteslav - glorifying life
Hranimir - save the world
Zlatoslav - golden glory
Hvalimir - glorify the world
Zlatozar - with a clear eye
Khvalislav - praise glory
Zvenislav - ringing with glory
Khranislav - keep the glory
Zalazar - because of the azure
Tsvetimir - be the color of the world
Zelislav - very nice
Chudomil - sweet miracle
Zdanimir - creator of the world
Chestimir - honor of the world
Zvenimir - calling to the world
Chestislav - honor the glory
Dawn - rising light
Chtislav - honor the glory
Izheslav - be with glory!
Shchaslav - happy
Igor - militant
Jaromir - be furious in the world
Ivar - tree of life
Yaroslav - shining with glory
Idan - walking, overcoming the path
Yaromil is a nice man
Ivan - to be born, to be born
Yaropolk - furiously ganged up
Krasibor - chosen from the beautiful
Yanislav - glorious
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.
W
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.
Until the end of the tenth century, the Russian people had not yet adopted Christianity and worshiped several gods. Accordingly, Old Russian names for children were pagan. After the adoption of Christianity, a confrontation began between the usual and Christian names.
Naming
The most important rite in Christianity is baptism. After the birth of a child, he must be baptized and given the Orthodox name of a saint. Old Russian names are gradually being replaced by Christian ones.
But church names are not originally Russian in their origin. They went from ancient Greek, Hebrew, Roman languages. For a long time, the church in every possible way forbade names of ancient Russian origin. After all, they were pagan, and the state was Christian.
worldly name
Nevertheless, it is difficult to immediately re-educate the people, therefore, along with the name given at baptism, the usual old Russian names were also given to the babies. It turned out that the child had a church name and a so-called secular one. This name was given to the baby in a narrow family circle. Gradually, with the strengthening of the position of the church and the faith of people, household names turned into nicknames.
Several examples of such double names can be given. The boyar, who received the name Fedor at baptism, was called Doroga at home, or the prince, bearing the name Mikhailo, was called Svyatopolk in everyday life. Such examples are often found in old books or novels by Russian classics.
Names in pre-revolutionary Russia
In pre-revolutionary Russia, Old Russian names generally fell into disuse. Within a week after the birth, the parents were required to baptize the child and give him a name according to the church calendar.
But for babies from a wealthy, influential family, the name was chosen by the parents, depending on the euphony and their preferences. The church did not want to spoil relations with its benefactors and did not want to lose charitable contributions.
And when a baby from a poor family was baptized, the clergyman could choose a name from a church book, depending on the time of birth. The opinion of the parents might not even be taken into account, and the name did not always sound beautiful and harmonious.
There is an interesting fact related to the name and wealth of the family. Historians have established that by name it was possible to determine belonging to the estate. So, in peasant families, girls were often called Vasilisa, Fedosya, Fekla. Noble families never called their daughters that. Rich and ruling families gave their daughters such names as Elizabeth, Olga, Alexandra, Catherine. It was impossible to meet such names in peasant families.
Old Russian names and their meaning
As a rule, when you hear an old Russian name, you can understand what it means without translation.
Old Russian male names
- Here, for example, Svyatoslav. It is clear that the name is formed from the words "holy" and "glory".
- Vsevolod is a man who owns everything.
- Bogumil - it is immediately clear what kind of name it is. Child Bogumil - dear to God.
- Or Vsemil - means cute for everyone.
The names that the children received, depending on what they were in the family, were very interesting. For example, if a third son was born in the family, he was given the name Trajan. The first son was called the First, and the second - Vtorak.
With names for girls, too, almost always everything is clear.
- Just like the boy Bogumil, the girl was called Bogumila.
- Blessed is happy, and Bazhen is desired. By the way, now sometimes you can meet the name of Bazhen.
- Darina - given by God.
- Krasimira is the beauty of the world.
But not everything is so clear
For example, the name Ostromir. The association "sharp world" immediately arises. But it somehow does not fit in the understanding. Or the name Zhiroslav. It is clear that something glorifies. But what?
This is where a dictionary of the Old Russian language comes to the rescue. So, the word "fat" meant wealth and abundance. It is now clear that the name Zhiroslav means "glory to wealth."
The word "ostr" means "brave", therefore, Ostromir - "brave world". Although, of course, with the modern understanding it sounds a little strange.
- Radomir;
- Vladimir;
- Ratimir;
- Gostimir and many others.
Old Russian names are back
After the October Revolution, ancient Russian pagan names gradually began to return to everyday life. This is due to the fact that young parents wanted to move away from the Saints and give the baby a beautiful name.
But at the same time, the revolution and electrification made their changes - Vseslav, Jaromir, Ogneslav, Zarina and Liliana were now running through the streets.
Of course, the period of Soviet power made its own adjustments. Names associated with ideology have come into vogue, such as Turbine or Dazdraperma. But still, reason prevails - the Russian people want to return to their roots.
Children began to be born, who were given beautiful old Russian names. After all, it sounds beautiful when a girl's name is not Revolution, but Lyubava or Milica. Such names as Musa, Nelly, Rosalia, Svyatoslav and Jaromir became fashionable.
Of course, not all names have returned, many are unlikely to take root. Not every parent now wants to name a child, for example, Stoplight or Octopus. But still, for the most part, Old Russian names are very beautiful, and most importantly, it is clear to a Russian person what they mean. Without translation, it becomes clear that Vladlena is the sovereign, and Lubomira is the favorite of the world.
Name as a characteristic of a person
In ancient Rus', the name was given great importance. Parents tried to name the child in such a way as to highlight his belonging to the clan and family. Names could be given that determined any qualities desired for the child. Also, the name of a person determined his position in society.
In ancient times, a name could stick to a person even in adulthood. So, if a person had certain features of appearance, the name could personify them. One can easily guess what people with the names Kudryash, Mal, Chernysh were like.
Or these are the names that point to certain characteristic features: Clever, Good-natured, Silent, Brave.
As already mentioned above, depending on the number of children in the family, he was given a name: Pervyak or Tretiak, Elder, Menshak.
In literature, you can often find names indicating a profession. Especially popular names are Kozhemyak, Warrior and Peasant. After reading this, you might think that these are nicknames or nicknames. But people were actually called that, and this is confirmed by the documents available to historians. Although there was not much difference at that time in Rus' between the name as such and the nickname.
But what about the girls?
Studying old Russian names, you can find a lot of nicknames for men. But with girls, things are somewhat different. Why?
It's all about the position of women in society. As soon as the girls do not fight for their rights, but always their influence on the life of the state is belittled. And accordingly, there are not many historically recorded facts of famous female names.
Old Russian female names as independently formed were very rare. As a rule, they came from men.
- Gorislav - Gorislav;
- Vladimir - Vladimir;
- Vladlen - Vladlena;
- Svyatoslav - Svyatoslav.
This is partly a fact that women were in some way deprived, girls gradually began to be given Christian names more often. If in the case of men there were often double names, for example, Svyatoslav-Nikola, then the girls had only one - Olga, Elizabeth, Anna.
In addition, over time, patronymics gradually begin to be produced on behalf of the father. At first, in order to determine belonging to the family, the child could be called Pantelei, Miroslav's son. Then the suffix "-ich" was added to the name. Such liberty was allowed at first only to noble people. But soon this tradition took root everywhere.
In modern society, it is no longer possible to do without a patronymic. Especially at ceremonial and official events, this is even a necessity. But at first such a privilege was given only to the upper class. Only after the abolition of serfdom was the ordinary peasant allowed to give and wear a patronymic.
