Dithematic Names
Dithematic names are built with two lexemes. In Poland alone, over 600 masculine names, 120 feminine names and 150 different affixes (lexemes) are known. These have been reconstructed from place names and the (scarce) written sources such as the Bull of Gniezno. Certain names were reserved for monarchs (e.g. in Poland: Kazimierz, Władysław, Bolesław). Examples are listed below. As an example of the pattern: Władysław contains the prefix wład (to rule, ruler) and the suffix sław (fame, glory). Note that feminine equivalents usually end in a (e.g. Bogusław - Bogusława).
| Prefix or suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| blag, błog, blah | gentle, kind, blessed | Blahoslava, Blahomíra, Blahosej, Blagovest, Blagovesta |
| bog, bóg, boh, boż | God, rich, fate | Bohumil, Boguslav, Bohdan, Bożena, Bogusław, Bogdan, Bogna, Bożydar, Modliboga, Falibog, Boguwola, Božetjeh, Bogosav, |
| bole | great, more, large | Bolesław, Boleslav, Bolemir, Boleczest, Bolelut |
| bor | war, fight | Boris, Borzysław, Borislav, Dalibor, Sambor, Lutobor, Myślibora, Strogobor |
| brat | brother | Bratumiła, Braturad, Bratislav, Bratoljub |
| bron, bran | to protect, to defend | Bronisław, Branislav, Bronimir, Bronisąd, Srbobran, Częstobrona |
| bude, budzi | to be | Budzigniew, Budziwuj, Budimir, Budislavka |
| choti, chocie | want | Chociemir, Chciebor, Chociebąd, Chotimíra |
| chwał, fal | to praise, to glorify | Boguchwał, Chwalibog, Chwalimir, Falibor |
| tech, ciech, tješ | happy, comfort | Ciechosław, Wojciech, Sieciech, Techomir, Dobrociech, Božetech, Tješimir, Sławociech |
| dobo, dobie | appropriate, brave | Dobiesław, Dobiegniew, Dobiemir |
| cze, cti, ča, če | honour | Czesław, Ctibor, Czedrog, Cibor, Čestmír, Česlav, Ctirad, Čedomir |
| dar, dan | gift, receive | Bogdan, Wojdan, Damir, |
| dobro | good, goodness | Dobrosław, Dobromir, Dobroniega, Dobrogost, Dobromil, Dobrożyźń |
| dom | house | Domarad, Domosław, Domagoj, Domamir, Domoľub, Domawit, Domabor |
| drag, drog, drah | precious, beloved | Dragoslav, Dragomir, Dragoljub, Drogodziej, Drogoradz, Wieledrog, Dragoş, Predrag, Drohobysz, Miłodrog, Miodrag, |
| dzierży | to have, to rule, to keep | Dzierżysław, Dzierżykraj, Dzirżyterg |
| gniew, hněv | angry, furious | Zbigniew, Gniewomir, Spytihněv, Mścigniew, Wojgniew, Dobiegniew, Ostrogniew, Zbyhněv |
| god | "appropriate" | Godemir, Godzimir, Godzisława |
| gost, gast, host | guest | Miłogost, Radogost, Uniegost, Hostirad, Hostimil, Hostisvit, Lubgost |
| gwiazd, hvezd, zvezd | star | Hviezdoslav, Hviezdomir, Zvezdan,Zvezdana |
| jar, yar | strong, severe, fierce | Yaroslav, Jaropełk, Jaromir, Jarogniew, Jarmila |
| kaz | to destroy | Kazimierz, Casimir, Kazimir, Skaziczest |
| krasi, kreši, krzesi | resurrect, initiate | Krzesimir, Krešimir, Krzesisław, Kresivoje |
| lud, ljud | people | Ludmila, Ludomir, Ludziwoj, Ljudevit |
| lut | angry, fierce, severe, cruel, wild | Lutosław, Lutobor, Lutogniew, Lutomir, Zbylut, Lutomysł |
| lyub, lub, l'ub | love, to like, favour | Lubomir, Ljubomir, Lubosław, Lubov, Lubor |
| mil, mił | love, to like, favour, graced | Vlastimil, Tomiła, Milica, Miłowit, Milomir, Miloslav, Milivoje, Ludmila, Radmila, Jarmila |
| mir, měr, mierz, myr | peace, world, prestige | Chociemir, Mirogod, Miroslav, Casimir, Kazimierz, Ostromir, Mezamir, Radomír, Jaromír, Kanimir, Bratomira, Mojmir, Uniemir, Vitomir, Vladimir, Krešimir, Krasimir, Godzimir, Rastimir, Ratimir, Želimir, Branimir, Zvonimir |
| msti, mści | vengeance | Mstislav, Mścisław, Mściwoj, Mstivoj |
| mysl, mysł | think | Gostomysl, Myślimir, Drogomysł, Przemysław, Premysl, Bolemysł, Radomysł, Nezamysl, Křesomysl |
| neg, nieg, njeg | delight | Dobroniega, Njegomir, Mironieg, Niegodoma, Niegosław |
| ne, nie | no, none | Nevzor, Nekras, Nezhdan, Niedamir, Nenad, Nebojša, Niedalic, Niesuł, Nemanja |
| ostro | sharp | Ostromir, Ostrogniew |
| polk, pluk, pułk | regiment | Yaropolk, Jaropluk, Sviatopolk, Svatopluk, Świętopełk |
| rasti, rosti, rości | grow, demand, usurb | Rastislav, Rościsław, Rościgniew, Rostimira |
| rad | happy, eager, to care | Radosław, Milorad, Radogost, Radomil, Radowit, Radomir, Radosvet |
| rati, raci | war, fight, to do (vocal change from radi to rati) | Ratibor, Racisława, Racimir, Ratimir, Racigniew, Gnierat |
| sem, siem, ziem | family, land | Siemowit, Siemomysł, Siemił, Ziemowit, Siemysław |
| sobie, sobě | usurb, for me | Soběslav, Sobierad, Sobiemir, Sobiebor |
| slav, sław | glory, fame | Mstislav, Stanisław, Rostislav, Sławomir, Vladislav, Izyaslav, Vyacheslav, Sviatoslav, Miroslav, Boguslav, Borislav, Sławobor, Gościsław, Jaroslav, Slavko, Slavena, Wiesław, Slavisa, Kvetoslav, Tomislav, Věroslav, Soběslav, Slavoljub, Slavica, Srboslav, Rastislav |
| spyci, spyti | pointless, unnecessary | Spytihněv, Spycimir, Spycisław |
| stan | to stand, to hold, to become | Stanimir, Stanislav, Stanisław, Stanibor |
| sud, sąd, sand | to judge | Sudomir, Sudislav, Sędzimir, Sędziwoj, Bogusąd, Sędowin, Krzywosąd |
| suli | to promise, better | Sulisław, Sulibor, Sulimir, Sulirad, Sulich, Radsuł |
| svet, sviat, święt, svat | light, strong | Sviatoslav, Svetoslav, Svetlana, Światopełk, Świętomir, Svätobor, Svetozar, Svatoboj, Svetomir, Świętożyźń |
| svo, sve, świe | all, every, always | Świedrag, Svorad, Świegniew |
| unie | better | Uniedrog, Uniebog, Uniesław |
| veli, vyache, więce | great, more, large | Vaclav, Vyacheslav, Wenzel, Veleslava, Wielimir, Velimir, Więcerad |
| vest, wieść | to know, to lead | Blagovest, Dobrowieść |
| vit, wit | to rule | Sviatovit, Vitomir, Dobrovit, Witosław, Uniewit, Gościwit |
| vlad, wład, volod, włod, lad | to rule, ruler | Vladimir, Władysław, Volodymyr, Włodzimierz, Vladislav, Laszlo, Ladislav, Vsevolod, Vladena, Vladan, Władmiła, Vladivoj |
| vlast, włość | homeland | Vlastimil, Włościwoj, Vlastimir, |
| voj, woj | fighter, warrior, war | Wojsław, Częstowoj, Vojislav, Wojciech, Borivoj, Vladivoj, Vojnomir, Radivoj, Wojbor, Milivoj, Dobrivoje, Kresivoje, Ljubivoje |
| vole, wole | to prefer | Wolebor, Wolimir, Wolisław |
| vse, vše, wsze | all | Vseslav, Wszebor, Vsevolod, Wszerad, Wszemiła, Wszegniew, Všebor, Všeboj |
| zby | to dispeal, to get rid of | Zbigniew, Zbyszko, Zbysław, Zbylut, Zbywoj |
| zde, zdzie, sede, Sdě | to do, make | Zdzisław, Zdziwoj, Sedemir, Zdeslav, Zderad, Zdziemił, Sděmir, Sdivoj |
| želi, żeli | want, desire | Żelisław, Żelibrat, Želimíra, Želibor, Želimir |
| zlat, złot, zlato | gold | Zlatomíra, Zlatimir |
- This article incorporates information from this version of the equivalent article on the Polish Wikipedia.
Read more about this topic: Slavic Names, Meaning of Slavic Names
Famous quotes containing the word names:
“The names of those who in their lives fought for life,
Who wore at their hearts the fire’s centre.
Born of the sun they traveled a short while towards the sun,
And left the vivid air signed with their honour.”
—Stephen Spender (1909–1995)