Russian names of the 16th century. Russian names of Jewish origin

The history of the formation of Russian naming traditions

Old Russian anthroponymy initially consisted only of a personal name in the narrow sense; most of the names initially “repeated” common nouns (Wolf, Zhdan, Dobrynya).

Among the Old Russian names there were many borrowings from Finno-Ugric, Turkic and other languages. The first written monuments testify to the social divergence of anthroponymy: the names of the ruling elite stood out, among which were names of Scandinavian origin (Oleg, Olga, Igor), but those composed of two stems were especially characteristic; the chronicle directly calls them princely; as their second component, the most common are -slav, -mir (Svyatoslav, Mstislav, Vladimir; in republican Novgorod the mayors Tverdislav, Ostromir). The origin of this model remains controversial. Suffix names developed, for example, with -ilo (Tomilo, Tverdilo, Putilo), -yata (Gostyata, Putyata. Very few female names survived; a woman was more often called by her father’s name (the most famous heroine of the ancient Russian epic is Yaroslavna) or by her husband’s name ( Novgorod Zavizhaya, Polyuzhaya - the wives of Zavid, Polyuda), of the surviving female names - Krasava.

Christianity, borrowed by the Russians from Byzantium, brought names canonized by the Orthodox Church - these are the names of the “saints” of the first centuries of Christianity, originating from the languages ​​of the peoples of the Roman Empire; Among such names, there are especially many ancient Greek (Andrey, Alexander, Vasily, Elena, Irina), Latin (Sergei, Konstantin, Tatyana, Matryona), as well as names from the languages ​​of Western Asia - Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac. (Ivan, Thomas, Maria, Anna). Since such names came to Rus' through the Middle Greek language of Byzantium, they bore many of its characteristics (for example, Varvara, Lavrentiy, and not Barbara, Lavrentiy). Significant changes were made by the adaptation of foreign names into the Russian language: Greek and Latin formants were discarded (Nikolaos, Paulos were transformed into Nikolai, Pavel), sound combinations unusual for the Russian language were simplified (Akim, Ustinya instead of Joakim, Justinia). On the other hand, the invasion of a mass of anthroponyms-borrowings expanded the phonetic means of the Russian language, for example, contributed to the emergence of the sound “f”, previously unusual for it, from sounds very frequent in Greek names, transmitted in greek letters“theta” (Fedor, Timofey, Thekla) and “fi” (Philip, Tryphon, Sophia). Over the centuries, the everyday forms of many names differed sharply from the canonical ones, which were used only by the church, for example (in each pair, the first form is everyday, the second is canonical): Avdotya - Evdokia, Aksinya - Ksenia, Arina - Irina, Akulina - Akilina, Egor - Georgy, Osip - Joseph, Tavrilo - Gabriel, even in literary language non-canonical forms “won”: Ivan, Matryona instead of John, Matrona.

For centuries, the church could not exterminate Russian names: a stubborn struggle lasted from the 10th to the 17th century. Although baptism became mandatory for all Russians, at which they gave a name (only from the list of Orthodox “saints”), in life they used non-church names for a long time. Thus, such names as Zhdan, Nezhdan, Istoma, Tomilo, and the feminine Milava are very common.

Even in the 15th-17th centuries, official documents are replete with non-church names, including Scoundrel, Fool, probably data for deception. evil spirits"; even the monastery minister Constantine the son of the Devil and the priest with pagan name Languor. IN in this regard The list of landowners of the Kineshma district in 1612 is indicative: Zhuk Sofonov, Tomilo Newcomer, Neporodko Osipov, Bessonko Frolov. In the scribe book of the Tula district of 1578, more than 18% of all landowners are recorded under non-church names.

Only at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, under Peter I, did the government manage to ban non-church names (later a few ones slipped through).

The fragmentation of Russian principalities into many small fiefs gave rise to the designation of princes by the names of the territories belonging to them (Shuisky, Kurbsky); these designations became generic names.

Russian anthroponymy of the 16th-17th centuries is sharply demarcated socially. The boyars were called in three terms: “ individual name(church or non-church) + full patronymic (s -vich) + family name"; each of the three components could be accompanied by a parallel one, for example, the branching of boyar clans was reflected in the family names: Velyaminov-Zernov, Velyaminov-Saburov; any of the three components could be supplemented by dedicacy. For the middle strata (landowners and rich merchants), the following naming formula prevailed: “individual name (church or non-church) + patronymic in the form of a short adjective in -ov(s), -it.

The creation of a large centralized state, the emergence of a large layer of servicemen with their land holdings determined the need for a surname-naming, designating all family members and passing on next generations. More often, the surname arose from a grandfather's name or from the father's second name, less often it had a different origin. TO end of XVII centuries, surnames covered almost all nobles. The rest of the population was called an individual name with the obligatory derogatory formant -ka (Vaska, Anka), often with the addition of a designation of some characteristic (occupation, place of birth, a short possessive adjective from the father’s name). The complication of naming in order to clarify the identity of the one being called increased the discrepancy in naming. In the census of Yaroslavl, 30 different combinations of naming men were used; The picture of naming women is even more varied.
The reforms of Peter I, streamlining the entire state apparatus, also clarified and consolidated class anthroponymic norms: universal official obligation church name, tripartite names for the privileged, including patronymic name in -vin only for the highest ranks (at the end of the 18th century, this type of patronymic name was extended to all nobility).

By the middle of the 19th century, the surnames completely covered the clergy, merchants, and commoners. Among state peasants (especially in the North and Siberia), surnames have been known since the 18th century (and some from the 17th century); the entire mass of serf peasants, who made up the majority of the country’s population, were not entitled to surnames; Although “street” surnames arose among serfs, they were not officially recognized or recorded, and for the most part they were not stable.

Only after the fall of serfdom were surnames given to almost everyone, but even later many documents did not recognize peasant surnames. There was no law establishing a mandatory surname for everyone in Tsarist Russia; Only administrative orders were in effect. Right up until the collapse of tsarism, it was never possible to achieve full coverage of the entire Russian population by surnames. The fugitives who were recorded in documents as “not remembering kinship” and numerous “illegitimate” were left without surnames.

Name as a sign of a social group

Isolated groups of the population had their own closed types of names, which served as a sign of belonging to a given group; they were completely different - thieves, monks, etc. Nicknames were especially widespread among young people - gymnasium, student. Writers, artists and other representatives of the creative intelligentsia often chose a pseudonym for themselves; he replaced the surname: A. M. Peshkov - the famous writer Maxim Gorky, K. S. Alekseev - the outstanding theater figure Stanislavsky.

The Soviet government abolished the obligation of church names. The population received the right to choose any names they wish. In the 20s, a stream of new names poured into Russian anthroponymy.

These were mainly:

1.names known among other nations (Eduard, Albert, Alla, Zhanna);

2.appellatives - foreign language borrowings (Avant-garde, Genius, Idea, Poem), even subject ones (Tractor);

3. abbreviations (Vladlen - Vladimir Lenin, Revmira - world revolution, even Pyatvchet - five-year plan in four years);

4. names taken for new, but in fact old, but almost forgotten (Oleg, Igor);

5. derivative names, close in form to common names (Oktyabrina, Svetlana);

6.diminutive names mistaken for full ones (Dima, Olya, Lena). At a huge number the frequency of new names remained insignificant even in cities, and in the countryside it did not exceed 1%. The search was blind and led to many failures. In the mid-30s, the number of new names decreased (although some names continue to appear now); Only a few were vaccinated - Vladlen, Oktyabrina, Svetlana, Snezhana and some others.

A very compact name list of 40-50 male and 50-55 female names was established. Most of the names in it are the same, but the name book is not at all similar to either the pre-revolutionary one or the name book of the 30s - the most common names of the past have either fallen out of use or have become rare. In the cities, few people associate them with “saints”; In the village, the connection between names and the church calendar is still noticeable. Their etymological meanings are known to the population only in very rare cases. The concentration of names is enormous: in almost every locality, the 10 most common names cover 80% of newborns, both boys and girls. In 1960-1961, the most common names for boys were: in cities - Andrei, Sergei, Yuri, Igor, Oleg, Vladimir, in rural areas- Alexander, Sergey, Vladimir, Nikolay. The most common names of girls: in cities - Elena, Irina, Marina, Svetlana, Natalya, Olga, in rural areas - Tatyana, Valentina, Galina, Olga.
The composition of the full official name, historically developed among Russians, was for the first time fixed by law: “Fundamentals of the USSR Legislation on Marriage and Family” established the mandatory requirement of a three-term naming:

1. individual name (in the narrow sense),

2. middle name,

3. last name.

The right to choose a personal (individual) name for a newborn child belongs to the parents. In case of disagreement between parents, the issue is resolved by the guardianship and trusteeship authorities. The patronymic is assigned according to the father's name, and when a child is born out of wedlock, the patronymic is given at the direction of the mother. The child receives the parents' surname; if with parents different surnames, the parents give him the surname of his father or mother; if there is disagreement between them, the issue is resolved by the guardianship and trusteeship authorities.

Those entering into marriage may choose the surname of the bride or groom as their common surname, or may retain their previous separate surnames; It is not allowed to double both surnames in Russia. The three opportunities provided by Russian law in everyday life are still used very unevenly; new things are making their way only in large centers

Changing first names, patronymics, and last names is allowed only upon reaching 18 years of age and in the presence of compelling, valid reasons.

The full three-member name is used only in the most important official acts, on special occasions, in voter lists, and in legal documents. In all current official documentation, only the surname with the initials of the first name and patronymic is common.
In friendly or family relationships, derivative diminutive forms of individual names predominate: Volodya instead of Vladimir, Lena instead of Elena, unacceptable in other, more official relations. These diminutive forms often have an emotional and affectionate connotation (Volodenka, Lenochka) or a dismissive connotation (Volodenka, Lenka); the set of suffixes of such forms in Russian anthroponymy is extremely diverse, for example, from the male name Ivan there are more than a hundred derivative forms: Vanya, Vanechka, Vanyusya, Vanka, Vanyatka, Vanyukha, Vanyuk, Vanek, Ivash, Ivashka, Ivantey, Ivanice, Ivanets. In addition, in families and other close groups, especially among students, all kinds of nicknames are not uncommon - intimate, friendly, ironic, contemptuous or completely neutral; they are formed in different ways: from common nouns, by “remaking” a first or last name, based on a random set of sounds. Some writers or artists have pseudonyms.

Russian language belongs to the group of Slavic languages. However, many Russian names are not originally Russian in origin. They are borrowed from the Greek language along with the Orthodox religion. Before this, Russians had names reflecting various characteristics and qualities of people, their physical disabilities, names reflecting the order of birth of children in the family. Such names as Wolf, Cat, Sparrow, Birch, Pervoy, Tretyak, Bolshoi, Menshoi, Zhdan were common. A reflection of these names is observed in modern Russian surnames Tretyakov, Nezhdanov, Menshov, etc.

With the introduction of Christianity in Rus', all the old names were gradually replaced by church names that came to Rus' from Byzantium. Among them, in addition to the Greek names themselves, there were ancient Roman, Hebrew, Syrian, Egyptian names, each of which in its own way native language reflected a certain meaning, but when borrowed it was used only as a proper name, and not as a word denoting something.

By the 18th-19th centuries, Old Russian names were already completely forgotten, and Christian names largely changed their appearance, adapting to the peculiarities of Russian pronunciation. Thus, the name Diomede was transformed into the name Demid, Jeremiah - Eremey, etc.

After the October Socialist Revolution, names associated with the new ideology became widespread: Revmira (peace revolution), Diamara (dialectical materialism); names reflecting the first stages of industrialization: Electrina, Elevator, Diesel, Ram (revolution, electrification, mechanization); names read in foreign novels: Alfred, Rudolf, Arnold; names based on the names of flowers: Lily, Rose, Aster.

Since the 1930s, such names as Masha, Vladimir, Seryozha have become widespread again, i.e. the names closest to the Russian people are used. But this return to the old names does not at all mean a return to all the names of the church calendar, most of which remained unaccepted by the Russian nation.

), as well as among Bulgarians, Greeks and Icelanders (the latter have practically no surnames). The adaptation by Russians of names of other peoples is usually accompanied by one or another phonetic changes, and often by the appearance of a patronymic.

First names, patronymics and nicknames have been known since ancient times. At the same time, ancient sources do not always help to clearly distinguish between pre-Christian names (given from birth) and nicknames (acquired at a later age). Surnames appeared in Rus' quite late and, as a rule, they were formed from the names and nicknames of their ancestors. The first in the XIV-XV centuries. Princes and boyars acquired surnames. However, even in the 16th century, the inheritance of non-princely boyar families was very unstable. Then merchants and clergy began to acquire surnames. In the middle of the 19th century, especially after the abolition of serfdom in the city, peasant surnames were formed. The process of acquiring surnames was basically completed by the 30s of the 20th century.

Nominal formula [ | ]

Compound [ | ]

There are the following traditionally used components of the Russian anthroponym, from which various models of naming a person can be formed:

• Name- a personal name given at birth, usually one, but in ancient times several names could be given. Diminutive (hypocoristic) name - an unofficial form of a name, formed from a personal name using certain suffixes or truncation (Maria - Masha - Masha - Manya - Musya, etc., Alexander - Sasha - Sashka - Shura - Sanya - Shurik - Sanyok; Nikolai - Kolya - Kolyusik - Kolyan, etc.). In modern times, similar formations, bordering on nicknames, are also derived from surnames (Kislov - Kisly, Panov - Pan), which is a process historically reverse to the formation of surnames.
• Surname- patronymic, an indication of the father's name. Has the ending -(v)ich, -(v)na; in ancient times also -ov, -in similarly modern surnames(this is preserved in the Bulgarian language).
• Surname- inherited from generation to generation male line(or according to women's). Usually, the original Russian surname ends in -ov/-ev/-ev (from the bases of the second declension: Petrov, Konev, Zhuravlev) or -in/-yn (from the bases of the first declension: Fomin, Sinitsyn); -sky/-tsky (Rozhdestvensky, Vysotsky); -oh (Tolstoy, Yarovoy, Lanovoy); less often - them/-s (Russians, Petrovs); less typical for Russians (unlike other Eastern Slavs) surnames with a zero ending (Beaver, Sparrow, etc.).
• Nickname - individual name, which is not given at birth and is associated with certain characteristic features or events. Ancient times are characterized by a very stable and almost official use of many nicknames (for example, Ivan Kalita, Vasily Esifovich Nos - Novgorod mayor), but even now nicknames are informally widely used, especially among youth social groups, where they can actually act as the main means of nominating a person.

Models [ | ]

In the most full form(FULL NAME) Russian name, as well as full names other peoples, is not used in oral speech, but is used in official documents. In Russia, for its citizens (not only ethnic Russians), these three elements of the anthroponym are required to be indicated in official documents. For residents, the patronymic name is not indicated (if there is none), but in the column Name both personal and middle names are indicated. In most cases, a two-component model is used. Different shapes show different degrees of respect when communicating:

The previous options refer to people you know (excluding pseudonyms, e.g. Dima Bilan, Natasha Koroleva). The following are more often used when talking about third parties:

• first name + nickname + last name- American version, popularized by the Comedy Club show and the way of writing the nickname on VKontakte ( Timur Kashtan Batrudinov, Dmitry Goblin Puchkov)
• first name + patronymic + last name- respectfully names a person who has not been mentioned before (for example, introduces him to the audience) ( Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn, Sergei Yurievich Belyakov)
• surname + first name + patronymic- similar to the previous version, but sounds more formal and is used mainly in official documents and alphabetical lists (for example, telephone directories or encyclopedias)

Personal name [ | ]

The name given to a person at birth and by which he is known in society. In ancient Rus', canonical and non-canonical names were distinguished.

In the pre-Christian era, that is, almost until the end of the 10th century, among the Eastern Slavs (the ancestors of modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians) only personal names were used, which were given to children at birth.

Correct naming was given great importance. Spelling "someone's name or nickname" incorrectly or in a derogatory manner could result in a charge of causing "dishonor." In 1675, a royal decree clarified that an error in the spelling of names due to ignorance of “the nature of those peoples in which one was born” is not a crime, and therefore “trials should not be given or sought for this,” but the offenders could not avoid punishment: for this they were subjected to “trade execution”.

Surname [ | ]

The patronymic as part of the nominal formula performed a triple function: it complemented the name, distinguishing its owner (in addition to the surname) from the namesake, clarified the relationship within the family (father - son) and expressed respect (a form of politeness).

The first name and patronymic arose as a sign of respect, veneration of the worthy; first in relation to princes (in chronicles from the 11th century), then to eminent boyars, nobles, and under Peter I - distinguished merchants. In the 19th century, representatives upper strata societies acquired a form on -vich. Middle names with “ev”, “ov”, “in” were given to merchants, and “ets” was given to the youngest in the family. Along with this, there are entries like: “gunner Timoshka Kuzmin son Strelkin”, “sidekick Ivashka Grigoriev”, “walking Timoshka Ivanov”; where are the forms Grigoriev And Ivanov- not yet surnames (so-called half-patronymic).

Patronymic names formed from both Russian and non-Russian names were found in the oldest Russian written monuments - cf. Burchevich." During numerous population censuses, it was necessary to record everyone “by name, father, and nickname.”

Historically, patronymics were divided into several categories. The slaves did not have it at all. Simply, noble people received a semi-patronymic name: “Peter Osipov Vasiliev.” As for the patronymic name in -ich, it became, as it were, a sign that the person wearing it belonged to the class, aristocratic elite. Thus, -ich stood out from the patronymic, ceased to be a suffix in full and began to be used independently, turning into a special term of privilege, birth of persons or classes. -ich began to be perceived as a title, as indicating the birth of the words “de” (in French), “von” (in German), “van” (in Dutch). In accordance with this situation, it was possible to award -vich, which is what the Russian tsars did.

Starting from the reign of Peter I - Count, "Patronymic" becomes mandatory in all documents.

However, patronymic forms in -ov/-ev in the 19th century were used only in clerical speech and in official documents. In unofficial situations, in everyday life, Russian people called each other by first names and patronymics in a form that is familiar to us now: dignification with -ovich, -evich, -ovna, -evna, -ych, -ich, -inichna not limited. Sometimes it was even used instead of a name (as sometimes now), when the speaker wanted to emphasize special respect for a person, to show a shade of affection, love.

An archaic feature that persists to this day is patronymics formed by directly adding the suffix -ych/-ich ( Silych, Titych etc.). The same form is present in the colloquial simplified version ( Nikolaich, Mikhalych). Similarly, in the colloquial version, female patronymics can be simplified: Nikolavna, And bath (Mary Ivanna).

Surname [ | ]

Russian surnames are inherited official names indicating a person’s belonging to a certain clan.

The surname, undoubtedly, was the main component of the nominal formula, since it served, in particular, for a clearer awareness of clan affiliation and its expression. As a rule, Russian surnames were single and passed down only through the male line (although there were exceptions).

Surnames were usually formed using suffixes from proper and common nouns, with the majority from possessive adjectives with the suffixes -ov (-ev, -ev), -in (Ivan - Ivanov, Sergey - Sergeev, Kuzma - Kuzmin and so on.).

In Rus', surnames were formed from the name of the ancestor and patronymic (Ivanov, Petrov); from a place or from an epithet at the place of residence of an ancestor ( Zadorozhny, Zarechny); from the name of the city or locality from which the person came ( Moskvitin, Tveritin, Permitin); from the occupation or position of the ancestor ( Sapozhnikov, Laptev, Clerks, Bondarev); from the birth order of the ancestor ( Druzhinin , Tretyakov, Shestakov); from the ethnic origin of the ancestor ( Khokhlov, Litvinov, Polyakov, Tatarinov, Moskalev). Most often, surnames were based on the nickname or patronymic of some member of the clan who distinguished himself in some way, moved to another area, became the owner of an estate or the head of a particularly large family.

In various social strata, surnames appeared in different time. Princes and boyars were the first to acquire surnames in the 14th and 15th centuries. They were usually given by the names of their patrimonial possessions: Tverskaya, Zvenigorodsky, Vyazemsky. Among them there are many surnames of foreign, especially eastern origin, since many nobles came to serve the king from foreign lands. Ways of education noble families(surnames of ancient noble families and families that served the nobility with ranks after the introduction of the Table of Ranks) were diverse. Small group were the names of the ancients princely families, derived from the names of their reigns. Before late XIX century, of the number of such clans that traced their origins to Rurik, five have survived: Mosalsky, Eletsky, Zvenigorod, Rostov (the latter usually had double surnames) and Vyazemsky. From the name of the estates came the surnames of Baryatinsky, Beloselsky, Volkonsky, Obolensky, Prozorovsky, Ukhtomsky and some others.

IN XVIII-XIX centuries surnames began to appear among servicemen and merchants. They often reflected geographical concepts based on the fact of birth. The clergy began to acquire surnames only with mid-18th century centuries, usually derived from the names of parishes ( Preobrazhensky, Nikolsky, Pokrovsky and so on.).

However, in currently people can receive a semi-official nickname, or come up with one for themselves.

Sometimes the nickname is still used officially today, becoming a surname (for example, Alexander Pankratov-Bely and Alexander Pankratov-Cherny).

see also [ | ]

Literature [ | ]

• Bondaletov V.D. Russian name book, its composition, statistical structure and features of change (male and female names) / V.D. Bondaletov // Onomastics and norm. - M.: Nauka, 1976. - P. 12-46.
• Yu. A. Rylov. Roman and Russian anthroponymy
• N. I. Sheiko. Russian names and surnames
• V. P. Berkov. 2005. Russian names, patronymics and surnames. Rules of use.
• N. I. Formanovskaya. Sociocultural space of the Russian personal name and modern means mass media.
• N. M. Tupikov.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• N. M. Tupikov. Dictionary of Old Russian proper names. - St. Petersburg, 1903.
• A. V. Superanskaya. Dictionary of Russian names.
• M. Moroshkin. Slavic name book or a collection of Slavic personal names in alphabetical order. - St. Petersburg, 1867.
• B. O. Unbegaun. Russian surnames / Transl. from English / General ed. B. A. Uspensky. - M., 1989; 2nd ed. 1995; the same: Unbegaun B. O. Russian surnames. Oxford, 1972.

In modern Slavic society, familiar and widespread names such as Alexander, Nikolai, Sergei, Natalya, Olga, Anna, etc. are considered Russian. Only a few know that the names of Russian origin are different, and those listed above are borrowed from other nations. The names of each nation reflect its culture and traditions of many generations. The loss of generic names and proper names results in the loss of independence of the ethnic group and national consciousness. A society that does not preserve its ethnic and nominal symbols has no roots.

Ancient Russian names

A person’s name is the key to the inner “I”; it influences a person’s destiny. In Rus', everyone had two names: the first was false for outsiders, and the second was secret, only for the person and his close circle. The names were household, communal, spiritual, secret, deceptive, amulets. The Slavs tried to protect themselves from the influence of evil spirits that took possession of embittered people, so they chose names that protected from “the gaze and nature, from things or parables.”

In order to scare away everything unclean, the original deceptive name-amulet could have an unattractive meaning, for example, Nekras, Nevzor, ​​Crooked, Scoundrel, Blockhead, Fool, Pockmarked, Oblique, Sloppy, Sold, Malice and other interpretations negative qualities or flaws in appearance. They changed with age; it was believed that a person “grew out” of them like short pants.

In adolescence, when the main personality traits were formed, re-naming was carried out. It fully corresponded to the character of the owner, so it was very easy, knowing the person’s name, to determine his essence and purpose in life. For this reason, it was customary not to talk about a secret name, so as not to reveal one’s individuality to strangers.

A person’s secret name not only served as protection for him, but his loving father and mother invested him with wishes for a prosperous future. It could reflect the parents’ dreams about who they want their child to be in life. The name is pronounced every day, which is why it has such a great influence on a person’s fate - it is a kind of program for life embedded in the image. The varied meaning of Russian names depends on their classification into groups:

• two-basic: male (Mirolyub, Bogolyub, Bozhidar, Velimudr, Wenceslav, Gremislav, Dragomir, Yaroslav, etc.); women's (Lyubomir, Zvenislav, Zlatotsvet, Iskren, Milana, Radimir, Radosvet, etc.);
• by birth order (Elder, Menshak, Pervusha, Second, Tretyak, Chetvertak, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Nine);
• by moral qualities (Stoyan, Brave, Daring, Kind, Proud, Gorazd, Shout, etc.);
• according to behavioral characteristics (Jumper, Joker, etc.);
• on external distinctive features(Svetlana, Chernava, Chernysh, Kudryash, Mal, Bel, Sukhoi, Verzila and all that kind of stuff);
• gods and goddesses (Yarilo, Lada);
• in relation to the birth of a child of parents and relatives (Khoten, Lyubim, Zhdan, Drugan, Nezhdannaya and others);
• by occupation (Blacksmith, Miller, Kozhemyaka, Villager, Mazai and other craft options);
• from the animal world (Pike, Ruff, Hare, Wolf, Eagle, Raven, Lark, Swan, Bull, etc.).

Children in Rus' could be named by month or season, and also depending on the weather at the time of birth. Hence, in ancient chronicles you can find such words as May or Veshnyak, Frost (cold-blooded), Winter (harsh, merciless), etc. There were "half names" of a diminutive derogatory form, formed by adding suffixes to personal names. Examples of such abbreviations are Svyatoslav (Svyatosha), Yaropolk (Yarilka), Dobromir (Dobrynya), Vadimir (Vadim), Miloslav (Miloneg), Ratibor (Ratisha) and others.

Names carry an important part of the culture, heritage and traditions of a people. With the advent of Christianity in Rus', Slavic names began to be replaced by Greek, Roman or Jewish ones. Servants of the Old Testament cult even had lists of prohibited Russian names. The intention of the priests was to erase their gods and glorious ancestors from the memory of the people. Slavic wise men and heroes did everything possible to preserve Russian culture and their efforts bore fruit. Modern parents, obeying the hidden call of their hearts, are increasingly calling their children by their native euphonious names.

Christian

When baptizing both children and adults, clergy give new names. They are selected at the request of the parents of the baptized baby or the person himself, if the ceremony occurs in adulthood. The priest may recommend choosing a name in accordance with the saint's day from the month book or converting the secular one into a church form. So, Angela can become Angelina, and Oksana can be renamed Ksenia, there are many options.

Greek origin

Many names that the Slavs are accustomed to consider Russian came simultaneously with Christianity. The vast majority of them Greek origin. Christianity originated in Palestine at the turn of the new era (1st century) during the prosperity of the Roman Empire. Functions official languages, due to geographical differentiation, they performed ancient Greek and Latin, which had an ancient written tradition. Hence some cult features, for example, the predominance of Greek names among the Russian Christianized population.

Roman origin

Since arriving at Kievan Rus In 988, the Mediterranean Old Testament cult became widespread among the people with Greek and Roman names. Trying to eradicate Slavic culture and to instill a new religious idea, the Old Testament priests, fully aware of the importance of original Russian names, began to rename the local population at baptism.

Today, one can observe the large-scale fruits of this activity - many people consider Greek, Roman or Jewish names truly our own.

Jewish origin

Modern Christianity is based on the Jewish religion, dedicated to their Lord Yahweh. Since the time of the Roman Empire, Jews have followed the cult described in the Old Testament, a book that is the Jewish Tanakh (including the Torah). Religion is closely intertwined with the way of life of the people, so the confusion of past events affected the worldview of the Russians. Today’s Slavs are accustomed to considering foreign names as Russian, they have begun to forget the teachings and beliefs of their ancestors, and it’s time to return to their native roots.

Each era leaves its mark on the worldview of the people, but there are such turbulent periods that they are called turning points in history. So it was with the arrival Soviet power after the October Revolution in 1917, the leader of which was V.I. Lenin. The symbols of the USSR were present in everything, even children were named after the main events and leaders of that time. Here is a short list of Russian names of Soviet origin:

• Aviation (revolutionary name);
• Vilen (short for V.I. Lenin);
• Vladlen (Vladimir Lenin);
• Kim (chief);
• Lenar (Leninist army);
• Oktyabrina (October revolution);
• Rem (world revolution);
• Stalin (Stalinist).

Modern Russian names with Slavic roots

There is a well-known expression: “Whatever you call a yacht, that’s how it will sail.” This statement is fully applicable to a person’s name. Names with Slavic roots carry deep meaning intuitive and close to every Russian. Distinguish Slavic name from a foreign language is possible if you find out whether there are parts of it in native words. Most truly Russian names have “slav” (glorifying), “lyubo” (loving), “mir” (peaceful) in one of the roots, which eloquently characterizes the high morality and peaceful spirit of the Slavic people.

Popular

The spirit of the Slavic people is powerful. Despite foreign influence, Russian culture is constantly being revived. No matter how much the attention of the younger generation is diverted to Western values, with age every Slav begins to increasingly seek a connection with his true roots. This explains the desire to call children by their native names, invented by our glorious ancestors. Although time must pass before the currently popular Russian names of foreign origin, such as Artem, Alisa, Alexandra, Varvara, Veronica, Ivan, Mark, Eva, Gleb and others, cease to be used among the Slavs.

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The patronymic is a characteristic feature that distinguishes the Russian system of anthroponymy from most modern European ones: in Europe it is represented only by other Eastern Slavs (Belarusians and Ukrainians), as well as by Bulgarians and Icelanders (the latter have practically no surnames). The adaptation by Russians of names of other peoples is usually accompanied by one or another phonetic changes, and often by the appearance of a patronymic.

First names, patronymics and nicknames have been known since ancient times. At the same time, ancient sources do not always help to clearly distinguish between pre-Christian names (given from birth) and nicknames (acquired at a later age). Surnames appeared in Rus' quite late and, as a rule, they were formed from the names and nicknames of their ancestors. The first in the XIV-XV centuries. Princes and boyars acquired surnames. However, even in the 16th century. the inheritance of non-princely boyar families was very unstable. Then merchants and clergy began to acquire surnames. In the middle of the 19th century. , especially after the abolition of serfdom in the city, the names of peasants were formed. The process of acquiring surnames was basically completed by the 30s of the 20th century.

Nominal formula

Compound

There are the following traditionally used components of the Russian anthroponym, from which various models of naming a person can be formed:

• Name- a personal name given at birth, usually one, but in ancient times several names could be given. Diminutive (hypocoristic) name - an unofficial form of a name, formed from a personal name using certain suffixes or truncation (Maria - Masha - Masha - Manya - Musya, etc., Alexander - Sasha - Sashura - Shura - Sanya - Shurik - Iskander; Nikolai - Kolya - Kolyusik - Nika, etc.). In modern times, similar formations, bordering on nicknames, are also derived from surnames (Kislov - Kisly, Panov - Pan), which is a process historically reverse to the formation of surnames.
• Surname- patronymic, an indication of the father's name. Has the ending -(v)ich, -(v)na; in ancient times, also -ov, -in, similar to modern surnames (this has been preserved in the Bulgarian language).
• Surname- inherited from generation to generation through the male line. Usually the original Russian surname ends in -ov/-ev (from the bases of the second declension: Petrov, Konev) or -in (from the bases of the first declension: Fomin, Koshkin); less often -y/-oh (Rozhdestvensky, Sadovskoy); -s (Petrovs); less typical for Russians (unlike other Eastern Slavs) are surnames with a zero ending (Beaver, Sparrow, etc.).
• Nickname- an individual name that is not given at birth and is associated with certain characteristic features or events. Ancient times are characterized by a very stable and almost official use of many nicknames (for example, Ivan Kalita, Vasily Esifovich Nos - Novgorod mayor), but even now nicknames are informally widely used, especially in youth social groups, where they can actually act as the main means of nominating a person.

Models

In its most complete form, the Russian name, like the full names of other peoples, is more often used in official documents and much less often in other situations. In Russia, for its citizens (not only ethnic Russians), these three elements of the anthroponym are required to be indicated in official documents.

The most widespread is the two-component naming model. It could be:

• first name + patronymic- is more often used in relation to adults and older people or when addressing a person with emphatic respect ( Vladimir Vladimirovich, Alla Borisovna).
• first name + last name- stereotypical form when referring to a person in the third person ( Vasily Kudryavtsev or Vasya Kudryavtsev, Tatyana Smirnova or Tanya Smirnova).
• name + nickname- often informal naming of a person ( Olga Ryzhaya, Zhora Khomyak).

In informal communication and in the family, a simple personal name is also often used, without any additions, or a diminutive name (hypokoristics). Addressing only by patronymic is colloquial (in this case, the patronymic is usually pronounced in a deliberately simplified form: Mikhalych, Sanych and so on.). Calling by last name only is common in schools, educational institutions(appeal from teachers to students) and paramilitary organizations and is often not pleasant for the owner of the surname. Also used as a method of roll call.

Personal name

The name given to a person at birth and by which he is known in society. In ancient Rus', canonical and non-canonical names were distinguished.

In the pre-Christian era, that is, almost until the end of the 10th century. , among the Eastern Slavs (the ancestors of modern Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians) only personal names were used, which were given to children at birth.

Surname

The patronymic as part of the nominal formula performed a triple function: it complemented the name, distinguishing its owner (in addition to the surname) from the namesake, clarified the relationship within the family (father - son) and expressed respect (a form of politeness).

The first name and patronymic arose as a sign of respect, veneration of the worthy, first in relation to the princes (chronicles of the 11th century) - boyar Prince Yuri Alekseevich Dolgorukov, then to eminent boyars, nobles, and under Peter I, distinguished merchants; in the 19th century representatives of the upper strata of society acquired uniforms -vich. Middle names with “ev”, “ov”, “in” were given to merchants, and with “ets” - the youngest in the family. Along with this, there are entries: gunner Timoshka Kuzmin, son Strelkin, stayer Ivashka Grigoriev, walker Timoshka Ivanov. Forms like Grigoriev, Ivanov are not yet surnames. They are sometimes called "semi-patronymics" because they are neither Grigorievich nor Ivanovich. The poor, as a rule, did not have patronymics.

Patronymic names formed from both Russian and non-Russian names were found in the oldest Russian written monuments - cf. Burchevich, Berendeich (from Turkic family name Burchi and from the tribal name Berendey). During numerous censuses, it was necessary to record everyone “by name, fathers and nicknames.”

Historically, patronymics were divided into several categories. The slaves did not have it at all. Just noble people received a semi-patronymic name: Pyotr Osipov Vasiliev. As for the patronymic name in -ich, it became, as it were, a sign that the person wearing it belongs to the class, aristocratic elite. Thus, -ich stood out from the patronymic, ceased to be a suffix in full and began to be used independently, turning into a special term of privilege, birth of persons or classes. -ich began to be perceived as a title, as indicating the birth of the words “de” (in French), “von” (in German), “Van” (in Dutch). In accordance with this situation, it was possible to award -vich, which is what the Russian tsars did.

However, patronymic forms in -ov/-ev in the 19th century. were used only in clerical speech and in official documents. In unofficial situations, in everyday life, Russian people called each other by first names and patronymics in a form that is familiar to us now: the dignification with -ovich, -evich, -ovna, -evna, -ich, -inichna was not limited. Sometimes it was even used instead of a name (as sometimes now), when the speaker wanted to emphasize special respect for a person, to show a shade of affection, love.

Surname

Russian surnames are inherited official names that indicate a person’s belonging to a certain clan.

The surname, undoubtedly, was the main component of the nominal formula, since it served, in particular, for a clearer awareness of clan affiliation and its expression. As a rule, Russian surnames were single and passed down only through the male line (although there were exceptions).

Surnames were usually formed using suffixes from proper and common names, with the majority from possessive adjectives with the suffixes -ov (-ev), -in (Ivan - Ivanov, Sergei - Sergeev, Kuzma - Kuzmin, etc.).

In Rus', surnames were formed from the name of the ancestor and patronymic (Ivanov, Petrov); from a place or from an epithet at the place of residence of an ancestor (Zadorozhny, Zarechny); from the name of the city or locality from which the person came (Moskvitin, Tveritin, Permitin); from the profession, position of an ancestor (Sapozhnikov, Laptev, Prikazchikov, Bondar); from the order of birth of the ancestor (Tretyak, Shestak); from the ethnic origin of the ancestor (Khokhlov, Litvinov, Polyakov, Tatarinov, Moskalev). More often, surnames were based on the nickname or patronymic of some member of the family who distinguished himself in some way, moved to another area, became the owner of an estate or the head of a particularly large family.

In different social strata, surnames appeared at different times. The first in the XIV-XV centuries. Princes and boyars acquired surnames. Usually they were given by the names of their patrimonial possessions: Tverskoy, Zvenigorodsky, Vyazemsky. Among them there are many surnames of foreign, especially eastern origin, since many nobles came to serve the king from foreign lands. The methods of forming noble families (surnames of ancient noble families and families that served the nobility with ranks after the introduction of the Table of Ranks) were diverse. A small group consisted of the names of ancient princely families, derived from the names of their reigns. Until the end of the 19th century. Of these families, which traced their origins to Rurik, five have survived: Mosalsky, Eletsky, Zvenigorod, Rostov (the latter usually had double surnames) and Vyazemsky. From the name of the estates came the surnames of Baryatinsky, Beloselsky, Volkonsky, Obolensky, Prozorovsky, Ukhtomsky and some others.

In the XVIII-XIX centuries. surnames began to appear among servicemen and merchants. They often reflected geographical concepts based on the fact of birth. The clergy began to acquire surnames only from the middle of the 18th century, usually derived from the names of parishes (Preobrazhensky, Nikolsky, Pokrovsky, etc.).

In the middle of the 19th century, especially after the abolition of serfdom in 1861, the surnames of peasants were formed (from the surnames of landowners, names settlements, nicknames, patronymics), and for some they appeared only in the 30s of the 20th century.

Nickname

Nicknames, unlike names, always reflect not desirable, but real properties and qualities, territorial or ethnic origin, the place of residence of their bearers and thus designate the special meaning that these properties and qualities had for others. Nicknames were given to people different periods their lives and were usually known to a fairly limited circle of people.

Nicknames and pagan Old Russian names should not be confused. But there is not always a clear distinction between them. This is due, in particular, to the custom of giving children names derived from ethnonyms, names of animals, plants, fabrics and other objects, “protective” names. Apparently, it was precisely these nicknames that he wrote about at the beginning of the 17th century. English traveler Richard James in his dictionary-diary:

However, even now people can get a semi-official nickname, or come up with one for themselves.

Sometimes the nickname is still used officially today, for example Alexander Pankratov-Bely and Alexander Pankratov-Cherny.

Literature

• Yu. A. Rylov Roman and Russian anthroponymy
• N. I. Sheiko Russian names and surnames
• V. P. Berkov 2005. Russian names, patronymics and surnames. Rules of use.
• N. I. Formanovskaya Sociocultural space of the Russian personal name and modern media
• N. M. Tupikov Dictionary of Old Russian proper names. St. Petersburg, 1903.
• A. V. Superanskaya Dictionary of Russian names
• M. Moroshkin Slavic name book or collection of Slavic personal names in alphabetical order. St. Petersburg, 1867.
• B. O. Unbegaun Russian surnames / Trans. from English / General ed. B. A. Uspensky. M., 1989; 2nd ed. 1995; same: Unbegaun B.O. Russian surnames. Oxford, 1972.

Footnotes

Links

• Tupikov N.M. Dictionary of Old Russian personal proper names. - M.: Russian way, 2004.
• Women's names, men's names. Complete Orthodox calendar.

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