Ancient and modern male and female Armenian names and their meaning. How are Armenian female names formed and how to choose the right one? Alphabetical list and meanings Armenian names for girls are rare and beautiful

One Armenian linguist named Rachia Acharyan created a list of Armenian names in his time. The volume turned out to be huge - four volumes. This is not surprising: the Armenian people are over two thousand years old. Since the word "Armenia" (more precisely, "Armina") appeared in the inscription of King Darius on the Behistun rock, much time has passed, and the number of names has only increased. In fact, the entire history of the Armenian people is reflected in national names.

We cannot reliably find out what children were called in ancient times. The writing of the Armenian people appeared in 406 thanks to the many years of efforts of Mesrop Mashtots. Prior to this, literate Armenians used the Persian and Greek alphabets. From legends and written sources in other languages, we know people who left their mark on history, whose names continue to be used in modern everyday life.

Several layers can be distinguished in the list of Armenian names:

All names taken from other languages ​​are so heavily adapted by Armenians that it is often difficult for a foreigner to distinguish original name from borrowing. Only last category name still retains traces of its origin. Interestingly, Turkish and Arabic names are very rare among Armenian names, although Armenians often had to communicate with these peoples, but sometimes not of their own free will.

National names

They began to take shape in those days when the Armenians did not yet exist as a separate people with their own self-consciousness. The society of the 1st millennium BC, which lived in the Armenian Highlands, was multi-ethnic. It was at this time, when the state of Urartu fell, and one conqueror, then another, walked around the country, that the Armenian community and language were consolidated.

This category is the names of gods and heroes, as well as those with which parents wanted to make their child happy. Armenian names of men often have solar symbolism, strength and nobility are often mentioned in them. Chosen differently Armenian names for girls: rare and beautiful for a foreigner, they were designed to evoke positive emotions in those who know Armenian. The themes of female names are beauty, preciousness, purity, among them there are many "flower" names.

Period of Iranian rule

Iranian names began to penetrate into Armenia during the Achaemenid era. Later, the influence was due to the hegemony of Parthia in the region, then - Sasanian Iran. In the Middle Ages, Armenia was divided between Byzantium and Iran.

There are many royal names among Iranian names: almost the entire first legendary dynasty - the Yervandids - wore just such. According to Persian and Greek sources, these people were known as satraps - representatives of the regional authorities in the Achaemenid Empire.

The specificity of these names is that some of them were included in the number of Armenians many centuries before the adoption of Christianity, and are now recognized as primordially national.

From that era, legendary names have come down to the present, known from the time when Armenia did not yet exist. These include the female name Shamiram - the Armenian version of the Assyrian Shammuramat (that was the name of Queen Semiramis).

Influence of Christianity

Along with Christianity, a stream poured into Armenia Greek, Latin and Hebrew names. It cannot be said that they did not exist before: there was a fashion for names in this region, and such a phenomenon as Hellenism also affected the Armenians. But with the arrival new faith, which united the people, Christian names became one of the most common. Often, in this capacity, calques of religious concepts were used, that is, a literal translation of complex words. Christian names have always been around, and here are some of them:

Trends of the XX century

Only a third of Armenians live in Armenia. The remaining two-thirds are in diasporas. Thanks to this, foreign ones also got into the number of Armenian names. This process was especially pronounced in the last century, when many Armenians became significant figures in politics, culture and business in different countries. Often they wore quite traditional names, but in order to facilitate communication with people of other nationalities, they took local ones in the appendage, and thereby contributed to their spread among their people.

Sometimes the name became the surname of some important figure, and not an Armenian at all. Thus, the Telmans, Engels, Frunze and Kamo appeared among the Armenians. Sometimes foreign names adapted to the Armenian pronunciation. So, Isabella became Zabel, Sergey - Serzhik (although there is a name Sarkis of a similar origin).

From Western European Eduard, Robert, Arman, Eric, and women - Ophelia, Ermina, Susanna took root (although there is also a national analogue - Shushan).

There has been a trend towards universal names. In order to from male name to make it feminine, the feminine ending -ui is added to it, for example, Varduhi. There are names that people of both sexes can carry, but there are few of them. These include the name Hayastan - "Armenia". But the name that came from the exoethnonym - Armen - is male. Women's version will sound like "Armenuy".

Most often, Armenians have a surname ending in -yan.. This suffix is ​​similar to the Russian -in, which forms possessive adjective. Simply put, the surname answers the question "whose?". The suffix -yants puts the surname in the genitive case, and it will answer the question "whose will you be?".

The most ancient surnames are those that end in the suffixes -unts and -uni. They date back to the times of the first dynasties of pre-Christian Armenia.

By origin, Armenian surnames can be divided into five categories:

Sometimes, by the name of the ancestor, which remained at the root of the surname, you can find out his nationality. So, the surnames Artashesyan, Bagramyan, Pahlavuni, Shakhnazarov speak of the Persian origin of the ancestor; surnames Kardashian, Kocharian, Shaginian - about Turkic.

The connection with the spiritual field is also indicated by the prefix Ter- before any surname. So, the ancestors of a person with the surname Terteryants, most likely, were priests, and Khatstukhyan were bakers.

Now Armenian surnames transmitted by transcription, that is, their ending remains Armenian. But it was not always so. In Russia for a long time there was a tendency to Russify a surname or nickname, even if the carrier did not ask for it, and sometimes did not know at all. So, Khachikyan could become Khachinsky, and Ayvazyan really became Aivazovsky. Movses Khorenatsi, the first Armenian chronicler, also got it. In Russian historiography, he appeared as Moses Khorensky, although this was not his last name: the village where he was born was called Khoren.

Most Popular Names

Fashion for names exists everywhere, and Armenia is no exception. Behind last years the ten most common names look like this:

Male names:

Women's names:

It can be seen from the list that various options the names Maria are well-spread among the Armenian female names. Beautiful modern Mari, Maria (and Mary is also included in the top twenty) quite well coexist with traditional Mariam. Of the twenty most common female names in Armenia, seven are modern.

Armenian male names and their meanings are more traditional: boys prefer to give Christian or national names.

Attention, only TODAY!

Every nation has cultural and spiritual heritage that it has been proud of for centuries and passes on from generation to generation. original and ancient culture of the Armenian people keeps a unique particle of national existence - Armenian female names. Their sonority and tenderness, restraint and warmth, melodiousness and severity carry the pain and suffering of the people, their courage and the greatness of the culture they created.

The Armenians managed to carry through the centuries the charm of their national traditions, to preserve their purity and spirituality and remain alive and young people, striving forward.

Armenian female names are a bridge between the past and the future; After all, for Armenians, a woman is, first of all, a mother, a stronghold of morality and duty, and her name is a symbol of strength, purity, care and warmth.

Naming traditions of the Armenian people

The representatives of the Armenian people were lucky - their personal names were collected and classified by the famous Armenian linguist Rachia Acharyan. This outstanding scholar, who was educated at the Paris Sorbonne, compiled a four-volume Dictionary of Armenian Personal Names in the middle of the 20th century, which made it possible to get acquainted with huge amount male and female names that have arisen throughout the centuries-old history of Armenia. No other nation has such a complete dictionary of personal names.

The origin of Armenian names is very diverse - their history is connected with paganism and Christianity (Armenia is the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion), and with the cultures of other peoples, and with local naming traditions.

The principles of the formation of Armenian names are similar to the processes of naming many ancient peoples: from the original nickname, emphasizing the ancestral origin or characteristics of personal qualities, to religious and cultural values. But Armenian names have their own specifics: for example, names derived from the names of animals, plants, birds, are not associated with their deification, as was customary among most primitive peoples. Among Armenians, similar names mean strength, beauty, tenderness, nobility, etc.

With the adoption of Christianity, new names did not supplant the older ones, but acquired their own sound, preserving Christian meanings. For example, Ambartsum is the ascension, Avetis is the blessing, Srbui is the saint. Many of them are translations from ancient Greek names: Harutyun - resurrection; Arakel - apostle; Astvatsatur - sent down by God, etc.

There are Armenian names derived from the names of geographical objects: Ararat, Vanik, Nairi, Araksi and others.

Often the name was based on personal characteristics person: Amest - modest, Patkavan - venerable, Sirun - beautiful.

So, we can distinguish 5 categories of historically formed Armenian names:

• by title;
• by gender;
• by field of activity;
• By distinctive features person;
• by geographic location.

The list of modern Armenian names includes:

• national names, including the names of ancient Armenian deities, kings and generals;
• national names formed from common nouns;
• names borrowed from other languages: Persian, European languages.

Features of the formation of Armenian female names

Many Armenian female names originate from the names of pagan goddesses: Nane (goddess of war and motherhood), Anahit (mother goddess), Astghik (patron of love and beauty) and others. The most common Christian name is Mariam ().

A separate category is made up of names formed from the names of plants, natural phenomena, celestial bodies: Lusine (moon), Suzanne (lily), Aghavni (dove), Leila (night), Arpi (sun), Garunik (spring), Manushak (violet), etc.

Some names are both male and female: Hayastan (Armenia), Erjanik (happy, happy), Nubar (first-born).

But the most interesting feature formation of many Armenian female names - they are based on male names with the addition of the endings "uht" (daughter, holy oath) and "ui" (personification feminine). For example, Vormizdukht is the daughter of Wormizd, Tigranui is the female form named after Tigran.

List of beautiful Armenian female names

The list includes the most beautiful and harmonious Armenian female names and their meanings:

• Anush - sweet;
• Anahit - mother goddess;
• Alvan - scarlet;
• Amest - modest;
• Almast - diamond;
• Azatui - free;
• Ani - from the name of the medieval capital of Armenia;
• Armine - fate;
• Astrik - an asterisk;
• Asmik - jasmine;
• Arayika - bestowed by the supreme god Arai;
• Araksi - along the Araks River;
• Arevik - the sun;
• Arus - sunny;
• Ashkhen - heavenly;
• Batil - snowflake;
• Vargine - chaste;
• Varsenik - long-haired;
• Vartiter - pink rose;
• Voskinar - golden;
• Garunik - spring;
• Gayane - earthly;
• Heghine - aspiring to the sun;
• Eranui - blessed;
• Zara - gold;
• Zarui - priestess of the temple of fire;
• Karine - generous;
• Leila - dark-haired, night;
• Liana - thin;
• Lilith - night;
• Mane - the goddess of the morning;
• Marina - Marina, sea;
• Margaret is a pearl;
• Mariam - Mary;
• Metaxia - silk;
• Milena - dear;
• Naira - free;
• Nazan - graceful;
• Nana - mother;
• Narine - woman, wife;
• Nune - the keeper of the hearth;
• Ruzanna - Rose;
• Sate - divine;
• Siranush - love;
• Sirun - beautiful;
• Sophie - Sophia, wise;
• Tsiatsana - rainbow;
• Shagane - kind, pious;
• Shushan - lily;
• Helen - light;
• Ermina - native, courageous;
• Eteri - ether.

The most popular female names in modern Armenia are Milena, Ani, Mariam, Anahit, Lilith, Mane, Gayane.

It is impossible to limit the story about Armenian female names to one list, because the history of a beautiful and hardworking people continues, and, therefore, new beautiful and sonorous names will appear.

A correctly chosen name has a strong positive impact on the character and fate of a person. Actively helps to develop, forms positive qualities of character and state, strengthens health, removes various negative programs unconscious. But how do you pick the perfect name?

Despite the fact that there are interpretations in culture of what different Armenian male names mean, in reality, the influence of the name on each boy is individual.

Sometimes parents try to choose a name before birth, making it difficult for the baby to form. Astrology and numerology of choosing a name have squandered all serious knowledge about the influence of a name on fate through the ages.

Calendars of Christmas time, holy people, without consulting a seeing, perspicacious specialist, do not provide any real help in assessing the influence of names on the fate of the child.

And the lists of ... popular, happy, beautiful, melodious male names completely turn a blind eye to the individuality, energy, soul of the child and turn the selection procedure into an irresponsible game of parents in fashion, selfishness and ignorance.

Various characteristics according to statistics - positive features name, negative traits name, choosing a profession by name, the impact of a name on business, the impact of a name on health, the psychology of a name can only be considered in the context of a deep analysis of subtle plans (karma), energy structure, life tasks and the kind of a particular child.

The topic of compatibility of names (and not the characters of people) is an absurdity that turns inside out on interactions different people internal mechanisms of influence of the name on the state of its bearer. And it cancels the entire psyche, the unconscious, energy and behavior of people. It reduces the entire multidimensionality of human interaction to one false characteristic.

The meaning of the name has no literal effect. For example, Vigen (strong), this does not mean that the young man will be strong, and the bearers of other names will be weak. The name can block his heart center and he will not be able to give and receive love. On the contrary, it will help another boy to solve problems for love or power, it will greatly facilitate life and achieve goals. The third boy may not bring any effect at all, whether there is a name or not. Etc. Moreover, all these children can be born on the same day. And have the same astrological, numerological and other characteristics.

The most popular Armenian names for boys in 2015 are also a delusion. Despite the fact that 95% of boys are called names that do not make life easier. You can focus only on a specific child, deep vision and wisdom of a specialist.

The secret of a male name, as a program of the unconscious, a sound wave, vibration, is revealed by a special bouquet, primarily in a person, and not in the semantic meaning and characteristics of the name. And if this name destroys the child, then there would be no beautiful, melodious with a patronymic, astrological, blissful, it would still be harm, destruction of character, complication of life and aggravation of fate.

Below are several hundred male Armenian names. Try to choose a few, the most suitable in your opinion for the child. Then, if you are interested in the effectiveness of the impact of the name on fate, .

List of male Armenian names in alphabetical order:

A:

Abig - chanter
Avet, Avetik, Avetis - blessing, sacred knowledge
Agashi - unshakable
Azat - free
Hayk, Haykaz - unity
Akop - may God help and protect
Amazasp - victorious defender
Amayak - sincere, higher spirit
Ambartsum - ascension, luminous, sparkling in the sky
Amo - walking
Ananias is one of a kind
Ara - noble
Arakel - apostle, divine protector
Aram - noble
Argam - worthy
Argishti - worthy of love
Areg - sun, sacred movement (sign)
Aristakes - holy protector
Armen, Armenak - the spirit of the Aryans
Arsen - noble warrior
Artavazd - the abode of truth
Artak - striving for the sun
Artash, Artashes - striving for the truth
Artem - the path to truth
Arthur is the light of truth
Artush - striving for the light
Harutyun - resurrection
Arushan - sunny face
Arshavir - solar hero
Arshak - the life-giving sun
Atom - divine spirit
Ashot is the hope of this world

B:

Babken - wise father
Baghdasar - grace-filled power
Bagish - intoxication with happiness
Bagram - happiness of love
Bagrat - the joy of love
Barseg - very influential
Barkhudar - worshiping strength

IN:

Vahagn - omnipresent fire
Vaan - shield, omnipresent
Vagharsh, Vagharshak - the omnipresent sun
Wagram - swiftness of the tiger
Vazgen - the light of sacred knowledge
Vanik - merchant
Varazdat - the gift of space
Vardan - reward
Vardwan is a patriot who loves the country
Vardges - king (lion) of the country
Varuzhan - born to be a protector
Vasak - light of the eyes
Wahak - the omnipresent sun
Vahinak - solar warrior
Vachagan - fiery speech
Vache - speech, word
Vigen - strong, powerful
Virab - Protector Hero
Vramshapuh - good oath

G:

Gagik - heavenly
Galust - coming, coming to the house
Heregin - the fire of sacred knowledge
Garnik - lamb, sacrificial lamb, led to the fire
Garsevan - fire worshiper
Gaspar - going to liberate
Gegham - home
Grant - holy book
Gurgen - sacred knowledge from a spiritual teacher

D:

David is beloved
Derenik - humbly worshiping God
Jivan is a living embodied soul

E:

Egish - thirsty for power
Yervand - holy faith, holy veneration

AND:

Zhirayr - lively, lively Aryan (male)

Z:

Zaven - well-mannered, humble
Zoriy - priest of the cult of the sun and fire
Zurab - divine, fragrant

TO:

Kamari - holy love
Karapet - the lord of the rays of the sun, the sun
Karen the elephant
Kerop - solar arrow
Kikos - hard, persistent
Kirakos - Chronicler
Koryun - chanting, praising God, the sun

M:

Mamikon is mine
Markar - the path of the Aryans, the noble path
Mher - sunny
Melkon - meeting the sun
Melkum - who greets the dawn
Mesrop - moon arrow
Mechak - carnation, sun eye
Mihran - sunny face
Minas - fish
Mushegh - excellent

H:

Nerses - the birth of a hero
Nubar - Praise

ABOUT:

Ogan, Hovhannes, Hovhannes - fiery

P:

Panos - amazing, wonderful
Parkev - reward, custom of libations (associated with sacrifice)
Partev - ruler, king, warrior
Paruyr - a spiral filled with light
Parunak - a particle of God
Patwakan - dignity, honor from youth
Petros - stone, paternal, paternal
Pogos is a boy

R:

Rachia - creation, creation

WITH:

Sahak - the power of the sun
Sagatel - a sign of power
Sako - divine
Sanasar - the power of eternity
Santur - sacred light
Sapah - worshiping God
Sargis - the power of nature
Saro - strong

During its history, Armenian culture has been influenced by various peoples and their traditions. Therefore, many names are by no means of Armenian origin. There are Slavic, Persian, Greek, Turkic and others. The most ancient national names were formed from the names of Armenian gods:

• Anahit, which means "mother woman";
• Astghik is the patroness of beauty and love;
• Nane is the goddess of war and motherhood.

And the borrowings in the naming of girls stemmed from Hebrew, Persian, and after the establishment in Armenia Soviet power and Russian languages. Around the same time, Western European names also became widespread in Armenia.

The names themselves are often based on common nouns. For example, in Armenian tradition there was a custom to call not by name, but by the following signs:

The nouns formed on the basis of the words of the national language have also become widespread.. Among them are the names:

• stars and planets, for example, Lusine - "moon";
• precious stones: Zara - "gold";
• flowers: Varduhi - "rose", Manushak - "violet";
• fabrics, such as Metaxia - “silk”.

The adoption of Christianity by the Armenian people led to the fact that girls were often called biblical church names. Christian names have become widespread among most European peoples, but each of these peoples transformed them in their own way. For example, “Johannes” became Giovanni for the Italians, Jean for the French, Jan for the Poles, and Hovhannes for the Armenians.

Also, having undergone modifications, other names came into use, for example, Heghine (aspiring to the sun), Seda (silk), Ovsana (a form of the name Oksana).

Women's names were formed in the Armenian language on the basis of men's names. with the addition of a feminine suffix. The suffixes varied depending on the marital status of the owner:

• suffixes -ui, -dukht, -anush for daughter: Armenui, i.e. daughter of Armen, Zaruhi, Varduhi, Sandukht, Aikandukht; Siranush;
• for the wife - tikin, - bika, - khatun: Siratikin, Luystikin, Uysbika, Melikhatun.

In the formation of names, such feminine suffixes were also used:

• suffix -not: Nune, Mane;
• -ani: Nazani, Gegani;
• -enei: Vardeni, Nazeni.

In names borrowed from other languages, there were also suffixes:

• -ia: Sofia, Mania;
• -ita-eta: Juliet, Mareta, Margarita;
• -i: Susie, Agapi, Lily, etc.

Women's names with the indicated suffixes were inclined according to the feminine principle; however, the category of gender no longer exists in modern Armenian. Some names suited both a boy and a girl, for example:

• Arshaluys, which means "dawn";
• Yerdzhanik - "happy", "happy".

How are they chosen?

Choosing a beautiful Armenian name for a girl is not difficult. Most of them are euphonious and personify in their meaning the tender female nature:

• Gekhetsik - beautiful;
• Chnashkharik - marvelous;
• Annman - incomparable;
• Knkush - affectionate;
• Nazeli - tender;
• Amest - modest;
• Nazand - submissive, obedient;
• Honar is humble.

Such names were always given with intent: in the hope that the girl would have such inner qualities that are in her name. Among Armenian names, in general, you can often find those that determine the character:

• Gayane - "earthly";
• Karine - "generous";
• Liana - "brilliant";
• Helen - "light".

The most popular Armenian names in recent years are considered:

Next most popular:

• Miriam - "beloved";
• Helen - "clear";
• Anahit - "mother".

You can also suggest to take into account beautiful and not too common names for girls:

• Anush - "immortal";
• Liana - "thin";
• Armine - "fate".

List of the most beautiful alphabetically from A to Z: meaning and origin

In Armenia, women have been the basis of the family since ancient times, they are mothers and keepers of the hearth, so the name for the girl had to embody the image of humility and chastity. And today, for many indigenous people of Armenia, the naming is considered a sacrament that determines fate.

Girls names beginning with A:

• Amest– “modest”, this is a revered quality for Armenian girls.
• Anahit- the name of the goddess of motherhood, will bring life to its owner, full of goodness, happiness, good.
• Aram- in Armenian it means “noble, merciful”, the name of Assyrian origin is translated “highness”, Persian as “peace, consolation”.
• Arevik/Arevig- means “similar to the sun” or simply “sun”, this name will give its owner a sunny nature.
• Armine- the ancient Persian name of Armenia, translated as "fate".
• Arfenia- Another beautiful name with the meaning "solar".
• Astghik- a name meaning "asterisk, rising star."

For the letter G:

• Gayane- a name that is often found in Armenia, because its meaning is “beauty”.
• Geghetskui – unusual name with the same meaning - "beautiful, beautiful."
• Goar- female name Armenian origin, translates as “diamond, jewel, pearl”, as well as “sparkling, brilliant, sparkling”.

Dalita- a name of Armenian origin with the meaning "virgin".

Yeghine / Yeghine- a female name with the meaning "aspiring to the Sun."

• Zarui- translated from Iranian as “priestess of the temple of fire”.
• Zepur/Zepyur – interesting name"breeze, gentle breeze"

Imastui – rare name, but it is able to endow the girl with wisdom, tk. translates as "wise".

TO:
Karine- “glorifying, rejoicing”, the owner of such a name will spend her days in joy.

Lucin- translated from Armenian “moon”, the owner of such a name will become like this luminary.

For the letter M:

• Margarid is the Armenian form of the name Margarita.
• Meganoush means "sweet as honey".
• Melania- name of Greek or Armenian origin, meanings: “meeting”, “dark-haired”. A girl with this name is considered a reliable person.

For the letter N:

• Nazan- has Persian roots, means "gentle, graceful."
• Narine- “wife, woman”, the name has no European analogues and is used mostly within the Armenian diaspora.

Ovsana- the Armenian form of the name Oksana. Ovsana stands out for her courage and independence.

Parandzem- "glorious, similar to the dazzling Supreme Deity." The name Parandzem symbolizes a person's tendency to continuous movement.

Hripsime- a girl with that name will have good character, its meaning is “above all praise”, “decent”.

• Siran- “beloved”, such a girl tends to idealize others, and therefore she is often unnecessarily demanding of people.
• Siranush- “sweet beauty”, children with this name are sociable and cheerful.
• Sirvart- “beloved rose”, Sirvart will be characterized by the desire to lead in everything and achieve goals at any cost.

Takuhi- an interesting-sounding name translates as “queen” and portends a royal life to the girl.

Khurig- “little fire” bestows “fiery” qualities on its owner.

Tsovik – “small lake, the sea goddess.

• Shagane- a name of Iranian origin, pleasant in sound and very positive in meaning: "kind, pious, meek, pious." Shagane means “blooming”, or “princess”, every girl will like this name.
• Shoger– translated from Armenian “beauty, splendor, brilliance”.
• Shushan- flower name, means "lily".

Eteri- translated from Greek "ether".

If you call your daughter this name of Armenian-Georgian origin, then she will stand out for her beauty, charm and kindness. Whatever the chosen name for the girl, let it be convenient in pronunciation and bring a happy life to its owner.