When i am studying how Serbian names are constructed, i wonder how are the first names and their sources. I know only the last names, especially those with the suffix -ić/vić/sević/ović or ov(Vojvodina), or ski(Southern). Examples:
Central:
Milošević-Son of Miloš
Đorđević-Son of George(Đorđe)
Vasiljević-Son of Basil(Vasilije)
Ognjenović-Son of Ognjen
Jovanović-Son of John(Jovan)
Petrović-Son of Peter(Petar)
Marković-Son of Mark(Mark)
Nemanjić-Son of Nemanja
Tomić-Son of Tomislav
Stefanović-Son of Stephen(Stefan)
Dejanović-Son of Dejan
Mihajlović/Mihailović-Son of Michael(Mihajlo/Mihailo)
Nikolić-Son of Nicholas(Nikola)
Northern(Vojvodina):
Jovanov-Son of John
Petrov-Son of Peter
Mihajlov-Son of Michael
Stefanov-Son of Stephen
Đorđev-Son of George
Miljanov-Son of Miljan
South:
Jovanovski-Son of John
Mihajlovski-Son of Michael
Nikolovski-Son of Nicholas
Petrovski-Son of Peter
Markovski-Son of Mark
Stojanovski-Son of Stojan
When they would name a foreigner by Serbian standards, this would be the result:
Johnny-Džoni
George-Đorđ
Howard-Hauard
Paul-Pol
Bryant-Brajant
Jordan-Džordan
Kirilenko-Kiriljenko
Vitaly-Vitalji
Kalashnikov-Kalašnjikov
Note that J in English is Dž in Serbian. Geo is ž. Russian/Ukrainian to Serbian is L and N to Lj and Nj.
During one of my previous articles, i made a reference to the names i wanted to give my children by mixing Serbian and Japanese one. The reason behind it is that, i want my children to have, a Japanese name here in Japan and then, a Serbian Orthodox or Serbian secular name.
I am too ambitious when it comes to learning Serbian. I may learn Japanskog first before mastering my Srpski. Always remember, Ja sam Filipinac-Japanac srce Srbina!
No northern Serbians (Vojvodina) have the -ic ending usually, same as the rest. The -ov's are mostly Bulgarians I think, while the -ski's are usually from Macedonia. But in Macedonia you have had a lot of past manipulation by outside powers and the Communist government that changed Serbian names into "Macedonian" and such.
ReplyDeleteEven, according to Rebecca West, the famous British author of Irish decent who wrote "Black Lamb and Grey Falcon" around 1939 or so, there was, for generation after generation, the Bulgarization of Macedonian Serbs, supported by the Tsardom (sp?). So back then - I guess many decades before WWI - even Russia was financing the "conversion" of Serbs into something else (Bulgarians).
Russia did greatly favor Bulgaria - perhaps because they were very involved there. But Bulgaria betrayed Russia big time in WWI and WWII and still mainly leans to the west without any significant resistance.
I'm a non-Serb but fan of Serbs and just came across your blog while doing a search/scan of recent blog posts on Serbia.
Since you are religious you might like to look up the music of Divna Ljubojevic on youtube. She sings religious songs in Church Slavonic, Greek, Serbian and other languages of Orthodox Christians.
I am religious and political but not including religion in politics.Although one parish priest in Nagoya told me that, political talks cannot be avoided among the lay people and the clergy.I am big time Serbian supporter and i want to know well what's inside this beautiful yet invaded country. I wish to be converted in Ravanica or at least, visit there when time comes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't suggest the music itself to be mixed up with politics. I just added that in at the end as I don't see you have a post on Serbian music/songs/singers so I wondered if you had explored that part of Serbian culture. Plus I see you do have a post on your devotion to the Mother of God and I thought you would like that music if you hadn't already discovered it yourself. Though actually I like more the Serbian traditional songs and patriotic hymns. Though, like you I am trying to learn and its hard living far away and having to search on my own (as no one I live around is interested in Serbia nor the Balkans, etc.)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, back to names. I know some first names have meaning from Serbian words. For example the names Zoran (male) and Zorana (female) come from the Serbian word for dawn (daybreak) which is zora. The Serbian names Dragan (male) and Dragana (female) come from the Serbian word for honey/dear/beloved - draga/dragi. (It's funny because westerners think of a dragon when they see the Serb name Dragan so it is rather opposite of what the name means. And back to Serbian music - you hear that word 'dragi' used in the songs a lot.)
And some women's names are after flowers/plants. The name Nevena means marigold (flower). The name Bilja means plant or herb. The male name Bora might be named after bor, which is a pine tree. The female Serbian name Suncica means 'little sunshine'. 'So it seems nature is in play in many Serbian names. The male name Mladen I think comes from the name for young or youth.
So some Serbian names have word meanings behind them while others are Serbian parallels to shared non-Serbian names. For example the Serbian name Aleksandar is the Serbian version of Alexander, which is common in many countries.
Yes, James. I wish my offspring to be named with a Serbian one and a Japanese one. Hvala Brate!
ReplyDelete