Kalmyk name
Besides their own Kalmyk names, Kalmyks also use
Original Kalmyk individual names from a semantic point of view:[1]
- The names of folk Kalmyk heroes - Sanal, Mergen, Tzayatr, Khontr, Mingian, Savr;
- Derived from place names - Elistina, Ytsl, Altzkhuta, Kolor;
- Words that describe colour or number - Tzatan (white), Notan (green), Ulan (red), Zurtan (six), Tavn (five);
- Words that describe positive personal traits: Söökhlö (beautiful - female), Duya (gracious - female), Bata (tough);
- Words that describe worldly goods - Bayn (wealth), Dzhirgan (happiness, life), Bayr (joy), Altn (gold).
- Astronomical objects - Angarak (Mars), Bembö (Saturn), Adyan (Sun);
- Buddhist terms - Sants (enlightened), Buinta (goodness);
- Positive personal traits and properties - Dzhav (protection), Tzeren (long life).
Throughout history, Kalmyks were known for using amulet-names:[1]
- Words denoting animal names - Chon (wolf), Elya (eagle), Nokha (dog), Ayuka (bear cub);
- Different plant names - Tzetzgö (flower);
- Among the names given to protect someone from "bad spirits", non-Kalmyk names with distinctive transcription were also used - Vazki (from Vasiliy), Mikula (from Nicolay), Yagur (from Yegor). Some contemporary Kalmyk surnames are derived from amulet-names: Nokhaev, Chonov, Chonaev.
Double names were also quite well spread among the Kalmyks (in the Yandyko-Mochazhny, Khosheytsky and Erketenevsky uluses) - Sanzh-Garya (in the Khosheutsky Kalmyk ulus Sants-Ara), Erdny-Khal, Tzeren-Dorts. Today, double names are reserved for patronymics. Another Kalmyk custom was that of the khadm (name taboo), required by a new wife. When entering her husband's family, she would create a new name, by distorting his parents' names, instead of Badm -Yadm, instead of Dorts - Yerts.[1]
After the introduction of the Russian administration (in the 16th century), Kalmyks received family names, derived from that of the father, like - Erdnyev (from Erdny), Badmaev (from Badma), Kichikov (from Kichik). If a Kalmyk was called Nema, his surname would be Dordzhyev, from his father's name Dorts but Nema's children's surnames would be Nemaev. Gradually, the family name became hereditary and a patronymic was added, derived from the father's name.[1]
See also
Notes
External links
- The Old Buddhists of Europe
- Online Keyboard for Tibetan Archived 2011-11-02 at the Wayback Machine