Return to the origins: female Slavic names

Our ancestors treated the name very carefully, considering that it leaves its imprint on the fate of man. As in the proverb: "As you call a yacht, so it will float." However, the names were formed under the influence of several cultures - the Proto-Slavic, the Varangian, the Greek, and later - the Mongolo-Tatar and the Western.

Depending on the origin of ancient Slavic names are divided into the following groups:

• From the names of the gods - Veles, Lada;
• Dibasic - Yaropolk, Lyubomil, Velymudr, Dobrogneva, Lyudmila, Radomir, Svyatoslav, Bogdan, as well as their derivatives - Tishilo, Dobrynya, Putyata, Yarik;
• Created from the names of minerals, animals and plants, the phenomena of nature - Zlata, Hare, Veshnyanka, Pike, Eagle;
• In order of birth - Vtorak, Pervush;
• Created from participles - Nezhdan, Zhdana, Hoten;
• From character traits - Brave, Wise;
• A special group are the names that were used in the upper classes - Vyacheslav, Yaropolk, Vsevolod, Vladimir.

Derived names are created by clipping some of the complex name and adding to the basis of the suffix, ending.

Before coming to the Russian lands of Christianity in everyday life male and female Slavic names were used. With the new religion there were also new customs. For example, newborns were given the names of saints and martyrs, but until the thirteenth century they were used only in churches. In everyday life there were pagan names and nicknames. Since the fourteenth century, male and female Slavic names have been supplanted by Christian names. From the nicknames and originate many names: Volkov, Sidorov, Bolshov.

Today there are such Slavic names of girls, which can not be called national. So, today's popular Faith, Love and Hope are traces of Greek variants - Pistis, Agape, Elpis. The Male Lion also has a prototype - Leon.

The Slavs had one more custom, which is becoming more popular today. However, many mistakenly believe that the tradition to give the child two names came to us from the West. Our ancestors gave the child a false name, which was discovered by a stranger, and also secret, which only the closest ones knew. It reflected the inner world of man, his views on life and character traits. This practice seemed to protect the child from unrighteous people and evil spirits. Often the false name was unpleasant on hearing - Malice, Kriv, Nekras, Nesmeyan. This was done on purpose for a better protective effect. The second name was given to a person already in adolescence.

Many male and female Slavic names have been forgotten by now. To this, the church is involved, because she issued lists of forbidden names. These included the names of the gods, the wise men, pagan customs. This practice led to the fact that today on the lands belonging to Slavic tribes, there are no more than five percent of national names. So, such popular female Slavic names as Gorislava, Yarina, Vesta, Zabava, Svetlana are rare today. Sometimes even the people around wonder why the child was called such an exotic name. However, it was originally used in Russia, and Ksyusha, Katya or Masha - came to us not so long ago.

Of course, parents decide how to name a child . But today is just the ideal time to return to its origins, to resume the lost connection with the clan, to revive the rich Slavic culture in all its grandeur.