What is a name?

THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD
Viktoriya Gorbunova,
O.B.Razmakhnina
School 2
Morshansk
THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD
This is the most important word for everyone.
It is used by your friends, your teachers and your mum.
It is the sweetest word in the world,
It cannot stay unnoticed whenever it is heard.
This word is everybody’s treasure.
It is protected by the law.
It will become a secret if you say, “No more.”
This word makes you special. It’s really fun.
But still keep in mind you are not the only one.
V.Gorbunova, O.B.Razmakhnina
YOUR PERSONAL NAME
Anthroponomastics (or anthroponymy),
a branch of onomastics, is the study
of anthroponyms
(anthropos, 'human‘ + onoma, 'name'),
the names of human beings.
The main aim of our work
 the review of Russian and American
first names defining their common and
specific features.
Our plan to reach the aim
to explore Russian and American
anthroponymic systems;
to find out main differences and
similarities of
Russian and American
anthroponyms;
to gather information about first names
of Russian and American senior students;
to compare the most popular Russian
and American students’ names.
The hypothesis
“Due to the multicultural structure of
American nation, American first names
are more diverse than the Russian ones.”
The object of the research is Russian
and American anthroponyms, their
origin,
development
and
current
existence.
Russian and American first names are
the research subject.
The topicality of the project
“The child shall be registered
immediately after birth and shall have the
right from birth to a name …”
The United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child, Article 7
“What is a name?”
“a word or group of words used to refer to an individual entity
(real or imaginary). A name singles out the entity by directly
pointing to it, not by specifying it as a member of a class.”
Encyclopedia Britannica
“a word or phrase that refers to or that can refer to a specific
person, a specific place or thing or to a type or group of things”.
Merriam- Webster’s Dictionary
“a word or set of words by which a person or thing is usually
known”
Macmillan Dictionary
The anthroponym being researched
first name
(‘the name or names that come before your family name’)
 forename
(British English formal ‘someone’s first name’)
given name
(American English ‘your first name’)
Christian name
(‘a person’s first name,
especially when they are given this name
in a Christian religious ceremony’)
Russian Pre-Christian names reflected
person’s appearance: Бел, Черныш; Кудряш, Губа,Лобан
person’s traits of character: Добр,Храбр,Горд,Молчан
person’s place in the family: Первой, Второй, Друган,Третьяк
the circumstances of the child’s birth:Богдан, Ждан, Неждан,Чаян, Нечай
the time of birth of the child: Вешняк, Мороз, Зима
the neighbouring people living nearby: Козарин, Татарин, Чудин
different trades: Дуло, Ложка, Шуба
the hospitality of Old Slavs : Будигость, Гостевид, Любогость,
Old Slavs’ peacefulness: Богумир, Добромир, Ратмир, Мирослава
the power of Old Slavs’ spirit: Владимир, Всеволод, Владислав,
Ярополк, Богуслав, Жизнеслав, Звенислав, Изяслав, Переяслав
Russian Orthodox Christian names
«Фёдор = Иван, Иван =Матвей».
Феодор
‘teo’
(meaning ‘God’)
Theodor
(Greek)
‘dor’
(meaning ‘gift’)
‘a gift of God’
Иван = Йоханаан
(Hebrew)
Матвей
(Hebrew)
‘given by God’
New names in the Soviet Period
Мэлс
(an acronym of Marx-Engels-Lenin-Stalin)
Рэм
(an acronym for revolution, Engels and Marx)
Владлен
(from Vladimir Lenin)
Трактор
(tractor)
Электрификация
(electrification)
American Indian names





Ahyoka (meaning 'she brought happiness' in Cherokee),
Winona (meaning 'first born daughter' in Santee Sioux),
Atepa (meaning 'tent' in Choctaw),
Iiniwa (meaning 'bison' from the Blackfoot),
Lise (meaning 'salmon's head coming out of the water' in
Miwok),
 Nindakando (meaning 'I watch and lie in ambush' from
the Ojibwa),
 Teluhci (meaning 'bear making dust as it runs' from
Moquelumnan)
Ancient English names
Aelfe (elf)
Hilde (war)
Berne (baby)
Tidi (time)
Cyne (king)
Godi (good)
Fredi (peace)
Leofe (beloved)
English Medieval names
“During the Middle Ages there was a kind of
race among half a dozen favourite names, the
prevailing order being John, William, Thomas,
Richard, Robert, with perhaps Hugh as sixth.”
Weekley E. “The Romance of Names”
Other Popular Names
Peter, James, Michael, Philip, Simon, Luke, Mark (male)
Mary, Joan, Agnes, Catherine, Margaret,Ann(e) (female)
Puritan names
Free-Gift
Reformation
Ashes
Discipline
Joy Again
From Above
Thankful
Praise-God
Sorry-for-Sin
Much-Mercy
Sin-Deny
Fear-Not
Modern American name giving trends
• New spelling: (Charlotte – Sharlotte, Katherine –
Kathryn, Candice – Kandes, Carolyn – Karolyn);
• Blendings: (Billie-Jean, Billie-Jo, Bobbi-Ann,
Bobbi-Lee, Brooklyn, Danessa, Emilyann);
• Making surnames first names: (Washington,
Lincoln, Franklin, Woodrow, Clinton);
• Using common nouns as given names:
(Frost, Wolf, Fox, Bear, Ridge, Blue,
Red, Grey, Olive, Clementine, Apple)
Comparative analysis
of Russian and American first names
• Prattville high school (Alabama, the USA)
• Schools 1, 2, 3 and Gymnasium
(Morshansk,Tambov region, Russia)
Morshansk schools stasistics
(2014-2015 academic year)
655 senior school students
310
boys
54 male
names
109 names
345
girls
55 female
names
Most Popular Morshansk Senior Students’ Names
Prattville High School Sophomores
532
students
382
names
Not pictured personal names
4 unisex names:
Honesty, Jesse, Sidney, Summer
4 names we cannot identify:
Dachannel, Jadeja,
Quantee,Kviewajtne
Popular Prattville High School Sophomores’ Names
The male names percentage
Prattville sophomores
Morshansk senior students
The female names percentage
Prattville sophomores
Morshansk senior students
Students having no namesakes
Gender definition of not pictured
American students’given names
Daniel (m)
Eiijah
Isaiah
(m)
Dachannel
Jadeja
Kviewajtne
Quantee
Adreanne
Jacquline
Jazmine
(f)
Charlee (m)
(BUT IT IS A GIRL!)
Isabel (f)
Aaliyah
Kyah
Makhiah
(f)
Paired names
Александр – Александра,
Валерий – Валерия, Виктор – Виктория,
Евгений – Евгения, Олег – Ольга,
Владислав – Владислава, Ян – Яна.
Alexander – Alexandra, Alexandria,
George – Georgia, Patrick - Patricia.
Unisex American Names
Kelsey
Alexis
Honesty
Jordan
Courtney
Ashton
Dallas
Sydney
Madison
Jesse
Hunter
Taylor
Cross-cultural Christian name
giving traditions
 John – Иван,
 George – Георгий,
 Mary – Мария,
 Ann/Ann(e)/Anna - Анна ,
 Catherine/Katharyn/Katherine – Екатерина,
 Elizabeth – Елизавета
 Adam – Адам,
 Sarah – Сара
The ethnic background of names
Malik (Arabian)
Do Hyun (Korean)
Yuhong (Chinese)
Рауф (Arabic)
Рави (Tatar)
Given names can indicate
gender,
birthplace,
nationality,
 ethnicity,
 religion,
 position within a family
Names and cross-cultural conflicts
name position
Иван Петров / Петров Иван
George Washington – Washington Irving – Irving Show
transferring anthroponyms in the foreign language
official documents (transliteration)
Виктория – Viktoriya/Viktoriia
Victoria – Виктория
correct pronunciation of names
Brandon [ʹbrændən]
Kelsey [ʹkelsı]
Names and legal problems
(misspelling)
• Russian male names: Артём – Артем, Данила – Даниил
• Russian female names: Софья – София, Наталья – Наталия.
• American male names: Brandon – Brendon,
Donovan – Donovon, Tristan – Triston, Stephen – Stephon,
Taylor – Tayler, Christopher – Kristofer, William – Williiam.
• American female names: Adreann - Adrienne, Alexandra –
Alexandria, Cayla – Kayla, Isabel – Isabella, Jamie – Jayme, ,
Laura – Lora, Loren – Lauren, Macie – Macy, Rachael – Rachel,
Sara – Sarah, Stefany – Stephany, Caitlyn – Katlin – Katlyn,
Catherine – Katherine – Katheryn, Hailee – Haley – Hallie.
The hypothesis of the research
is partially proved.
655 Russian students – 109 given names
532 American students – 382 given names
“Having a name remains perhaps
the most mysterious and fascinating
human manifestation of language.”
Anderson J.M. “The Grammar of Names”
Thanks for your attention!