Message: "Mavromichaelis" - Behind the Name

[Facts] Mavromichaelis

by Lissa (guest)

7/28/2002, 2:38 PM

Mavromichaelis: I heard that this male name is Greek and a nickname for it is Michaelis. Any ideas?

Thanks!

#Mavromichaelis

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- Pavlos (guest) +4

7/28/2002, 3:56 PM

Actually its not a nickname, but a surname. It means "Black (from 'mavros') Michael"

- Anneza (guest) +3

7/29/2002, 7:27 AM

Interesting! Is that MAVR the same as the MAUR in Mauretania and Maurice? And what's the difference between this mavr- = black and kara- = black? Can they be used in the same way?

- Pavlos (guest) +1

7/29/2002, 9:38 AM

Spot-on! Mavros is the anglo-phonetic version of "Mauro" which is means Black in Greek. Mauritania, Maurice, etc, are indeed derived from "mauros". Mauros itself derived from the even more Ancient Greek "amauros" meaning "dim, faint, ambiguous (metaphorically)".

Kara- , which appears as a prefix in some comtemporary Greek surnames, means "black" in Turkish.

While on the subject, its worth noting that Ethiopian "Aithiops" literally means "sun-burnt face" from "aithein" (to burn) and "ops" (face).

- Pavlos (guest)

7/29/2002, 9:45 AM

Ivayla beat me by 3 minutes and 1 second :P

- Ivayla (guest)

7/29/2002, 9:35 AM

They come from different languages: kara- is Turkish, maur- Latin, mavr- Greek. Otherwise yes -- Kara- can be used in conjunction with names to denote "the black so-and-so" as in Kara Ibrahim = the black (dark) Ibrahim.
Hope that helps :o)

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