[Surname] Re: Ramgren
in reply to a message by Jim Young
Wow, thank you so much for your help! So it may be Raven-branch - I like it.
Now for the Björn side of the family... I've read that can be from a given name, a nickname, a place name, OR an ornamental name, so I'm sure I'll be back for help.
Thank you again, and stay healthy!
Now for the Björn side of the family... I've read that can be from a given name, a nickname, a place name, OR an ornamental name, so I'm sure I'll be back for help.
Thank you again, and stay healthy!
Replies
Björn means "bear" (a number of Germanic words have -n variants). It's a common element of dithematic names, but also occurs on it's own, as a nickname, and of course in place names. The Beo- in Beowulf is an Anglicized short form (in the poem Beowulf is a Geat, from Gottland), which creates a wordplay (it reads as bee-wolf, i.e. bear).
p b f and v followed by n frequently become mn>n if the intervening vowel becomes unvoiced, so Rafn becomes Ram, *sopnus becomes somnus (but without the -n stem remains sopor, sopio etc.)
p b f and v followed by n frequently become mn>n if the intervening vowel becomes unvoiced, so Rafn becomes Ram, *sopnus becomes somnus (but without the -n stem remains sopor, sopio etc.)
You too, dear lady.