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HelpNames for a Jewish central/east European woman from the 1920s
Hello,
I'm going to play a small part in a movie and my character hasn't been given a name. She's a "polaca", that is a Jewish woman who has been brought to south America in the 1920s with the false hope of marrying and starting a new life, only to be forced into prostitution. Lots of them did come from Poland hence the word polaca, but they could come from other countries as well such as Hungary, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Austria...
Any ideas?
Thanks!
I'm going to play a small part in a movie and my character hasn't been given a name. She's a "polaca", that is a Jewish woman who has been brought to south America in the 1920s with the false hope of marrying and starting a new life, only to be forced into prostitution. Lots of them did come from Poland hence the word polaca, but they could come from other countries as well such as Hungary, Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Austria...
Any ideas?
Thanks!
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Replies
My paternal grandfather's family were Jews from the Poland/Czechoslovakia borders, Germany and Austria, so right in your region!
Some of their names from approximately the right era:
Else
Rosa "Rosl"
Johanna
Regina
Nanny
Mathilde "Thilde"
Amalie
Taube
Elke
Jette
Sarah "Sarel"
Bianka
Elise Margarethe "Lisa"
Elfriede "Freidel"
Gertrud "Trude"
Some of their names from approximately the right era:
Else
Rosa "Rosl"
Johanna
Regina
Nanny
Mathilde "Thilde"
Amalie
Taube
Elke
Jette
Sarah "Sarel"
Bianka
Elise Margarethe "Lisa"
Elfriede "Freidel"
Gertrud "Trude"
1
It would probably depend where she's from. Many Jews in the Russian Empire spoke only Yiddish, so a Yiddish name like Bluma, Feige, Golde, or Shprintze could work if she's from there. In other areas, like Hungary and Austria, Jews didn't speak Yiddish and used the same names as their non-Jewish neighbors.
Chances are, she'd probably have had her name changed (quite likely against her will) to a Spanish/Portuguese name once she moved to South America. For example, if her name was Shprintze, they might have changed it to Esperanza. I'm a Brazilian of Polish descent and my Polish ancestors' names were changed, usually to the Portuguese equivalent. My great-grandparents were Leopold and Klementyna to everyone in their community, but to non-Polish Brazilians they were Leopoldo and Clementina.
Chances are, she'd probably have had her name changed (quite likely against her will) to a Spanish/Portuguese name once she moved to South America. For example, if her name was Shprintze, they might have changed it to Esperanza. I'm a Brazilian of Polish descent and my Polish ancestors' names were changed, usually to the Portuguese equivalent. My great-grandparents were Leopold and Klementyna to everyone in their community, but to non-Polish Brazilians they were Leopoldo and Clementina.
This message was edited 9/18/2017, 9:17 AM
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I recently spent some time studying in the Czech Republic and studied Franz Kafka's relationship with his family, he was particularly fond of his sister Ottla (full name Ottilia), but also had sisters named Gabriele (Gabriela) and Valerie (Valeria).
In visiting Jewish cemeteries in Central Europe I found that most 20th century Jewish people had similar names to anyone else in the country, you were more likely to find a Karel than a Simeon.
Some suggestions:
Magda
Olga
Anna
Zuzana
Viktoria
Margarete / Greta
Klara
Marie / Maria
Sofia
In visiting Jewish cemeteries in Central Europe I found that most 20th century Jewish people had similar names to anyone else in the country, you were more likely to find a Karel than a Simeon.
Some suggestions:
Magda
Olga
Anna
Zuzana
Viktoria
Margarete / Greta
Klara
Marie / Maria
Sofia
1
This was the point I was going to make. Research on my family tree seems to suggest the Jewish families often named their children the same as their Gentile neighbors.
Anna
Frida
Chana
Matilda
Elena / Yelena / Helena
Flora
Else
Rachel / Rachela
Hinda
Lili
Regina
Havah
Eleonora
Maria
Myriam
Vera
Elka
Kornelia
Viktoria
Klara
Marta
Luzia
Elisabeth
Eva
Marina
Lina
Hannah
Zhunia
Laura
Riva
Elly
Valentina
Margherita
Truda
Eta
Mara
Maryla
Anna
Frida
Chana
Matilda
Elena / Yelena / Helena
Flora
Else
Rachel / Rachela
Hinda
Lili
Regina
Havah
Eleonora
Maria
Myriam
Vera
Elka
Kornelia
Viktoria
Klara
Marta
Luzia
Elisabeth
Eva
Marina
Lina
Hannah
Zhunia
Laura
Riva
Elly
Valentina
Margherita
Truda
Eta
Mara
Maryla
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Most Jewish people in Europe spoke mostly Yiddish, so I would look at Yiddish names rather than Polish, etc.
Some suggestions:
Golda or Goldie
Shayna
Rifka
Gittel
Sisel
Alternatively, look at Hebrew names
Chaya
Eliora
Sarah
Shoshana
Tzipora
Liat
Gilah
Absolutely zero of my ancestors have traditionally Polish/Russian names, despite living in those regions. A Jewish girl, even if from Poland, named say Ksenia or Martyna would be very unconvincing to me.
Some suggestions:
Golda or Goldie
Shayna
Rifka
Gittel
Sisel
Alternatively, look at Hebrew names
Chaya
Eliora
Sarah
Shoshana
Tzipora
Liat
Gilah
Absolutely zero of my ancestors have traditionally Polish/Russian names, despite living in those regions. A Jewish girl, even if from Poland, named say Ksenia or Martyna would be very unconvincing to me.
1
Thanks for your suggestions and your input. I've always liked Tzipora a lot.
1
Thank you! Some really interesting names here
1
Rivka
Chaya
Chana
Esther
Sarah
Sophia
Irina
Natasha
Rachel
Chaya
Chana
Esther
Sarah
Sophia
Irina
Natasha
Rachel
1
Thanks. Some of them are already used in the script but Esther isn't and I really like it
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