New Post
Search
Help
Archivesnames used for... birth prevention
Have you ever thought that once upon a time people didn't really have reliable birth prevention methods? And they gave their 178th child a name they thought would prevent the appearance of more sweet little creatures who need to be fed and cared for?
OK, seriously - there are birth prevention names. Bulgarians used:
Zaprin (m) and Zaprina (f) which come from the verb "zapiram" = to stop
Dosta (f) which is the Bulgarian word for "enough".
Stamat (m) from the Greek "stamatos" - to stop (Pavlos, correct me if I am wrong about the etymology).
Does anybody know other names with the same meaning/"purpose"?
OK, seriously - there are birth prevention names. Bulgarians used:
Zaprin (m) and Zaprina (f) which come from the verb "zapiram" = to stop
Dosta (f) which is the Bulgarian word for "enough".
Stamat (m) from the Greek "stamatos" - to stop (Pavlos, correct me if I am wrong about the etymology).
Does anybody know other names with the same meaning/"purpose"?
1
Replies
"Finis", as in Jefferson Finis Davis...
The Latin word "finis" has been used as a name for both boy and girl babies in the U.S.A. Meaning "the end", it signifies a child who is probably the last child that his/her mother will bear -- or, sadly, a child whose mother has died giving birth.
Perhaps the most well-known American to bear the name of "Finis" as his middle name was Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He had been the 10th, and final, child born to his parents.
-- Nanaea
The Latin word "finis" has been used as a name for both boy and girl babies in the U.S.A. Meaning "the end", it signifies a child who is probably the last child that his/her mother will bear -- or, sadly, a child whose mother has died giving birth.
Perhaps the most well-known American to bear the name of "Finis" as his middle name was Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He had been the 10th, and final, child born to his parents.
-- Nanaea
1
Aristotle and Hestia!
Another such name could be Aristotle: it is derived from aristos "best" and telos "purpose, end", and could very way imply "the perfect end".
I also thought a bit about the etymology of the name Stamatios, mentioned by Ivayla. The name itself, meaning "to stop" is medieval/modern Greek, and is derived from the classical Greek "histamai", meaning "to stand".
Related Greek names include:
Hestia (F, Goddess of the home, Vesta in Latin)
Histiaios (M, "he who stands")
Histolaos (M. "the people that stands")
Histomachos (M. "he who stands in battle")
Histonoe (F, "standing in logic" - from "noos", mind)
Historia (F, "History, "standing in time")
Historios (M, "History, "standing in time")
Historides (M, "History, "standing in time")
Historis (F, "History, "standing in time")
Histophanes (M, "appearing to stand")
Histor (M, "he who stands").
Related contemporary english words include history, histamine, histrionic, hist, etc etc
Another such name could be Aristotle: it is derived from aristos "best" and telos "purpose, end", and could very way imply "the perfect end".
I also thought a bit about the etymology of the name Stamatios, mentioned by Ivayla. The name itself, meaning "to stop" is medieval/modern Greek, and is derived from the classical Greek "histamai", meaning "to stand".
Related Greek names include:
Hestia (F, Goddess of the home, Vesta in Latin)
Histiaios (M, "he who stands")
Histolaos (M. "the people that stands")
Histomachos (M. "he who stands in battle")
Histonoe (F, "standing in logic" - from "noos", mind)
Historia (F, "History, "standing in time")
Historios (M, "History, "standing in time")
Historides (M, "History, "standing in time")
Historis (F, "History, "standing in time")
Histophanes (M, "appearing to stand")
Histor (M, "he who stands").
Related contemporary english words include history, histamine, histrionic, hist, etc etc
1
Dobre-dan Ivayla :)
Fascinating story!You are quite right about the etymology: the names Stamatios, Stamatis and Stamos are bona fide Greek names meaning "stop". However I am not aware of them having been used to insinuate birth control on this side of the border :P
By the way, when was the use of "birth control" manes popular? I imagine that prior to WWII lots of childrem was a blessing, since the Bulgarian economy (as well as the Greek) were heavily agricultural. I suspect these names bacame populat in the sixties, right?
I think it was Winston Churchill who wrote that the best form of birth control is to spend some time with children :)
PS: You should export "lutenitsa" to the rest of the world. It is delicious, and beats the hell out of ketchup!
Fascinating story!You are quite right about the etymology: the names Stamatios, Stamatis and Stamos are bona fide Greek names meaning "stop". However I am not aware of them having been used to insinuate birth control on this side of the border :P
By the way, when was the use of "birth control" manes popular? I imagine that prior to WWII lots of childrem was a blessing, since the Bulgarian economy (as well as the Greek) were heavily agricultural. I suspect these names bacame populat in the sixties, right?
I think it was Winston Churchill who wrote that the best form of birth control is to spend some time with children :)
PS: You should export "lutenitsa" to the rest of the world. It is delicious, and beats the hell out of ketchup!
1
Zaprian was popular as early as the 16th century. Its female counterpart developed later (probably when the parents wanted to name a girl after its uncle or grandpa). Dosta was especially popular in the beginning of the 20th century. Read on to learn why :)
Otherwise, you are basically right, Pavlos. For most of the families a lot of children were a blessing. Some people, however, were poor enough not to own any land. The "stop names" were originally meant to prevent any evil, but people started to use them in hopes of "no more kids". The main reason was that they were simply not able to feed a lot of children.
One last thing: Dosta was sometimes used when the family had a lot of girls and no boys. I guess the parents meant - OK, we have enough (dosta) girls, now it's time for a boy :o). It was especially popular in the beginning of the 20th century, as Bulgaria led 7 wars then and naturally there were few men left.
PS: You are soooo right about the lutenitsa vs ketchup. And I am not just being patriotic :o)
Otherwise, you are basically right, Pavlos. For most of the families a lot of children were a blessing. Some people, however, were poor enough not to own any land. The "stop names" were originally meant to prevent any evil, but people started to use them in hopes of "no more kids". The main reason was that they were simply not able to feed a lot of children.
One last thing: Dosta was sometimes used when the family had a lot of girls and no boys. I guess the parents meant - OK, we have enough (dosta) girls, now it's time for a boy :o). It was especially popular in the beginning of the 20th century, as Bulgaria led 7 wars then and naturally there were few men left.
PS: You are soooo right about the lutenitsa vs ketchup. And I am not just being patriotic :o)
1
A few years ago, while working at another company, I used to frequently visit Bulgaria :) I once spent about a month in the wind-swept city of Sliven, as a guest of the Svetlina lightbulb factory. Its incredible how many similarities we have as cultures...for example we also carry "martinitsas" every March 1. Balkans rule :)))
1
There goes the traditionally Bulgarian "martenitsa" :)...
:)
:)
1
I just had to check this out...
Cool custom! :)
http://www.b-info.com/places/Bulgaria/BabaMarta/
-- Nanaea
Cool custom! :)
http://www.b-info.com/places/Bulgaria/BabaMarta/
-- Nanaea
1
Cool link and a quite accurate one :)
:)
:)
1
Thanks for the great link, Nan. I noticed a few variations in the customs of Buldarian "Martenitsa" vs the Greek "Martis". First the similarities: in both cases they are worn on March 1, and the custom is quite ancient. In Greece, however, I have never heard of the stork bit, nor do ve hang them on trees. They are supposed to be an amulet to protect people for Helios who in March had quite a "bite". In antiquity, Greeks wore them until the festival of spring, when they would throw them in the sacrificial pyre. With the advent of Christianity, the "Martis" is worn until it is placed around the neck of the skewered lambs eaten at Easter.
1
PS
Iti, I may have missed it from an earlier posting -- but could you let us know about the etymology of Ivayla?
Iti, I may have missed it from an earlier posting -- but could you let us know about the etymology of Ivayla?
1
Ok, a short introduction to Bulgarian history.
Once upon a time, the Bulgarian kingdom was not a powerful one (what a surprise!). The king was no good and the kingdom was being attacked by the Khazars. So there came that minor nobleman, Vulo (meaning wolf) who gathered a small army of his and won several battles against the Khazars. In the meantime he killed the king, married the queen, became a king himself (1277-1280) and was killed soon after.
Of course, all that was described in the history texts. There was a fragment what happened "in the time of ... and Vulo". Since "and Vulo" is "i Vulo" in Bulgarian, the 15th century historians wrongly read the name as "Ivulo" and for 700 years "Ivulo" developed into the contemporary "Ivaylo". Ivayla is just a female version of this.
One last thing. For the obvious similarity, nowadays Ivaylo is thought to be a version of Ivan. And, while Ivaylo is kinda popular, Ivayla (the female) isn't. I've heard of only one other Ivayla (a recent miss Bulgaria :). Both her and my gradmas were named Ivanka and as Bulgarian tradition wants, we are named after them, but were "modernized" as Ivayla.
End of story :).
Once upon a time, the Bulgarian kingdom was not a powerful one (what a surprise!). The king was no good and the kingdom was being attacked by the Khazars. So there came that minor nobleman, Vulo (meaning wolf) who gathered a small army of his and won several battles against the Khazars. In the meantime he killed the king, married the queen, became a king himself (1277-1280) and was killed soon after.
Of course, all that was described in the history texts. There was a fragment what happened "in the time of ... and Vulo". Since "and Vulo" is "i Vulo" in Bulgarian, the 15th century historians wrongly read the name as "Ivulo" and for 700 years "Ivulo" developed into the contemporary "Ivaylo". Ivayla is just a female version of this.
One last thing. For the obvious similarity, nowadays Ivaylo is thought to be a version of Ivan. And, while Ivaylo is kinda popular, Ivayla (the female) isn't. I've heard of only one other Ivayla (a recent miss Bulgaria :). Both her and my gradmas were named Ivanka and as Bulgarian tradition wants, we are named after them, but were "modernized" as Ivayla.
End of story :).
1
Mike C check this out :)
1