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On my late grandfather's death certificate, his father's name was listed as "Frank Zarbs" from Greece. I cannot find the Greek translation for Frank and wondered if anyone might know. Thank you.
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Well, Frank is a Germanic name that was first used in early medieval times (possibly even earlier than that). Since people in medieval times mainly wrote in Latin, even first names would be latinized in text - and Frank was latinized to Franciscus.
It is via this latinized form that the name eventually found its way into Greece: the Greeks in turn hellenized the name to Fragkískos (Φραγκίσκος). Sometimes the name is transliterated as Phragkískos. A variant form is Frantzeskos or Phrantzeskos (Φραντζέσκος), by the way.
I don't know what short forms the Greeks have for Fragkískos/Phragkískos or Frantzeskos/Phrantzeskos. I am guessing that perhaps it could be Frag/Phrag or Frant/Phrant, but I am uncertain of that. I actually think Kískos or Zeskos are more likely for a short form. As such, I think Fragkískos/Phragkískos or Frantzeskos/Phrantzeskos are the closest that you will probably get to a Greek form of Frank.
It is via this latinized form that the name eventually found its way into Greece: the Greeks in turn hellenized the name to Fragkískos (Φραγκίσκος). Sometimes the name is transliterated as Phragkískos. A variant form is Frantzeskos or Phrantzeskos (Φραντζέσκος), by the way.
I don't know what short forms the Greeks have for Fragkískos/Phragkískos or Frantzeskos/Phrantzeskos. I am guessing that perhaps it could be Frag/Phrag or Frant/Phrant, but I am uncertain of that. I actually think Kískos or Zeskos are more likely for a short form. As such, I think Fragkískos/Phragkískos or Frantzeskos/Phrantzeskos are the closest that you will probably get to a Greek form of Frank.
This message was edited 5/25/2012, 2:54 PM
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