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ArchivesPossible origins of the name Kallan?
Hi everyone,
I'm curious as to the possible origins of my first name, Kallan. I'm American, and I pronounce it like the first two syllables of calendar. My mom found it in a baby name book in the late 90s under the feminine names, but she also met a male Kallan (same spelling) when she was pregnant. According to Behind the Name, there's a Irish surname/male name Callen, that's pronounced the same as mine, but I was wondering if there are any particular origins to the spelling of my name, and if it has any historical usage as a feminine given name.
I found a link on Nameberry for Kallan as a feminine name, and they list it as "Scandinavian" meaning "stream" (http://nameberry.com/babyname/Kallan). From what I can tell, that comes from a Swedish surname, Källan. Källa means source or spring, according to Google translate, and -en is a definitive suffix. So, Källan, americanized as Kallan, became an American surname-turned-given name meaning "the source".
I was pretty set on this answer until I came across a Picasso painting called Kallan, featuring a woman with a pitcher of water (http://arthousereproductions.com/kallan-1923-pablo-picasso). If it hasn't really been used as a given name anywhere, or a word outside of Sweden, did he get it from the surname/word as well? Or is there somewhere else Picasso might have found it?
Thank you!
Kallan
I'm curious as to the possible origins of my first name, Kallan. I'm American, and I pronounce it like the first two syllables of calendar. My mom found it in a baby name book in the late 90s under the feminine names, but she also met a male Kallan (same spelling) when she was pregnant. According to Behind the Name, there's a Irish surname/male name Callen, that's pronounced the same as mine, but I was wondering if there are any particular origins to the spelling of my name, and if it has any historical usage as a feminine given name.
I found a link on Nameberry for Kallan as a feminine name, and they list it as "Scandinavian" meaning "stream" (http://nameberry.com/babyname/Kallan). From what I can tell, that comes from a Swedish surname, Källan. Källa means source or spring, according to Google translate, and -en is a definitive suffix. So, Källan, americanized as Kallan, became an American surname-turned-given name meaning "the source".
I was pretty set on this answer until I came across a Picasso painting called Kallan, featuring a woman with a pitcher of water (http://arthousereproductions.com/kallan-1923-pablo-picasso). If it hasn't really been used as a given name anywhere, or a word outside of Sweden, did he get it from the surname/word as well? Or is there somewhere else Picasso might have found it?
Thank you!
Kallan
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