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ArchivesMore about the meaning of the Ancient Greek Name: Peukolaos
A correction on the Ancient Greek name Peukolaos. In the current section about the meaning of this name, it has been described as a Hellenised Indian name. But this is not true, Peukolaos is an Ancient Greek name that was commonly used in Ancient Macedonia, Thessaly and also Epirus, even before Alexander the Great's invasion of India.
For example, Peukolaos was the name of an Ancient Macedonian man from Aigai in Macedonia c. 325 BCE, and another Peukolaos was one of the conspirators who tried to assassinate Alexander the Great c. 330 BCE. Both predated the Indo-Greek Peukolaos in North-Western India by more than two centuries. Afterall the Indo-Greek Peukolaos was the descendent of Macedonians who settled Bactria and then India AFTER the conquests of Alexander the Great.
So therefore the Ancient Greek etymology should be used as the actual first meaning of this name (as this is MUCH MORE likely compared to an Indian origin), even if that meaning seemingly doesn't make much sense to us (obviously we're not Ancient Greeks so we can't always know the actual exact meaning). Of course many Ancient Greek names have this ambiguity to their meanings, not just this one.
Here is a reference with some examples of inscriptions with Peukolaos in them to justify my claim. Hopefully this link works, otherwise please use Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum (SEG) online database and search the name "Πευκόλαος".
https://epigraphy.packhum.org/search?patt=%CE%A0%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%BA%CF%8C%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BF%CF%82
For example, Peukolaos was the name of an Ancient Macedonian man from Aigai in Macedonia c. 325 BCE, and another Peukolaos was one of the conspirators who tried to assassinate Alexander the Great c. 330 BCE. Both predated the Indo-Greek Peukolaos in North-Western India by more than two centuries. Afterall the Indo-Greek Peukolaos was the descendent of Macedonians who settled Bactria and then India AFTER the conquests of Alexander the Great.
So therefore the Ancient Greek etymology should be used as the actual first meaning of this name (as this is MUCH MORE likely compared to an Indian origin), even if that meaning seemingly doesn't make much sense to us (obviously we're not Ancient Greeks so we can't always know the actual exact meaning). Of course many Ancient Greek names have this ambiguity to their meanings, not just this one.
Here is a reference with some examples of inscriptions with Peukolaos in them to justify my claim. Hopefully this link works, otherwise please use Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum (SEG) online database and search the name "Πευκόλαος".
https://epigraphy.packhum.org/search?patt=%CE%A0%CE%B5%CF%85%CE%BA%CF%8C%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BF%CF%82
This message was edited 1/31/2021, 4:09 AM
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"Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed."
The author makes a common mistake about Greek and Indian names. Indo-European dithematic names (absent only from the Italic languages) follow a set pattern. A prototheme is combined with a deuterotheme (the latter indicates gender) to produce a name. Each of these themes has an independent meaning which has some significance. When combined they may seem like a compound word, but that's only an accident. Very often the prototheme and deuterotheme are at odds or seem to make no sense when combined. However, names of significant types of tree are common name elements, and names comparable to Peukolaos are found in other Indo-European languages.
The author makes a common mistake about Greek and Indian names. Indo-European dithematic names (absent only from the Italic languages) follow a set pattern. A prototheme is combined with a deuterotheme (the latter indicates gender) to produce a name. Each of these themes has an independent meaning which has some significance. When combined they may seem like a compound word, but that's only an accident. Very often the prototheme and deuterotheme are at odds or seem to make no sense when combined. However, names of significant types of tree are common name elements, and names comparable to Peukolaos are found in other Indo-European languages.
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All good points! Thank you very much, I will update the entry for Peukolaos once I've had some sleep.
Too tired at the moment. x_x
Too tired at the moment. x_x
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