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Is there a list of cross-cultural names? I didn't see one. I was thinking of names that appear in quite seprate languages and cultures. For instance Lilah and Leela seem to appear in English and Hindu, but with completely different meanings. The Same goes for Kim which is a feminine name in English and Vietnamese and probably many more. Ken is a man's name in English and Japanese, just as Sol appears in Hebrew and Spanish. Naomi appears in Japanese and in Spanish, while Rina is another feminine name in Hebrew, Indian, Italian and English.
If there is none, could one be created?
If there is none, could one be created?
This message was edited 10/21/2006, 7:41 PM
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Replies
I believe that if you look up a name, it will show you all the languages it is liked to that are in the system at the moment. It is noted under 'usage'. This might not be exactly what you are looking for, but I hope it helps a little.
Example:
ANNE (1)
Usage: French, English, German, Scandinavian, Finnish, Basque
ANNE (2)
Usage: Frisian
Example:
ANNE (1)
Usage: French, English, German, Scandinavian, Finnish, Basque
ANNE (2)
Usage: Frisian
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Such a list would be useful to some parents: I know more than one first generation Indian origin (or separate origins) who wanted a name that would make sense to American and Indian ears, at least as approximations. After thinking through the usual series of borrowings like Rina (I would like to know if someone has reason to believe that the Indian name Rina came from the Sanskrit word for dissolved), they become more creative. For example, one named his sons Neil (The word nIla in many Indian languages means blue, and is, indeed, used as a name: blue does not have the connotation of sadness), and Nevin (Which is an approximation for navIna, meaning modern in Sanskrit, and is again used as a name).
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