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Help[Facts] Proposed etymology of Nanaea/Nanaia
in reply to a message by PriaposLovs
According to http://homepages.luc.edu/~cwinter/rel2.htm, "...the goddess Neith or Athene was known by many names. Some names related to Athene include Anaitis, Nanaia > Tanit of the Phoenicians; Nama in Albania; and the Sumero-Dravidian Ninni-Istar "the wild cow"..."
I would hate to accept that Nanaea/Nanaia means "wild cow". I propose that Nanaia may be derived from the Goddess Athena => Athenaia ( "of Athena") => Nanaia. Actually the name Athena remains a quite polpular female name in contemporary Greece, and the most frequent diminutive of Athena up to these days is ...you guessed it, Nana :)
I would hate to accept that Nanaea/Nanaia means "wild cow". I propose that Nanaia may be derived from the Goddess Athena => Athenaia ( "of Athena") => Nanaia. Actually the name Athena remains a quite polpular female name in contemporary Greece, and the most frequent diminutive of Athena up to these days is ...you guessed it, Nana :)
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