[Facts] Re: Romansh names
in reply to a message by Siegfried
As far as I know, Pirmin is not (only) a Romansh name but rather a very old and quite rare German name as well: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirmin
Some time last year, I did some research on Romansh names myself and I found
Geronas, Gironnas, Jaronas listed as Romansh forms of Hieronymus / Jerome
Duri, Durs and Durisch were listed as Romansh (short) forms of Dorian / Doriano
Some time last year, I did some research on Romansh names myself and I found
Geronas, Gironnas, Jaronas listed as Romansh forms of Hieronymus / Jerome
Duri, Durs and Durisch were listed as Romansh (short) forms of Dorian / Doriano
Replies
It seems that the Pirmins listed in the German Wikipedia are all from Switzerland (except one who live at the Swiss frontier). And unfortunately they don't give its etymology...
The Durs-Dorian equivalence seems folk etymology. The Duden Vornamenlexikon says that it is of uncertain origin, maybe from Old High German ''thurs/turs'', demon/giant, or from ''Sankt Urs''>''Sank Turs''>''Durs''. So it probably is a regional southern Germanic name and not an actual exclusive Romansch name (it's just diffuse among Romansch people).
The Durs-Dorian equivalence seems folk etymology. The Duden Vornamenlexikon says that it is of uncertain origin, maybe from Old High German ''thurs/turs'', demon/giant, or from ''Sankt Urs''>''Sank Turs''>''Durs''. So it probably is a regional southern Germanic name and not an actual exclusive Romansch name (it's just diffuse among Romansch people).