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ArchivesRe: Any information about the name Satenig?
in reply to a message by HannahO
According to "Armenian First Names" by Nicholas Awde and Emanuela Losi, Satenig means "little amber."
Perhaps someone got confused about the meaning because their was a Queen Satenig of Armenia, wife of King Ardashes, who was queen at the point in history where Christianity entered Armenia in the 4th century. She was actually born a Princess of the Alans, and so probably was only given the name Satenig after she married Ardashes. Queen Satenig seems to have been one of the few women from that far back in Armenian history whose name is actually known.
Perhaps someone got confused about the meaning because their was a Queen Satenig of Armenia, wife of King Ardashes, who was queen at the point in history where Christianity entered Armenia in the 4th century. She was actually born a Princess of the Alans, and so probably was only given the name Satenig after she married Ardashes. Queen Satenig seems to have been one of the few women from that far back in Armenian history whose name is actually known.
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Just a note in advance: Satenig appears to be either a variant transcription of Սաթենիկ (Satenik), or a deliberately chosen Latinate spelling by Satenig Kevorkian (1900-1968) that better reflects the Western Armenian pronunciation of the aforementioned name.
This is correct. The name consists of the Armenian noun սաթ (sat) meaning "(black) amber" combined with the Armenian diminutive suffix իկ (ik).
However, it should be noted that at least one source theorises that the name might ultimately be of Scythian origin. Scythian is a group of Eastern Iranian languages, which includes the extinct Alanian (or Alanic) and the modern Ossetian.
Sources used:
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D5%8D%D5%A1%D5%A9%D5%A5%D5%B6%D5%AB%D5%AF (in English; features the IPA pronunciations)
- Satenik: http://armenian.name/index.php?a=term&d=2&t=1350 (in English)
- Սաթենիկ (Satenik): http://armenian.name/index.php?a=term&d=4&t=1537 (in Armenian)
- Сатеник (Satenik): https://imya.com/name/13650 (in Russian)
- սաթ (sat) meaning "(black) amber": https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D5%BD%D5%A1%D5%A9 (in English)
- իկ (ik) the Armenian diminutive suffix:
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-%D5%AB%D5%AF (in English)
This is correct. The name consists of the Armenian noun սաթ (sat) meaning "(black) amber" combined with the Armenian diminutive suffix իկ (ik).
However, it should be noted that at least one source theorises that the name might ultimately be of Scythian origin. Scythian is a group of Eastern Iranian languages, which includes the extinct Alanian (or Alanic) and the modern Ossetian.
Sources used:
- https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D5%8D%D5%A1%D5%A9%D5%A5%D5%B6%D5%AB%D5%AF (in English; features the IPA pronunciations)
- Satenik: http://armenian.name/index.php?a=term&d=2&t=1350 (in English)
- Սաթենիկ (Satenik): http://armenian.name/index.php?a=term&d=4&t=1537 (in Armenian)
- Сатеник (Satenik): https://imya.com/name/13650 (in Russian)
- սաթ (sat) meaning "(black) amber": https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D5%BD%D5%A1%D5%A9 (in English)
- իկ (ik) the Armenian diminutive suffix:
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-%D5%AB%D5%AF (in English)
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Most Armenian nobles appear to have Iranian names -Armenian had no written form at the time and Armenia was often a client state of Persia, or Parthia, before being completely absorbed. Official records were therefore in old Persian cuneiform and official names usually Iranian. Don't forget it's not uncommon for cultures to have a naming tradition dominated by names of foreign origin.
However, this history seems more like a fabricated romance, like Virgil's and Geoffrey of Monmouth's, or a folk tale, so an Armenian name invented for the story recorded is likely.
However, this history seems more like a fabricated romance, like Virgil's and Geoffrey of Monmouth's, or a folk tale, so an Armenian name invented for the story recorded is likely.
This message was edited 11/15/2021, 11:08 PM
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