The name Tinatini is probably just derived from the Georgian noun სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light", which itself is etymologically related to the Georgian adjective ნათელი (nateli) meaning "light, lighted, bright". That etymological relation is illustrated right here:http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94Tinatini doesn't really have anything to do with the sun, at least not literally. You see, the Georgian word for "sun" is მზე (mze). Terms derived from that word usually include the word მზის (mzis), which is the genitive of მზე (mze) "sun". See the following examples:- solar = მზის, მზიანი, მზიური (mzis, mziani, mziuri) - solar light / sunlight = მზის სინათლესი (mzis sinatlesi) - sunny = მზისნი (mzisni) - sunrise = მზის ამოსვლა (mzis amosvla) - sunset = მზის ჩასვლა (mzis chasvla) - sunshine = მზის კაშკაში, მზის შუქი (mzis k'ashk'ashi, mzis shuki)I can't find the exact Georgian translation for "sunbeam", which is why it is not listed above. But, it makes sense that the exact translation of "sunbeam" would also include 'mzis'. Therefore, the resulting translation is unlikely to resemble the name Tinatini.As such, I am personally inclined to think that the name Tinatini has resulted from a corruption of the word სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light". However, sources written in Georgian variously provide the following meanings for Tinatini: "sunlight reflection", "sun brilliance" and "blinking light". This might mean that the name has to do with the sun after all (even if only by extension or figuratively). In that case, the name might have resulted from a corruption of the aforementioned მზის სინათლესი (mzis sinatlesi) meaning "solar light, sun light". I suppose the 'mz-' sound might have been corrupted into a 't-' sound over time, with the 's-' of 'sinatlesi' disappearing over time. One will then easily get 'tinat' out of it, and the '-ini' might just have been added to it as a suffix.Whichever of the two corruption scenarios occurred, at least the word 'sinatle' features in both scenarios, so this word is etymologically related to Tinatini either way.And last but not least, I've got another tidbit about the name Tinatini. There is also the form Tinatin (თინათინ) in Georgia, which is also a feminine name. I am not sure which of the two was originally the main form and which the variant form, but at least it seems that Tinatin is more common than Tinatini in Georgia (these days). Just googling the names on the Georgian Google (www.google.ge) showed that far more search results turn up for Tinatin than for Tinatini. Even just googling on the English-language Google (with the terms "Tinatin" + "Georgian", and then "Tinatini" + "Georgian") shows the same pattern: there are more results for Tinatin than for Tinatini. As such, it's probably a good idea to include Tinatin in the main database in the future.If this Georgian website dedicated to Georgian given names is any indication, Tinatin might be the main form and Tinatini the variant form, since that website lists only Tinatin and doesn't even mention Tinatini anywhere at all:http://name.interes.ge/dreams.php?action=view&id=451&from=action=search|word=%E1%83%97%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%7Ctype=latestBut again, it's difficult to find out. Only a native Georgian speaker would be best suited to determine this, I think. :) [noted -ed]
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%9A%E1%83%94
Tinatini doesn't really have anything to do with the sun, at least not literally. You see, the Georgian word for "sun" is მზე (mze). Terms derived from that word usually include the word მზის (mzis), which is the genitive of მზე (mze) "sun". See the following examples:
- solar = მზის, მზიანი, მზიური (mzis, mziani, mziuri)
- solar light / sunlight = მზის სინათლესი (mzis sinatlesi)
- sunny = მზისნი (mzisni)
- sunrise = მზის ამოსვლა (mzis amosvla)
- sunset = მზის ჩასვლა (mzis chasvla)
- sunshine = მზის კაშკაში, მზის შუქი (mzis k'ashk'ashi, mzis shuki)
I can't find the exact Georgian translation for "sunbeam", which is why it is not listed above. But, it makes sense that the exact translation of "sunbeam" would also include 'mzis'. Therefore, the resulting translation is unlikely to resemble the name Tinatini.
As such, I am personally inclined to think that the name Tinatini has resulted from a corruption of the word სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light". However, sources written in Georgian variously provide the following meanings for Tinatini: "sunlight reflection", "sun brilliance" and "blinking light". This might mean that the name has to do with the sun after all (even if only by extension or figuratively). In that case, the name might have resulted from a corruption of the aforementioned მზის სინათლესი (mzis sinatlesi) meaning "solar light, sun light". I suppose the 'mz-' sound might have been corrupted into a 't-' sound over time, with the 's-' of 'sinatlesi' disappearing over time. One will then easily get 'tinat' out of it, and the '-ini' might just have been added to it as a suffix.
Whichever of the two corruption scenarios occurred, at least the word 'sinatle' features in both scenarios, so this word is etymologically related to Tinatini either way.
And last but not least, I've got another tidbit about the name Tinatini. There is also the form Tinatin (თინათინ) in Georgia, which is also a feminine name. I am not sure which of the two was originally the main form and which the variant form, but at least it seems that Tinatin is more common than Tinatini in Georgia (these days). Just googling the names on the Georgian Google (www.google.ge) showed that far more search results turn up for Tinatin than for Tinatini. Even just googling on the English-language Google (with the terms "Tinatin" + "Georgian", and then "Tinatini" + "Georgian") shows the same pattern: there are more results for Tinatin than for Tinatini. As such, it's probably a good idea to include Tinatin in the main database in the future.
If this Georgian website dedicated to Georgian given names is any indication, Tinatin might be the main form and Tinatini the variant form, since that website lists only Tinatin and doesn't even mention Tinatini anywhere at all:
http://name.interes.ge/dreams.php?action=view&id=451&from=action=search|word=%E1%83%97%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%7Ctype=latest
But again, it's difficult to find out. Only a native Georgian speaker would be best suited to determine this, I think. :) [noted -ed]