Yakut names: a brief history

The Yakut language comes from the Turkic. But it spread among the Russians, Evenks and Evens who live in the territory of Yakutia and adjacent republics. An original dialect is on the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Yakut culture is a mixture of shamanism and Orthodoxy.

A bit of history

An interesting fact is that many Yakut names were all the same borrowed from the Russian language. But this is easily explained. Yakuts have long since adopted Orthodoxy. Therefore, most of their names are Russian. In the old days they were given at baptism. The ancient names have changed a lot and now they sound modern. Although among themselves the Yakuts call each other in their own language, in communicating with the Russians - they prefer officially accepted options, more familiar to outsiders.

Model of the Yakut names

In modern times the Yakutian model of names is three-membered. It consists of a name, patronymic and surname. And most often it sounds in Russian (Yegor Zakharovich Sokolov). But often the names of Yakut origin (for example, Mogusov). Sometimes there is a personal name in the Yakut language. Among the names of the most common - Ivanov, Vasiliev, Petrov. There is also a "church" origin (for example, Dyachkovsky).

In the Yakut language, simple folk forms of names were basically fixed. There are diminutive forms or subjected to transformations. Earlier, affectionate affixes ("kaan", "chik", "ka", etc.) were widely used.

They are still used. But the affixes "chaan" and "laan" are more popular. And they are used for people of any age category. Diminishingly caressing Yakut names can be found not only in conversations, but also in fiction.

Value of names

The meaning of the Yakut names can be quite interesting. For example, before the adoption of Orthodoxy, some names were given to children directly at birth, while others were acquired by them a little later. The initial ones were formed from Yakut appellatives. And the choice had different motives: physical disabilities, circumstances at birth, "safe" from disease and adversity.

For example, to deceive "evil spirits," the name given at birth was considered to be taboo. And instead of him, the child was given a nickname. It was used as a name. For nicknames were selected animals, names of objects, traits of character or appearance, etc. In modern times such "underground" names lost etymological significance. But many Yakut names are preserved. And most often belong to the elderly.

The semantics of nicknames and is now very clear. It goes back to the common noun (Kubakh - "hare", Atyrdyah - "pitchfork", etc.). The largest group of nicknames consists of underscoring or bad character traits of a person, his appearance, manners or physical disabilities. For example, Boltorha (chubby), Sergeh (sensitive), etc. Often a nickname was given by the name of the area or its characteristic features.

Nicknames are sometimes given in modern times. You can meet the Yakut, who has a nickname, second and Russian name. But nevertheless, in modern times, newborns receive the Yakut name, which is chosen from the folk epic, popular works, large rivers. But quite often quite new Yakut names are created. For example, after the revolution there were "Communard", "Karl", "Clara".

National names-nicknames among the Yakuts before had no clear division into male and female. In modern times, everything has changed. Some nicknames began to be considered names, divided into male and female or refers to both sexes.

Female and male names

Yakut names of girls, like boys, came from the name of strong animals and birds. They, as it were, "shared" their qualities with newborns (for example, Hoto - "eagle"). Over time, when aunts grew older, the original names or nicknames did not quite match the bearers. In this case, the child was given an additional name, already "adult" (for example, Taragai "bald").

Girls were often called by the names of rivers (for example, Lena, Yana), and boys - Vilyui, Aldan. The legendary Yakut primogeniture enjoyed great popularity among male names: Ellie, Manchaara. Or favorite heroes of legends: Tuyaarima, Nyurgun. Among the female names are still popular names of famous Yakut writers or their heroines. Very relevant were and remain poetic neoplasms. Of these, new male and female names of the Yakuts often appear.

Popular names

The most popular male names:

• Aihal is unbearable;
• Ayhan is joy;
• Bergen is a good one;
• Dohsun is a remote;
• Nuolan is judicious;
• Timir is an iron;
• Tolluman - fearless;
• Erhan - brave blood.

The most popular female names are :

• Ayana - the way, the road;
• Altana - copper;
• Carachene is beautiful;
• Miracle is smiling;
• Sinara - thinking;
• Nariyana is tender.

It is worth noting that the Yakut names of the boys did not differ much from the girls (Byllai, Ayah, etc.). But there were only women - Udagan, Chisty. And also only men - Timirdey, Ayal or Sylan. In modern times, belonging to the floor can be determined only after the end of "a".