Beautiful Ossetian male names. What do Ossetian names mean: interpretation and history of origin

  • 25.06.2019

The names of Ossetians, like those of many nationalities, are replete with diversity and richness of sound, their deep meaning is different special significance. And due to the fact that the Ossetian language also has dialects, male Ossetian names can be found in two or three versions, and they have the same interpretation. For example, the names Chermen and Chabahan (good-natured) are pronounced differently, but interpreted the same. And considering that many beautiful Ossetian male names originated from Russian, Arabic, Iranian, Turkic and Georgian names, it is not surprising that this influenced their sound.

Origin of Ossetian male names

For parents who want to name their sons according to Ossetian traditions, it is important to understand that not all the names of this people are traditional, many of them are also associated with Islam and Christianity. Therefore, when looking through Ossetian names for boys, you need to focus not only on the beautiful sound, but also find out what exactly a specific name means. Otherwise, incidents may arise. For example, male old name Aguz is translated as “loafer”, and Khatag is translated as “tramp”. And in order to make a favorable choice, it is better to first find out the exact meaning of Ossetian names for boys.

The Ossetian people have always treated animals and birds with reverence, believing that they have magical power. And many called their sons by totem names, believing that this would serve as a talisman for them. And today, parents give beautiful Ossetian names for boys in honor of animals and birds. Examples include: Aslan (lion), Tsargas (eagle), Ruvash (fox), Kudza (dog) and Digis (cat). Toponymic names were also in use, many of them are still in use (Elbrus, Kazbek, Altai). Today the list of Ossetian male names is so extensive that it is sometimes very difficult to make a choice.

New Ossetian male names

Many names arose during the spread of Christianity in the Caucasus, which is how modern Ossetian names for boys appeared. For example, Vaso (Vasily) and Geor (George). Popular male names include Azamat (great), Rustam (giant), Murat (desired) and others. In addition, the tradition of using the prefixes “khan” and “bek” (Alikhan, Zaurbek), indicating that the owner of the name is a noble person, has been preserved to this day. You can also quite often find the element “bolt” - an element that came from the Turks and means “steel” (Dzambolat, Kasbolat).

Modern male and female Ossetian names are simply amazing in their diversity. The richness of their sound leaves few people indifferent. Due to the presence of several dialects in the Ossetian language, many names exist in several versions at once. For example, Chabekhan can be pronounced as Kiebekhan and still retain its original meaning.

Increasing diversity national system naming was also facilitated by the fact that Ossetians for a long time were influenced by other cultures. This caused the dominance of foreign naming traditions. As a result, many beautiful Ossetian names for girls and boys have Russian, Georgian, Mongolian, Caucasian and Arabic roots, which has a significant impact on their sound and interpretation.

How to choose an Ossetian name for a boy or girl

When choosing Ossetian names for boys and girls, you need to focus not only on their sound, but also on the peculiarities of interpretation. Here you need to remember one important nuance. The thing is that it is simply impossible to determine the meaning of common Ossetian names. They occur that were long forgotten and have no analogues in modern world. In this regard, some names simply have no interpretation.

Parents interested in Ossetian naming traditions need to remember one more important circumstance. Some Ossetian names are closely associated with Christianity, while others are closely associated with the Muslim religion. That is why it is very important to first find out their meaning. In addition, it will not be superfluous to determine the compatibility of the female or male Ossetian name you like and the child’s zodiac sign. This will allow you to make the most favorable and informed choice.

List of original Ossetian names for boys

  • Aslan. Translated into Russian it means “lion”
  • Azamat. From Arabic "great"
  • Albert. Male Ossetian name meaning “brilliant”
  • Arthur. Name of Celtic origin, meaning = "bear"
  • Vano. Variant of the name John = "God is merciful"
  • Gerikhan. Male Ossetian name meaning = "mighty khan"
  • Danil. The name is of biblical origin. Interpreted as "God is my judge"
  • Zaur. Translated into Russian it means “black-handed” or “famous”
  • Murat. Ossetian name for a boy, meaning “desired”
  • Soltan. Ossetian version of the name Sultan = "ruler"
  • Shamil. Male Ossetian name meaning = “one who has absorbed all the positive qualities”

Top most beautiful Ossetian names for girls

  • Anise. From Arabic "friendly"
  • Venus. Translated into Russian it means “beauty”
  • Zalina. Female Ossetian name meaning “golden”
  • Zarina. From Arabic Zara = "golden"
  • Zemfira. Interpreted as "rebellious"
  • Madina. Female Ossetian name meaning = " Big city»
  • Nino. According to one version, a variant of the name Nina = “Queen”
  • Rimme. Translated into Russian it means “apple”
  • Tamara. Ossetian name for a girl, meaning “date palm”
  • Theresa. Interpreted as “protector”/“huntress”

Options for male and female Ossetian names

Many lucky female and male Ossetian names have diminutive variants. They are usually called maternal. This name is not accidental. It arose due to the fact that pet names most often used by mothers. The latter, when naming their children, abbreviated them full name. Thus Ibrahim became Ibri or Baegia. Today, to create endearing Ossetian names for boys and girls, the suffixes “ka”, “ochka”, etc. are more often used.

Names that peoples bear North Caucasus, are considered homogeneous. They were formed on the basis of the same principles for all mountain peoples and have much in common. At the same time, each Caucasian nationality has its own naming traditions. In our article we will look at the origin and meaning of Ossetian names: female and male. Here we will tell you which of them are the most popular and modern for boys and girls in Ossetia.

Origin of Ossetian names

All names of the Ossetian people can be divided into three large groups. Their formation was influenced by various factors, such as religion or conquest by other peoples.

The first group includes the original or national names, associated with the heroes and characters of the Nart epic. In the tales about the adventures of the Narts, the heroes-heroes have unprecedented strength and courage. Famous Narts from legends were called: Atsamaz, Soslan, Akhsar, Akhsartag, Warkhag and others. Therefore, it is no coincidence that parents give their children exactly these Ossetian names: male or female.

The second group includes names whose appearance is associated with the development of Christianity. Moreover, during their formation, two forms were formed at once: Russian and Georgian. These are the names: Michal, Dimitar, Vano, Vaso, Ilia and others. Most of them remain popular today.

The third group includes names that were formed under the influence of the Muslim religion. Most of them were of Arab origin (Murat, Alikhan, Amina, Muslim) and Turkic (Dengiz, Uzbek, Abay). Many Ossetian names came from the Iranian peoples, who are considered the ancestors of the Ossetians Roksolan, Roksolana, Sarmat).

List of Ossetian names of the Nart epic

Today the following Ossetian names for boys are popular:

  • Aslan is a lion.
  • Alan is the most significant.
  • Soslan is a hero, a hero of the Nart epic.
  • Azamat is great.
  • Atsamaz is a character in the Nart epic, a singer and musician.
  • Rustam is a giant, a giant, a hero of the Persian folk epic.
  • Murat is desirable.
  • Timar - iron.
  • Tamerlane is the iron lion.
  • Zaur - lord, chief.
  • Islam is good, healthy, correct.
  • Kazbek is a fair judge.

The list contains exactly the names that, according to statistics, are most often used to call newborn children in Ossetia. But in Lately parents began to pay attention to the original and national ones worn by the ancient Narts.

Modern Ossetian female names

Many female names among the Ossetian peoples are associated with the names precious stones or emphasize certain character traits of its owner.

Popular Ossetian names (female):

  • Zarina is gold.
  • Sati is real, sensual.
  • Alana - divine, noble. This female uniform from the masculine Alan, formed by adding the ending -a.
  • Zarema is rich.
  • Madina - translated from Arabic as “big city”. Derived from the name of the city Medina.
  • Zemfira is rebellious.
  • Tamara - “derived from the masculine Tamar and means “date palm”.

The beautiful names of the Ossetian people are called not only by those children who were born on the territory of these republics. Throughout Russia, you can increasingly meet children whose names are Timur, Tamerlan, Rustam, Sati, Alana, Zarina, etc.

The names that can be found in Ossetia can be divided into three large groups:

  • national, formed from the Nart epic;
  • created under the influence of the development of Christianity in the region;
  • who came to Ossetia under the influence of the development of the Muslim religion.

The first group can also be characterized as native Ossetian names, which were developed thanks to several branches:

  1. Names are derived from Ossetian words. For example, Zarina is one of the common names that has survived to this day, meaning “gold”.
  2. Name sayings that have lost their true meaning.
  3. Names changing under the influence of Ossetian dialects.
  4. Those names that were created under the influence of religions are considered borrowed. The Ossetian language belongs to the Iranian branch Indo-European languages, but he was influenced by Caucasian dialects, and along with the language, the names of the children also changed. Names that appeared under the influence of Christianity often have Russian and Georgian pronunciation options (Vaso - Ossetian, Vanya - Russian, Vano - Georgian).

The distribution of names is also influenced by the course of history, and the popularity of a given name may change over time. The rich culture of the Ossetians gave the names a spread beyond the Republic. Every year, more and more female names characteristic of Ossetian culture can be found in large regions of Russia.

Naming tradition in Ossetia

The custom of naming has long been accepted in Ossetia. A boy is named by a man, and a girl is named by a woman. It is chosen not just based on its beauty, but is largely determined by the fate of the child and the assumption of his future. For example, in Ossetia there are many names that are usually given in cases where a long-awaited child has not appeared in the family for a long time.

Even before the baby was born, parents took a responsible approach to choosing the woman who would name the baby girl. More often, it was a woman close to the family. The person who named the baby was forever considered the child’s patron, relative and guardian.

Realizing all the mystery and deep meaning child's name, parents gave the baby two names: home and social. This tradition is still preserved in many families. The pet name was most often given by women, as it meant something affectionate and tender. It stayed in big secret and was available only to those closest to him: parents and immediate relatives.

The tradition of hiding names resonates with many peoples of the world. Thanks to the home name, Ossetians believed that this was how evil spirits bypassed the baby, taking away illnesses and misfortunes from him.

What to name your daughter: a list of modern options

Rare and beautiful

In Ossetia big choice the most beautiful names for girls. It is because of the diversity of names that some are forgotten and gradually become a thing of the past. Among the rare beautiful female names today you can find many unusual ones and many of them have already lost their meaning, but still they find responses in the hearts of some Ossetians to this day.

Ossetian names go back to the ancient Cimmerians, Scythians, Persians and Arabs. Highlighting the peculiarity of the origin of Ossetian names, two main trends can be identified. The first is names that were borrowed from other peoples (mainly the Northern Iranian family) and our own Ossetian naming dialect, which finds consonance and explanation in the names of our ancestors.

The borrowing of Ossetian names occurred from the Greeks, Romans, Indians, Chinese, Armenians, Syrians, Europeans and Arabs. Today, parents often give their sons Russian names.

But Ossetian names have not gained much popularity in the world. It is quite rare to meet a boy with an original Ossetian name in a neighboring republic. Most often, this name is given in families where both parents belong to the Alans.

How do you choose?

Often enough a boy’s name is chosen in accordance with his “talking” characteristics. By the way, unlike many other nations who try to give their children names with positive characteristics, then the Alans, by giving their children deliberately unsounding names, tried to mislead the forces of evil, and thereby isolate their son from them.

A child in Ossetia is most often given two names. The first is home, which is used exclusively within the family. The second is social, indicated in all official documents.

Only a man gives a boy a name. This could be the father, grandfather, uncle, or a person unrelated to the newborn. The person who gave the name was considered by the Ossetians to be a relative, guardian and patron for life. Until the 18th century, Ossetians kept their “home” name secret, given to the child, thereby trying to deceive evil spirits, illnesses and misfortunes.

List of modern variants, their meaning and origin

Ossetian names carry a special nobility and masculinity. A boy with this name will inherit all the most best features Caucasian people. Therefore, if you want your son to be brave and decisive, then this name will be an excellent choice for a future man. Here are lists of the modern, most beautiful and rare Ossetian male names, as well as their meaning and origin.

Rare, most beautiful

  • Abar- “a free, freedom-loving person.”
  • Abeak- “worshipper of the Scythian goddess.”
  • Abroseo- “a sky-seeking, freedom-loving person.”
  • Avshin- “the master, the one who subjugates himself.”
  • Agar- “excessive, taking a lot from life.”
  • Adzi- “a ruler who knows no peace.”
  • Ardonast- “going in all directions, eight-pointed.”
  • Ashhart- “valiant warrior.”
  • Gau- “strong like a bull.”
  • Kasak- “an observant, attentive scout.”
  • Omrasmak- “helmsman, hospitable host.”
  • Palak- “heir to all property.”
  • Kharasp- “having seven horses, a rich man.”

Names of Ossetian origin:

Popular

Names of Scythian origin:

Names of Ossetian origin.