Old Slavic names for girls: which one to choose?

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

The moment of naming was considered one of the most important events in the life of the Slavs. It is associated with many traditions and rituals. For example, our ancestors believed that in childhood a person is most susceptible to the negative influence of ill-wishers. In this regard, the child was called by the name obviously ugly and unattractive. It was believed that this would protect him from evil spirits, as well as people with bad intentions, since they would not want to mess with the bearer of such a dubious name.

Beautiful old Slavic names were given to children later, at about the age of seven. By that time, the personality was becoming strong and independent enough to resist evil. In addition, the main character traits should have already formed. Thus, the name became a kind of key to the human essence.

Old Slavic names for girls were chosen based on several criteria and divided into categories:

1. The nickname should be euphonious, that is, not only caress the ear of the one who pronounces it, but alsoevoke positive associations with the person who bears this name. I would immediately like to recall the following names that are quite common to this day, such as Snezhana, Yaroslava, Milana, Lyudmila and many others.



2. Nicknames given in honor of goddesses. Agree, it is flattering and pleasant to realize that the name of your child is the same as that of the famous Slavic deity.
3. A name that characterizes any favorable human quality. Light, bright, desirable, knowledgeable, cheerful, proud, peaceful, divine … What they didn’t want for daughters in Ancient Russia! It was believed that the Old Slavic names for girls carry instructions and determine the path of life. Thus, parents invested in the nickname not only protective functions, but also wishes for a long and happy life.
4. Nicknames given in honor of animals and plants, as well as phenomena of the surrounding world. Old Slavic names for girls that describe the beauty of the world of flora and fauna, as well as imitation of them, can be safely attributed to this category. An excellent example of these names can be Yesenia, Zora, Krasimira and many others.
5. Composing one nickname out of several. This category allowed to significantly expand the range of available names, as well as to get many beautiful and interesting nicknames.

Old Slavic names for girls, of course, are an integral part of the identity of our ancestors. The emergence and development of such a cultural heritage to a sufficient extentinfluenced by all sorts of geographical, historical and religious events and factors. In addition, there was a gradual borrowing from the cultures of other peoples, for example, Serbian, Bulgarian, Czech.

List of Old Church Slavonic names:

• Azorina - the beauty of the dawn;
• Beloslava - bright glory;
• Faith - in charge of the light, faithful;
• Vladimira - owning the world;
• Gordana - proud;
• Goodness - doing good, doing good;
• Gold is golden;
• Ladomira is peaceful;
• Lana - field, put on, fatherland, land;
• Olesya - from the forest;
• Rostislava - grow glorious;
• Snezhana - snowy;
• Khranimira - keeping the world;
• Yaroslava - shining with glory.