Courageous Names. Beautiful European names for boys and girls

European names for boys have been formed under the influence of political, national, cultural and ethnic factors over many centuries. They were created on the basis of two or more language systems, so most of them have a rich heterogeneous sound. Despite many differences, common names have a lot in common. They were united by popularity not only on native land, but also beyond, as well as deep semantic meaning and beautiful pronunciation.

Different countries, different names

Perhaps, no other nation has been able to preserve so many ancient and beautiful names as in Bulgaria. The origin of most of them has Slavic roots. Most beautiful European names for boys in Bulgaria they are Radan, Luben, Krasimir, Iveilo and Zoran.

When it comes to the Netherlands, cheese, tulips and, of course, easily recognizable by the prefix van-family, always come to mind. But few people know that the names in Holland appeared much earlier, and for this people they are very important. Popular in the country of tulips are: Rembrandt, Thomas, Rudolf, Lambert, Rimko, Nikolaus, Madelief, Sterre.

At the turn of the 21st century, Spanish films poured into our lives from television screens. And the passion of Russian housewives for serials led to the fact that their own Albertos, Juans and Pedros appeared in the country. But European names for boys (modern) in Spain are no longer limited to Luis and Julio. Now in the country the newborn is called Miguel, Jorge, Enrique or Fernando (Ferdinando).

It is not clear whether the Italians endow names with attraction, or whether the name bestows positive energy on its owner. Despite the fact that the expressive people sacredly honor traditions, it is difficult for them to stay within strict limits. Modern parents are increasingly calling boys the names of football players, stars and idols. For example, Libero, Anvar, Danilo, Domenico.

Meaning

European names for boys, however, as for girls, are largely determined by their origin. As you know, the main population of the Old World is Catholics. Therefore, many names are borrowed from the Bible. In addition, in most European countries it is still customary to name newborns according to the holy calendar. In this regard, a significant part of the names has a religious meaning.

In addition, the origin of some is based on character traits, natural phenomena. You can also find names taken from literary works and mythology.

It is worth noting that European names for boys are often similar in meaning to women's ones, but the only difference is that they are less abstract.

List of beautiful names

Alessandro - of Italian origin, is interpreted as a "protective man." Among the Russian-speaking peoples, the name (Alexander) was popular in the 20th century.

Gabriel or Gabriel is a Western European name with Hebrew roots meaning "God's helper." Especially popular in Italy.

The name Daniel has a literal translation - "God is my judge", but more often it has an interpretation of "a just person."

Francesco - Frankish. The name is popular not only in France, but also in Italy and means "to dominate always and everywhere."

Fernando is of Spanish origin and means "adventurer". Knowing how hot this European people, it can be argued that the key word in the interpretation is "amateur".

Laszlo - a Hungarian name with Slavic roots (Ladislav) is the most popular in this European country. According to statistics, last year more than 300 thousand babies were named after Laszlo.

The most popular European name for a boy (2016)

According to statistics, the opinions of the inhabitants of the Old World about the popular male name are slightly different. For example, in Britain, parents often call a newborn boy Oliver.

Italians choose beautiful name Francisco. In Spain, many Daniels were recorded in 2016, and in Poland - Yakubov.

Journey to the Land of Jewish Names

In this country, the origin of names has a special history, which is associated with a difficult and tragic fate. But, as you know, the Jewish people not only accepted foreign culture, but also gave away part of their own. Now you can find more than one European name for a boy with Jewish roots. For example, Abraham, who became Ibrahim, lives in almost every Muslim country, and among Christians, the name was reclassified as Abraham. By the way, among the Slavic peoples, many names have long been considered "native", but few people know that they also have Jewish origin: Ilya, Zakhar, Ivan.

Names that reflect power

Time passes, fashion changes, and, as it turned out, everything fewer parents give their children Slavic names, replacing them with popular European ones. The names of boys, first of all, should spiritualize strength, courage and masculinity. For example:

Alonso in Spanish means courage, wisdom and resourcefulness.

Andrzej, or Anjej is a name of Greek origin: brave and courageous.

Valens - having 4 characteristics important for a boy: strong, powerful, healthy, strong.

Karl - Old Germanic name: brave.

Armando - a popular Italian name, translated means "brave man".

The rarest

Too rare a name sometimes makes it bizarre for others, as a result, the child often becomes the object of ridicule and the "black sheep". At the same time, calling a boy by a common name can shake his self-esteem a little: it's hard to feel individual when there are several people with the same name around.

If the parents firmly decided to give the baby a rare name, we suggest looking at the beautiful Eastern European names of boys:

Alan - has several options for his origin. The first version: the name of a tribe of an ancient people who roamed from Spain to the Caucasus Mountains. The second version is that the name Alan is of Celtic origin and translates as "rock".

Amil is of Arabic origin, meaning "ruler".

Andres - translated from ancient Greek: brave, courageous. Many people think that the name is equivalent to the Slavic - Andrey. In fact, this is one of the rarely used pronunciations of Andreas.

Daniel is of biblical origin. In Muslim countries it sounds like Daniyal.

Camille - according to one (popular) version, the name of Arabic origin, according to another - comes from a Roman cognomen, that is, a generic nickname. In Italy, the name will sound like Camillo, in Portugal - Camilo, in Holland, Romania - Camil, and in the Kingdom of Spain - Camilo.

Marseille is a variant of the French pronunciation of Marcellus. In Germany it will sound - Marcellus, in Greece - Markellos, in Ireland - Marshall.

Emmanuel - has Hebrew roots: "God is with us." This is a very important name for people who preach Christianity. Emmanuel is the second name of Christ. There are many other pronunciations of the name: Manuel, Immanuel, Emanuel, Manole, Maulo, Manulo. It is very common among Jews living in Europe.

Names with sexual energy

Last winter, the foreign Internet resource "Baby Name Wizard" (Baby Name Wizard) published a list of the sexiest names for boys with a European bias.

Lorenzo - Catholic, of Latin origin. The European analogue of the name Lavrenty and means "who came from the city of Lawrence."

Rhett - American name frequently found in Europe. A child with this name is distinguished by independence and extraordinary courage; leadership qualities appear with age.

Romeo is a name of Italian origin, meaning "arrived in Rome." The peak of popularity of this name came in 1979.

Mateo is another Italian name of Roman origin. Most Matteos have creative potential.

Dimitri - is of Slovenian origin. The main features inherent in this name: sexuality, activity and will.

Dane - British name, meaning "Dane". Boys with this name are inquisitive and independent from childhood.

Marcello is an Italian name, which, in turn, has 2 origins: the Latin "hammer" and the ancient Greek "Frenchman" on behalf of Mark.

Remy is a name of French origin, with Roman roots, translated as "rower".

Dante - despite the European pronunciation, there is a version that it came from a Slavic-Tatar name.

As the founder of the Internet resource said, it took five whole years to study these statistics.

Name by date of birth

Since most of the inhabitants of the Old World are Catholics, let's pay attention to the most popular European names for boys according to the calendar.

January: Isidore, François, Erard, Lando, Dominique.

February: Stefano, Oliver, Philias, Emilian, Manette (Manetto).

March: Adrian, Roger, Keran, Romeus, Martin.

April: Gerard, Richard, Markell, German, Savva.

May: Amateur, Evermar, Edoardo, Andre, Adam.

June: Arnest, Yen, Arembald, Gerard, David.

July: Olaf, Camelian, Hugo, Dario, Arseny.

August: Marin, William, Cassian, Exant, Blaan.

September: Donat, Mansuet, Ammian, Diderik, Adrian.

October: Bavo, Jan, Domenico, Dimitri, Abraham.

November: Caesar, Julian, Manuel, Pietro, Diego.

December: Alexander, Thomas, Stephan, Marcantonio, Mansuet.

Conclusion

Whatever the beautiful European names for boys, it is important to know that they must be consonant with the surname and patronymic. Therefore, choosing a beautiful Spanish name Luis Carlos or Juan for your son, think about whether your child will be comfortable in the future when Fedi, Misha and Sergey are around.

After the birth of a child or even before this event, parents face the question of how to name the baby. Often, after going through many options during pregnancy, it is difficult to finally solve this problem. With the help of a beautiful name, mothers and fathers seek to direct the child's life on the path of good luck and prosperity, to designate his personality and preserve certain family traditions.

How to choose a beautiful name for a newborn boy?

Harmony and prudence are the main principles that should be followed when naming a newborn. A correctly chosen name should be combined with a patronymic and surname, not be overly pretentious and difficult to pronounce.

The baby should be named according to cultural and religious traditions. For example, it is better not to call a Russian boy Said or Domenik, which may cause ridicule in the future.

Before naming a boy, you should familiarize yourself with a few rules:

1. Maintaining individuality. You should not name the baby in honor of the father, other close relatives or great figures. Giving preference to such names, mom and dad often have high hopes for their son, which he will not always be able to justify. In the future, this often leads to conflicts between parents and the child.
2. Preference for "male" names. Naming the baby Zhenya, Sasha, Valya, you can provoke mockery of the boy in the future. Together with an indeclinable surname, such a naming may be the reason for its adoption. strangers for a girl.
3. Respect for tradition. Despite the mixing of cultures and world integration, you should not call the baby a name from another tradition, which will be out of harmony with the Russian patronymic and surname.

Beautiful male names according to the church calendar

Believing parents adhere to the method of naming their sons according to church canons. Often babies are named after saints. Being mediators between God and people, even after death they give their parishioners the faith that allows them to endure the hardships of fate. It is believed that with their help you can protect the baby from evil.

You can name your son according to the calendar, and if it is impossible to make a choice, consult with a spiritual mentor on your own. Today, most often they are guided not by a calendar, but by a list of saints revered by the church. The most popular names are

• Nicholas;
• Vladimir;
• Vasiliy;
• Andrei;
• Michael;
• Mark;
• Konstantin;
• Kirill and others

Name selection by horoscope

This ancient tradition is to name the baby by date of birth. The method involves the compilation of a natal chart, which accurately determines the appropriate name. This method has long remained the exclusive prerogative of the wealthy aristocracy. Today, anyone can use it, having received the advice of a specialist.

To determine the name by horoscope, it is not necessary to contact an astrologer. You can choose it from a list of names that are most suitable for a particular zodiac sign.

For naming boys, such beautiful names are often used:

• Aries - Alexander, Alexei, Artem, Yegor, Nikolai, Yaroslav;
• calf - Anton, Bogdan, Daniel, Ilya, Maxim, Nikita;
• twins - Heinrich, Eugene, Igor, Konstantin, Sergey;
• cancer - Andrey, Vitaly, Stanislav;
• lion - Alexander, Artem, Ivan, Cyril, Mark;
• maiden - Vsevolod, Gennady, Gleb, Denis, Rostislav, Stepan;
• scales - Anatoly, Anton, Vitaly, Leonid, Mikhail, Oleg, Plato;
• scorpion - Arseny, Rodion, Ruslan, Fedor, Yuri;
• Sagittarius - Vladimir, Vyacheslav, Peter, Roman, Jan, Yaroslav;
• Capricorn - Arthur, Vadim, Gleb, Denis, Yegor, Nikolai;
• Aquarius - Leonid, Gennady, Oleg, Ruslan, Svyatoslav;
• fish - Bogdan, Valery, Vasily, Ivan, Maxim, Roman.

Fashionable vintage names

In recent years, there has been a craze for old names. This trend is associated with the interest of society in history and native culture. Naming their sons in the old manner, parents tend to turn them to their national roots. Often the name is chosen under the influence of the fashion and mentality prevailing in society.

The most popular old names are:

1. Matthew. Differs in diligence and perseverance, but at the same time isolation. Often chooses a profession that requires concentration and method - surgery, sports, banking. It has natural insecurity, and therefore it is necessary to encourage Matvey's initiative from early childhood so that he succeeds.
2. Zakhar. Despite some severity of sound, this name means a sentimental and good-natured person. He is distinguished by a caring and complaisant character, which largely determines his future profession. He is not attracted to office work. Most often, he connects his life with a technical or agricultural specialty.
3. Vsevolod. Rarely finds himself in unpleasant situations, which is associated with discretion, the ability to nip dangerous moments in the bud with the help of humor and diplomacy. He has the gift of persuasion and the ability to get along with others, for which he is respected by people. Vsevolod is stubborn, firm and diligent, but does not always strive for victory. It can give way to a more worthy, in his opinion, person.
4. Proud. Differs peacefulness and optimism. With outward modesty, he has inner strength and vigor. He is an interesting storyteller and an attentive listener.
5. Luke. Despite the similarity with the verb "dissemble", this name denotes an honest person. Purposefulness of his character is combined with impulsiveness. He thinks carefully about the solution to the problem and perseveres along the path to achieve results. In defending his interests, he can show uncompromising and impulsiveness.

Beautiful Russian names for a child

Wanting to name their son in accordance with the Russian tradition, parents often mistakenly prefer ancient names, which today look somewhat pretentious. Svyatogor, Varlaam, Dobrynya, Ostromir are not very suitable for modern children and are accepted by society for the extravagance of their parents. The top 10 Russian names that are most relevant today include:

• Elisha;
• Plato;
• Nicholas;
• Michael;
• Pavel;
• Yaroslav;
• Vladislav;
• Denis;
• Dmitry;
• Andrei.

Popular foreign names for boys: English and American

In English-speaking countries, the tradition of naming children by two names is popular: personal and middle. The first is the distinctive name of the baby and is used in everyday life. The second is most often given in honor of a close relative, and in official documents it is indicated between the main name and surname.

If in the post-Soviet environment naming is of Greek, Latin, Old Russian origin, then authentic names are predominantly popular in English culture:

• today in the UK boys are often referred to as Pauls, Davids, Georges, Jacobs, Alans, Marks;
• in the United States, sons are named Richard, William, Noah, Robert, Aaron.

How to choose a beautiful Muslim name?

In Muslim culture, the method of naming children in accordance with ancient documents is especially popular. The wrong choice of a name for a boy can cause him bad luck, poverty, illness, laziness in the future, which pushes his parents to name him in honor of the saints: Muhammad, Abdul, Idris, Kadir, Rahim, etc.

Muslim culture is characterized by the same meaning for several names that differ in sound. For example, Hasan and Elmir mean beauty, while Zabir, Kavi and Ali characterize a strong and powerful person. It is noteworthy that there are no negative names, which explains the desire of parents to provide their children with a better fate.

Muslim traditions are replete with names denoting beauty. You can call the boy Anwar (bright, bright), Jamil (handsome), Dilyair (soulful), Ihsan (merciful), Ramil (magical), Fazil (talented). If parents cannot resolve the issue of naming their son on their own, they can turn to the imam.

Before the revolution, it was common for Muslims to use two names on the territory of the Russian Empire. The child received the first naming as a talisman. To protect the son from the evil eye, this name was hidden from strangers. The second was of less importance and was used in everyday life. In Soviet times, this tradition died out, but today there is a return to it.

Unusual and rare names

Calling sons unusual names, parents tend to endow them with a bright personality. Such children may deviate from public opinion, and sometimes go against it. Wishing to achieve any success despite the influence of external factors, they can only rely on their perseverance and fortitude.

Parents sometimes make mistakes when naming their son rare name in order to endow him with the qualities of a fighter. If for one part of the boys it becomes an impetus for the formation of a bright personality, with the help of which they achieve success under any circumstances, then for the other it becomes a cause of constant psychological discomfort.

For thoughtful, calm children, a non-standard name is an annoying factor that attracts unnecessary attention. Naming the baby Oscar, Azat, Mikel or Radislav, the parents endow him not with the power to defend his beliefs, but with a source of internal conflict. He is expected to constantly prove his own worth, while he needs solitude for the development of his personality.

A rare name should be combined with the child's surname and patronymic. Combinations such as Petrova Madonna Alekseevna or Kozlov Marcel Ivanovich sound disharmonious.

Naming the baby, they take into account the national and cultural characteristics of the mentality prevailing in society. For example, names such as Arkhip, Bronislav, Borislav, Lavrenty go well with surnames of Slavic origin.

Choosing a name depending on the time of year

When choosing a name, parents are traditionally guided by the month of their son's birth. There is an opinion about the relationship between the seasons and certain character traits of the baby.

It is believed that children born in winter are stubborn and domineering. To mitigate these features, sons are called names containing soft sounds:

• Alexei;
• Leonid;
• Nikita;
• Pavel;
• Vasiliy.

kids, born in spring, are distinguished by a romantic and sublime temperament. It is recommended to call them by traditional male names to balance the subtle nature, give them courage and strength:

• Konstantin;
• Stepan;
• Bogdan;
• Egor;
• Sergey.

Children, born in summer, have a bold and kind-hearted character. To enhance these qualities, it is recommended to choose sonorous names:

• Elizar;
• Philip;
• Denis;
• Yuri;
• Vitaly.

"Autumn" children are often distinguished by distrust and some egocentrism. To give the baby sociability and friendliness, choose simple sonorous names:

• Anton;
• Nazar;
• Jacob;
• Naum;
• Tikhon;
• Semyon.

Rating of the most popular modern names

Today there is a decline in interest in foreign names. Less and less children are called in the old Russian manner. In 2017, boys often began to be called neutral names: Lions, Alexanders, Ivans, Maxims, Romans, Rodions and Kirills. The TOP of popular names also includes Daniil, Vladislav, Gleb and Mark.

The choice of name is no less important point formation of the personality of the child than his further education. In an effort to name their son unusually, parents sometimes forget about correctness and appropriateness in resolving this issue. The task of naming is to designate the individuality of the boy and direct his fate to a prosperous path, and not pretentiousness and expressing the tastes of moms and dads.

Abkhazia has been under the influence of various cultures since ancient times. Representatives of many nationalities lived on its territory. This influenced the formation of Abkhaz names. And yet, the Abkhaz remain faithful to their national names to this day.

In the history of the Albanian people, many controversial issues still remain, even the meaning of a certain part of the ancient names remains unknown. Nevertheless, Albanians remain true to their names, receiving from them a powerful charge of positive energy.

Thanks to the widespread in English all over the world, the wealth of English literature - English names quite familiar to our ears. Moreover, there is some similarity with Russian names - the melody of pronunciation and the formation of diminutive forms. As in many other languages, the history of the origin of English names has become a reflection of the historical processes that took place on the territory of England.

Irina, Alexei, Tamara, Kirill, Alexander, Polina and many other names have become so familiar, “ours”, that it is hard to believe in their “overseas” origin. Meanwhile, these are names born before our era and saturated with the spirit of ancient Hellas. With full confidence we can say that Greek names are the soul of the people. For example, the idea of ​​the inevitability of fate was reflected in many male Greek names, and their male carriers in our time not only see the “hand of providence” in all events, but are also ready to fight against circumstances and are not afraid of the heat of passions.

The mystical power and huge popularity of Greek names lies in their history of origin. Some of them originate from ancient mythology - Aphrodite, Odysseas, Pinelopi. Others are associated with Christian values ​​- Georgios, Vasilios. Hebrew and Latin names easily adapted to the Greek pronunciation - Ioannis, Konstantinos. Most male and female ancient Greek names had an analogue of the opposite sex, some forms have survived to this day - Eugene-Eugene, Vasily-Vasilisa.
Greek names are surprisingly melodic and are distinguished by positive energy - Eleni (light), Parthenis (chaste), Chryseis (golden). In the rich nomenclature of the Greeks, there was a place for foreign borrowings, which had to slightly change their sound, for example, Robertos. And each official name has a colloquial form (Ioannis-Yannis, Emmanuel-Manolis).

When we talk about Holland, we invariably remember tulips, mills, cheese and, of course, Dutch surnames, which are easily recognizable all over the world by the prefixes -van, -van der, -de. And few people know that names in the Netherlands not only appeared much earlier than surnames, but are still more important for the Dutch.

Jewish names have a special history, and it is connected with the difficult fate of this ancient people.
Most of the ancient Jewish names have survived to our times thanks to their mention in the Old Testament. There are more than two thousand of them in the Bible. Many male names formed from various names of God - Michael, Tsurishaddai, Yochanan. Sometimes theophoric names mean whole concepts - Israel (God-fighter), Elnatan (God gave).
Not all biblical names have a religious connotation. Like many other peoples, a separate group of Jewish names highlights any sign of a person - Iedida (dear), Barzilai (hard as iron) or correlates with plants and animals - Rachel (sheep), Tamar (palm tree), Deborah (bee ).

Even in the Old Testament times, the Jews had names borrowed from the languages ​​of neighboring peoples. The Chaldeans "gave" Bebay and Atlay to the Jews, the Babylonians - Mordechai. In Jewish families one could meet Greek and Roman names - Antigonus, Julius. And Alexander, popular in many countries, became Sender among the Jews.
As the Jews became scattered throughout the world, some Hebrew names had to adapt to the language of the indigenous peoples. In the Arab countries, Abraham turned into Ibrahim, David into Daud. In Georgia, Yosef became Joseph; in Western Europe, Moses became Moises. In Russia, many Jews used Russian names that were close in pronunciation to traditional Jewish names - Boris-Berl, Grigory-Gersh, Lev-Leib. And such ancient Jewish names as Sarah, Dinah, Solomon, Anna, Tamara, Elizabeth, Zakhar have long become international.

At the end of the last century, Spanish names literally poured into our lives from TV screens. The craze for Mexican and Brazilian TV series led to the fact that Russia has its own Luis Alberto, Dolores and, of course, “just Maria”. It is not surprising that exotic names, as if filled with a hot sun, were to the liking of some Russian parents. Another question is how such a Luis Alberto lives among Sing and Fedorov.

It remains a mystery whether the cheerful Italians make their names so attractive, or whether the Italian name endows its bearers with positive energy. One way or another, but Italian names have a special charm and warmth. Perhaps the secret is that almost all Italian names end in a vowel. This gives them melodiousness and melodiousness.

Most Italian names are of ancient origin. Latin names were a distinctive sign of a person - Flavio (blond), Luca (who came from Lucania). Commoners received names derived from the titles of the owners - Tessa (countess), Regina (queen). Names such as Elena, Ippolito were borrowed from the myths of Ancient Greece, and the Western European peoples enriched the Italian names with their names, rewritten in the Italian way - Arduino, Theobaldo.

Christianity not only brought to the Italians some Hebrew and Arabic names, but also forbade calling children "barbaric" names. The name for the newborn could only be chosen from the Catholic calendar, and the same names in the same family were repeated from generation to generation. This was due to the fact that children were traditionally named after maternal and paternal ancestors. This custom has survived to this day. He led to the fact that many derivative names appeared in the Italian nomenclature. For example, Antonio - Antonello, Antonino, Giovanna - Giovanella, Ianella, Janella.

For Lithuanians, the name has always been the key word for determining the personality of a person. In ancient times, each of the Lithuanian names had its own individual meaning. If the name given at birth did not fit with the character or behavior of its bearer, then a nickname was chosen for him, reflecting the internal and external qualities - Juodgalvis (black-headed), Mazhulis (small), Kuprius (humped), Vilkas (wolf), Jaunutis (young).

In German families, when choosing a name for a newborn, simple rules are strictly observed. The name must necessarily indicate gender and cannot be fictitious. Indeed, why invent non-existent names when there are already big choice. Moreover, the law does not limit the number of registered names, and some parents give their beloved child up to a dozen of them. Moreover, short forms of the name, for example, Katya, can be considered official.

The oldest German names appeared before our era. As in other languages, they described the virtues and characteristics of a person - Adolf (noble wolf), Karl (brave), Ludwig (who gained fame in battle). In modern German, there are few such names left, about two hundred. From the second half of the 8th century, Christian names gradually begin to gain more and more popularity. Children are increasingly called by biblical names of Hebrew, Greek or Roman origin. At the same time, proper German names associated with religion appear - Gotthold (the power of God).

The close ties of the Germans with other peoples brought borrowings from the languages ​​of Western Europe and even the Russian language into German culture. German parents give their children the names of famous actors and show business stars. Now in Germany, original foreign names are often becoming popular, which do not always meet the laws of German spelling. So, Gertrude is next to Natasha, and Hans is next to Lucas. But traditional German names have always prevailed over extravagant inclusions.

The history of the origin of Polish names, like that of other Slavic peoples, is rooted in the pre-Christian era. Early Polish names arose from common nouns, which were essentially the nicknames of people - Wilk (wolf), Koval (blacksmith), Hola (naked). The child was often named after a deceased relative, so some names were passed down from generation to generation and became fixed in the folk name book. The division of society into classes singled out the nobility. In this environment, names formed from two components (Vladislav, Kazimir), which are found in our time, have become popular.

The vast majority of Russian names, so familiar to our ears, in fact, do not have Slavic roots. They appeared in the Russian nomenology during the period of the establishment of Christianity in Russia. And, oddly enough, the original Slavic names were almost completely replaced from everyday life. How did our distant ancestors call each other?

The pagan Slavs lived in harmony with nature, believed in the existence of a soul in plants and animals, endowed natural phenomena with mystical power. The name served not only to distinguish people. It was both a personal amulet and a characteristic of a person. To ward off "evil spirits", the child was often given an unsightly name - Kriv, Malice. The affectionate name that the parents called the child was kept secret so that no one could damage the baby through it. A teenager, when some of his personal qualities were already manifested, was given a new name. Children were called names from the plant and animal world (Wolf, Nut). In large families, the name indicated the order of birth - Pervak, Devyatko. Names evaluated the personality and appearance of their carriers - Fool, Krasava, Malusha. Old Slavic names-nicknames have long disappeared from use, but at one time they became the basis for the formation of surnames - Volkov, Fools, Karasin.

The ancient names, consisting of two bases, which were originally the privilege of princely families, continue to live in modern world- Yaroslav, Svyatoslav, Miroslava. Already in Christian Russia, the female names Vera, Hope and Love, popular at all times, were born. This is a direct translation of the Greek words "pistis, elpis and agape" (faith, hope, love). The Slavic names Olga, Oleg, Igor were included in the calendar, their use was legalized by the church.

The warlike nature of the numerous tribes that inhabited the lands of Scandinavia in ancient times left an imprint on the origin and meaning of most Scandinavian names. Even the custom of naming itself was rather harsh - the father had every right to recognize the newborn as a member of the family and give him a name in honor of his ancestors or abandon the baby.
Many ancient Scandinavian names originated from common nouns that name the distinguishing features of a person, the names of animals, objects, or abstract concepts. Such nicknames could change as a new individual trait appeared.

The rich mythology of the Scandinavians also could not stay away from a kind of "fashion" for names - children were willingly called the names of mythical heroes. Even female names often had a formidable connotation - Hilda (battle), Ragnhilda (battle of the defenders). Most of these names have two bases, which makes them related to the ancient Slavic names- Wigmarr (glorious war), Alfhild (battle of the elves).
The commitment of the Scandinavian peoples to their national names, which came from the depths of centuries, is worthy of respect. Even the spread of Christianity and the power of the Church could not supplant the patriarchal names. In the Middle Ages, a child could generally be baptized under any pagan name. And even later, the baptismal name remained secret, and in everyday life people used the usual old names. And representatives of the military elite even called Christian names only for illegitimate children.

Serbs are a South Slavic people who, despite the centuries-old domination of the Ottoman Empire, were able to preserve their national culture and language. Serbian names testify to this. The history of the origin of most Serbian names has Slavic roots.

It so happened that the Tatar people “responded” to almost every historical event by forming or borrowing new names.
Pagan names had common roots with all Turkic peoples. Usually they indicated belonging to one or another clan and the social status of a person - Ilbuga (the homeland of the bull), Arslan (lion), Altynbike (golden princess).

In the tenth century, Islam began to spread among the ancestors of the present Tatars, Arabic and Persian names were strengthened in the Tatar name-book. Some of them are undergoing changes, adapting to Tatar language- Gabdulla, Gali. Especially popular and now enjoy women's Tatar names Arabic origin. They are filled with positive energy and have a melodic sound - Latifa (beautiful), Valiya (holy).
AT Soviet time there was no need to call children only Muslim names, ancient names of Turkic-Bulgarian origin reappeared in everyday life - Aidar, Chulpan, Bulat. And the old names (Chanysh, Bikmulla) were replaced by new ones - Leysan, Azat. In many Tatar families, children began to be called European and Slavic names - Svetlana, Marat, Roza, Eduard.

There are a huge number of Tatar names. Their diversity is associated not only with extensive borrowings, but with the creative imagination of the Tatar people. This was manifested in the formation of new names with components from different languages ​​- Zhantimer (Persian-Turkic-Tatar), Shakhnazar (Arabic-Persian). There were female analogues of male names - Ilhamia, Farida. Despite the fact that the meanings of many Tatar names are difficult to determine, they are remembered for their beauty and originality.

Uzbek names amaze with their diversity, bizarre pattern of construction and multifaceted meaning. To some, these names may seem exotic and unusual. Their true meaning becomes clear if we consider the history of the origin of Uzbek names as a reflection of the way of life, traditions and customs of the people.

Ukrainian names differ little from Russian and Belarusian names, they have a similar history of origin with them. This is due to the historical commonality of the East Slavic peoples, close traditions and a single faith.

The history of the origin of ancient Finnish names is closely connected with the subtle perception of nature by the Finns. In the old days, names were formed from the names of objects and phenomena of the surrounding world - Ilma (air), Kuura (hoarfrost), Villa (grain), Suvi (summer). Until the 16th century, the Finns did not have their own written language, and the Finnish language was considered the language of the common people until the middle of the 19th century. Folk names were passed from mouth to mouth, forgotten over time, they were replaced by new names borrowed from other peoples.

Ah, those sumptuous French names! How they fascinated Russian society in the 19th century. It was enough to change the name a little and put the emphasis on the last syllable, and the rustic Masha turned into a sophisticated Marie, and the bumpkin Vasya into the aristocrat Basil. At the same time, few people knew that French names proper, in fact, are “foreigners” in their homeland. Their origin is associated with historical events, which led to numerous borrowings from the names of various ancient tribes and peoples.

On the territory of France, the population has long used Celtic (Bridget, Alan-Alen), Greek and Hebrew names (Dion, Eve). The Romans left their generic names (Mark, Valerie) as a "legacy" to the French. And after the German invasion, German names appeared in the name book (Alphonse, Gilbert). In the 18th century Catholic Church forbade naming children by names not included in the Catholic naming calendar. The choice of a name for French newborns became limited, borrowings ceased.
In modern France, these restrictions have been lifted, and parents are free to choose any name they like for their child. Foreign names became popular again - Tom, Lucas, Sarah. The French are quite warm about Russian names, using them in a short form. Calling a little Frenchwoman Tanya or Sonya is a special chic. How to pronounce in Russia Russian name with a French accent.

Gypsies living in different countries, not only preserve their traditions, but also have to adapt to different cultures and languages. This is the reason for the complex system of gypsy names and the history of their origin. In today's world, every gypsy has an official name and surname, registered in the passport in full accordance with the laws and customs of the country of residence. But along with the official name, it is customary for gypsies to have their own, gypsy, "internal" or "secular" name. "Secular" names can be divided into proper gypsy names, foreign names adapted to gypsy culture, and directly borrowed names from other languages.

Today, the vast majority of Chechens in choosing a name for a child try to adhere to established traditions. 90% of modern Chechen names are of Arabic origin. At the same time, borrowed Russian and Western names, mostly female ones, sometimes “penetrate” the Chechen name book. Some of them are even a short form of names - Lisa, Sasha, Zhenya, Raisa, Tamara, Rosa, Louise, Zhanna.

The history of the origin of Scottish names is like a mosaic. Each period of the difficult, eventful life of the Scottish people has left its mark on the names. The most ancient population of Scotland, the legendary Picts, representatives of the Celtic tribes (Scots and Gaels), Roman conquerors - all of them influenced the composition and meaning of Scottish names.

The system of popular female and male European names is very diverse. It has been formed over thousands of years under the influence of various national, cultural, ethnic and political factors. Modern European names for boys and girls have a variety of origins. They were created on the basis of several language systems at once, due to which the heterogeneous sound. However, despite all these differences, there is a lot in common between the now common European names. All of them are united by an amazingly beautiful sound, incredibly deep meaning and huge popularity, which they enjoy both on the European continent and beyond.

The meaning of female and male European names

The meaning of European names for girls is largely determined by their origin. The majority of Europeans are Catholics. In this regard, many names were borrowed from the Bible. In addition, in most states, the tradition of naming children according to the holy calendar is still preserved. In view of this, a significant part of modern beautiful female European names has a religious meaning. In addition, they come from words denoting various female character traits, natural phenomena, plants and animals. Some of them are devoted to literary and mythical heroes.

European male names are very similar in meaning to female names. The only difference is that they are less abstract. In addition, among the common European names for boys, there are much more of those that were borrowed from the Catholic calendar and have a religious meaning.

List of beautiful modern European names for boys

• Alexander. From Greek "protector"
• Arseny. Name of Greek origin, meaning "courageous"
• Daniel. Male European name. Meaning = "God is my judge"
• Jack. One of the forms of the name John = "blessing of God"
• Eric. Translated into Russian means "noble"
• Luke. European male name meaning "light"
• Ludwig. Name of German origin, meaning "glory in battle"
• Oliver. European male name meaning = "one who brings olives"
• Robert. Translated into Russian means "unfading glory"
• Sem. Shortened version of the name Samson = "sunny"

List of the best European names for girls

• Anastasia. Translated from ancient Greek means "returned to life"
• Victoria. European girl name meaning "victory"
• Julia. From the name of the month "July" - "born in denoting = "keeper of the hearth"
• Maria. Name of Hebrew origin, meaning "desired"
• Melissa. Translated into Russian means "bee"
• Mia. European name for a girl. Meaning "disobedient"
• Olivia. Feminine form of the male given name Oliver
• Sofia. Translated into Russian means "prudent"
• Theresa. From the Greek "guardian"
• Emma. European girl name meaning = "affectionate"

The most popular female and male names in Europe

As statistics show, the opinions of residents different states about the best European names for girls and boys are slightly different. For example, most British parents call their sons Oliver. At the same time, the Italians prefer the very beautiful male European name Francisco. There are a lot of Alexandrovs in Ukraine, Daniels in Spain, and Yakubovs in Poland. With female names and the level of popularity in different countries of the continent, the situation is almost identical. In Britain, the most common name is Olivia, in France - Emma, ​​in Germany - Mia, etc.