Chechen Muslim's Names ( Origin and Meaning)
Names are historical heritage of people. The names reflect
their past and present, historical and economic ties with other nations,
culture, faith, their hopes and aspirations, living conditions.
The
original Nakh names reflect their attitude to the environment. The Chechen
language contains a number of personal names, which emerged on the basis of the
original lexical fund. These names are quite specific and linked with the flora
and fauna and also attributive appellations. The original names represent the
most ancient stratum in the Chechen anthroponimics, and heritage of the Chechen
language and seldom penetrate other languages.
Personal
Chechen names are largely reflected in the animal world: Bozh (buozh – goat-
Ali; Bula (bul) - bison; Borz (buorz) – wolf; Ovlur – lamb of winter cattle; Lom
(luom) – lion and declination form – Loyoma.
Other
designations of predatory animals are used as nicknames reflecting a person’s
features: Cha – bear, Piil – elephant; Nal -- wild boar, denoting power. Zhyogal
– fox, denoting slyness, courtliness and servility. Dakka – a mouse, underlines
the ability to sneak anywhere and avoid trouble. Zizig is a cat; Kyeza – a
puppy, a diminutive namesake for children. Lu – a roe; Sai is a deer, which
stresses, elegance, beauty, gracefulness.
Chechen
names frequently contain designations of domestic and wild birds: Khokha – a
dove, Moma (muom) – a partridge; Selasat (cihe-lsot) – oriole; Chovka – a rook;
Chiygyardig – a swallow; Kuyara – a hawk, Durgali – a white-bellied martin,
Makkhal – a black kite; Olkhazar – a bird; Khyoza – a sparrow; Lecha—a falcon,
Ayrzu – an eagle.
As
nick-names denoting assessment characteristics use the following names of birds:
kotam (kuotam) – a hen; bad—a duck, gyargluli – a crane; kyig – a crow, chyab –
bittern; soyka – eagle-owl;
khuyttut – cuckoo; atyokh – hoopoe; alkhancha – starling; gyaz – goose,
bukhya – owl, todakh (tuodakh) --
piper, nyanya – a rooster, nyaynakhorni – cockerel.
Name-sakes are used to denote insects and
reptiles: laykhya – a snake, boykha khyuma – also a serpent, moylkya – a lizard,
pkhid – a frog, gezg – a spider, segal – a flea, zyubdar – a leech. Polla
denotes a butter-fly, chyrk – a knat, moza—a fly, zingat – an ant, sesa – a
tadpole, zayapzalg – a grasshopper.
The
formation of personal names from designations of the flora is quite common in
any language: Nazha – an oak-tree, Baza—yew-tree, Jola—shrubbery , Dushta
(duushto) – ash-tree. Zezag means flowers, Zaza – florescence, Datta –
rowan-tree, Kemsa – grapes, Petyamat – poppies.
The
Chechen language also has names derived from the designations of precious metals
and gems: Dasha – both male and female – means lead; Deshi – gold, Deti –
silver. Birlant – diamond; Djovkhar – pearl; Mokhaz –
flint.
The
Chechen language also contains names reflecting natural phenomena, special
bodies: Markha – a cloud; Seda (Sieda) – star; Batta – lunar; Mayalkh-ayazni
meaning solar beauty; kameta – comet; Kyilba – south.
The
Chechen anthroponimics has names which denote conjuration and incantation,
derived from verbs. Male names: Vakha – to live; Dukhavakha – to live long;
Vakhiyta – let live; Visa – to stay; Visiyta – let him stay.
Female
names: Yakha – live; Yakhiyta – let her live; Yisa – stay.
Such
names were given in families whose children did not survive. The harsh economic
conditions, need and poverty resulted in high infantile mortality. And in such
cases, a despondent mountainous family resorted to names-incantations: Satziyta,
Toita – enough, let it stop.
The
Chechens attributed a great importance to names. Their names were treated gently. Chechens would say that “a name
is the glory of the mighty, but it can also be a disgrace and infamy of the
weak”.
There
are names in the Chechen language, derived from adjectives: Dika – good, Masa –
quick, agile, Maira, Mayrbek, Mairsolt – courageous (bek), Sutarbi – greedy.
Khaza is beautiful, (Khazabika), Kurbika – proud (bika).
The
semantics of many names based on Hakh languages is not quite clear today.
Unfortunately, many originally and traditionally Nakh names are undeservedly
forgotten and recede in the past. Life is changing and names are changing in
reflection of those changes. The words denoting the names acquire new meanings.
The Chechen language contains names adopted from other languages. It is assumed
that for those people who embraced Islam, Arabic names are quite common. This is
not quite true. In reality, these people have a few scores of names, which Arabs
bore in the first century after embracing Islam. Purely Arabic names were
retained only among those who were linked with the name of prophet Mohamed, and
let the Allah bless and greet them, and with the names of his associates and
disciples. Many names bestowed on Chechens are oriental names, but there are
also names adopted from the Russian language and other languages by way of
Russian.
Let
us consider the etymology of some of those names:
1. Abbas
(abbas) – is a name which was bestowed on the Prophet’s uncle, let the Allah
bless and greet him. The meaning of this name is austere,
sullen.
2. Abdullah
(Yabdullah) – is a name of the father of Prophet Mohamed, let the Allah bless
and greet him. The meaning of the name is a slave of the
Allah.
3. Abdulrakhman
(Yabdulrakhman) -- is a name which first appeared with the onset of the
Prophet’s prophetic mission. The Prophet often mentions in his scriptures that
Abdulrakhman is a noble name. The meaning of the name is a slave of the
All-mighty.
One
of the chief names of the Allah that begins the Koran is
Bismallah-yir-rakhmanir-rakhim – meaning – in the name of the Allah – the
All-mighty and merciful.
4. Abu
– a name’s core, meaning Father and it begins names such as Abuali, Abumuslim,
Abubakar, Abusaid.
5. Aisha
is the name of one of Prophet Mohamed’s wives and let the Allah bless and greet
him. The meaning of the name is living.
6. Ali
(yelah) is a common name in Muslim countries and it was bestowed on the
legendary son-in-law of Prophet Mohamed, and let the Allah bless and greet him.
The name of Ali is linked with the powerful movement in Islam – the Shia. The
name denotes supreme, elevated.
7. Akhmad
(Akhymad) – glorified.
8. Ayub
is a name of one of the Prophets and denotes repentant, according to one
version, and persecuted according to another.
9.Bulat
is derived from Arabic and means steel.
10.Vadud
is one of the 19 epithets of the Allah – and al Vadud denoting
affectionate.
11. Daud means a loving
friend.
12.Jamal – denotes beauty, attractiveness.
Jamaldin – is the beauty of faith, and Jamaldi is a derivative of this
name.
13. Zainab (Zainap, Zainapi) means buxom, and
it was the name of one of the daughters of Prophet Mohamed , let the Allah bless
and greet him.
14.Zaman (Zama, Zamani) means time and
epoch.
15.Ibrakhim (Ibraykhim) is the name of one
of the Prophets; in Hebrew it is a form of Abraham denoting the father of all
nations.
16.Laila
(Laylya) – means a lily.
17.Malik – meaning possessor,
ruler.
18.Malika – denotes
Czarina.
19. Mansur
– means victorious.
20.Mukhammad (Mokhyamad, Makhymud,
Mukhyammad) meaning glorified, glorious.
Compiled
by Zulai Khamidova, Ph.D of philological studies,
professor.
Bibliography:
Comparatives – Historical Grammar of the Nakh Languages and Problems of the
Origin and Development of the Mountainous Peoples”. By Y.D. Deshiriyev. Grozny,
1963.
The
Original Names of Chechens and Ingushis – a Collection of Articles and Materials
on the Issues of Nakh Linguistics. By N. G. Akriywev. Izvestia, Chinsheyal,
Grozny, 1975, Vol. 10.Chechen
Names, By N.S. Bibulatov, Grozny, 1991.
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