Baranxtiman name

Baranxtiman names are traditionally threepart, consisting of a given name, a patronymic or matronymic and the family name.

There are a number of different traditions that are employed throughout of Baranxtu, all reflecting different historical attitudes towards kinship of which some prevailed in certain areas to a larger extent than in others.

The Tripartite Name

Given Name

Baranxtiman given names are nowadays usually chosen according to the personal preferences of a child's parents, but historically it either depended on when a child was born (similar to namesdays) or the family's profession. In aristocratic circles, the former method is still often employed.

For example, a child born on January 11th - the fest day of Asuani - may be named Asuani/Asuana or a derivative thereof, for example Asuanitukembra. Whereas the former version can still be found quite often, the latter has been discontinued as many people find these long names quite cumbersome.

Similarily, someone born in early December may receive a name such as Iðari/Iðara (love of the ancestors) as this is the time in which the Ištocun is celebrated, the festival honoring the ancestors.

On the other hand, there are also names traditionally related to a certain profession; for example children of a member of the priesthood may be called Andasi/Andasa (divine joy) or Shaniqabi/Shaniqaba (the Holy House) whereas children of a fisher were likelier to be named Rakašunudi/Rakašunuda (Holy Gift of the River). Especially the names of people over 60 may still be derived from this costum, although it is dying out today.

Patronymic/Matronymic

The middle name of Baranxtimans is always a patronymic or matronymic. It is the parent's name in the genitive form, i.e. with the suffix -tu added.

The currently most common costum regarding the reception of a patronymic or matronymic is to give a child the name of the parent of the same sex, that is, a woman's daughters receive her name as a matronymic whereas her sons receive the name of their father as a patronymic.

For example, in a family of four (Andasa and Asuani with their children Shaniqabi and Iðara), this would give them the following names:

• Andasa Melumnatu Remana-Simpala
• Asuani Baranxitu Simpali-Remani
• Shaniqabi Asuanitu Simpali
• Iðara Andasatu Remana

Especially in the case of a single mother raising her children, it is usual that her children all receive a matronymic.

A new, emerging trend is to give a child the name of the parent of the opposite sex and the last name of the parent of the same sex. In our example family, this would render them

• Andasa Melumnatu Remana-Simpala
• Asuani Emnatu Simpali-Remani
• Shaniqabi Andasatu Simpali
• Iðara Asuanitu Remana

Family Name

Grammatically, family names are not nouns but adjectives and thus adapt to the noun's gender and number.

Upon marrying, it is nowadays costum that both parties adopt a hyphenated surname, with the maiden name coming first followed by the partner's family name.

For Andasa Remana marrying Asuani Simpali, this means that she will becomne Andasa Remana-Simpala and her husband will become Asuani Simpali-Remani.

When passing on the family name to children, they usually inherit the name of the parent of the same sex.

Traditionally, both adopted the same family name; usually it was that of the more affluent partner, as the newlyweds would usually live on the premises of the richer family.

Style of Address

There are relatively few simple rules on how to address someone with a Baranxtiman name. Although, especially when not conversing in Baranxeï, it is accepted to follow the rules of the language that is used, the Baranxeï form of address is most often preferred.

When talking to someone of higher standing, one uses the given name and the matronym/patronym. The definition of "higher standing" is rather vague; today, it is usually only used in formal settings, for example at work, at school or at court.

People of equal status usually use simply the given name.

As a rule of thumb, one should never use the family name when talking to someone in Baranxeï; this has negative connotations and is thus considered rude.

Inventory and Influences

Although the inventory of contemporary Baranxtiman names is quite rich - owing to dialectal sound changes, reintroduction of archaic names or versions thereof and also the incorporation of formerly non-Baranxtiman names both through simply transcription as well as translation - there are a many very commonly found names, and an even higher incidence can be found when only looking at certain roots and derivations thereof.

Common Roots

The following list of common roots, their etymologies and derivations only gives an overview over the most common roots of Baranxtiman names. It should also be noted that especially derived elements can have multiple origins.

-hura is usually the last part of a name (usually of women, although male names ending in -huri can be found occasionally). It is derived from Old Baranxeï qaura (which survives in Modern Baranxeï kaurī), originally meaning "speaker" but later receiving religious connotations first as "preacher" and subsequently "admonisher (of those who lack faith)". As such, it is usually present in positive meaning such as Lehura or Lahura ("she who preaches faith"), Mahura ("she who teaches good") and Ranhura (derived either through haplology from Rankaqaura, "she who preaches against evil", or from Ranẽqaura, "she who admonishes evil"). Originally derogatory forms are much rarer, but do exist (Anañura, "she who preaches too much").

Further derivates of -hura may be -ura, -jura or -vura. Following a nasal consonant, the /h/ or /j/ is often assimilated or fused with it (see above Anañura, derived from Ananhura).

Especially in male names, a common root is þal, meaning "spirit, courage". It is for example seen in Þalhaši ("he who has spirit") or Þalāŋeþni (literally "the rainy spirit", but more properly "the creative mind").

Closely related (both in meaning and etymology) to þal is ðilla ("heart"), more commonly found in women's names, however. Ðilla may already act as a proper name, as well as side forms thereof (Daila, Darja, Djara, etc). Composites with this root include Ðillamana (either "good heart" or "heart-water", i.e., "blood"), Ðillalaña (literally "black heart", but more properly translated as "a heart full of love" stemming from the connotations of the color black) or Matuðilla ("mother's heart").

Another common name that is derived from the same root like both þal and ðilla is Humðilri/Humðilra ("great soul/spirit"), which can be either traced to the forerunners of Modern Baranxeï haunðilru ("spirit") or haunðileri/haunðilerη ("hero/ine").

Interaction with other Cultures

A number of Baranxtiman names have been adopted by neighbouring cultures.

For example, names have been incorporated into Chicoutim, resulting in forms such as Lahoure (Lahura), Dillaigne (Ðillalajja) or Talèci (Þalhaši).

In turn, French and Cikoutimian names have been adopted into Baranxtiman culture, as well, especially among Baranxtiman Catholics. This languages were the source of, for example, Andalaraχi (calqued from Amadé/Amadeus), Maria or Xristina.