While putting together yesterday’s post on the top baby names in Latvia, I came across dozens of Latvian-origin names:
| Female names | Male names |
| Agra, based on agrs, ” early” Aina, “view, scene” Ausma, “dawn” Austra, “daybreak” | Agris, based on agrs, “early” Ainis, based on aina, “view, scene” Airis, “oar, paddle” Alnis, “elk” Atvars, “whirlpool” Austrums, “east” |
| Centis, based on censties, “to aspire” | |
| Daila, based on daile, “beauty” Daina, “folk song” Drosma, based on drosmigs, “brave” Dzidra, based on dzidrs, “clear” Dzintra, based on dzintars, “amber” | Dailis, based on daile, “beauty” Dainis, based on daina, “folk song” Drosmis, based on drosmigs, “brave” Dzidris, based on dzidrs, “clear” Dzintars, “amber” |
| Gaida, based on gaidit, “to wait” Gundega, “buttercup” (a type of flower) Guna and Gunta, based on guns/uguns, “fire” | Guntis, based on guns/uguns, “fire” |
| Ilga, based on ilgas, “longing” | |
| Jautrite*, based on jautrs, “cheerful” | |
| Lasma*, based on lasmot, “to sparkle” Liega, based on liegs, “gentle” Liga* and Ligita, based on ligot, “sing Ligo songs” Liksma, based on liksms, “joyful” Lilija, “lily” | |
| Maiga, based on maigs, “gentle” Meldra, based on meldrs, “bulrush” Metra*, “mint” Mirdza, based on mirdzet, “to glitter” Modra, based on modrs, “watchful” Mudite*, based on mudigs, “quick” Mundra, based on mundrs, “brisk” | Meldris, based on meldrs, “bulrush” Modris, based on modrs, “watchful” |
| Parsla*, “snowflake” | |
| Rasa, “dew” Rasma, “harvest” Rozite*, based on roze, “rose” | Raitis, based on raits, “nimble” |
| Sarma and Sarmite*, based on sarma, “hoar frost“ Selga, “open sea” (also a brand of biscuits) Skaidra and Skaidrite*, based on skaidrs, “clear” Smaida, based on smaidit, “to smile” Smuidra, based on smuidrs, “slender” Sniedze, “snow bunting” (a type of bird) Spodra, based on spodrs, “bright” Spulga, based on spulgs, “bright” Strauja, based on straujš, “rapid” | Sarmis, based on sarma, “hoar frost” Smuidris, based on smuidrs, “slender” Spodris, based on spodrs, “bright” |
| Vaira, based on vairot, “to increase” Velta, based on velte, “gift” Vesma*, “breeze” Vija, “garland” Vizma, based on vizmot, “to shimmer” | Viesturs, based on viesturis, “hospitable” Vilnis, “wave” |
| Zaiga, based on zaigot, “to glisten” Zeltite*, based on zeltits, “gilded” Zinta, based on zinte, “witchcraft” | Ziedonis, “springtime” (based on zieds, “flower”) Zintis, based on zinte, “witchcraft” |
Hundreds of Latvian names were either invented or revived during the Latvian National Awakening, which started in the middle of the 19th century. Many of the invented names can be attributed to Latvian poet Mikelis Krogzemis (1850-79), who wrote under the pen name Auseklis.
Only about 50 of the names invented by Auseklis have survived until today, but some of those are quite common, such as Liga, Daina, Dzintars and Dzintra.
*Letters with macrons don’t render properly on my site, so please imagine they exist in the names marked with an asterisk.
Sources:
- Top 100 newborn names in Latvia – Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia
- Jacobs, Timothy. “Latvian names are more than just Janis.” Baltic Times 28 Feb. 2002.
- Lawson, Edwin D., and Laimute Balode. “Latvian naming patterns, 1880-1991” (PDF). Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences, Aberdeen, Scotland, August 4–11, 1996. Volume 3, pp. 244–249.
- Wiktionary
Image: Adapted from Zvartes Iezis-3 by Laaciz under CC BY-SA 4.0.
