The names that were given before were not exactly the ones we are used to now. A name was given for life, sometimes the fate of a person depended on this. There were beautiful, kind names, but there were also unkind names, when pronouncing which people understood what kind of person was in front of them.
In ancient Russia, there were canonical or non-canonical names. Before Christianity, the Eastern Slavs, and these are the ancestors of Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, used only personal names. After the adoption of Christianity by Russia, each Slav also received a baptismal name. But there were also so-called nicknames in Russia, which sometimes replaced the real name. After the baptism of Russia, these names, like the pagan ones, were completely supplanted and replaced by ordinary Christian names, which we still call our children.
What were the names in the pre-Christian era?
In the days of the so-called paganism, names were given with a hidden meaning. For example, the name Bazhen meant a desired child. There were also the names Bazhai and Bazhan, which came from the same name. The girl was called Bazhena. Bezson - that is, awake and vigorous. By the way, the corresponding surnames also originated from these names - Bazhenov, Bessonov. Beloslav means a white man who glorifies God. There was also Beloslava, and her abbreviated name was Belyana. A name like Beremir means caring for the world, preserving it. Berislav is the one who takes glory, the one who cares about glory and gains it in a difficult battle.
The Slavs also had negative names. For example, Fornication - dissolute and unprofitable, which sometimes really coincided with reality. For example, one of the governors of Yaropolk Svyatoslavich was fornication Iveschey, who betrayed his prince. And there were also such names as Bogomil or Bozhedar, Bogolyub. These names speak for themselves. There were also names like Borsch, Boyan. Vadim - means a disputant or quarreler, this name came to us from those times in its original form, like the name Vera, Vladimir or Vsevolod. Most of the names are not used now, they can only be found in special reference books or on the Internet, but they are worth studying, at least in order to know what they mean and where most of today's surnames come from.
Names after the adoption of Christianity
After the baptism of Rus, many people received other names. For example, Princess Olga became Elena at her baptism. An onomasticon was formed in the church - this is a set of names that are given to a person at baptism. These names are still used today. Vladimir - that is, the one who owns the world. Ivan, Fedor, Peter, Alexey, Pavel, Philip, Mark. Many names came from Greece, some from ancient Rome, Syria and Egypt. There Christianity originated earlier, and a whole host of saints formed there, in whose honor certain names were given.
But there were also such names that did not take root in Russia. These are Ostromir, Voyata, Doroga and others. According to scientists, it is the name that becomes the basis in your destiny. How you name a child, so his life will turn out. Therefore, it is better not to be original, but to give a person a name that will be loved not only by themselves, but also by other people.
