The name is the key to the inner world of a person, determining his destiny. In Russia, a child was given 2 names at birth: a false name for everyone and a secret one for himself and very close people. It was believed that this tradition is able to protect a person from evil spirits and unkind people.
Ancient names of Slavic origin have a long history. Many of them are outdated due to the loss of relevance. Some acquire a certain ambiguity in their sound and meaning. These reasons require adults to be more careful when choosing a name for their child.
Obsolete Old Russian names
Old Russian names at one time carried a certain meaning, reflected the caste belonging of a person, were a reflection of traditions and folk art, and were also of interest to researchers. Currently, most of them are not used.
Almost all the names had certain semantic endings. The end of "glory" meant wise, chief, glorious and was found in the names Miroslav, Svyatoslav, Izyaslav. The ending "world" - vital, healthy, secular, was used in the names Jaromir, Radomir, Svetomir, Blagomir. "Mountains" - height, flight, sky - Svetogor and Zlatogor; "Thought" - wise, glorious, knowledgeable - Ostromysl and Horomysl; "Wise" - glorious, wise - Good and Wise; "Sweet" - sweet - Yaromil and Radomil; "Regiment" - strong, collected, persistent - Yaropolk and Svetopolk; "Yar" - heat, fire, ardor - Zlatoyar and Sivoyar.
Popular old names
Some old names have adapted and become very popular today. The name Matvey is Hebrew, it means "God's gift". This name used to be widespread among the Russian boyars, then it began to be encountered less and less and completely disappeared from use. Nowadays, more and more often you can find a boy named Matvey.
Daniel and Daniel are names of biblical origin, which translate as "my judge is God." These names are also gaining popularity among young people now. Daniel is a determined person, but unhurried in business, respecting others and himself.
Among the old male names that have become popular in the modern world, there are: Nazar, Savely, Elisey, Luka, Ilya, Fedor, Boris, Zakhar, Ignat, Platon.
There is a similar trend among old female names. Sofia is a very common name meaning "wisdom". It is believed that a woman with this name is righteous, sane, knowledgeable. Sofia is a kind person who can help everyone.
Elizabeth is a name that began to revive after a long oblivion. It translates as "worshiping God." Lisa is a devoted and condescending person, able to skillfully hide her feelings and not show her frustrations in public.
Ustinya is a name of Latin origin, translated as "fair". This is a rather quick-tempered and straightforward woman, but at the same time very reasonable. By nature, Ustinya is a leader who loves praise.
The old female names that are popular at the present time also include Neonila, Marta, Stefania, Pelageya, Aksinya.
