Pages

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The "Good", the Bad, and the Ugly

Well, the "good" is guaranteed, anyway. Whether they're bad or ugly is subject to individual tastes!

In cultures where name-meanings hold great importance (which is most ancient cultures, as far as I can tell), often one element is quite common, occurring in dozens of names: -gwen- in Welsh, for instance, or -el- and -iah- in Hebrew. 
While we're swimming in El-s today (named for the nicknames, of course, though, not the meaning), the ancient Greeks seem to have been swimming in Eu-s.
Although only a couple names have survived to modern usage in English ("modern" being relative, as they're still too fusty for many parents), there were numerous Eu-names in use in ancient times, on both genders.
Now, in Modern Greek, ευ is said "ev"or "ef", but in Ancient Greek, it was a diphthong--"eh-oo". In English, this was, of course, simplified to "yoo".

*yes, some of the meanings are a bit odd or insulting to modern ears, but many were originally from legend/mythology, where the names were linked to the character's place/role. There's also the whole "completely different culture" thing. :)

Boys:
  • Euandros (yoo-AHN-dros)--"good man" [Evander in modern English]
  • Euangelos (yoo-AHN-jel-os)--"good messenger"
  • Euaristos (yoo-ah-RIS-tos)--"well-pleasing" [Évariste in modern French]
  • Eukleides (yoo-KLAY-des)--"good glory" [Euclid in modern English]
  • Eugenios (yoo-GEN-ee-os)--"well-born" [Eugene in modern English]
  • Euphemios (yoo-FEM-ee-os)--"speaks well"
  • Euphranor (YOO-fran-or)--"good mind"
  • Euripides (yoo-RIP-ih-dees)--"good throw"
  • Eusebios (yoo-SEB-ee-os)--"good worship"
  • Eustachys (yoo-STAH-khis)--"good grain" [Eustace in modern English]
  • Eustathios (yoo-STAH-thee-os)--"good" +  "stable"
  • Eustorgios (yoo-STOR-gee-os)--"good affection"
  • Eutropios (yoo-TROP-ee-os)--"good character"
  • Eutychus (yoo-TYE-kus)--"good fortune"

Girls:
  • Euadne (yoo-AHD-nee)--"good" + " holy"
  • Euagora (yoo-AH-gor-ah)--"good assembly"
  • Euanthe (yoo-AHN-thee)--"good flower"
  • Euarne (yoo-AHR-nee)--poss. "good sheep"
  • Euboea (yoo-BEE-ah)--prob. "good cattle"
  • Eudaimonia (yoo-dye-mon-EE-ah)--"good spirit"
  • Eudocia (yoo-DOS-ee-ah)--"good will"
  • Eudora (yoo-DOH-rah)--"good gift"
  • Eudoxia (yoo-DOKS-ee-ah)--"good fame"
  • Eugeneia (yoo-gen-AY-ah)--"well-born" [Eugenia in modern English]
  • Eukleia (yoo-KLAY-ah)--"good glory"
  • Eukrante (yoo-KRAHN-tee)--poss. "good accomplishment"
  • Eulalia (yoo-LAH-lee-ah)--"speaks well"
  • Eulimene (yoo-LEE-men-ee)--"good harbour"
  • Eumelia (yoo-MEH-lee-ah)--"good song"
  • Eunice (YOO-nis, yoo-NEE-see)--"good victory"
  • Eumolpe (yoo-MOL-pee)--"good singer"
  • Eunomia (yoo-NOM-ee-ah)--"good order"
  • Eunostos (yoo-NOS-tos)--"good yield"
  • Eupheme (yoo-FEM-ee)--"speaks well" [Euphemia in modern English]
  • Euphrasia (yoo-FRAHS-ee-ah)--"good cheer"
  • Euphrosyne (yoo-FROS-in-ee)--"good cheer"
  • Eupompe (yoo-POM-pee)--"good escort"
  • Euporia (yoo-POR-ee-ah)--"good journey"
  • Eupraxia (yoo-PRAHKS-ee-ah)--"good conduct"
  • Eusebia (yoo-SEB-ee-ah)--"good worship"
  • Euterpe (yoo-TEHR-pee)--"good" + " delight"
  • Euthalia (yoo-THAH-lee-ah)--"blossoming well"
  • Euthemia (yoo-THEH-mee-ah)--"good order"
  • Euthenia (yoo-THEH-nee-ah)--poss. "good supply"
  • Euthymia (yoo-THEE-mee-ah)--"good spirit"
  • Eutropia (yoo-TROP-ee-ah)--"good character"
  • Eutychia (yoo-TYE-kee-ah)--"good fortune"

Honorable mention goes to Evangeline, which, although derived from Greek ("good news"), has no record of use before Longfellow's poem, "Evangeline". 

No comments:

Post a Comment