Naming is the first, main event in the life of a newborn baby. Many people believed and still believe that the name plays an important role in a person’s fate. Therefore, the Chechens, like many representatives of other nationalities, treated this event with great seriousness and attention. But times pass and the heritage is lost, just like many traditions of the concept of Islam. Nowadays, a name is sometimes the only sign by which we can guess what religion and sometimes nationality this or that person is.
Names are the historical heritage of the people. Unfortunately, many original Chechen names are undeservedly forgotten and become a thing of the past. Names carry part of the history, culture, and faith of their people.

Classification of names by origin

Some traditional Chechen names, which arose on the basis of its original lexical fund, reflect the attitude towards the surrounding life. There are also specific names, associated with the plant and animal worlds or being attributive names. There are also names borrowed from other languages.

The next part of the names, which is by far the most common, are the names eastern origin. They have taken root in the territory where they live Chechen people mostly during the spread of Islam. These are mainly the names of Prophets and Messengers, the Prophet Muhammad. His associates, students, followers. Also, based on many hadiths, we learn that best names- consisting of the prefix “Abd” - slave and one of the epithets of Allah. For example, Abdullah is a slave of Allah, Abdurrahman is a slave of the Merciful.

The most common names.

Modern Chechen names include both native Chechen anthroponyms and those borrowed from Persian, Arabic and Russian languages. Native names often designate birds and animals: Lecha (“falcon”), Kokha (“dove”), Kuira (“hawk”), Tshogal (“fox”), Cha (“bear”).

But more often they reflect a specific verb form: Vakha - “live”, Yakhiyata - “let you live”. Often there are beautiful Chechen names formed from participles and adjectives: Dika - “good”. These anthroponyms reflect people’s attitude to life, flora and fauna: Zelimzan (“healthy, real”), Lu (“roe deer”), Mayrsalt (“brave”), Nokhcho (“Chechen”), Suli (“Dagestan”). Such names today are not as popular as those borrowed from their neighbors.

Names borrowed from other cultures

Many Chechen names were borrowed from Arabic and Persian languages: Ali, Umar, Yakub, Magomed, Akhmat, Shamsuddin, Saifulla, Mukhsin, Ihsan, Zaman - common Chechen male names. And women's: Jamilya, Zuhra, Maimuna, Nazira, Savda, Leila, Amanat, Rebiat, Safiyya, Fazilya, Halima, Yasmin. Names can also be compound names, in which elements such as “bek” or “soltan” are added to the main part. This part can come at the beginning or at the end.

Many Chechen female names were borrowed from Russian: Lisa, Raisa, Rosa, Louise, Zinaida, Zhanna, Tamara, Dasha and others. Often the diminutive form of a name is written down as the official name. For example, Sasha or Zhenya, which is quite common among mountain peoples.

Depending on what dialect the residents of Chechnya speak, the pronunciation and even the spelling of the same name varies: Akhmad - Akhmat, Yunus - Yunas, Abuyazid - Abuyazit.

IN lately Names of Arabic origin are becoming increasingly popular among mountaineers.

Factors in the formation of Chechen names

Original Nakh names reflect the attitude towards the surrounding life. IN Chechen language a certain number of personal names are presented that arose on the basis of its original lexical fund. These names are very specific and are associated with flora and fauna and attributive names. Native names represent the most ancient layer in Chechen anthroponymy; they are the property of the Chechen language and rarely penetrate into other languages.
The animal world is significantly reflected in personal Chechen names:

Bozh (buozh) - goat;

Bula (bul) - bison;

Borz (buorz) - wolf;

Ovlur - lamb of winter cattle;

Other names of predatory animals are used as nicknames that reflect one or another human trait:

Cha - bear;

Piil - elephant;

Nal - boar;

Boar - strength is emphasized;

Tskhogal - fox, cunning, flattery, servility are emphasized;

Dhaka is a mouse, the ability to go everywhere and avoid trouble is emphasized;

Tsitsig - cat;

Lu (lu) - roe deer;

Sai - deer, elegance, beauty, grace are emphasized;

Often in Chechen names there are names of domestic and wild birds:

Khokha - dove;

Moma (muom) - partridge;

Chovka - rook;

Kuira - hawk;

Durgali - white-bellied swift;

Makkhal - kite;

Olkhazar - bird;

Hyoza - sparrow;

Lecha - falcon;

Arzu - eagle;

The following bird names are used as nicknames expressing evaluative characteristics:

kotam (kuotam) - chicken;

bad - duck;

kig - crow;

atyokh - hoopoe;

alkhanca—starling;

The names of insects and reptiles are used as nicknames:

Chu'rk - mosquito;

Mosa is a fly;

Zingat - ant;

Sesa - tadpole;

Tsalptsalg - grasshopper;

The formation of personal names from the names of the plant world is a common phenomenon in every language:

Zhola - small shrub;

Dushta (duushto) - ash;

Zezag - flowers;

Zaza - flowering;

Datta - rowan;

There are also names in the Chechen language derived from the names of precious metals and stones:

Deshi - gold;

Children - silver;

Birlant - diamond;

Jovhar - pearls;

Mokhaz - flint;

In the Chechen language there are also names that reflect natural phenomena and cosmic bodies:

Markha - cloud, cloud;

Seda (sieda) - star;

Batta - lunar;

Malkh - azni - sunny beauty;

Kameta - kameta;

Kilba - south;

In Chechen anthroponymy, spell names formed from verbs occupy a large place. Male names:

Vaha - live;

Dukhavaha - live long;

Vahiyta - let him live;

Visa - stay;

Visiyta - let him stay;

Female names:

Yaha - alive;

Yahiyata - let him live;

Yisa - stay;

Such names were given in families where children did not survive. The difficult economic situation, poverty and hunger led to high infant mortality. And then the desperate mountain family turned to spell names. When many girls were born in a family, they gave spell names:

Saciyta, Toita - enough, let him stop;

Chechens attached great importance to names. The name was treated with care. Chechens say that “The name is the glory of the strong, the name is the shame and misfortune of the weak.”

There are names in the Chechen language formed from adjectives:

Dika - good;

Masa - fast, frisky, Mayra, Mayrbek;

Myrsalt - brave (bek);

Sutarbi - greedy;
Haza - beautiful, (Khazabika);

Kurbika - proud (bika);

More about Nakh names

The semantics of many names based on the Nakh languages ​​is incomprehensible today. Unfortunately, many original and traditional Nakh names are undeservedly forgotten and become a thing of the past. Yes, life changes and, reflecting these changes, names change, not just the words used as names, but what was meant by these names. There are many borrowed names in the Chechen language from other languages. It is generally accepted that among the peoples who converted to Islam, Arabic names are common. This is not entirely true. In fact, these peoples have preserved several dozen names that were borne by the Arabs in the first century after the adoption of Islam. Of the actual Arabic names, only those that were in one way or another associated with the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) remained in use. And the names of his associates and students.

Many names that Chechens bear are eastern names, there are names borrowed from the Russian language and through it from other languages. Let's look at the etymology of some names:

Laila (Laila) - the name means lily.

Malik - the meaning of the name is possessing, ruling.

Malika - the meaning of the name is queen.

Mansur - the meaning of the name is victorious.

Muhammad (Mokhmad, Mahmud, Mukhammad) - the meaning of the name is glorified, glorious.

Each nation has its own tradition of forming personal names. Chechens are no exception. Their surnames are based on the names of birds or animals, proper names, they have Chechen origin or have roots in Persian or Arabic languages.

Chechen surnames - list

Have you ever wondered where your family came from? Sometimes it happens that a person does not suspect who his relatives are or does not attach much importance to it. But knowing what name his genus had, you can learn a lot about your ancestors in the male or female line. If you want to know popular Chechen surnames, a list of them in alphabetical order is given below. Look, maybe one of your great-grandfathers was a mountain resident.

• Azanaevs;
• Aidamirovs;
• Albagaevs;
• Amievs;
• Bogaevs;
• Borshaevs;
• Burgalayevs;
• Valuevs;
• Goevs;
• Daurbekovs;
• Dudayevs;
• Zavgaevs;
• Zakaevs;
• Ismoilovs;
• Kalakoevs;
• Kutaevs;
• Lorsanovs;
• Makhdaevs;
• Melardoevs;
• Omaevs;
• Rakhimovs;
• Rashidovs;
• Solgirievs;
• Sulimov;
• Supurovs;
• Turaevs;
• Khadzhievs;
• Khidievs;
• Tsugievs;
• Tsurgany;
• Shovkhalovs;
• Yusupov.

Chechen names and surnames

Chechen names and surnames can have both original origin, and be borrowed from other languages. From Arabic and Persian, Chechens, like other Muslims, use such male names like Ali, Magomed, Shamil, female Aliya, Leila, etc. Chechen names have much in common with Ingush ones, the distinctive specificity of which is only the predominant use of the sound “ay”.

Russian-language versions are widespread. Female diminutive versions of names can act as full forms(Dasha, Zina). Native names are full of variety. Their meanings are based on nouns (Borz - “wolf”, Ruslan - “lion”), adjectives (Daud - “beloved, dear”, Zelimzan - “healthy, living long”), verbs (Toita - “stop”).

The surnames of the indigenous population of Chechnya have ancient origin. Their spelling as well as pronunciation can be different depending on the dialect. During the Soviet Union, to unify the spelling, many of them were added with the endings “-ov” and “-ev”, and the declension occurred according to the rules of Russian grammar. Now a large group of people are inclined to return to the original forms, which shows their respect for their roots, especially among the male population.

Beautiful Chechen surnames

From carriers different languages their perception of the sounds of someone else’s alphabet, so the same word is perceived differently by their ears. Distinctive feature phonetics of the peoples of the Caucasus is large number deaf and hard sounds, a sequence of several consonants. Beautiful Chechen surnames for our ears can be called those in which there are a sufficient number of vowels, and the consonants are mostly voiced. For us, such Chechen surnames as Azizovs, Umayevs, the list of which can be continued, will be more euphonious.

Famous Chechen surnames

Caucasians are related by blood great value. Even if your relative many centuries ago committed a significant act for his people, his family will be honored and respected. In addition to blood ties, Chechens are proud of their compatriots. Therefore, famous Chechen surnames can be considered those that had prominent people of the country - Magomedov, Kadyrov, Visaitov, Yamadayev, Khasbulatov, etc. Among them there are people different professions: politicians, military men, artists, athletes, doctors.

Fate scattered Chechens around the world. Some of them fled during the war; a large number were deported during the war. Soviet Union(the lists number hundreds of thousands of people), some left the country on their own, going to the Arab states or Europe. Many of them achieved fame outside of Chechnya, but they are still honored and respected because they do not forget about their roots.

Video: Chechen female names

All Chechen names, according to them origin stories, can be divided into three main groups.

Chechen folk names.
The most ancient of them are native Chechen names that arose from the beliefs, traditions and ideas of the Chechen people. They are easy to pronounce and are distinguished by the fact that they usually consist of one or two syllables. Meaning these Chechen names reflects the connection of the Chechen people with nature, a subtle perception of the surrounding world. Most of them are derived from the names of animals, birds and plants. Male names most often emphasize masculinity, speed of reaction, and strength - Borz (wolf), Bula (bison), Cha (bear), Nal (boar), Lecha (eagle), Makkhal (kite). Women's names are associated with the names of beautiful plants and animals, precious metals– Lu (roe deer), Zezag (flower), Kemsa (grape), Birlant (diamond), Zhovkhar (pearl).

Borrowed names.
Names of Turkic, Arabic and Persian origin make up the largest group of Chechen names. In XIV – XVIII centuries names were in use borrowed from Turkic languages– Albek, Akhmatkhan, Mansur, Raslanbek, Khasbulat. From the middle XIX century The influence of Islam in Chechnya has become so strong that Muslim names with Arabic and Persian roots took a dominant position in the Chechen name book. These are mainly the names of prophets and caliphs - Ibrahim, Muhammad, Magomed, Ismail, Suleiman, Ali, Osman, Umar. Many parents began to willingly call boys Chechen names with religious meaning– Abdurrahman (slave of the Merciful), Abdumalik (slave of the Lord), Saifullah (sword of Allah), Shamsuddin (sun of faith).

Among female names, melodious Arabic names have firmly established themselves, emphasizing the beauty and virtues of Chechen women - Maliika (angel), Yasmin (jasmine), Azaza (respected), Zukhra (flower), Kamila (perfection). And, of course, names from the Koran, traditionally popular among all Muslim peoples - Maryam, Zuleikha, Aisha, Zeinab, Madina.

Names of modern Chechens.
Nowadays, the vast majority of Chechens try to adhere to established traditions when choosing a name for a child. 90% of modern Chechen names are of Arabic origin. At the same time, borrowed Russian and Western names, mostly female, sometimes “penetrate” the Chechen name book. Some of them are even short form names - Lisa, Sasha, Zhenya, Raisa, Tamara, Rosa, Louise, Zhanna.

Chechen names include various options, who came to this region along with cultural influences from different parties. Below we will briefly discuss this process and provide a list of the most typical names for this region.

Chechen names and surnames: composition

The entire variety of Chechen names consists mainly of original Chechen variants, preserved from pre-Islamic times, abundantly diluted with Arabic and Persian borrowings, introduced along with the Arabization of culture and the spread of Islam. In addition, the republic also contains, although in noticeably smaller numbers, names from other traditions, introduced mainly through the influence of the Russian neighborhood.

Origin of names

A large number of names in Chechnya come from the names of animals and birds. Chechen men's names are often traced back to predators. For example, Borz means "wolf". Kuira is the name of a hawk, but the name Lecha correlates with a falcon. In addition, verbs in various moods can be used to form a name. These can be both female names and male names.

Chechen traditions of naming a child are generally quite flexible - they use adjectives, participles and other parts of speech, as well as various verbal constructions. But most of the names that Chechens use today are still not their original heritage, but introduced along with new religion. Thus, being Muslims, they more often resort to Arabic and Persian variants than to their native, original ones.

Particularly popular among Chechens, as well as, probably, among all Muslims, are such options as Ali, Ahmed, Magomed, Umar and others. Male Chechen names thus have their support in the Koran and Islamic history. Naming a child by non-Muslim options is not accepted in this traditional conservative society. Chechen men's names can also be compound, which reflects the local, mountain flavor. For example, the elements “bek”, “soltan” and some others are added to many names.

As for the Russian language, it enriched the Chechen lexicon with such naming options as Raisa, Louise, Rosa and some others, mainly female names. Russian variants are especially common in official documents, and in diminutive and abbreviated versions. For example, you can often find the name Zhenya or Sasha on the pages of business papers. But usually behind them there are still Chechen names and surnames. The male and female versions of the Chechens always have the stress on the first syllable. This, as well as the peculiarities of local pronunciation, sometimes modify foreign names, so to speak, nationalizing them. For example, Chechen male names are often pronounced by replacing “u” with “a” and “d” with “t”.

Chechen male names and their meanings

• Ruslan. This is an ancient Turkic name that means lion.
• Shamil. This option can be translated into Russian by the word “all-encompassing.”
• Abu. A very popular name in Islam, belonging to one of the companions of Muhammad.
• Rashid. This name speaks of the consciousness and prudence of its bearer. By at least, in theory.
• Said. Arabic name meaning "happy".
• Hassan. Very popular name among the followers of Muhammad. It means “kind”, “good”.
• Ibrahim. This is an Arabized form of the Hebrew name of the prophet Abraham. Translated into Russian as “father of many nations.”
• Hamid. This is what they call a person worthy of praise. Another meaning is praising (in the sense of God).
• Murat. Translated as “desired goal” or “cherished dream.” Comes from Arabic.
• Isa. The same as Jesus. From ancient Hebrew it is most often translated as “help from Yahweh.”
• Denis. Strangely preserved among the Chechens is a name that belonged to ancient Greece to the god of wine Dionysus.
• Mustafa. From Arabic this name is translated as “chosen one.”
• Moussa. Same as Moses. Literally from Hebrew it means “taken from the water.”
• Rahman. Beautiful Arabic name. Its meaning is close to the Russian word “mercy”. That is, it will mean a merciful person.
• Mansur. From Arabic, this name is translated as “the one who is protected” or simply “protected.”
• Umar. Tatar name. Means "vital".
• Suleiman. A name that seems to say that in front of you is a person who lives in health and prosperity, who is thriving.
• Ramadan. Name given in honor holy month Arabic calendar.

Conclusion

There are many other names common in Chechnya. But the options presented here are the most common among modern residents of the republic.