| Title: |
Reflection of Identity in Given Names of Latvia Over the Last Century. |
| Authors: |
Balode, Laimute; Siliņa-Piņķe, Renāte |
| Contributors: |
Department of Languages; Faculty Common Matters (Faculty of Humanities); Baltic Philology |
| Publisher Information: |
[Debreceni Egyetem Magyar Nyelvtudományi Intézete] |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Helsingfors Universitet: HELDA – Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto |
| Subject Terms: |
Languages; Onomastics; Latvian anthroponymy; given names; identity |
| Description: |
The anthroponymic material and analysis presented in this article, based on the forthcoming Dictionary of Latvian Given Names, highlights trends in given names over the past 100 years, examining their diversity within the context of Latvian history. Research employed etymological, statistical, and comparative methodologies. Analysing trends in the personal names of Latvian citizens, various historical and cultural factors should be taken into account. Most pronounced trends in the mirror of identity are reviewed and described in 3 periods: 1) 1920s and 1930s; 2) Soviet period (from 1940s to 1990s); 3) time of the second Independence (from 1990). For instance, during Latvia's first independence in the 20th century, names based on Latvian appellatives were coined, fuelled by national romanticism known in almost all countries in Europe. Another significant aspect is the change in the ethnic composition of the population, which was the impact of Soviet occupation. The increase in Slavic origin anthroponyms in the list of Latvian personal names is clearly visible from the 1940s to the 1980s, especially in larger cities and the eastern region, Latgale. This demonstrates that political and social conditions had a substantial impact on the linguistic and cultural environment in Latvia. Political dynamics influenced Latvian naming: Soviet-era names echoed Latvian identity, but after the restoration of independence fashion in given names changed rapidly. Recent naming trends highlight two aspects: first of all, a return to classical values, traditional Latvian names reminiscent of the early 20th century; secondly, the arrival of popular international names, often in their English form, dropping the diacritical marks. ; Peer reviewed |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://hdl.handle.net/10138/625512 |
| Availability: |
https://hdl.handle.net/10138/625512 |
| Rights: |
unspecified ; info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ; openAccess |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.717F64 |
| Database: |
BASE |