Glossary of pre-Christian Lithuanian names explained

A number of Lithuanian surnames evolved from the ancient pre-Christian Lithuanian personal names, such as Budrys, Girdenis, Tylenis, Vilkas, Amantas, Bukantas, Rimgaila, Vizgirda, Tarvydas.^[1] Many of them are of compound type, typically consisting of two stems (dithematic names), and many are of single stem.^{[2] [3] [4]} Sometimes the order of these stems may reverse, e.g., Norvaišas vs. Vaišnoras, Tautvydas vs. Vytautas.

Some two-stemmed names have a clear etymology, arising from nicknames, such as Baltakis = Balt-akys = "White eyes". Alfred Senn suggects that such transparent names are less ancient development, while those with non-evident etymology originate from the Indo-European pra-language.^[5]

A two-stemmed name may be further compounded into a patronymic cognomen/surname: Algirdas—Algirdaitis (son of Algirdas; see Lithuanian names of Vladimir Olgerdovich, Andrei of Polotsk, Dmitry of Bryansk), Žygimantas—Žygimantaitis.^[2]

Glossary of stems in dithematic names

Much of this glossary of stems common in ancient Lithuanian names is based on Dictionary of Lithuanian Surnames, searchable online in the Lithuanian Surname Database (LSD).^[6]

• Al-, Alg-; several suggested etymologies^[3]

Algimantas, Algirdas, Almantas,, Alvydas

• bu, but (may be first or second stem), associatted with the verb "to be" (search for "Butautas" in the LSD)^[6]
  • Butautas, Bukantas, Bukontas, Butigeidis, Butnorius, Butrimas, Butvilas, Butvydas
  • Darbutas, Gembutas, Gimbutas, Gimbutis, Kaributas, Kintibutas, Mažbutas, Narbutas, Norbutas, Seibutis, Vembutas, Vilbutas,
• Dár-: from daryti, "to do", "to make" ^[3]

Darbutas, Dargis, Darvydas

• -dau-, most probably from daug, "much" (search for "Daubaras" in the LSD)^[6]

Daumantas, Daukantas, Dautartas, Mindaugas

• -gail-; from gaileti/gailus, "sorry", or gailas, "strong" (search for "Bargaila" in the LSD)^[6]

Kęsgaila, Jogaila, Rimgailė, Švitrigaila

• -gird-, -gerd-; from girdeti, išgirsti, "hear" (search for "Girdvainis" in the LSD)^[6]

Girdenis, Girdvainis, Vizgirda

• Kęs, Kens-, connected with kễsti (keñčia) "endure", "suffer"^[7]

Kęsgaila, Kęsminas/Kesminas, Kęsminavičius, Kęstaras, Kęstartas, Kęstautas, Kęstutis, Kęsvilas, Kęsvinas

• -mant- is thought to be associated with the word manyti, "to think, " to know", as in mantus, "clever", "cunning"

Daumantas,, Mantautas, Mantvila/Montvila/Mantvilas/Montvilas, Rimantas, Žygimantas (search for "Manginas" in the LSD)^[6]

• -rim- from rimti, "calm down", ramus, "calm" (search for "Rimgaila" in the LSD)^[6]

Butrimas, Tautrimas, Rimantas, Rimgaila, Rimvydas

• -nor-: from norėti, "to want"

Daunoras, Noreika, Norvaišas, Vainoras, Vaišnoras

• sūd-:

Sudmantas (Sudemunt, Sudimont, Sudymont; see), Sudmantis, Sudgintas, Sudvinas^[8]

• -sur- (search for "Surgailis" in the LSD)^[6]

Survila

• -tau-/-taut-; "-tautas" is a very common second part. The Lithuanian word is a cognate of Latvian tautà] and Old Prussian tauto, all meaning "land, country, region", etc.^[9]

Some examples: Butautas/Butautis, Mantautas, Vytautas, Tautginas, Tautkantas, Tautkus,^[10] Tautrimas,^[11] Tautvydas/Tautvidas

• Vaid-: Several hypotheses of Baltic roots: (1) to see, to know; ^[12] (2) associated with the verb vaidyti ("to visit, to appear", (3) "to act" (as actor)) or (4) vaidytis (to quarrel).

Vaidila/Vaidyla/Vaidilas^[13] /Vaidilė/Vaidilutis/Vaidilutė, Vaida, Vaidas,^[14] Vaidotas/Vaidatas,^[15] Vaidutis, Vaidginas^[16] Vaidmanas^[17] Vaidelys/Vaidelis^[18] Vaidulas^[19]

• -vel-, -vil- is associated with the word viltis, "hope" (search for "Vilbutas" in the LSD)^[6]

Erdvilas, Butvilas/Butvila, Mantvila/Montvila/Mantvilas/Montvilas, Norvilas/Norvila, Radvila, Survilla, Vìlbutas, Vilmantas

• -vid/vyd- "to see" (a common Indo-Eropean stem; cf. išvysti, видеть, "vision")^[20]

Buivydas,^[21] Buitvydas,^[22] Tautvydas/Tautvidas, Vidmantas

• -vin: Kazimieras Būga reports several names with this stem: ^[23]

Buivinas, Daugvinas, Gedvinas, Kąsvinas, Kęsvinas,,^[24] Lingvinas, Liutvinas, Mantvinas, Mulvinas, Skirvinas, Sudvinas

Further reading

• Irma Stirbaitė, DVIKAMIENĖS LIETUVIŲ PAVARDĖS, M.S. thesis based on the analysis of the Lietuvių pavardžių žodynas

Notes and References

1. Juozas Kudirka, The Lithuanians: An Ethnic Portrait, section Lithuanian surnames (translation of the book: Juozas Kudirka, Lietuviai: etniniai bruožai, 1991)
2. K. A. GIRVILAS, PRE-CHRISTIAN NAME GIVING IN LITHUANIA, Lituanus,Volume 24, No.3 - Fall 1978
3. Antanas Pakerys, Dvikamienių lietuvių vyrų vardų kirčiavimas: pirmųjų dėmenų tvirtapradė priegaidė [ACCENTUATION OF LITHUANIAN COMPOUND MALE NAMES: THE ACUTE OF THE FIRST COMPONENT], (somewhat different version)
4. Antanas Pakerys, Dvikamienių lietuvių moterų vardų kirčiavimas [Dvikamienių lietuvių moterų vardų kirčiavimas]
5. [Alfred Senn]
6. https://lkiis.lki.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze Surname database
7. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/K%C4%98SMINAS?i=ed815cb3-5058-46cc-a64e-a01cd4b51faf KĘSMINAS
8. ANTANAS SALYS, JOTVINGIŲ KALBOS ASPEKTAI / BALTŲ KALBOS, Terra Jatwezenorum, 2010, 2, p. 7-22, also this link
9. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Tautvydas&p=1&d=50&i=d1cae37c-25b4-4370-a628-6617c1c59361
10. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Tautkus&p=1&d=50&i=b75a66d6-c1dd-4c52-8ea6-2447063667e7
11. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Tautrimas&p=1&d=50&i=28cb76c5-7291-40f1-adbc-399b8158be02
12. https://etimologija.baltnexus.lt/?w=Vaidila Paskiausiai ieškota: Vaidila
13. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/VAIDILAS?i=8c83cf72-2d4d-4503-9b1f-c7c79110a095
14. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/VAIDAS?i=8cfb09ce-c5fd-4a01-be25-cae3840e7ce6
15. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/VAIDOTAS?paieska=VAIDOTAS&i=fafde5c1-f454-4aee-9fd8-b719eb880d1b
16. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/VAIDGINAS?paieska=Vaidginas&i=93655dac-5ce0-4142-81da-a57972e4e541
17. https://ekalba.lt/pavardziu-duomenu-baze/VAIDMANAS?paieska=Vaidmanas&i=351f1713-841b-4672-a071-d0175d6344c5
18. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Vaidelis&p=1&d=50&i=49a3e640-b34f-4e48-a79c-541afca4d079
19. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Vaidulas&p=1&d=50&i=9052de56-0db8-4deb-8e27-3c78a593bcb5
20. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Buivydas&p=1&d=50&i=7acac58e-0528-40ba-9ea6-ba6104740ac4
21. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Buivydas&p=1&d=50&i=cff15743-aacf-4b64-a1cd-611e0264eec0
22. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Buivydas&p=1&d=50&i=5944d7f0-a668-4b52-9aca-89d27c3010e0
23. [Kazimieras Būga]
24. https://ekalba.lt/paieska/detalioji/?paieska=Lengvinas&p=1&d=50&i=129b1ae7-69ca-40f9-b814-00108695cf1a