Syriac Identity of Lebanon – Part 7: Syriac Lebanese Anthroponyms

By Dr Amine Jules Iskandar Syriac Maronite Union–Tur Levnon

When a Lebanese is called Gabriel, Daniel, Andraos or Antonios, does he have a foreign name? The Syriac language is Canaanite-Aramaic that has been enriched with Greek and was Christianized. As we have seen in the previous articles of this series, Syriac vocabulary reflects both Semitic and Greek origins. In part 7 of this series, we will show how Syriac also appears in surnames and first names.

First, we will present names of Cananean origin. They are easily recognizable because of their ‘-el’ endings, ‘El’ being Canaanite for God. Here are some examples:

• Gabriel, from ‘Gabr El’ | Syriac: man of God
• Daniel | Judgment of God. The word ‘Dan’ or ‘Din’ is also found in the name of the village of Bteddin: the place of judgment
• Emmanuel | God is with us
• Mikhael or Michel or Michal | The image of God
• Shmael or Samuel | Listen to God
• Raphael | Rophé means medicine in Hebrew, making Raphael the medicine of God
• Charbel | Charbo means story in Syriac, making Charbel the story of God
• Tayboutel | Grace of God, translated today to Neemetallah

Our second group contains Syriac names with Greek origins. They are also recognizable by their ending with ‘-os’, for example:

These are very typical names that are widespread in the mountains of Lebanon. Until the early twentieth century, Qouprianos, Kyrillos, Keriakos were very typical names for Mount Lebanon. More names ending in ‘-os’ are:

• Ghnatios or Ignatios | Ignatius
• Ghostinos or Agostinos, Agostin, Gostine | Augustine
• Costantinos | Constantine
• Antonios or Tanios or Antoun or Tanous, Antoine | Anthony
• Estéphanos or Estphén | Stephan and Stephany, from Stephanos: to be crowned in Greek
• Klimos or Euclimos
• Georgios or Guewarguis | Georges
• Gregorios | Gregory
• Gharios
• Finianos
• Germanos | Germaine
• Théodoros or Tédros | From Théos doron meaning gift of God
• Théophilos | Love of God

The following are typical names found in Syriac Maronite monastery inscriptions:

There are other Syriac names that are typically Lebanese even though they end in neither ‘-el’ nor ‘-os’:

• Risha | from Syriac risho, meaning head or chief
• Matta or Mattay | Matthew
• Ashaïa | Isaiah (lost first letter becoming Shaïa)
• Elyshaa | Élysée (lost first letter becoming Lychaa)
• Avrohom or Abrohom | Abraham (lost first letter becoming Brahim)
• Levnon or Lebnon | Lebanon
• Yammine or Yamine | The right or righteous
• Benyamin or Benjamin | Sons of the righteous
• Férzlé | From Syriac farzlo, meaning iron craftsman or blacksmith
• Kordahi | Metal craftsman
• Zayno | Weapon
• Sh3aito | From sha3outo meaning yellow
• Shbat or Shvot | February
• Youhanna or Youhanon | John (lost first letter becoming Hanna)
• Lahoud or Lahd or Lahdo | The Son of God, Jesus
• Maroun or Moroun | Little lord
• Abdo | Worshiper (of God)
• Malek or Melké | From malko meaning king or malakho meaning angel
• Ain Malak | The king’s spring
• Louis | This name expresses the importance of Saint Louis, King of France, to the Syriac Maronite people
• Ain Louis | Louis’ spring
• Saliba | From Slibo or Slivo meaning the Cross
• Kassis | From qashisho meaning the deacon
• Zakhia or Zakhio | Equivalent of Victor meaning victorious
• Séba | From saba or sovo meaning the senior
• Jaber | From Gabr, Gabro, or Gavro meaning man
• Sassine | Saint Sassine
• Elias or Elia or Elio | The prophet Eli
• Keyrouz | From korouzo meaning preacher
• Chalhoub | From chalhéb meaning flame or inflamed
• Touma or Toumo | Tomas
• Erémia | Jeremy
• Barnaba
• Sarkis or Sarguis | Sergius.
• Nohra | From nouhra or nouhro meaning light
• Luqa | From the Latin luce, the light
• Awguin | Eugene and also Eugénie for the feminine
• Sauma or Sawmo | to fast
• Bakhos | Bacchus
• Shémeoun | Simon

To mention a few female names:

• Marta | Lady or wife in Syriac
• Ema | Mother in Syriac
• Lea
• Rachelle or Rakel | From Rahel
• Brigitta | From the mother of Saint Charbel
• Helena or Héléni | From the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine
• Takla
• Barbara | From the saint from Baalbek
• Raphqa or Rapqa | Rebecca
• Yuliana | Juliana
• Shmoné or Shmona

It is also interesting to note that above names are found in villages starting with ‘Mar’ which means Saint:

Several examples of Syriac Maronite inscriptions can be found all over Lebanon. In these inscriptions we are able to find some typical Syriac names. In Aqoura, for instance, we see the name Estéphanos Qsantine (Stephan Constantine) engraved in the rock inside the cave chapel.

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In the Beirut National Museum, we read the name Dionisios (Denis) on a Syriac Orthodox inscription.

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In Ilige, in an inscription from the year 1276, we read Dawid and Yohanon for David and John.

Again in Ilige, in an inscription from the year 1746, we read the names of two priests, Amon and Mikhoyel, and four Patriarchs: Pétros (Peter), Erémio (Jeremy), Yaacouv (Jacob), and Yohanon (John).

In Mar Abda Herhréya, on an epigraph dated 1788, we read Yustus (Justin) and Guiorguis (George).

And finally, in Gosta in 1797, we read: Yawséf (Joseph) referring to the Syriac Maronite Patriarch Joseph Estéphan.

Our names look like Western names. But if we read history carefully, we discover that these names were here in our society long before they became European names. And if we learn Syriac, we understand the meaning of these names that originated in our land between Mesopotamia, Greece, and Canaan.

Dr Amine Jules Iskandar is an architect and the former president of the Syriac Maronite Union-Tur Levnon. Amine Jules Iskandar has written several articles on the Syriac Maronites, their language, culture, and history. You can follow him @Amineiskandar2.

For the article in Spanish. Also read:

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 1: Who are the Syriacs?

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 2: Syriac Language and Alphabet

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 3: Maronite Patriarchs and the Preservation of Syriac Identity

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 4: Why is Spoken Lebanese a Syriac Dialect?

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 5: Typical Lebanese Phrases

Syriac Identity of Lebanon – part 6: Syriac Lebanese vocabulary