Names of Soviet origin

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Names of Soviet origin

Given names of Soviet origin appeared in the early history of the Soviet Union,[2] coinciding with the period of intensive word formation, both being part of the so-called "revolutionary transformation of the society" with the corresponding fashion of neologisms and acronyms,[3] which Richard Stites characterized as a utopian vision of creating a new reality by means of verbal imagery.[2] They constituted a notable part of the new Soviet phraseology.

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Vilen "Willi" Tokarev was "octobered" with the name Vilen after V.I. Lenin[1]

Such names may be primarily found in Russian persons,[4] and sometimes in Belarusians and Ukrainians,[5] as well as in other minorities of the former USSR (e.g. Tatar[6]).

History

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Perspective

The proliferation of the new names was enhanced by the propagation of a short-lived "new Soviet rite" of Octobering, in replacement of the religious tradition of child baptism in the state with the official dogma of Marxist–Leninist atheism.[2][7]

In defiance of the old tradition of taking names from menology, according to the feast days,[2] many names were taken from nature having patriotic, revolutionary, or progressive connotation: Beryoza (Берёза, "birch tree", a proverbial Russian tree), Gvozdika (Гвоздика, "carnation", a revolutionary flower), Granit (Гранит, "granite", a symbol of power), Radiy (Радий, "radium", a symbol of scientific progress).[3] A peculiarity of the new naming was neologisms based on the revolutionary phraseology of the day, such as Oktyabrin/Oktyabrina, to commemorate the October Revolution, Vladlen for Vladimir Lenin.[2]

Richard Stites classifies the Soviet "revolutionary" names into the following categories:[2][8]

  • Revolutionary heroes (their first names, their last names used as first names and various acronyms thereof)
  • Revolutionary concepts (exact terms and various acronyms)
  • Industrial, scientific, and technical imagery
  • Culture, myth, nature, place names

Most of these names were short-lived linguistic curiosities, but some of them fit well into the framework of the language, proliferated and survived for a long time.[4]

Common new names

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The following names were quite common and may be found in various antroponymic dictionaries.

More information Name (Cyrillic), Transliteration ...
Name (Cyrillic)TransliterationOriginComments
Вил, Вилен, Владлен, ВладленаVil, Vilen, Vladlen (m) / Vladlena (f), VladilenВладимир Ильич Ленин (Vladimir Ilyich Lenin)[3][4]"Vilen" or "Vilén" is also a traditional Finnish and Swedish surname.
МэлMelМаркс, Энгельс и Ленин (Marx, Engels and Lenin)[3][4]
МэлсMelsМаркс, Энгельс, Ленин и Сталин (Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin)
Баррикад, БаррикадаBarrikad (m) / Barrikada (f)Barricade[3][4]Refers to the revolutionary activity
Ревмир, РевмираRevmir (m) / Revmira (f)Революция мира (Revolyutsiya mira)Means "The revolution of the World"[3][4]
ГертрудаGertrudaGertrude reinterpreted as Герой труда (Geroy truda)Means "The Hero of Labour"[3][4]
МарленMarlen (m)Marlene reinterpreted as Маркс и Ленин (Marx and Lenin)[3][4]
СтэнSten, StanStan reinterpreted as Сталин и Энгельс (Stalin and Engels)[3][4]
Те́льманTelmanTelman is a tribute to German Communist Ernst Thälmann
КимKimKim reinterpreted as Коммунистический интернационал молодёжи (Kommunistichesky Internatsional Molodyozhi)[3][4]Young Communist International
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People with Soviet names

Marx/Engels/Lenin

  • Elem Klimov: Эле́м = Engels, LEnin, Marx
  • Engelsina Markizova: Энгельси́на.
  • Marlen Khutsiev: Марле́н = Marx + Lenin
  • Melor Sturua: Мэлор = "Marx, Engels, Lenin, October Revolution"
  • Mels (name), multiple persons
  • Ninel Tkachenko [ru]: Нинель = "Lenin" read backwards
  • Vil Mirzayanov: Вил, from VIL = Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
  • Vil Lipatov [ru]: Виль
  • Vilen Zharikov [ru]: Вилен, VILen = Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
  • Vilen Tolpezhnikov [lv]: VILen = Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
  • Villen Novak [uk]: Віллен (Ukrainian)
  • Vladilen, multiple persons
  • Vladilen Letokhov [ru]: Владилен
  • Vladlen, multiple persons
  • Vladlena, multiple persons
  • Willi Tokarev: Вилли, born Vilen

See also

References

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