Re: Russian names (was: Re: A perfect day...)

On Fri, 28 Jan 2000 09:28:03 -0600, Matt Pearson
<jmpearson@...> wrote:

<...>
>But I was attempting to Russify "Matthew".  I was told that "Mattvey"
>is the Russian equivalent, although it's a rather uncommon name in
>Russia.
'Matvey', with one 't'. The evolution was as follows:

Bysantine Greek 'Matthaios' /matTeos/ -> Church Slav(onic) 'Matfej'
(/f/ written with 'fita' = Greek 'theta'; the ending dropped, and /j/
added to make the name declinable) -> Russian 'Matvey'. Not so uncommon:
my grand-grand-grandfather was Matvey, and I know one Matvey who is
about 6 y. o.

The Church Slavonic forms are still in use when referring to saints,
monarchs, etc.

<...>
>My first name is Joel, which would be "Yul" in Russian, wouldn't
>it?
Do you know its etymology? I thought first of Yul(i)y, a rather common
name, but it goes back to Julius. If your name doesn't, then it must be
some really rare name; Ioil? (I don't remember the English spellings for
many Biblical names, sorry :o )


Basilius