New Post
Search
Help
Archivessurname as a given name
This weekend my sister and i discussed about surnames as a given name. We tried to find other examples than from english surnames like Tailor, Cooper etc. What i mean is that, example, you can use Cooper as a surname and as a given name.
We couldn't find any examples in german.
So we wonder if this is only an english thing, or not ?
We couldn't find any examples in german.
So we wonder if this is only an english thing, or not ?
This message was edited 10/27/2008, 5:10 AM
1
Replies
As far as I know, yes. Didn't the habit originate from giving children a family surname as a given name, for instance the mother's maiden name? I don't know about Germany, but in Italy I think it's vetoed by law to use a surname as a given name and since it's a country with a Catholic tradition surnames would be considered inappropriate. There are only a few surnames of historical figures that are used as given names, such as Garibaldi, but they're really uncommon.
1
I checked my own name database where I have a category for "family name as given name" and note also the language of origin. If I intersect the category with "Old High German" as origin, I get exactly one name: Luther.
But anyway, that would not count here, because it is from a German family name alright, but not in use in Germany itself...
On the other hand, if I do the same for Old English as language of origin, I get over 100 names.
But anyway, that would not count here, because it is from a German family name alright, but not in use in Germany itself...
On the other hand, if I do the same for Old English as language of origin, I get over 100 names.
1
Hi Rene,
Actually, Luther is a given name in Germany. The surname is more common, but the surname derives from the given name. According to Wilfried Seibicke the name is not "recommended" because of the famous surname of Martin Luther, but it's still allowed, unlike e.g. Müller which is a mere surname.
Actually, Luther is a given name in Germany. The surname is more common, but the surname derives from the given name. According to Wilfried Seibicke the name is not "recommended" because of the famous surname of Martin Luther, but it's still allowed, unlike e.g. Müller which is a mere surname.
1
It is actually illegal in Germany to turn a surname into a given name. You cannot have a child named something like Schmidt or Mueller in Germany.
Of course there are some surnames which have exactly the same form as given names, usually because they indicate that you had an ancestor with that given name, though rarely because the given name and surname have the same spelling by coincidence. Therefore there are examples of people in Germany with surnames like Karl, which are also common given names.
But you cannot turn a surname which has never been used as a given name before into a child's first name in Germany. It's not allowed.
The custom of turning surnames into given names is more established in English than any other European language. You can find some examples in France, however: Regis, Chantal, Foch, and a few others that have become given names in France because of admiration for saints or military and political figures who had those surnames.
Of course there are some surnames which have exactly the same form as given names, usually because they indicate that you had an ancestor with that given name, though rarely because the given name and surname have the same spelling by coincidence. Therefore there are examples of people in Germany with surnames like Karl, which are also common given names.
But you cannot turn a surname which has never been used as a given name before into a child's first name in Germany. It's not allowed.
The custom of turning surnames into given names is more established in English than any other European language. You can find some examples in France, however: Regis, Chantal, Foch, and a few others that have become given names in France because of admiration for saints or military and political figures who had those surnames.
1
Well, I don't know about German, but in Croatian and other Slavic languages it's very, VERY rare. The only example I can think of is the Serbian tennis player Novak Dokovic. Novak is a very common last name, and this is the only time I've seen it as a first name.
In Croatia it only happens if the last name is also a first name, like Marko, Ivan, etc.
In Croatia it only happens if the last name is also a first name, like Marko, Ivan, etc.
1
There are German profession surnames
for example Zimmermann (carpenter) or Schmidt (smith). It's not just an English thing, I know of examples in many languages. If for example I search for the meaning "smith" on the surnames site, I get this list:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/php/search.php?terms=smith&type=d&operator=or
Here's the surnames site's home page:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
for example Zimmermann (carpenter) or Schmidt (smith). It's not just an English thing, I know of examples in many languages. If for example I search for the meaning "smith" on the surnames site, I get this list:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/php/search.php?terms=smith&type=d&operator=or
Here's the surnames site's home page:
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
1