Etymological news-flash for Paul, Pauline, Paolo, Pavlos, etc
BtN derives Paul as from the Latin Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble". In an earlier post, Nanaea noted that the Latin "paulus" is related to the latin "paucus" (paucity).
Thumbing through my trusty Liddell-Scott *Greek-English Lexicon* I ran accross the long-lost Greek word "pauros" (pronounced "pavros")which is defined as "little, small, speedy". The word is associated with the latin "paucus". One can speculate that "paulus" was transliterated into Latin from the Greek "pauros" (maybe by early nipponese traveller).
I am seriously considering to adopt Pavros and ditch the unbearably Gallilean "Pavlos" altogether :)
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Neither am I small nor humble! But a literal diminutive of my mother, who happens be called Paula. She, on the other hand, is great person with a great mind and even greater proportions - 1.75cm and of impressive overweight.
BTW: I´m not convinced that I like your intended switch of label into Pavros. Any other possibilities of honoring your cultural heritage?
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Nothing small or humble about me too! Having a name that denotes something blatantly at odds with one's appearance/persona can be cool, in an absurd sense (as in curly of the three stooges). This is one of the reasons I will probably end-up sticking with Pavlos :)
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PSI was unable to find records of "Pavros" used as name in antiquity. However I did find recods of a derivative name, Pavrolas (Paurolas). Pavrolas was son of the tyrrant Akragas (= "he who does not shout").
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