View Message

This is a reply within a larger thread: view the whole thread

[Facts] Re: Indian name Avi
Avi in India is usually short of names that began with abhi or avi. The former is quite common because there is a Sanskrit prefix (cognate with Latin ob and OHG bi) meaning "towards" or similar meanings. The latter could be a spelling variant, but sometimes combination of the privative a with the prefix vi, meaning "apart" or similar. But, of relevance to this thread, the is an old (Rgvedic) root av, to propel or impel, which gives rise to avi. It has a lot of meanings including protector, wall, sheep, wind, mountain, menstruating woman but also sun. Some of these are certainly homonyms coming from a cognate of ewe, or other etyma. The sun could plausibly have come from the impel root though, since the dawn sun as the source of consciousness is a very common theme starting from Rgvedic period. So, avi need not be from ravi.
vote up1vote down

No replies