Baba

Also Georgian (Archaic)

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Transcription: ბაბა(Georgian)
Derived from the Persian honorific title بابا (baba), which formally means "grandfather, wise old man, sir". Its informal meaning is "dad, daddy", but that particular meaning is probably not the reason behind the use of this honorific title as a given name and name element.

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NOTE: ბაბა (baba) means "father" in the Kartvelian languages of Laz and Mingrelian, and "grandfather, old man" in Svan (another Kartvelian language):
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%90 (in English)
In these languages, the word ultimately comes from Proto-Kartvelian *baba. In other words: it does not come from Persian, even though the meaning is virtually the same. Because of all this, we should consider that the given name Baba (at least when borne by the Laz, Mingrelians and Svans) can also be of Kartvelian origin instead (and easily so, I might add). Not least because of the following:

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"One group of first names is derived from appellatives, denoting: a person of both genders and of various ages (Geo. Gogona, Megr. Cira, ʒaba, Svan. Dina "girl"; Geo. ḳacia, Megr. ḳočia "man"), and relatives, as a rule, of the older generation (Geo. Dediḳa, mamia, papuna, biʒina. Their stems denote: mother, father, grandfather, uncle. The rich derivative capability of Kartvelian languages is extensively used for the formation of such names."
---> from the section "Kartvelian Names" written by Shukia Apridonidze and Guram Topuria on page 891 of "Namenforschung/Name Studies/Les noms propres":
• https://books.google.de/books?id=ck1CLzJq9vAC&pg=PA891 (in English)

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From that particular category of Georgian/Kartvelian names, Bidzina, Gocha, Mamuka and Vazha are the only ones in the main database. In the Submitted Names Database, we currently have: Bichia, Dedika, Deduka, Denola, Dina, Dzabuli, Gogona, Gogutsa, Katsia, Mamika, Muma, Papuna and Tsira.

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Last but certainly not least: also compare the modern Georgian noun ბაბუა (babua) meaning "grandfather":
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%A3%E1%83%90 (in English)

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- https://imya.com/name/20785 (in Russian)
- https://web.archive.org/web/20130130191719/http://name.interes.ge/dreams.php?action=view&id=90&from=action=search|by=%E1%83%91 (in Georgian)
- http://www.geogen.ge/ge/msearch/4305/ (in Georgian; see the entry for Baba near the top)
- بابا (baba) meaning "grandfather, wise old man, sir":
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7#Persian (in English)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_(honorific) (in English)
• https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/baba#Etymology (in English)
- Baba-Tsioq Dadishkeliani (died in 1812), a Svan chief or ruler: https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%91%E1%83%90%E1%83%91%E1%83%90-%E1%83%AA%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A7_%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%A8%E1%83%A5%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98 (in Georgian)
- Baba Əliyev (1915-1991), an Azerbaijani painter: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_%C6%8Fliyev_(r%C9%99ssam) (in Azerbaijani)
- Baba Mahmudoğlu Mirzəyev (1940-2006), an Azerbaijani singer: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Mahmudo%C4%9Flu (in Azerbaijani)
- Baba Məmmədov (1887-1974), an Azerbaijani captain: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_M%C9%99mm%C9%99dov (in Azerbaijani)
- Baba Qasımov (1989-2020), an Azerbaijani military man: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Qas%C4%B1mov (in Azerbaijani)
- Baba Səmədov (b. 1934), an Azerbaijani politician: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_S%C9%99m%C9%99dov (in Azerbaijani)
- Baba Vəziroğlu Məsimov (b. 1954), an Azerbaijani author, poet and translator: https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_V%C9%99ziro%C4%9Flu (in Azerbaijani)

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(Information from name #375534 originally submitted by user Lucille)