How does Icelandic Naming work?
The naming system in Iceland is the old Scandinavian system which all the countries once used. It is a paternal system where the father gives his children his first name as their last name adding -son if the child is a boy and -dóttir if the child is a girl.
What countries use matronymic names?
Historical and current use
- Ethiopia and Eritrea. Main article: Naming conventions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
- Kenya. Some Kenyan communities used patronyms.
- Mozambique. Patronymic naming is very common in parts of Mozambique.
- Nigeria.
- Somalia.
- South Africa.
- China.
- Taiwan.
Why do Icelandic surnames end in dóttir?
Under this system, if your Icelandic Father’s name is Magnus, and you are the son of Magnus, your last name would be Magnusson – this tells people that you are the son of Magnus. If you are the daughter of Magnus, your last name would be Magnussdottir (dottir translates to daughter).
How do Icelanders name their daughters?
The last name of a male Icelanders therefore usually ends in the suffix -son (“son”) and that of female Icelanders in -dóttir (“daughter”).
What names are illegal in Iceland?
Names Iceland banned this year
- Lucifer.
- Ariel.
- Lady.
- Zelda.
- Aryan.
- Ezra.
- Sezar.
Why is the name Duncan banned in Iceland?
The committee refused to accept the names of Duncan and Harriet Cardew—Icelandic-born children of a British father and an Icelandic mother—because their names did not meet the criteria for being added to the registry of approved names.
What is the meaning of Matronymic?
Definition of matronymic : a name derived from that of the mother or a maternal ancestor.
What is the female equivalent of junior?
The female equivalent of “Junior” is “Junior.” It’s just not used as often as it is with male children. The most famous example I can think of offhand is American socialite and actress Cobina Wright, Jr. The female equivalent of “Junior” is “Junior.” It’s just not used as often as it is with male children.
What is the most common surname in Iceland?
Surnames in Iceland: Common options
- Jónsdóttir or Jónsson.
- Kristjánsson or Kristjánsdóttir.
- Guðmundsdóttir or Guðmundsson.
- Einarsson or Einarsdóttir.
- Sigurðardóttir or Sigurðsson.
- Ólafsson or Ólafsdóttir.
- Magnúsdóttir or Magnússon.
- Jóhannsson or Jóhannsdóttir.
Why is Zoe banned in Iceland?
The Icelandic Naming Committee has deemed both of these names as lacking in “proper historical precedence,” due to the fact that only nine girls are named “Daniela” in Iceland and seven women named “Zoe.” In fact, nearly a week ago on October 26, the Reykjavík District Court ruled that the parents of a 2-year-old girl …
Why is Harriet illegal in Iceland?
This means that names containing letters such as ‘c’, which does not officially exist in Iceland’s alphabet, are off the table as far as the law is concerned. Harriet’s name was rejected on the basis that it cannot be conjugated in Icelandic, Mr Cardew said.
What is the patronymic naming system in Iceland?
A simple family tree showing the Icelandic patronymic naming system. Icelandic names differ from most current Western family name systems by being patronymic or occasionally matronymic: they indicate the father (or mother) of the child and not the historic family lineage.
How do Icelandic names differ from other countries?
Icelandic names differ from most current Western family name systems by being patronymic or occasionally matronymic: they indicate the father (or mother) of the child and not the historic family lineage. Iceland shares a common cultural heritage with the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the Faroe Islands.
Which countries use matronymic names?
Matronymic names are common in Kerala. Daughters take the names of their mothers as the second part of their name. The Minangkabau of Indonesia are the largest group of people who use this naming system. People of Enggano Island also use a matronymic system.
What is the origin of the word matronymic?
The Greek word μητρωνυμικός mētrōnymikos was then borrowed into Latin in a partially Latinised form (Greek mētēr, dialectally mātēr, corresponds to Latin mater ), as matronomicus. These words were a source for coining the English matronymic as the female counterpart to patronymic (first attested in English in 1612).