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Glossary of pre-Christian Lithuanian names

A number of Lithuanian surnames evolved from the ancient pre-Christian Lithuanian personal names, such as Budrys, Girdenis, Tylenis, Vilkas, Amantas, Bukantas, Rimgaila, Vizgirda, Tarvydas. Many of them are of compound type, typically consisting of two stems, and many are of single stem. Sometimes the order of these stems may reverse, e.g., Norvaišas vs. Vaišnoras, Tautvydas vs. Vytautas.

A
Al-, Alg-; several suggested etymologies • :Algimantas, Algirdas, Almantas, Alminas, AlvydasAr- • :Arminas, Arvydas • Aš- • ::lt:Ašmantas, Ašvydas ==B==
B
bu, but (may be first or second stem), associated with the verb "to be" (search for "Butautas" in the LSD) • :Butautas, Bukantas, Bukontas, Butigeidis, Butkintas/Butkus, Butnorius, Butrimas, Butvilas, Butvydas • :Darbutas, Gembutas, Gimbutas, Gimbutis, Kaributas, Kintibutas, Mažbutas, Narbutas, Norbutas, Seibutis, Vembutas, Vilbutas , ==D==
D
Dár-: from daryti, "to do", "to make" • :Darbutas, Dargis, Darvydas-dau-, most probably from daug, "much" (search for "Daubaras" in the LSD) • :Daumantas, Daukantas, Dautartas, Mindaugas ==G==
G
-gail-; from gaileti/gailus, "sorry", or gailas, "strong" (search for "Bargaila" in the LSD) • : Gediminas Gedgaudas Gedvilas.... • :Sirgedas-gird-, -gerd-; from girdeti, išgirsti, "hear" (search for "Girdvainis" in the LSD) • :Girdenis, Girdvainis, Vizgirda ==K==
K
• Kal- • :Kalmantas, Kalminas • Kant- • :Kantautas, Kantalgas, Norkantas • Kęs, Kens-, connected with kễsti (keñčia) "endure", "suffer" • :Kęsgaila, Kęsminas/Kesminas, Kęsminavičius, Kęstaras, Kęstartas, Kęstautas, Kęstutis, Kęsvilas, Kęsvinas ==L==
L
• '-leng-' , "easy", "light" • :Lengvenis, :lt:Lengvinas ==M==
M
-mant- is thought to be associated with the word manyti, "to think", " to know", as in mantus, "clever", "cunning" • :Daumantas, :lt:Mangirdas, Mantautas, Mantvila/Montvila/Mantvilas/Montvilas, Rimantas, Sudmantas, Vidmantas, Žygimantas (search for "Manginas" in the LSD) ==N==
N
-nor-: from norėti, "to want" • :Daunoras, Noreika, Norvaišas, Vainoras, Vaišnoras, Norkantas / Norkus, Norvilas / Norvila ==R==
R
• Ra- • :Ramantas, Ratautas • Rad- • :Radvilas, Radvila, Radvanas, Radvinas • -rim- from rimti, "calm down", ramus, "calm" (search for "Rimgaila" in the LSD) • : Butrimas, Tautrimas, Rimantas, Rimgaila, Rimvydas ==S==
S
sūd-: • :Sudmantas (Sudemunt, Sudimont, Sudymont; see :lt:Sudimantai), Sudmantis, Sudgintas, Sudvinas • -sur-, probably from Old Prussian sur-gi, "about" • :Survila ==T==
T
• Tar- • :Tarvydas, Tarvilas • -tau-/-taut-; "-tautas" is a very common second part. The Lithuanian word wikt:tautà is a cognate of Latvian tautà and Old Prussian tauto, all meaning "land, country, region", etc. • :Some examples: Butautas/Butautis, Mantautas, Vytautas, Tautginas, Tautkantas, Tautkus, Tautrimas, Tautvydas/Tautvidas ==V==
V
Vaid-: Several hypotheses of Baltic roots: (1) to see, to know; (2) associated with the verb vaidyti ("to visit, to appear", (3) "to act" (as actor)) or (4) vaidytis (to quarrel). • :Vaidila/Vaidyla/Vaidilas/Vaidilė/Vaidilutis/Vaidilutė, Vaida, Vaidas, Vaidotas/Vaidatas, Vaidutis, Vaidginas, Vaidmanas, Vaidelys/Vaidelis, Vaidulas • -vel-, -vil- is associated with the word viltis, "hope" (search for "Vilbutas" in the LSD) • :Buivydas, Buitvydas, Manvydas, Rimvydas, Tautvydas/Tautvidas, Vidmantas-vin: Kazimieras Būga reports several names with this stem: • :Buivinas, Daugvinas, Gedvinas, Kąsvinas, Kęsvinas, :lt:Lengvinas, Lingvinas, Liutvinas, Mantvinas, Mulvinas, Skirvinas, Sudvinas ==Z==
Z
• Žei- • ::lt:Žeimantas, Žeimintas ==See also==
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