DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2789-6919/45/63-66
Sabina Najafova
Baku State University
PhD student
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5398-6491
sabina_aliyeva_711@mail.ru
From Zoonyms to Anthroponyms: the Influence of Animal Names on Personal Names and Surnames in Azerbaijani and Russian Cultures
Abstract
This article traces the influence of zoonyms (animal names) on the formation of personal names and surnames in Azerbaijani and Russian cultures. While Russian anthroponymy includes a wide range of surnames directly derived from animal names (e.g. Lisichkin, Medvedev, Volkov), in the Azerbaijani tradition zoonyms are more often found in personal names (e.g. Jeyran, Maral, Aslan, Shirkhan). The article examines the linguistic, cultural and historical factors that influenced these differences, as well as the symbolic perception of animals in each of the cultures. Comparative analysis allows us to identify the values and features of identity reflected in the use of zoonyms in anthroponymic systems.
Keywords: zoonym, anthroponym, personal names, surnames, Russian language