Iceland is considered part of the European community, but has a lot of differences in culture and traditions. This also applies to the full names of the locals. For example, Icelandic surnames are patronyms (less often matronyms), which are very difficult for a simple European to hear by ear.
Moreover, the majority of Icelanders are registered on Facebook. The country is considered the most active in the social network. Do not make a mistake when contacting a resident of Iceland this article will help.
Briefly about the country
The name of this island state translates as "land of ice." Iceland is also called an island, which, together with small islands around it, forms the territory of the country.
For a long time, the state was dependent on others, such as Norway, then Denmark, Great Britain, and the USA. Only in 1944 did it gain independence, becoming a republic.
The country's population is just over three hundred thousand inhabitants. All of them are engaged in agriculture, fisheries, industry, crafts, trade, and transport.
Ninety-eight percent of the inhabitants of the island are Icelanders, who are descendants of the Vikings. The remaining two percent are foreigners. Icelandic surnames appeared in the country thanks to foreigners.
Name Features
Traditionally, the full Icelandic name consists of a name and a middle name. To meet, for example, women's Icelandic surnames is almost impossible. When addressing a resident of Iceland, you should use only his name, regardless of age and position.
Even telephone directories in the country are created by sorting alphabetically the names. Further to them the patronymic is added.
Due to the small population, Icelandic surnames are not needed. In the country it is rarely possible to meet namesake by name and patronymic. However, if this happens, then a second-order middle name is used. For this, the name of the grandfather is added to the name. For example, Heidar Erickson Bjarnarsonar means that the man’s name is Heidar, he is the son of Eric, the son of Bjarni.
What design does the patronymic of Icelanders have?
Use of patronyms and matronyms
The usual middle name in Iceland is composed of the name of the father, placed in the genitive case with the prefix at the end of the word “son” for boys and “daughter” for girls. Such a middle name plays the role of a surname familiar to Europeans.
What is the name in Icelandic? For example, take the name of the world famous vocalist, songwriter, actress and producer Björk Gudmundsdottir. Since it is not customary to use a middle name when applying, everyone knows her as Björk (which means her name, we will find out a little later). Patronymic says that she is the daughter of Goodmund. If you rephrase it in the Russian manner, then the singer could be called Bjork Gudmundovna.
In the country there are middle names that are produced on behalf of the mother (matronyms). This happens if the mother or child wishes to distance themselves from the father. There are times when a matronym is used for the sake of harmony with a combination of name and patronymic. Even less often you can find an Icelander, in whose name there are simultaneously two middle names (on behalf of the father and mother). For example, one of the politicians in Reykjavik was called Dagur Bergtouruson Eggertsson.
Name Meaning
For foreigners, many Icelandic names and surnames seem very difficult both in pronunciation and in understanding. But you just need to get used to them. In some cases, without a middle name it is quite difficult to determine which gender a particular name belongs to. A list of names with their meanings will help you figure this out.
Examples of Icelandic names and their meaning:
- Askold owns a spear.
- Arna is an orlic.
- Björk is a birch.
- Blair is a breeze.
- Wilhjalmer - helmet.
- Larus is a seagull.
- Pala is small.
- Schneibjorn is a polar bear.
- Winner is a wave.
- Fritrica is a peaceful ruler.
- Chrafon is a raven.
- Katla and Hekla - descended from the name of volcanoes.
At birth, children are most often given not one name, but two or three. This helps to identify each other, creating fewer matches by name and patronymic. Many Icelanders in everyday life prefer to use shortened versions of their names. For example, Guvrun - Hun, Stefan - Steppi and so on.
Who has last names?
In the country, one can still find real, in the understanding of Europeans, Icelandic surnames. However, they have a small number of inhabitants. Most often, surnames are preserved as a legacy from parents of foreign origin. Those few who have surnames supplement their full name with a middle name, inserting it in the middle in an abbreviated form.
Famous Icelanders have surnames such as:
- Eidur Gudjohnsen is a football player.
- Balthazar Kormakur - Director.
- Anita Brimer - actress.
At the legislative level, the issue of naming was settled only in 1925. Until this time, it was possible to go through a legal procedure and get an arbitrary surname. For example, Halldor Killan Laxness, a writer and Nobel Prize laureate, once took this opportunity. At birth, he was given the name Haltour Gwydounsson.