 THE IMPRESSIVE cultures of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Aegean came together in the formation of the great Greek civilization. Throughout the ages, various groups exerted influence upon the Greeks. Among them were the Mycenaeans, the aggressive Dorians from the north, the Phoenicians, and the philosophical Ionians. From 1400 B.C. to 500 B.C., the Greek civilization went from great heights which prodded the advancement of man in Europe, to obscurity after the Dorians invaded, and back to becoming an important cultural and economic force. In the 3rd century B.C., under the leadership of Alexander the Great, Greece made its farthest reaches abroad and became a leader in influencing the shape of the modern world. Yet by 196 B.C., the country again suffered from strife and officially came under the protection of Rome. The event of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection made a profound impact on Grecian society. The common tongue of the Mediterranean area at that time was Greek, and it was in that language that the four apostles wrote the Gospels and set out to spread the Good News. By the time of the deaths of St. Peter and St. Paul in A.D. 67, and in spite of daunting persecution, they had succeeded in converting a significant number of people to the new Christian religion. The ascension to the throne by Constantine the Great was the early Christians' answer to prayer. His Edict of Milan put an end to persecution and granted religious freedom, a move that secured lasting reverence of him by the Greek people. Indeed, to this day, he is considered the true founding father of the Greek Orthodox Church and is often referred to as the thirteenth apostle. This loyalty to the church is pervasive throughout Grecian society and has a measurable effect on the naming of children. Whereas the language gave many names to other tongues, Greek children are usually named after revered saints of the Greek Orthodox Church. Traditional naming patterns are still held in many parts of the country. The first male is named after the paternal grandfather, the first female after the paternal grandmother. The second male and female children are named after their maternal grandparents. Subsequent children may bear names of other family members, or one from outside of the family, but they are not usually named after their father or mother. This traditional way of naming has ensured the popularity of many names. Greek children are generally bestowed with one name at baptism, ten days after birth. The middle name is the father's first name in the genitive case, which no doubt helps distinguish between cousins who bear the same names: those of their grandparents. The family name of a male child is that of the father, but the surname of female children is that of the father in the genitive case. Upon marriage, women change their middle name to their husband's first name and assume his surname in the genitive case. Genealogies were of great importance to the ancient Greeks, and each family group had one special ancestor to whom they paid tribute and referred themselves back to as a means of marking their lineage. Later, surnames developed much as they did in Europe. Occupational, descriptive, and place names came into use as last names, but patronymics were still more common, usually ending in a suffix meaning "son," such as -pernios, -ou, and -akis. The high regard Greeks hold for their priests is also apparent in surnames that developed from the word papa (priest) prefixed to the priest's first name, as in the name of Greek Premier Andreas Papandreou (son of Priest Andreas). Unlike many other European languages, which have undergone a profound change, the Greek language has retained great continuity over the ages, an amazing fact when viewed in regards to the countless invasions, strife, and internal turbulence the country has experienced, along with the amazing cultural and creative leaps it has taken. And as the language remains constant, so does the stability of Greek names. |
