Mongolian Naming Practices
Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy, Brickbat Herald
Published in KWHS Proceedings, 1998; web version, 2010
©1998, 2010 by Linda M. Miku. All rights reserved.
Like their historical forbears, Creative Anachronists with European personae must contend with visitors from the East from time to time. The individual who desires an Arabic, Chinese, or Japanese persona is sometimes met with a dearth of information concerning naming practices of those cultures, not because the information is absent but because it is usually presented in languages with which the incipient Saracen or budding samurai are unfamiliar.
The person who desires a Mongolian name appears to be in this company, as most references to Mongol naming practices remain in the native language or have been translated only into languages of cultures that have had long cultural or political dealings with this nomadic society (e.g., Chinese and Russian). This paper hopes to inform anyone who might have an interest in early Mongolian naming practices to learn what given names are available and the relative ease by which one can form an accurate Mongolian name to attach to a Mongolian persona.
John Krueger's 1962 paper on Mongolian personal names focuses on those names adopted by the Mongols of the 16th Century, a time when "medieval" shamanistic beliefs were being replaced by Buddhism. Like Latin in Western Europe, Tibetan and its Sanskrit influence became the sacred language of the Mongols, and naming practices in late period adopted a decidedly Tibetan flavor. For those who wish to base a Mongolian persona in the 1500's, I recommend Krueger's paper; its information on Mongolian adaptation of foreign names and titles is also interesting.
I suspect that the majority of people who wish Mongolian persona are those who want to be associated with the nomadic tribes preceding the establishment of the Mongol Empire, and with the culture and time period of the Mongol Empire itself. For them, Krueger's article is of little use. Instead, manuscripts and histories that tell of those time periods are helpful, and from them can be drawn names and naming practices that are associated with these much earlier Mongols. Difficulties that might be encountered here include a lack of written histories' differences between the modern and ancient Mongol languages, and the transliteration of those existing texts into languages that do not share a common alphabet. (One of the most obvious transliteration faux pas is the title which Temujin, the founder of the Mongol Empire, adopted as a young man. While more accurately translated as Chingis, the usual Genghis or Genghiz spelling is based on Persian chronicles. Arabic lacks the -ch- sound, and so this name was originally recorded as Jingis, eventually mutating into Genghis. Recent writers tend to use forms that more closely represents the original Oriental pronunciation, hence the appearance Chingis.)
There are nine languages in the Altaic language family (the Altaic family of languages is comprised of three major groups, Mongolian; Turkic, or Turko-Tatar; and Manchurian, or Tungus), and the language known in modern times as "Mongolian" is the one associated with the tribes and clans of Chingis Khan (the major Mongolian dialects are Khalkha, Buryat, Oriat, Ordos and Chahar). Mongolian is a written language as far back as the time of Chingis Khan, when the vertical cursive script of the Uighurs was adopted by Mongolian scribes in 1204, according to Mongol tradition. In 1269, during the reign of Khubilai Khan, Chingis Khan's grandson, an attempt to introduce a "square" script, based on a modified Tibetan script, was made; this is known as 'Phags-pa (Tibetan term) or dorgeljin (Mongolian term). It was used until the mid-14th Century, when it was abandoned in favor of the older, easier to use vertical style.
Prior to the spread of Buddhism and its influence on Mongolian life, the Mongols generally held shamanistic beliefs which were tied closely to the earth and to natural phenomenon found therein. This gave rise to the purely descriptive name. Because of this, the names given to newborn children are often reminiscent of personal names used by North American Indian tribes. Krueger notes that such descriptive names, while uncommon in modern Mongolian society, do occasionally appear in the 20th Century (a famous Mongolian revolutionary is Suke Bator, "Axe Hero" or "a hero as sharp and powerful as an axe"). Armed with a English-Mongolian dictionary, this type of descriptive name can be constructed successfully and with little difficulty, since there are only a few guidelines in the formation of such a name.
Period Mongolian names consist of two words, usually a noun and its modifier, although Nicholas Poppe notes that a noun may have more than one attribute or modifier. In the case of a common noun being modified by an adjective, the adjective precedes the noun. Hence, historical figures have names such as Yeke Nidun, "Big Eyes", and Yesen Tege, "Nine Spans". The researcher should keep in mind the culture of these people and draw on objects that were of significance in their lives. Sechen Jagchid's Mongolia's Culture and Society lists general categories that reflect Mongolian naming practices. These include
- names which represent a special occasion, such as a victory or conquest;
- animal names, due to the culture's close association with hunting and herding, and with the skills of riding and horsemanship (the unlikely name Seger Sandalitu, "Neck Seat", may be a description of how one sits on horseback);
- names derived from terms for the foreign people with whom the Mongols had contact in their migrations and military campaigns;
- names that reflect desirable qualities in life (Batu, "confident, immovable");
- names that represent characteristics of strength, durability or physical value (Temur, "iron", and Altan, "gold");
- names that are associated with metal tools and weaponry (Kete, "steel for striking a fire");
- names that are derived from color or from beautiful objects (Koko, "blue");
- and names that have religious meaning, usually associated with the Buddhist influence in the 1500's.
It was not uncommon, however, for Mongols living in a newly-conquered land to adopt both the religion and naming practices of those people whom they had overcome and now had commerce. As a result, a Mongol persona living during the time of the Mongol Empire could have a Chinese name, or have converted to Islam (Uzbek, a Muslim saint) or to Nestorian Christianity (Gorgis, Anton, or Nichola) and subsequently adopted a religious name to reflect these newly-embraced beliefs! It appears that leaders in the Mongolian Empire often adopted Islamic, Nestorian or Russian names, possibly to appear more "fraternal" to their foreign subjects.
Jagchid also notes a category of names influenced by numbers and numerals, be it the birth order of siblings (Tabudai and Jirghadai, "fifth" and "sixth"), the age of the father when the child was conceived (Nayan, "eighty"), or lucky numbers. The number nine (yesun) is considered especially lucky and represents adundance, hence the names Yesun and Yesun Tege. A final name category suggests objects or qualities that are undesirable (Eljigetei, "donkey", or Bujir, "dirty, filthy"). Such names were not given to degrade or demean the child, but to protect it from evil spirits; the shamanistic Mongol believed that a child who was wellnamed or was physically attractive could be the unfortunate target of wicked spirits' attentions. Careful parents might safeguard their offspring by bestowing "bad names" upon them. A boy baby might even receive the name Keuken, "girl", since male offspring had much greater value than female children--no doubt this value was shared by inhabitants of the spirit world. While most names that have a translation available reflect tangible items, names based on abstract concepts (Erke, "power", Ilugei, "profit", and Chagan, "white/richness") also exist.
The second type of personal name is the given name. Given names are considered proper nouns. In the Mongolian language, a word that modifies a proper noun follows the noun, and this is apparent in the names Duua Sokhur, "Duua the Blind", and Korichar Mergen, "Korichar the Clever". Most modifiers are adjectives, but nouns can also be used (Nayaga Biljigur, "Nayaga the Lark"), and some modifying words can serve as either an adjective or a noun, depending on the translation (Buri Boko is alternately translated as "Buri the Strong" and "Buri the Athlete"; Altan translates as "Gold", but Altan Arasen means "Golden Skin"). In most cases, the modifier-given name word order is the rule, but in several manuscripts, the adjective precedes a proper noun. This may be due to poetic license, as Mongolian verse (the manner in which The Secret History of the Mongols and other manuscripts were written) attempts to alliterate at the beginning of each verse. As a result, if inverting a name allows alliteration, it may have been done to achieve a pleasing, aesthetic result.
Most names found in period texts can be considered proper names and are rarely translated. No doubt most of them are traceable to common nouns and adjectives, but trying to determine this is hampered by having to deal with changes in a language over several centuries (not unlike trying to compare modern English with Middle English) and by nonstandard transliteration of Mongolian terms into other languages. (While the references used in this article translate Mongolian texts from Chinese or directly from Mongolian into English, the dictionaries used in an attempt to translate the names are based on the Russian Cyrillic alphabet, Mongolia's official alphabet since the 1940's, further confusing the issue!) Many western world name elements have lost their original meanings over a long period of use, usually not to the detriment of the name or the person bearing it. Some proper names are adjectives (Yeke, "big", or Yesun, "nine"), and can be found as a simple single name or as a combination name, serving as the modifier (Yeke Negurin, "Big Journey", and Yesun Tege, "Nine Spans"); in the latter case, the adjective assumes the first position.
Modifiers which describe a given name can be epithets that reflect physical characteristics, such as khara, "dark, black", or targhurai, "fat". Epithets may be occupational, such as Guchugur Mochi, "Guchugur the carpenter". Although a familial term can be attached to a given name (Eke Onan, "Mother Onan"), the modifier only describes one's relationship to a family or group (e.g., an elder brother or an old man). There is no evidence of a patronymic epithet in period manuscripts--if there is such a relationship, it is described in the body of the text, not in the individual's personal name. It also involves some knowledge of Mongolian grammar because nouns undergo declension. This is true of clan and tribal associations as well. The simple "modifier + given name" combination not only is an accurate method of forming a period Mongolian name, but it also prevents one from having to become overly involved in learning Mongolian grammar and syntax. Of course, one can choose a name that is not completely rendered into Mongol, but succeeds in demonstrating a clan or tribal relationship without requiring knowledge of Mongolian grammar (e.g., Jebe of the Dorben).
There appears to be no segregation of particular period names based on sex (for example, Maral is found both as a masculine and as a feminine name). Sex-influenced names appear to be a late period practice, with a number of female religious-based names being goddesses of the Buddhist pantheon.
The most useful source for period Mongolian names is undoubtedly The Secret History of the Mongols. It is both the oldest Mongolian heroic epic and the oldest Mongolian literary work known. To this date, it is also the only period Mongolian manuscript, and most of what is known of Chingis Khan is derived from it. (If other period Mongolian works were written, it appears that they were destroyed during the Ming Dynasty of China.) The text was written in 1240 AD, less than two decades after Chingis Khan's death in 1227. It is probably the collective effort of several authors, likely including men who were eyewitness to the events described in the history or who were contemporaries of Chingis Khan. Although no manuscript of the original Mongolian version is known, and while it has been translated into several languages (the Russian Orthodox priest Palladius, serving as an ambassador of his faith in Peking and who was the first Westerner to see a copy of the manuscript in the mid-19th Century, itself a phonetic rendering of antique literary Mongolian rendered into Chinese characters, called his Russian translation An Ancient Mongolian Legend), the Chinese version, Yuan Ch'ao Pi Shih, is considered by scholars to be the most complete translation of the original text. It was translated into Chinese in 1392 during the Ming Dynasty. Whether it should be viewed more as an historical chronicle or as a mythic work, depicting the formation of the Mongolian Empire with extravagant imagination, is a question that has yet to be resolved. It should be noted that almost immediately after his death, Chingis Khan was elevated to a cult figure, as noted by the Persian historian Aladin Juzjani, the Franciscan emissary John Plano Carpini, and perhaps even Geoffrey Chaucer (the reference to a conqueror called Cambynskan in "The Squire's Tale" might allude to Chingis Khan). It should be no surprise that The Secret History of the Mongols treats its main character both as a historical figure and as a legend, along with serving as an official account of the Mongolian ruling class and as a genealogy for the royal family. Considering that it became known to Western civilization only within the last 150 years (the German scholar Erich Haenisch was the first to publish a full European--undoubtedly German--translation in 1940), the manuscript may have been intended for the use and education of the royal family alone.
The Secret History begins with the ancestral Mongols coming across the "inland sea" of Tenggis (Lake Baikal). Depending on the particular translation, the "Adam and Eve" of the Mongolian people are either a wolf and a deer, or a man and a woman who have names based on natural phenomenon (he is Borte Chinua, "brindled wolf," and she is Ghoa Maral, "beautiful doe"). The Secret History contains a lengthy genealogy of Chingis Khan's line, the important events of his life, the formation of the Mongol Empire, and a short narrative about the rule of Ogedei, Chingis Khan's successor.
A second name source is The Bejewelled Summary of the Origin of the Khans. Written in 1662 by the Ordos Mongol prince Sagang Sechen (Sagang the Wise), this manuscript is a generally accurate history, but it also contains much religious writing, indicative of the profound Tibetan Buddhist influence of the 1500's. It contains many historical names, both proper and descriptive, and it includes Buddhist-influenced names given to historical figures in later period. Although this text also chronicles the events of Chingis Khan's life, names of the same figure are often spelled differently. This is the result of different translators' attempts to match sound values of Mongolian words in a language that doesn't share the same alphabet.
While "important" figures populate these historical manuscripts, it is unreasonable that any given name should be prohibited from SCA use. Even Temujin, Chingis Khan's birth name, comes from Temujin Uge, who was an enemy taken captive by his father Yesugei; so impressed was Yesugei by the man's honor and noble mien that he named his newborn son after him (this is an excellent example of of a commemorative name as well). Unquestionably, some epithets should be restricted, such as titles, and those epithets that might suggest an individual is trying to claim a historic figure's identity (e.g., Temujin the Conqueror). The use of rulers' names (Mongke, Khubilai or Temur) or the offspring of rulers (Tolui, Jochi, Chagatai, or Ogedei) should not face the possibility of restriction as long as the rest of the name does not attempt to claim familial, clan, tribal or presumptive relationships with those historic persons. Bagatur, the word for valiant or brave man, has restricted use in the SCA, used as the Mongolian equivalent of "knight", although the Mongols did not have knights in the European sense. (Ivor Montagu cites the Mongolian word tej to mean knight, but I have not been able to corroborate it as an appropriate title with other works or dictionaries.) Chingis/Chinggis is another epithet that seems unique enough to prevent registration as an element of a Mongolian name. It is said to represent the call of a fabulously-colored, lark-like bird that appeared one morning in front of Temujin's ger and whose wonderful singing seemed to foretell the influence and power that Temujin would exert on his world. (Sagang Sechen's account of this event also notes that the white stone upon which the bird perched split open, revealing a jade seal with a design of a tortoise charged with two entwined dragons; this design was said to have been worn extensively and completely "upon a thousand banners," representing the forces of Chingis Khan). While the translation of Chingis continues to be debated, it is an epithet associated with Chingis Khan alone.
The use of an English-Mongolian dictionary will help in constructing a purely Mongolian descriptive name or in finding appropriate epithets to modify a given name. The methods described here to create a name for a Mongolian persona should result in a name that is satisfactory and "in period" for a persona who might have lived between the eighth and fifteenth Centuries AD.
There is no standard method for transliterating Mongolian into English; according to Gronbech and Krueger, even in Mongolian literature, the substitution of one vowel for another or one consonant for another is common, similar to the non-standardized spelling in early modern English. Of four translations reviewed (three being various versions of The Secret History of the Mongols), translated by four English-speaking authors, significant differences in the use of diacritical marks and consonant combinations are seen. The first names listed are based primarily on the translation style used by Paul Kahn in his adaptation of The Secret History. Although Kahn avoids the use of diacritics by substituting less exact but roughly equivalent English consonants combinations (-ch- for -c-, -kh- for -q-, -sh- for -s-, and -g- for a glottal stop), his transliteration of names is straightforward and should result in fairly accurate and consistent pronunciation by most English speakers. (Khachigun is less likely to be mispronounced than Qaci'un.) I believe that substituting -kh- for -q- is taking this pronunciation solution to extremes, since the initial sound found in quilt only occurs with a -qu- combination. Because of this, a few Kh- initial names are listed with a Q- initial spelling to demonstrate the variation in spelling that can be applied to similar names. Both single and double element names are listed, since both types are found in manuscripts and may help to show how "complete" Mongolian names are formed.
Alternative spellings come from Cleaves' translation of The Secret History of the Mongols; Krueger's translation of The Bejewelled Summary of the Origin of the Khans; Jagchid's Mongolia's Culture and Society; Phillip's history, The Mongols (P); Heissig's The Religions of Mongolia (H); Severin's In Search of Genghis Khan (S); and Dawson's The Mongol Mission, which provides both historical background (D) and the translated journals from Franciscan missionaries William of Rubrick (R) and John of Plano Carpini (C). Additional alternative spellings are taken from Sanders (2), Stuart (N) and Storm from the East (M). (I doubt that I'll expand further upon alternative spellings, as most recent publications are using one form or another of a particular name--how many ways can you spell Ogodei? Quite a few, and some Mongolian persona's version could be as reasonable as those that appear in published works.) Whenever possible, I have included a translation of the name, taken from these manuscripts. Those with a question mark come from my uncertain attempts to find translations in a Mongolian-English dictionary.
According to Gronbech and Krueger, stress or emphasis is usually placed on the first syllable of a word, but even this shifts freely. The plural of a noun is usually not used unless it is to avoid ambiguity, and they are only very rarely used after numerals or quantitative adjectives (bars = tiger; olan bars = many tigers). To show possession, the -un genitive ending is used for all words ending in a consonant except -n (bars = tiger; barsun nidun = tiger's eye); those words' use the possessive ending -u (naran = sun; naranu gerel = sun's light). For those words ending in a vowel, the possessive suffix -yin is used (eke = mother; ekeyin noghon = mother's boy).
Pronunciation Guide (from Cleaves)
a as in father
ai as in eye
ch as in church
e as in net
ei as in hay
g as in get
h as in hall
i as in machine
j as in jest
k as in kitchen
o as in cost
oi as in boy
q as ch in German noch (k as in kitchen is reasonable)
s as in sun
sh as in show
ts as ch in chair
u as in moon
w as in wine
y as in year
Note: Heissing cites 99 Tngri, "heavenly beings" (gods) in some Mongolian religions, and some of their names are listed below; the chief of the Tngri is Koke Mongke Tngri. I suspect a tngri name could be used as a human name, given the use of many name sources and the eventual adoption of the names of Buddhist deities.
Men's Names
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Abaka (Abaqa M) [hunter, trapper?] Achigh Shirun Adarkidai Adkiragh Adya 2 [the sun, Sunday] Agasiletai N Agsaldai N Aguchu Agujam (Achujim) [great, vast] Achujam Bugural ["Vast Grey"] Ajai Ajinai Ajir N [water bird] Ajirai H [tngri (heavenly being) name] Akhutai Alagh [dappled] Alagh Yid Alchidai (Alchi, Elchi) Alchigh (Aljai P) Aljai Temur P Alghu (Alghuy P) Altan [gold, golden] Altun Ashugh Amal (Amel) Amasandji P Amasar Ambaghai (Ambagai) Anarba H Aragibal S Arasen [leather, hide, skin] Argasar (H) [tngri (heavenly being) name] Arabuccha R Argat N Argun (Arghun P) Arin Tasai Arik (Arig M) Arik Boge P Ariq Boke M Arik Buka R Ariunbold T ["True Steel"] Arsi (H) ["hermit", tnigri name] Aruktai P Argasun Qorchi Arkhai Khasar Arslan (Arslang) [lion] Aruci H [tngri name] Asha Gambu Ashigh Temur Asugbal 2 Badai Bagaridai Bai Shingor Baidar (Baidur P) [dark, distant?] Baidu P Baiju P Bala Balagachi Baltu R Bardam Bartan Bartu P Barulatai Baasan 2 [Friday] Baavgai 2 [bear] Batachikhan (Batacaciqan M) [son of the Mongolian Eve, Ghoa Maral] Bati C Batu (Baatu R, Bat 2) [true, loyal, confident] Bayan [rich, wealthy; fertile] Bayan Cagan Tengri (H) [Tngri of White Riches] Bayan Olgei S [rich cradle? 2] Bayar S [happy] Bede Bedes Begter [coat of mail?] Begugtei Belgeltei (Belgutei) Belgunutei Berke (Berca C, Berh 2) [hard, strong, difficult] Besutei Biger Bilge Bilig [knowledge; intelligent] Boal Bodonchar Bogarji Boge P Esen Boge P Arik Boge P Bogen Boshigt S [fundamental] Bogorchu Bolkhadar Bor 2 [grey] Bora C Borjigidai Boroghul Borachu [greyling] Boroldai Boroldai Suyalbi Bortachikhan Borte Chinua [brindled/blue-grey wolf] Bortei P Bucharan Bughu Khatagi (Khadagi) Bughutu Salji Bugidai Bugunutei Bugurul Bujeg (Budjek M) Bujir [filthy] Bukha [bull, ox] Arik Buka R Ked-Buqa M Qoribucha 2 [twenty oxen] Bukidai Bulaqadar (Bolqadar, Bulqadar) Bultechu Bultger 2 [pop-eye] Bulugan Buqatai Buri [muddy, dark?] Buri Bulchiru Burim C Burkhan Khaldun S [place name: "Mountain of the Spirit Shaman", where Chingis Khan is buried] Butu Buyant N Buyantu P Buyirugh Carbon C Cyriacus Buyirugh Chanai Chanar Chagadai (Jagadai, Chaghadai M, Chagatai 2, Tsagaday 2) Chaghagan (Chaghan) [white, pure, richness] Cagan Ebugen H [White Old Man, a Tngri folk god] Chaghagan Khoga Chaghagan Uua Chagurkhai Chakhurkhan Chapar P Charakha (Charakhai, Caragai C) Chidukhul Chigu Chilagun [rock] Chiledu Chilger Chiluku P Chimbai Chimbai Dargan Chingay C (Chinqai M) Chingkim P Choban P Chormakhan (Chormagan P, Chormaghun M) Chulgetei Chuacenur C Dagun Daidukul Dalantai N Darbai Daritai Dash 2 [good luck] Dayan [enemy?] Dayir (Dair) Dayir Usun (compound name) Degei [younger brother?] Dei Delbeg 2 Delger S ["Broad Good", abundance 2] Devet Berdi Dhunan Dinget C Dobun Dodai Dogar N Dogshin (Doghshin) [wild] Dokholkhu (Dokholhu) Dologadai Donoi Dorbei Dori Bukha Durulji Tayiji Duua Edigu P Eguden Yeke (H) [Tnigri Great God of the Door] Elbek P (Elbeg 2) Eldegai C Eljigidei (Eljigetei) [donkey] Emlig [steed] Enx 2 [peace] Erdeni (Erdene) [jewels, precious] Erke [power] Erke Khara Erketu (H) [mighty] Esen Boge P Esen Taij P Esen Taysh 2 Esugen P Gal 2 [fire] Galdan P Caikhatu P (Geikhatu/Gayhatu 2) Gerel S [light] Geser N Geser Khan N (a folk hero's name) Geugi Ghazan (Gazan S) Ghunan [three-year-old tiger or bull] Guchlug (Guchulug) Guchu (Kuchu) Guchugur Gughlug Gugun Guntomor S Gur Guyug (Guyuk, Cuyuc C, Guyug 2) Harghasun Hobogetur Hooshal 2 (Qoshila 2) Horkhudagh Hulegu (Hulgu 2) Huslen 2 Huslen Hutagt 2 Husun Hutagt 2 [incarnation or living Buddha, often head of a monastery or temple--appears to be more of a title than a name] Hychyt N Idughadai Ile [clear, perceptible?] Ilugei [gain, profit] Inalchi Inancha Bilge Iturgen (Idurgen) Jakha Gambu Jaghatai P (Jagatay D; Chiaaday C) Jajiradai Jali Bukha [crafty bull] Jamugha (Jamuka P, Jamukha M) Janggi Jarchigudai Jebe (Jebei 2 [arrowpoint, weapon] Jebein Noyan M Jeder Jelme P Jenkshi P Jirandai (Jirantai N) [sixty] Jirghadai [sixth, as in birth order] Jirghogadai Jebke Jegu Jelme Jetei (Jedei) Jochi (Juchi, Zuchi/Juji 2) [guest] Jochi Khasar (compound name) Jubkhan Jungdu Jungsai Jungso Jungshoi Jurchedei Kamala Kara S [black] Kara Hekegu ["Black/Dark Helegu"] Kepek P Ketboge P Kete [steel for striking fire] Keuken [girl] Khabichi (Qabiji) Khabul (Qabal) Khachi Khada Khadagan Khadagan Daldurkhan Khadagan Tasai Khadagh (Kadac C) Khadan (Cadan C; Kadan P) [rock, cliff] Khagatai Darmala Khaguran Khaidai Khaidu (Kaidu P) Khaishan P Khaji Kulug (Qaji Kulug) Khajigin (Qajigin) |
Khal Khali Kharchu (Qali Qarchu) Khaligudar Khalja Khara Gulug ["Black Puppy"] Qara Budang ["Black Bear"] Kharachar Kharchu Khasar (Qasar) ["Terrible Dog", Chingis Khan's brother; Qasar and Qusar also names for dogs N] Khashi Khashin (Kashin P) Khongkhai Khongtaghar Khorichar (Qorichar, Qoricar M) Qoricar Mergan Khorchi Khorghosun Khori Shilemun Taisi Khori Subechi Khoridai (Qoridai) Khorilartai Khongkhortai Khubilai (Qubilai; Kubilai P; Hubilai C) Khuchar Khudu Khudus Khudus Khalkhan Khudukha Khulan [wild horse = wild ass Equus hemionus] Khurchakhus Khuril Ashigh Khutughtu (Khutugh) [blessed] Khutula Khuyildar Kinggiyadai Bukha Kiratai Kiriltugh Kishiligh Kogsegu Sabragh Kekchu P Koko [blue] Koko Chos Koko Mongke (H) [chief of the Tngri] Kokochu Kokochu Kirsagan Kokochu Teb Tenggeri Kopek P Kotyan P Kuchar Kundek P Kus Bulad ["Bluish Horse"] Kutlugh P Temur Kutlugh P Kuyuk Kuzhuk S Labakha (Lablakha) Ligdan P Luvsan 2 [sound sense] Magnai S Mahamu P Maqa Tudan Maqali Maral [deer species; constellation Orion] Masgud Mauci C Megujin Menggei [birthmark, sign?] Menggetu Menggulig (Munglig) Megetu Molon 2 Mengu C Mergen, Merkus, Mergurges 2 Mongke (Mongge, Mongu C, Mangu R, Monh 2) [everlasting, eternal; silver?] Mongke Temur P Monke Temur/Mohntomor 2 Tode Mongke 2 Tuda Mongke P Yesu Mongke P Monx 2 Morokha Mungke Muge Mukhali (Muquli; Mukali P) Mulkhalkhu Munglig Mungetu Munggugur Munokhoi ["Bad Dog"] Mutugen Myagmar 2 [the planet Mars, Tuesday] Nachin [falcon, eagle] Nakhu (Naqu) Narin [thin, slender; secret] Narin Kegen Narin Togoril Nayaga Nayan [eighty] Nayantai N Jebei Noyan M Nekun (Negun) Nekun Taisi Nogai (Noqai G) [dog] Nongrot C Odchigin (Ochigin) [fire-prince/hearth ruler, name for the youngest son] Odchigin Abaga Temuge Otchigin S [Chingis Khan's brother] Ogele Ogodei (Ogadei, Ugedei; Occadai C, Ogedai/Ogodey/Ogdai 2) Okhotur Okin Okin Barkhagh Olai Anda Olar Oldaghar Ozbeg 2 Olzii 2 [happiness] Olziytomor 2 Oljeitu P Ong Onggiran Onggur Orda Ordu Coronartai Osol 2 [increase] Oyuun 2 [wisdom] Ozbeg S Qobolta N Qoribuqa 2 [twenty oxen] Qorisubechi 2 [twenty pass] Qoriqacha 2 [twenty flank] Sacha Sagra N Sain 2 [good] Sanchir 2 [the planet Saturn, Saturday] Sartak (Cartakh P, Sartach R, Sartaq/Sartag 2) Sechegur Seger Sandalitu ["Neck Seat"] Semsochi Senggum (Sengum P) Sidurgu Shager N (19th C. folk hero) Shigi Khutukhu Shiban P (Syban C) Shigi-Qutuqu 2 (Shihihutag 2) Shikigur Shilugei Shinghkhor Shiraghul Shiramun P (Siremon R, Sirenum C, Shiremun M) Shirgugetu Sibaguchu ["Bird-Man"] Siban Sinkur Sokhor Sorkhan Shira Sorkhatu Jurki Soyiketu Subetei (Subegedei, Subegetei, Subegeti; Subudei P, Sibedei C, Subuday D, Subutay D, Subodai/Suvedey 2) Sugar 2 [the planet Venus, Friday] Suke [axe] Sukhebaatar S (Suke Bator) ["Axe Hero", 20th C. freedom fighter] Sukegei Suyiketu Tabudai [fifth, as in birth order] Tabur N Tagadhur Taghai Tahar N Taichar Taichu Tamachi (Tamacha) Tamachag Taragai P Tarmashirin P Tartu Tatar P Tatatunga 2 [Uighur name; the scribe who adapted U. script for writing Mongolian] Tayang Teb Tengri [13th C. shaman] Tekuder P Teguder Ahmad 2 Teleboge P Telegetu Temuge Temuge Otichigin S [Chingis Khan's brother] Temujin (Temuchin M, Temujin S) [iron-man, ironsmith] Temujin Uge ["Iron-Man Word"] Temur [iron] (Temer C, Timur P) Aljai Temur P Ashigh Temur P Durra Timur P Timur Molie P Tokur Temur P Togha Timur P Temur Kutlugh P Temur Oljeitu M Toghon Temur/Toggontomor 2 Bash Timur P Mongke Temur P Thaube C Tobsakha Tobukha Todogen Girte Togh P (Toq S) Togh Temur P Toq Temur/Tugtomor/Tugtemur 2 Togos Temur 2 Toghon [pot] (Toghan P) Toghon Temur [pot iron; continuous development] Toghoril (Toghrul P) Toghtoga (Togtungga) Togtoobuh 2 Tokhuchar (Toquchar S) Tokhta P (Toctay D) Tokhtamysh P (Tokhtamish 2) Tole-Buqa 2 Tolon Tolui (Tului, Tuluy/Tule 2) [mirror] Tolun Tomor Olziyt 2 Torbi Tashi Tordung Torgan Sira [yellow silk] Torgaljin Torgan Tseren 2 [long life] Tsolmon 2 [the planet Venus] Tuda Mongke P Tudan P Tugan P (perhaps Togoon S) Tuge (Tege) [span] Tumbinai Tumun Tungge Tungkhuidai Tutei Tuva P Yesun Tuva P Tuyuideger Uchikin Udutai Uighurtai Ukhuna Ukilen Ulagchi P (Ulaghchi 2) Uran Cenggui Urchger 2 [wrinkled] Urgamal 2 [plant] Urus P Uriangkadai P Usun [water; hair?] Xangai 2 [forest] Xartsaga 2 [falcon] Xorxoi 2 [insect] Yabuqa Yalavech (Yalawachi) [messenger] Yargai 2 [cherry] Yasavur P Yedi Tublugh Yegu Yerentai N Yesugei (Yisugei) Yesunge Yeke [big, mighty] Yeke Cheren Yeke Chiledu Yeke Couru Yeke Nidun ["Big Eyes"] Yeki Negurin ["Big Journey"] Yesu Mongke P Yesun [nine] Yesun Tege ["Nine Spans"] Yesun Temur P Yesun Tuva P Yokhunan Yurukhan Zayaat N Zhims 2 [berries] |
Women's Names
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Alagh Yid Alaqa Alan (Alun) [red] Alan Ghoa ["Red Beautiful Woman"] Altani [golden] Altun (Al Altan, Al Altun) [gold] Boragchin (Borogchin) Barghujin Berude Borte Borte Jusin Botokhui Targhun Budan Chagur Chakha Chambui (Chabi M) [Kublai Khan's wife] Checheyigen Chotan Cirina R Cota R Cotota R Dagasi Dorgene Dokuz Khatum P (Doquz-Khatun M) Ebegei Ergene P Etugen Eke (H) ["Earth Mother"; deity consisting of 77 levels or earth-mothers] Ghoa [beautiful; beautiful woman] Gorbeljin Gurbesu Hogelun (Ogelen, Ho'elun M) [Chingis Khan's mother] Holuikhan Hujaghur Ibakha |
Jaliqai Khadagan Khogaghchin Khojin Khorijin Khugurchin Khulan (Qulan) [wild ass, E. hemionus] Maral Mide N Mongoljin (Monggoljin, Monggulum) Narengawa N Nomolun Oghul/Ogul 2 Ogul Gaimysh P (Ogul Gamish R, Oghul Ghaimish/Ogul Gaymish 2) Orbei Samga S Sayin Maral Qayag Sechen N [girl?; a girl raised by a tiger in folklore] Silugukhan Qatakhan ["Little Straightforward and Hardy"] Silun Gorgelji Sokhatai Sorkhaghtani (Surkukteni P) Sorghaghtani Beki M [Beki is probably a title for a female chieftain] Sorocan P Tegusken Temulun Temulun Abagai Togene P Toragana D (Toregene 2 and M, Dorgono 2) Turakina D Yesugen Yesui Yisu Qatun Yisugei Qatun Yesuntei (H) [Chingis' second wife] |
Clan/Tribal Names
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Abag(nar) (Avga) 1 Adarkin (cl.) Alchi Tatar (tr.) Aluqai Tatar (tr.) Anggu Ar Horqin 1 Aruladd Ayirigud Buirugud Tatar (tr.) Bagarin (cl.) Bairin S Barga/Barag 1 (eastern Mongolian ethnic group) Barghun (people) Barulas (tr.) Bayagud (tr.) Bayid (Bayad/Bait/Bayit 1) (western Mongolian people) Belgunud (cl.) Besud (cl.) Bolar (people) Borjigin (cl.) Budagad (cl.) Bugunud (cl.) Buriat, Buriyad (Buriad/Buryad/Buryaad, Buryat 1) (northern Mongolian people) Chaghan Tatar (tr.) Chagshighud (tr.) Chahar/Tsahar/Qahar 2 (group near Chinese border) Chinos Dalad 2 Darhad/Darhat 2 (Mongolized Turkish ethnic group) Dariganga 2 (southeastern Mongolian people) Daur/Dakhur/Kagor/Daguur 2 Dhorolas Dongkhayid (tr.) Dorben (cl.) Dorvod/Dorbod 2 Dutaghud Tatar (tr.) Ebugejin (tr.) Ejine 2 Erdemtu Barula (cl.) Geniges (cl.) Gorolas (Gorulas, Gorlos 2) (tr.) Harachin/Harqin/Horchin/Horqin 2 Hoshuud/Hoshut 2 (western Mongolian group) Hotgoyd/Khotogotis 2 Hotoh 2 (Turkic ethnic group) Ikires (tr.) Jadaran (cl.) Jalayir Jarchigud Je(u)ghureyid (cl.) Jirgin (tr.) Jungar 2 Jurud/Jarud 2 Jurkin (tr.) |
Kazahg/Hasag 2 (Turkic ethnic group) Kerait (tr.) Kerel (people) Kereyid (Gereyid) (tr.) Kesdiyim (people) Khabkhanas Khadagid Khangli Khourlas Kharlugh Khatagin (Khatugin) (tr.) Khongkhotad Khori Tuman (later, the Khorilar) Kiyad (Borjigin subclan) Manghud (Mangut) (tr.) Menen Bagarin Merkid (Merkit) (tr.) Monguor/Mongor 2 Myangad/Mingat 2 (western Mongolian group) Naiman (Nayman 2) (tr.) Noyakin Oirat (Oyrd/Oyrad/Oirat 2) (western Mongolian tr.) Olkunud Olkhunugud Onggur Onniud/Ognuud 2 Oold 2 (western Mongolian group) Ordos/Urdus 2 Oronar Oyirad Saghayid Saljigud Sant 2 Shar Uygar 2 (the Yellow Uighur) Sukeken Sunid Taijut (tr.) Tanghut Tatar (tr.) Tayichigud Torguud/Torgut 2 (western Mongolian group) Tsaatan/Tsaatanguud 2 ("Reindeer People" of Turkic Urianhay or Tuva) Tsagaan 2 (the White Mongols) Tubas Tubegen Tumd/Tumet 2 Tuvans/Soyot Tannu Urianhay 2 (Turkic ethnic group, the Tuvans) Ugusin Uighur Ungirad Uriangkhai (part of the Jarchigud clan) Urit (Urad/Urat 2) (tr.) Ursud Urugud Uzemchin/Ujimqin 2 Zahchin/Dzakhohin 2 (western Mongolian group) |
Common Epithets from Primary Sources
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alan: red aqa: elder brother bagatur: brave; valiant man (used as title for an SCA knights) bayan: wealthy bogol: slave boko: strong; strong man, athlete baugurchi/bagurchi: a cook bodo/bogdo: holy one chaghan: white, pure degu: younger brother doghshin/dogshin: wild, fierce doyi: younger sister ebugen: old man echige: father eji: grandmother H eke: mother emegen: old woman |
gejige: succourer, rescuer ghoa/guua: fair, beautiful gurigen: son-in-law koghun: son koko: blue, everlasting kulug: hero khara/qara: black, dark khatun/qatun: Mlady (often in reference to the Khan's wife) khorchi/qorchi: quiver-bearer mergen: clever, sharp mochi: carpenter mungkhagh: fool oki: daughter sechen: wise sokhur: blind targhutai: fat, "fatty" ucugen: little yeke: big, great, mighty |
Epithets and Modifiers from Other Sources
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alt: golden anggir: yellow, orange arat: herdsman arban: ten boljigchi: dancer bor: grey cherig: soldier; army; war daisun: enemy dalan: seventy dologan: seven (incredibly unlucky!) dochin: forty dorben: four dotoger: fourth gan: steel gergei: wife guchin: thirty gurban: three gutagar: third jagun: hundred jirgugan: six jiran: sixty khorin/qorin: twenty khos/qos: pair, couple khoyadugar/qoyadugar: second khoyar/qoyar: two khuda/quda: bother-in-law; cousin kumun: human, man |
minghgan/myangan: thousand mongo: silver naiman: eight nayan: eighty nigen: one nogon: boy sadu: close friend saikhan: beautiful, pretty shine: new shira/shar: yellow shizir: refined gold shur: coral suvd: pearl tabin: fifty tabtagar, tabudagar: fifth tabun: five teneg: foolish, stupid tsagaan: white tsenxer: blue tumen: ten thousand ukhagatai: intelligent ulan/ulaan: red yagaan: pink, rose, purple yisun: nine (very lucky!) yeren: ninety zuun: hundred |
Common Titles from Primary Sources
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bek: chieftain, priest (from Turkish) beki: female chieftain, priestess cherbi: steward (official title bestowed on Chinggis' men) cherbin: female steward gur kha: "universal emperor" khad: emperor-prince |
khan/kha: king khatun: queen noyan: prince ong: prince (from Chinese wang) taiji: heir apparent, prince (from Chinese tai-tzu) ujin: lady |