Vladimir (name)

For other uses, see Vladimir (disambiguation).
Vladimir
Gender male
Origin
Word/name Slavic
Meaning origin: of great power (modern Russian reinterpretations: ruler of the world/peace/People)
Other names
Alternative spelling Włodzimierz, Volodymyr, Waldemar, Uladzimir, Vladimiro, Bladimir, Wladimir
Variant form(s) Vladimira (f)
Related names Valamir, Vladislav, Wladyslaw, Baltazar

Vladimir (Russian Cyrillic: Влади́мир Russian pronunciation: [vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr], Old Church Slavonic: Владимѣръ) is a male Slavic given name of Church Slavonic and Old Slavic origin, now widespread throughout all Slavic nations. It is also a common name in former Soviet non-Slavic countries where Christianity is practised, such as Armenia.[1] While being a Russian calque of the Ruthenian Wolodimer, today Vladimir is more preferred version in the English language.

Etymology

Max Vasmer in his Etymological Dictionary of Russian Language explains the name as meaning "regal". Folk etymology interprets the meaning as "person of the people" or "the one with peace on one side". This confusion is introduced by other meanings of the Slavic word "Mir" or "Myr" – peace, people/community, and the world.[2] There was no ambiguity prior to reforms of Russian orthography in 1918. The spelling of the two words was миръ (peace) or мiръ (the Universe),[3] but the name was spelled a third way, Владимѣръ,[2] from the Gothic suffix mērs meaning "great". Thus the name originally meant "Great in His Power".[2] (compare: Theodemir, Valamir) but Russian speakers understood and still understand the meaning as "Peace Owner" or "World Ruler".

People

See also

References

Look up Vladimir in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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