2808: Slavic -slav Names Aug 28, 2024

In the realm of Slavic names, one of the most striking features is the prevalence of names ending in -sław (-slav) This suffix, found in names like Bogusław, Bolesław, Jarosław, Mirosław, and Stanisław—here written in the Polish style, but found all over Eastern Europe—carries a rich linguistic and cultural heritage that spans centuries. These names belong to a broader category known as dithematic names, which are composed of two elements, each carrying its own meaning, with -sław being certainly the most productive ending.

You might think that it would be odd to name people based on the name of that people group, but they’re actually unrelated. The -sław suffix in these names derives from the Slavic root ‘slava’, meaning ‘glory’ or ‘fame’, not related to the word ‘Slav’. For example, Mirosław means "peace-glory," and Stanisław means "to become glorious".

It is important to note that the “-sław” suffix in these names is not related to the ethnonym “Slav.” Although it might seem intuitive to link these endings with the Slavic peoples as a whole, the suffix actually predates the broader use of "Slav" as an ethnonym. Instead, it belongs to a wider tradition of Slavic name-giving practices, where various suffixes were used to convey different desirable qualities. Other common affixes in Slavic dithematic names include -mir (meaning ‘peace’), as seen in Włodzimierz (Vladimir); -gost meaning ‘guest’ or ‘host’) as in Miłogost; and -bor (war), as in Boris or indeed Borzysław. 

For more Slavic -sław names, here is a list, in Polish orthography to be consistent. Write in if you know more.

Bogusław, Borysław, Gościsław, Jarosław, Kwiatosław, Mirosław, Mścisław, Rastisław, Rościsław, Sława, Sławojlub, Sławobor, Sławomir, Sobiesław, Srbosław, Stanisław, Świętosław, Tomisław, Wierosław, Władysław, Wiesław, Wyczesław.