Masculine Nubian Given Names from Coptic and Greek Inscriptions

Ursula Georges and Aryanhwy merch Catmael

The following is a brief list of masculine given names from medieval Christian Nubia, taken from inscriptions written in Coptic and Greek. Although we have divided the names according to the dominant language of the inscription, the Coptic alphabet was sometimes used to record names in Greek inscriptions, and vice versa.

Coptic Inscriptions

Name Date Notes
Aarôn 972 bishop of Faras
Balô no date monk
Dios ninth century monk
Diônisios no date deacon
Epiphanios no date priest
Geôr`gi' 930 king
Geôr`g' 1097 bishop of Faras (his name is spelt out as Geôrgiou in other inscriptions)
Geôrgiou 1029 Abba, and bishop of Kourte
Hêlias 930 Abba, and bishop of Faras
Ïêsou 930 eparch of Nobadia
Ïêsou 1054 bishop of Sai
Iôannou 1037 priest
Iôhannês no date monk
Marios no date monk
Markos 707 eparch
Merkourios 707 king
Michaêl no date
Michaêlkouda tenth century
Orna ninth century
Paulos 707 bishop of Faras
Paulos no date
Petros ninth to tenth century monk
Petros no date
Petrou 1029 deacon
Petrou 1062 bishop of Faras
Philotheos tenth or eleventh century priest
Tirsakouni no date monk
Zach[arias] 930 king

Greek Inscriptions

Name Date Notes
Abraam no date
Dauid 9th-10th C a king
Enôch824/5
Ephannê no date an abba, priest & archimandrite
Geôrgios no date a deacon
Geôrgios 887 a king
Hoase 1163
Hoassi 1159
Hoasse 1161
Iakôb no date an abba
Iêsous no date
Iesousinkouda 1102 eparch of Nobadia
Iôannês 8th-10th C a monk
Iôannês 883 an eparch
Iôannês 8th-10th C
Iôannês 1005 a bishop
Iôannês mikros before 11th C Ioannes the little, a monk
Isaak. no date the period represents a dot below the 'k'
Isous 1169 a bishop (name is a variant of Iêsous)
Kollouthos 923 a bishop
Mariana 1159
Mariankouda 887 a tetrarch
Marturophoros 1159 a bishop
Michaêl no date may be the name of a monk, or of the archangel
Mashshouda Eisminna 1084
Petros 798 an eparch
Prochoros no date a monk
Sentiko(l) 1161
Solomôn no date a priest
Theodôros 8th-10th C
T.ophêna 887 The period follows the first letter
Zach[arias] 824/5
Zacharias 883 a king


Introduction - Masculine Names - Feminine Names



Onomastics Articles - Ursula Georges