Mandaean Baptismal Name

Mandaean names can include both birth names (i.e., secular names) and baptismal (zodiacal) names (i.e., religious names), called ''malwasha'' () in Mandaic.

Birth names

Mandaean birth names are secular names that are given at birth and are used by non-Mandaeans to refer to Mandaeans in everyday life.

Malwasha (baptismal names)

In Mandaeism, a baptismal (zodiacal) or ''masbuta'' name, also known as ''malwasha'' ( myz, ࡌࡀࡋࡅࡀࡔࡀ, translit=malwaša, which can also mean 'zodiac'), is a religious name given by a Mandaean priest to a person, as opposed to a birth name.Drower, Ethel Stefana. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press, 1937. The baptismal name of a priest reflects his spiritual lineage, with his "spiritual father" being the priest who had initiated him rather than his biological father. Since they are spiritual names that are typically used only within the Mandaean community, Mandaeans may often be reluctant to reveal their baptismal names to non-Mandaeans. As a result, baptismal names are never used as legal names. The ''malwasha'' is used to protect a Mandaean from their zodiac sign. This is due to the twelve zodiac constellations being seen as part of the evil spirit Ruha's entourage.

A lay Mandaean's ''malwasha'' is linked with the mother's name. For example, ''Mhattam Yohanna bar Simat'' (written as ) means "Mhattam Yohanna son of Simat," his mother. When naming a child, the priest takes the zodiac sign of the birth month and calculates the hour of birth sign from the zodiacal circle. The resulting numerical value has the mother's name value subtracted from it. The ''Book of the Zodiac'' is consulted to find a Mandaeans ''malwasha''.

The colophons of Mandaean texts usually refers to scribes by their ''malwasha'' (baptismal) rather than birth names. For example, Ganzibra Jabbar Choheili is referred to in Mandaean texts by his baptismal name ''Mhatam Yuhana'' ( myz, ࡌࡄࡀࡕࡀࡌ ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡍࡀ).

Although rare, a few non-Mandaeans have also been given Mandaean baptismal names in recognition of their contributions to Mandaean society. MS. DC 2, which was copied by Sheikh Negm in 1933, mentions the Mandaean baptismal name of E. S. Drower as ''Klila beth Šušian'' ("Wreath, daughter of Susan"), as her middle name Stefana means 'wreath' in Greek. MS. DC 26, a manuscript copied by Sheikh Faraj for Drower in 1936, contains two ''qmahas'' (exorcisms). MS. DC 26 is dedicated to Drower's daughter, Margaret ("Peggy"), who is given the Mandaean baptismal name ''Marganita beth Klila'' ("Pearl, daughter of Wreath") in the text.

Below are some auspicious ''malwašia'' and their associated numerical values as listed in Book 3 of the '' Sfar Malwašia''.

;Male names
#Ram, Yuhana, Zihan and Mahan, Ram, Ziwa Daimur
#Zakia, Zihrun, Bhira, Bihdad, Bainia, Zazai, Hurmizdukt
#Yahia Maimun, Manduiia, Sukhiia, Saiwia, ʿQaiam
#Bayan, Bulbul, Sku-Yawar, Bulfaraz, Ram-Šilai
#Sam Paiiš, Ramuia, Šabur, Sabur, Šad-Manda
#Bihram, Šitil, Sarwan, ʿQaiam, Tibit, Zandana, Brik-Yawar, Zakia-Yawar
#Mhatam (Mhattam), Bihram, Sandan, Malia
#Šaiar, Ziwa-Šadan, Natar
# Anuš, Hibil, Ruzbia, Samuiia, Natar
#Adam, Bakhtiar, Batia Zakria
#Br-Hiia, Šitlan, Nṣab, Zangia
#Gadana, Šitluia

;Female names
#Hawa, Dihgan, Škinta, Haiuna, Mdinat, Mamuia
#Šarat, Samra, Pašta
#Šadia, Yasmin, Ruhmaita, Hiia-Daia, Dukta, Handan
#Mudalal, Rhima, Mihrizad
#Anhar, Kaizariʿil
#Mahnui, Banana, Dinartia, Kumraita
#Simat, Murwaria, Buran, Dmut-Hiia
#Simat-Hiia, Sindaita, Šahmia
#Qinta, Anat-Hiia, Kisna, Rhimat-Hiia
#Mamania, Marganita, ʿQaimat, Zadia, Suta
#Murwarid, Manu-Qinta, Paiwa
#Bibia, Maliha, Nargis, Biṣam

Matronymic names

Lay Mandaeans historically did not have actual family names or surnames, but were rather referred to by the names of their mothers in their ''malwasha'' using the prefix ''bar'' (written as ''br'' in the Mandaic script) for a male and ''beth'' (written as ''pt'' in the Mandaic script) for a female, such as ''Mhattam Yohanna bar Simat'' and ''Mahnash beth Simat'' respectively. Early priests or religious leaders such as ''Anush bar Danqa'' and ''Zazai d-Gawazta bar Hawa'' used matronymic names as well as the earliest Mandaean scribe ''Shlama beth Qidra''. Ganzibra Jabbar Choheili's matronymic ''malwasha'' is ''Mhatam Yuhana bar Sharat''.

Patronymic names

Modern priests are an exception and named after their fathers if they were also priests. An example name would be ''Mhatam Zihrun bar Adam'' ("Mhatam Zihrun, son of Adam"), which is the ''malwasha'' baptismal name of Ganzibra Dakhil Aidan (his birth name). Ganzibra Jabbar Choheili's patronymic ''malwasha'' is ''Mhatam Yuhana bar Yahya''. Birth or secular names (not ''malwasha'') are also patronymic. An example is Lamia Abbas Amara; Lamia is her given name, while Abbas is her father's name, and Amara is her paternal grandfather's name.

Surnames

Today, Mandaeans are officially registered with surnames that are derived from the names of their clans, such as ''Choheili'' (the Persian pronunciation of ''Kuhailia'', a Mandaean clan or extended family).

Historically, some Mandaeans have also been known as ''Al-Ṣābi’'' ( ar, الصابئ, lit=Sabian), such as Hilal al-Sabi'.

See also

*Bihram
*Christian name
*Jewish name
*Naming ceremony
*Papal name
*Religious name

References

{{Personal names

Given names
Mandaeism
Baptism
Names by culture