Semen / ʂemen/ or Xemen / ʃemen/ is a medieval

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

of the Vasconic area. It is based on the

root ''seme < senbe'' 'son' as found in the ancient Aquitanian name ''Sembetten'', attested form "sehi" as 'child', hypothetical ancient root *seni (cf.

Koldo Mitxelena Koldo Mitxelena Elissalt () (also known as ''Luis Michelena''; 1915, Errenteria, Gipuzkoa – 11 October 1987, San Sebastián) was an eminent Basque linguist. He taught in the Department of Philology at the University of the Basque Country, ...

and modern form "senide" = 'brother or sister', 'relative'). The explanation by the Biblical name Šim’ōn (

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

) is less convincing. Some think the name may be a corruption of the later part of the Latin name ''Ma-ximinus'', as there are late Classic records that various individuals with this name were becoming very active as officials and residents in upper Hispania near the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

and

Tarraconensis Hispania Tarraconensis was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania. It encompassed much of the northern, eastern and central territories of modern Spain along with modern northern Portugal. Southern Spain, the region now called Andalusia was the ...

during the last century of the Western Roman Empire, and perhaps into the period of transition from imperial province to independent Kingdom during Visigothic rule. A "Seguin" was attested in Frankish chronicles when referring to the Count of Bordeaux and Duke of

Vasconia The Duchy of Gascony or Duchy of Vasconia ( eu, Baskoniako dukerria; oc, ducat de Gasconha; french: duché de Gascogne, duché de Vasconie) was a duchy located in present-day southwestern France and northeastern Spain, an area encompassing the m ...

(778, 814 and 816). The name is also recorded as Sihiminus, perhaps a rendering of ''Ximinus''. He may have been a local Basque whose family later fled south over the Pyrenees and helped Enneco Arista take over in Pamplona. Arab sources in

Al-Andalus Al-Andalus translit. ; an, al-Andalus; ast, al-Ándalus; eu, al-Andalus; ber, ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵍⵓⵙ, label= Berber, translit=Andalus; ca, al-Àndalus; gl, al-Andalus; oc, Al Andalús; pt, al-Ândalus; es, al-Ándalus () was the M ...

report in 778 a "''Jimeno, the strong''", calling him "''Mothmin al-Akra''". He was a Basque or Hispanic magnate in the upper Ebro territories within the later independent principality of Navarre. This person was possibly related to others near Pamplona in local opposition to both the invading Franks under

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

and the new ruler of the Islamic Iberian realm, Abd al-Rahman I. Other than these early medieval examples, it is widely known on both sides of the

in the following forms: *''Semen'' or ''Semeno'' fem. ''Semena'' *''Semero'' fem. Semera *''Scemeno'' (in Villabáscones) *''Xemen'' or ''Xemeno'' fem. ''Xemena'' *''Ximeno'' or ''

Jimeno Jimeno (also Gimeno, Ximeno, Chemene, Exemeno) is a given name derived from ''Ximen'',OMAECHEVARRIA, Ignacio, "Nombres propios y apellidos en el País Vasco y sus contornos". ''Homenaje a D. Julio de Urquijo'', volume II, pages 153-175. a variant of ...

'' fem. ''Ximena'' or ''

Jimena Jimena or Ximena is the female version of the given name Jimeno, derived from the Basque ''Semen''. It has come to be viewed as a form of the name Simone, though their origins are distinct. The French rendering of the name is Chimène. It may r ...

'' (French ''Chimène'') By adjunction of the patronymic suffixes '' -ez'' or ''-es'', it produces the Iberian patronyms: *

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

: Ximenes *

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: Ximénez, Giménez, Jiménez

Cyrillic transliteration

Semen is also a transliteration of the

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

given name (''Semyon'', a variant of —

) and the

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

given name (''Semen''). Notable persons with that name include: *

Semen Altman Semen Yosypovych Altman ( ua, Семен Йосипович Альтман, born 21 April 1946 in Chuhuiv) is a Ukrainian football coach and former goalkeeper. He is of Jewish ancestry. Semen's son, Hennadiy Altman is also a goalkeeper and has ...

(born 1946), Ukrainian football coach *

Semen Bogdanov Semyon Ilyich Bogdanov (russian: Семён Ильи́ч Богда́нов; – 12 March 1960) was a Soviet Marshal of tank forces, and twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he was deputy commander ...

(1894–1960), Soviet Marshal of the Army *

Semen Hulak-Artemovsky Semen Stepanovych Hulak-Artemovsky ( uk, Семен Степанович Гулак-Артемовський, also referred to as Semyon Gulak-Artemovsky and Artemovs’kyj) ( – ), was a Ukrainian opera composer, singer (baritone), actor, and ...

(1813–1873), Ukrainian opera composer, singer, actor, and dramatist * Semen Kirsanov (1906–1972), Ukrainian poet in Russia *

Semen Korsakov Semyon Nikolaevich Korsakov (russian: Семён Николаевич Корсаков, ) (14 January 1787 – 1 December 1853 OS) was a Russian government official, noted both as a homeopath and an inventor who was involved with an early vers ...

(1787–1853 OS), inventor who was involved with an early version of information technology * Semen L. Frank (1877–1950), religious philosopher *

Semen Paliy Semen Paliy ( uk, Семен Палiй, pl, Semen Palej) (c. 1645 – 1710) was a Ukrainian Cossack polkovnyk (colonel). Born in Chernihiv region, Paliy settled in Zaporizhian Sich at a very young age and gained fame as a brave fighter and ...

(circa 1645–1710), Ukrainian Cossack polkovnyk (colonel) *

Semen Pavlichenko Semen Aleksandrovich Pavlichenko (russian: Семё́н Алекса́ндрович Павличе́нко; born 11 May 1991) is a Russian luger. He competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events ...

(born 1991), Russian luger *

Semen Semenchenko Semen Ihorovych Semenchenko ( uk, Семен Ігорович Семенченко) is a former deputy to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on National Security and Defence and th ...

(born 1974), Ukrainian politician, founder and former commander of

Donbas Battalion , image = Emblem of the Donbas Battalion.svg , image_size = 200 , caption = Donbas Battalion emblem , start_date = , country = , alle ...

* Semen Tymoshenko (1895–1970), Soviet military commander * Semen Zhavoronkov (1899–1967), Soviet Marshal of the Air Force *

Semen Zhivago Semen Afanasyevich Zhivago (russian: Семён Афанасьевич Живаго, 1807–1863) was a Russian historical painter. Biography The son of a merchant from Ryazan, he taught himself how to paint from a young age. In 1826, he presen ...

(1807–1863), Russian painter

Notes and references

Basque Onomastics of the Eighth to Sixteenth Centuries
{{given name Medieval Basque given names Masculine given names