Editing Scythian languages (section)

=== Personal names ===

The primary sources for Scythian words remain the Scythian toponyms, tribal names, and numerous personal names in the ancient Greek texts and in the Greek inscriptions found in the Greek colonies on the Northern [[Black Sea]] Coast. These names suggest that the Sarmatian language had close similarities to modern Ossetian.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lincoln |first1=Bruce |title=Once again 'the Scythian' myth of origins (Herodotus 4.5–10) |journal=Nordlit |date=2014 |volume=33 |issue=<!-- Citation bot no-->|pages=19–34 |doi=10.7557/13.3188|doi-access=free}}</ref>

Recorded Scythian personal names include:

{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Attested forms !! Notes 
|-
| [[Ariapeithes|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Ariyapaiϑah}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Αριαπειθης|translit=Ariapeithēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Hinz|1975|page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n19/mode/2up 40]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*Ariya-}}, meaning "[[Aryan]]" and "[[Iranian peoples|Iranic]]."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*paiϑah-}}, meaning "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
|-
| [[Idanthyrsus|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Hiϑāmϑrauša}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Ιδανθυρσος|translit=Idanthursos}}
|| Meaning "prospering the ally." Composed of:{{sfn|Schwartz|Manaster Ramer|2019|p=359-360}}
:a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬵𐬌𐬚𐬄𐬨}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|hiϑąm}}), meaning "companion."
:a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|ϑraoš-}}), meaning "to prosper."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Hupāyā}}
|| {{langx|grc|Οποιη|translit=Opoiē}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*hu-}}, "good."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pāyā-}}, "protection"; an abstraction of the root {{Transliteration|xsc|*pā-}}, "to protect."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Pālaka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Παλακος|translit=Palakos}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Pāδaka}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/. Means "tall-legged" and "long-legged." Composed of:{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=93}}{{sfn|Tokhtasyev|2005a|p=88}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pāla-}}, "foot," from earlier {{Transliteration|xsc|*pāδa-}}.
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
|-
| [[Bartatua|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Pṛtatavah}}]]
| rowspan="2"| {{langx|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒁹𒁇𒋫𒌅𒀀}}|translit=Bartatua}} or {{Transliteration|akk|Partatua}}<ref>{{harvnb|Ivantchik|1999b|pp=508–509}}: "Though Madyes himself is not mentioned in Akkadian texts, his father, the Scythian king {{Transliteration|akk|Par-ta-tu-a}}, whose identification with {{lang|grc|Προτοθύης}} of Herodotus is certain."</ref><br/> {{langx|grc|Προτοθυης|translit=Protothuēs}} 
|| Means "who is mighty in battle." Composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2011|p=63}}{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=94}}{{sfn|Melikov|2016|p=78-80}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pṛta-}} "battle." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬆𐬱𐬀𐬥𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|pəšana}}) and [[Vedic Sanskrit]] {{lang|sa|पृत्}} ({{Transliteration|sa|pṛt-}}), both meaning "battle."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| [[Bartatua|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Pr̥ϑutavā}}]]
|Composed of:<ref>{{cite web |last=Schmitt |first=Rüdiger |author-link=Rüdiger Schmitt |date=2000 |title=PROTOTHYES |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/protothyes |access-date=12 November 2021 |website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |publisher=}}</ref>{{sfn|Bukharin|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pr̥ϑu-}} "wide, broad." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬎}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|pərᵊϑu-}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šaitafarna}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σαιταφαρνος|translit=Saitapharnos}} or {{langx|grc|Σαιταφαρνης|translit=Saitapharnēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšaitafarna}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} possibly meaning "with a bright [[khvarenah|{{Transliteration|xsc|farna}}]]," itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=273-274}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšaita-}}, "brilliant."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-farna}}, "[[khvarenah]]."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šaϑraka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σατρακης|translit=Satrakēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšaϑraka}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=270-271}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšaϑra-}}, "power."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
Cognate with [[Ossetian language|Ossetian]] {{lang|os|Æхсæртæг}} ({{Transliteration|os|Æxsærtæg}}){{sfn|Alemany|2006|p=33}} and {{lang|os|Æхсæртæггатӕ}} ({{Transliteration|os|Æxsærtæggatæ}}).{{sfn|Ivantchik|2005|p=183}}
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Šīraka}}
|| {{langx|grc|Σιρακης|translit=Sirakēs}}
|| From a sibilisation of Proto-Scythian {{Transliteration|xsc|*Xšīraka}},{{sfn|Kullanda|2014|p=81}} possibly meaning "milk-consumer," itself composed of:{{sfn|Bukharin|2013|p=270-271}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*xšīra-}}, "milk."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-ka}}, hypocoristic suffix.
|-
| [[Scilurus|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Skilura}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σκιλουρος|translit=Skilouros}}
|| From an earlier form {{transliteration|xsc|*Skiδura}} after the evolution of Proto-Iranic /d/ to Proto-Scythian /δ/ to Scythian /l/. Means "sharp" and "victorious."{{sfn|Kullanda|Raevskiy|2004|p=93}}
|-
| [[Scyles|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Skula}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σκυλης|translit=Skulēs}}
|| From the Scythian [[Endonym and exonym|endonym]] {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skula}}, itself a later dialectal form of {{Transliteration|xsc|*Skuδa}} resulting from a sound change from /δ/ to /l/.{{sfn|Ivantchik|2018}}
|-
| [[Išpakaia|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spakāya}}]]
|| {{langx|akk|{{cuneiform|11|𒁹𒅖𒉺𒅗𒀀𒀀}}|translit=Išpakāya}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Išpakaia [CHIEFTAIN OF THE SCYTHIANS] (RN) |url=http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/cbd/qpn/x00033830.html |website=[[Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus]] |publisher=[[University of Pennsylvania]] |access-date=2023-04-30 |archive-date=2023-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430004048/http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/riao/cbd/qpn/x00033830.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|| Hypocoristic derivation from the word {{Transliteration|xsc|*spaka}}, meaning "dog."{{sfn|Ivantchik|2005|p=188}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2009|p=93–94}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}
|-
| [[Spargapises|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σπαργαπισης|translit=Spargapisēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*sparga-}} "scion" and "descendant." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬖𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|sparᵊγa}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*pis-}} "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}} and {{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}} are variants of the same name.{{sfn|Hinz|1975||page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n111/mode/2up 226]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}
|-
| [[Spargapeithes (disambiguation)|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Σπαργαπειθης|translit=Spargapeithēs}}
|| Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018a}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2011}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*sparga-}} "scion" and "descendant." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬖𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|sparᵊγa}}).
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*paiϑah-}} "decoration" and "adornment." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬞𐬀𐬉𐬯𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|paēsa}}).
{{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapaiϑah}} and {{Transliteration|xsc|*Spargapis}} are variants of the same name.{{sfn|Hinz|1975||page=[https://archive.org/details/AltiranischesSprachgutDerNebenberlieferungen/page/n111/mode/2up 226]}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}{{sfn|Schmitt|2018b}}
|-
| [[Tirgatao|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Tigratavā}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Τιργαταω|translit=Tirgataō}}
|| Means "with the strength of an arrow." Composed of:<ref>{{cite book |last=Mayor |first=Adrienne |author-link=Adrienne Mayor |date=2014 |title=The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World |url= |location=[[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]], [[United States]] |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |pages=370–371 |isbn=978-0-691-14720-8 }}</ref>{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*tigra-}} "arrow." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬌𐬖𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|tiγri-}}), "arrow."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-tavah-}} "strength, power." Compare with Avestan {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬵}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|-tauuah-}}).
|-
| [[Tomyris|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Taumuriya}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Τομυρις|translit=Tomuris}}
|| Derived from a cognate of [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬙𐬀𐬊𐬑𐬨𐬀𐬥}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|taoxman}}) and [[Old Persian]] {{lang|peo|{{script|Xpeo|{{small|[[wikt:𐎫𐎢𐎶𐎠|𐎫𐎢𐎶𐎠]]}}}}}} ({{Transliteration|peo|taumā}}), meaning "seed," "germ," and "kinship."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|-
| [[Octamasades|{{Transliteration|xsc|*Uxtamazatā}}]]
|| {{langx|grc|Οκταμασαδης|translit=Oktamasadēs}}
|| Means "possessing greatness through his words." Composed of:{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*uxta-}}, "word." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬑𐬙𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uxta}}), "spoken," and {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬑𐬜𐬀}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uxδa}}), "word."
:{{Transliteration|xsc|*-mazatā-}}, "great."
|-
| {{Transliteration|xsc|*Varika}}
|| {{langx|grc|Ορικος|translit=Orikos}}
|| Hypocorostic derivation from the word {{Transliteration|xsc|*vari-}}, meaning "chest armour, armour." Compare with [[Avestan]] {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|vaⁱri-}}), {{lang|ae|{{script|Avst|𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬌}}}} ({{Transliteration|ae|uuari-}}) "chest armour."{{sfn|Schmitt|2003}}
|}