Romaniote Jewish Female Names

Romaniote Jews were notable for giving Greek names to their children. Due to the shortcomings of my sources, this list overstates the number of Greek names in the Romaniote name pool. In practice, roughly 14% of all Romaniote women bore Greek names.

Afedra: Greek female form of the Turkish word effendi, “lord.”

Arkhondissa: Possibly a variant of, or nickname for, Arkhondopoula.

Arkhondopoula: Greek, “daughter of a nobleman.”

Irini: Greek, “peace.”

Kali

Kalomira: Greek, “good luck.”

Khursi: A common variant of Khrisula.

Khrisula: The Greek name Khrisula, “golden,” was spelled Khursula or Hursula in Hebrew.

Kokona: Greek, “sweetheart.”

Miqri: Greek, “small one.”

Muqali, Mouqali: Greek, “my good one”

Panorea: Greek, “consummate beauty.”

Parthi: Greek, “virgin, pure.”

Pustira: Greek, “viola.”

Qortisah

Saropoula: Possibly Greek, “daughter of Sara.”

Strongila

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