The meaning of names among Mediterranean Jews
Marc Eliany
©
ABA ABBA
ABIAH ABIOB
ABBOU ABOU
Aboab (AviAv)
among other possible variations depending on the country and language of the person.
The name Aba varies depending on the country/language of the creators in this inventory.
Aba = Father in Hebrew. Abiah is the same name with the suffix
'iah' which associated the name with the blessing of God. AviAv is a modern
Hebrew form of the same name. Abou is the Arabic version of the name Aba. Abou
has different meanings in North African Berber. Abou = Abd Allah (God's servant)
in North African Berber. Spelled with ayn a'bou takes the meaning of vanity,
one who is vain. Aboab is a Spanish/Portuguese transformation
of the name Aba or Abou, it
means 'the father of Ab' or 'the head of the family' or the patriarch.
Prefixes attached
to the root name such as (aben, iben, abi, avi, am, ben, bin, abou, a,
aj, al, bel, ha, i, la, lel, me, m, o, wi, vi, ) denotes usually a relation
to a person, i.e., the father of or the son of X, a place, i.e., a person
from X, an occupation, i.e., a person who practices a specific occupation, a
characteristic of a person, i.e., beautiful... The prefixes al, el are equivalent
to 'the' in English or the article 'le' in French. In the Moroccan Berbers tradition,
prefixes such as 'wi' 'vi' 'i' means usually a family relationship to X, the
equivalent of Abu in Arabic, i.e., 'the father of', 'son of' a man, a tribal
affiliation and so forth.In
the Hebrew tradition, the prefix ‘M ‘ is an abbreviation of
the word 'from.'
Suffixes such as 'illo' 'ano' 'ino'
Suffixws such as 'oun' 'on' 'yout' 'out' characterize adjectives in Hebrew,
for example: Hayoun, hayout...
Suffixes such as oulah, oulay, ilah, ily, el, eli are used in Hebrew and Arabic
to associate a name with God' blessing.
ABA Itshak Yéhoudah (XIXes.). Turkey. Rabbi.
Author of a commentary on the prophet Isaiah.
ABBA Mari ben Éligdor (1120?-1190?). France. Rabbi.
Philosopher. Astronomer. Physician. Author.
ABBA Mori bar Moché (1250?-). Spain. Lived in Provence.
Rabbi. Opposed certain ideas of Maïmonides.
ABIAH Aaron (XVes.). Spain. Rabbi. Philosopher.
Metaphysician. Author of philosophical treaties on the nature of the soul.
ABIOB Aaron (1535?-1605?). Turkey.. Rabbi in Salonica and Constantinople. Author
of Biblical commentaries.
ABBOU
Isaac D. (1896-1961). Morocco. Community leader in Casablanca. Author of Musulmans
andalous et judéo-espagnols (Jews and Moslem of Andalousia)
ABOU
Chémouèl (XIXes.). Algeria. Contributed to the reconstruction of Safed. Consul
of France in the Galilee. Protector of the tomb of Rabbi Méir Ba’al Haness.
ABOU
ALFADL Hasdaï (Xes.). Spain. A man of many talents. Doctor. Linguist. philosopher.
Mathématician. Musician.
ABOAB
Emmanuel (1555-1628). Portugal. Marrano. Escaped to Italy to return to Judaism.
Author of Nomologia o Discursos legales (Names and Legal discours). Died
in Jérusalem.
ABOAB Itshak de Matathias (1631-1707). Netherlands. Merchant. Author of Doutrina
Particular (A particular doctrine) and the play Joseph.
ABOAB Chémouèl ben Abraham (RACHA) (1610-1694). Germany
(Hambourg). Rabbi. Multi-lingual. Chief rabbi of Vérone and Venise. Opposed
Chabbétaï Tsvi. Community leader. Collected funds for Palestine, redemption
of hostages. Labored to rehabiltate marranos. Author of Dévar Chémouèl (Discourses
of Samuel).
ABOAB DA FONSÉCA Itshak (1605-1693). Portugal (Castro d’Aire). Chief rabbi of
Amsterdam and Pernambouc (Brésil). Director of a Rabbinical seminary (yéchivah).
Poet. Author of Zékhér ’asiti léniflaot (A memorial to wonder) as well
as Mélékhèt hadikdouk (Hebrew grammar); Cha’ar hachamayïm (Heaven's gate); Parafrasis
comentada sobre el Pentateuco (A Commentary on the Torah). Translated the work
of Abraham Cohen de Herrera, Casa de Dios e Puerta del Cielo (God Domaine).
ABOAB Itshak (?-1720). Netherlands. Chief rabbi of the Portuguese community
in Amsterdam. Author of a treay on weights and measurments.
ABOAB Itshak (XIVes.). Spain. Rabbi. Philosopher. Author of Séfér ménorat
hama’or (The shining Menorah); Choulhan hapanim (A Table of Perspectives)
Aron haé'dout (A Chest of Testimonies).
ABOAB Itshak II (1433-1493?). Spain. Rabbi. One of the
last leaders of the Jews in Castilian Spain. Director of Rabbinical Seminaries
in Toledo and Guadalajara. Negociated a refuge in Portugal for Jews expulsed
from Spain. Settled in Porto. Author of Néhar Pichone (The Pichone River);
Chitot h’al hatalmud (Méthodes in the Talmud); Comentario al Pentateuco
(A Commentary on Nahmanides Mishne Torah).
ABOAB Yah’acov (XVIes.). Spain. Son of Itshak II Aboab.
Rabbi. Moved to Constantinople where he published his father's work.
ABOAB Yah’acov ben Chémouèl (?-1725). Italy. Succeeded
his father as rabbi of Venise. Learned in sciences.
Corresponded with learned men of his age. Author of
Dévar Chémouèl (Discourses of Samuel).
References:
Azoulay, Hayim Yossef Shem Hagdolim (the names of the great)
AZOULAY Haïm Yossef David (Hida) (1724-1807) Chém haguédolim va’ad lahakhamim (The names of the Great Council of Sages).
Levi, J et. al. 2000 Dictionnaire biographique du monde Juif Sepharade et Mediteranean, Editions Elysee, Montreal.
Toledano, J. 1983 La saga des familles, Les juifs du Maroc et leurs noms, Editions Stavit, Tel Aviv
Laredo A. 1978 Les noms des juifs au Maroc (Madrid, 1978)