Category Archives: wave

Banga, Banguolė

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close up photo of sea waves

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latvian, Lithuanian
Meaning: “wave.”
(BAHN-gah); (bahn-GWOH-lay)

Banga comes directly from the Latvian and Lithuanian word meaning, “wave; billow.” Banguolė is another Lithuanian form that would roughly translate as “little wave.”

In the Master and Margarita (1967) by Mikhail Bulgakov, Banga is the name of Pontius Pilate’s dog. It is uncertain what the etymology of the name was in this case.

Masculine forms are Bangis, Bangius, Bangys and Banguolis.

In the Shona language, Banga is a masculine name which comes directly from the word for sword or knife.

The designated name-day for Banguolė and Banguolis is January 30th. In Latvia, Banga’s designated name is November 16.

Calques include:

  • Laine (Estonian).
  • Adva, Gal, Galit (Hebrew)
  • Alda (Icelandic)
  • Ondina (Italian)
  • Undine (German)
  • Ondine (French)
  • Unnr (Old Norse)

Sources

Kólga, Kolka

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  • Gender: Feminine
  • Origin: Old Norse/Icelandic
  • Meaning: “the cool; cool wave; heavy clouds.”
  • Swe/Nor. (KOOL-gah); O.N. (KOLE-gah); Ice. (KULL-kah)

The name is borne in Norse Mythology by one of the nine sea maidens born of the goddess Ran. In modern Iceland, the name has evolved into Kolka, its older rendition often used as a horse name and literally meaning heavy clouds, or overcast in modern Icelandic. The term Kólga was often used in Norse poems to describe the waves. It was a favorite term in kennings. With the revival of Old Norse names in Sweden and Norway, it is possible that Kolga could catch on. The other 3 sisters of whom I will not go into anymore detail are Hefring (Riser); Blodguhadda (Bloody-hair) and Udr (frothing wave) which in Modern Icelandic is Unnur (UN-nur). Hefring and Blodguhadda were never used as names outside the myths.

Ondine, Undine

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “wave.”
(ahn-DEEN); (un-DEEN)

The name is derived from the Latin unda meaning “wave.”

In early European folklore undines were a sort of water sprite who could gain a soul if they married a mortal and bore a child, the downside was that as soon as they became mortal they would age and die.

The Swiss scientist and alchemist Paracelsus spent a considerable time writing about them.

In 1812, the German writer, Baron Friedirch de la Motte Fouque, made the legend a subject of his famous romantic novel Ondine.

In it Ondine falls in love and marries the local knight Huldebrand. She bears his child, but as soon as the baby is born, she starts to age. Huldebrand has an affair with a lowly local woman and Ondine catches her husband in the act. She lays a curse on Huldebrand that he would die in his sleep. Afterward, Ondine rushes to the town square’s fountain and disappears in the midst of the waters, never to be seen again. The same story was later adapted by E.T.A. Hoffman into an opera.

Ondine and Undine became popular first name choices in both France and Germany. Nicknames include Ondy, Ondinette and Dina.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Ondina (Asturian/Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Ondine (French)
  • Undine (German/English)
  • Undina (Icelandic)
  • Undīne (Latvian)
  • Undinė (Lithuanian)
  • Ondyna (Polish: very obscure)

Designated name-days are: April 18 (Lithuania) and November 15 (Latvia)