4
What’s in a name?
Textbook: p. 9
GoalTalking about the meaning and origin of names and writing a short text about your own name.
New words
meaning of a name · ism ma’nosito name · ism qo‘ymoqsurname · familiyaorigin · kelib chiqish
Explanation
Many names have a meaning: Bahor means “spring”, Zafar means “victory”, Temur means “iron”, Nilufar means “water lily”. Uzbek names come from Arabic, Persian and Turkic languages. Many English surnames come from jobs: Smith (a metal worker), Baker, Cooper (a barrel-maker) and Taylor (a clothes-maker). Questions about a name: Who gave you your name? What does it mean? Is it a common name? In answers we say: My parents named me ... . It means ... . I like it because ... .
Worked examples
My name is Nilufar. It is a Persian name and it means “water lily”. My grandmother chose it because she loves flowers that grow in clear water. It is not a very common name in my class, and I like that.
— Who gave you your name? — My father. — What does Sardor mean? — A leader. — Is it a usual name? — Yes, quite common in Uzbekistan.
Class activity
“My name”: each pupil finds the meaning or origin of their name (asking family if needed) and presents it in four sentences.
Practice
1
Make a question: your name / mean / what
What does your name mean?
2
Which job does the surname Smith come from?
A metal worker (blacksmith)
3
What does the name Zafar mean?
Victory
4
Why do parents choose a name with a meaning?
They hope the child will have those qualities, or they want to keep a family memory.