engleski

Changing names : a way to cope with identity issues in times of crisis (the case of Croatia & Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Given the fact that, in most societies, names most directly reveal the identity of their bearers, the custom of name changes has been a relatively simple answer to sudden and often violent changes for centuries in the social and political structure in certain historical periods. This naturally applies to the territory of present day Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to other countries in Southeast Europe. Turkish Ottoman conquest in the Balkans in the late 15th and the 16th century undoubtedly represent a milestone that left a permanent mark on Croatian social structure and its naming practices. Newly established Turkish rule over a large part of Croatian territory and over the entirety of Bosnia left an indelible trace in the Croatian lexicon, and significantly shaped the structure of Croatian anthroponymy. With respect to Turkish influence on the Croatian onomasticon, family names are much more interesting than place-names. After the Council of Trent (1545-1563), which occurred precisely at the time of the Turkish conquest of the Balkans, hereditary surnames became obligatory in all territories under Austrian or Venetian rule. This regulation made a huge impact on the Croatian naming system, although at this time family names were not yet obligatory in areas under Turkish rule. However, the Islamisation underway in the 17th century caused many Croats who inhabited these territories to translate their Slavic or Christian names into Turkish. Thus Vuk became Kurt, Živko became Yahya, etc. It was even more common for them to take Islamic names and adapt them to typical South Slavic types of hypocoristics. Thus Mehmed became Meho, Husein became Huso, Sulejman became Suljo etc. In areas under Turkish rule, surnames were stabilized relatively late. Croatian surnames derived from Turkish loanwords were often given according to the occupational, military or social status of individuals at the moment of naming. Croatian anthroponymy of Turkish origin clearly reflects centuries of Ottoman military rule, as is clearly seen in a few typical examples of relatively frequent Croatian and Bosnian surnames: Agić, Alagić, Arambašić, Bašić, Buljubašić, Barjaktarević, Bešlić, Čaušević, Dizdar, Dželetović, Đolonga, Eškinja, Gazić, Haramija, Harambašić, Karaula, Kuduz, Nišandžić, Pašić, Pašalić, Samardžija, Sarčević, Spahić, Spahija, Šubašić, Topčić etc. At present, many of those who bear these names have no idea of the original meaning of the Turkish loanwords from which these names are derived. Although, by no means should one conclude that the bearers of these surnames were of Turkish ethnicity, nor even that they converted to Islam – these types of surnames are often identified within the community as "non-Croat" or “non-Christian”, or at least “those who belong to the other". However, for religious or ethnic identification, personal name-giving practices are much more relevant. In Croatia today, and especially in multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina, the act of name-giving represents a conscious decision by parents as to whether they want their child’s name to reveal or hide his or her ethnic and religious identity. Based on field research conducted in the post-war period among members of mixed, Catholic-Muslim couples, the paper will devote special attention to this problem.

name change; identity; crisis; onomastics

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