Section VI Names of Affection
The Slavonian nature has much in common with the Irish, and there is much of caressing and personal affection. Ljub, as has been seen, is a favourite element in names, and dragi, dear, does a considerable part. Dragomira, or Dear peace, was the name of the heathen mother of Boleslav and Venceslav. Dragoslav, or dear glory, is Russian, and Poland and Bohemia have used Dragan, Draganka, Dragoj, Dragojila, Dragioila, Dragnja, Dragotin, Dragotinka, Dragilika, Dragija.
Duschinka is the tender epithet which, in Russia, a serf applies to her lady in addressing her. It is properly the diminutive of Duscha, happy, which is sometimes a Christian name in Russia, as well as in Illyria, where it is called Dusa and Dusica. Stastny is the Bohemian word for happy, and is sometimes used as a name. Blazena, meaning happy, in these tongues, is used as the South Slavonic equivalent for Beatrice.
Another word for love is mil. Mila and Milica are the feminines, meaning lovely, or amiable, Milan the masculine; but all these are now confounded with the numerous progeny of the Latin Æmilius. Mil is a favourite termination, and is found loving war and glory—Milovoj and Miloslav.
Cedoljub and Cedomil are both most loving names, the first half of the name signifying a child, so that they signify ‘child-love,’ or ‘filial affection.’
Brotherly love is likewise honoured as nowhere else, save in the Greek Philadelphus, which exactly renders Bratoljub, from brata, a word of the universal family likeness whence ἀδελφός and hermano are the only noted variations. Brajan and Bragican also belong to brotherhood.
Deva is a maiden, whence Devoslav and Devoslava, probably formed, or at least used, in honour of the Blessed Virgin.