Names of people

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Names of people

There is much variety in people's names, so it's quite impossible to give rules here. Usually, in running text, the name of an individual is finished by the determinative sign of the seated man $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca A/1/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ , but this sign is used in lots of other contexts.

In general, the representation of someone is preceded by the titles and name of the person.

Often, and especially in the most ancient texts, a full-scale representation can act as a determinative. In this scene , from the tomb of Heqa-ib at Assuan, the figure of the tomb owner stands under his names and titles. The last line translates:
$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca F/4/}\Hhbt{\Aca D/38/}}}\end{hieroglyph}$

$\fegy {HAty-a}$ the prince

Written with the sign $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca F/4/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ , $\fegy {HA}$ , which is used to write the word ``front''; and the $\fegy {a}$ sign. It litteraly means ``he who is in front of the ``as'' (a group in the Egyptian population)''. Note that in titles, the words are often abreviated (after all, you wouldn't write ``Mister'' in full letters in an address). They are both difficult to read if you don't know it's a title and easy to read if you know them.

$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca L/2/}\Hrp \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca X/1/}\Hhbt{\Aca S/20/}}}\end{hieroglyph}$

$\fegy {sDAwty bity}$ the chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt

In fact, it should be read in reverse: the first word written is
$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca L/2/}\Hhbt{\Aca X/1/}}}\end{hieroglyph}$
, $\fegy {bity,}$ which means ``king of Lower Egypt''. The second sign represents a seal, for writing the word $\fegy {sDAwty,}$ ``Chancellor''. Grammatically, the two words should have been written in the reverse order, but, as a rule, Kings' names and Gods' names are written first, out of respect.

$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca S/32/}\Hrp \Hunh{\Aca U/24/}\Hitmts \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca T/25/}\Hhbt{\Aca X/1/\hfill\Aca Z/1/}}}\end{hieroglyph}$

$\fegy {smr waty}$ the sole friend (of the king); The word smr, ``friend'', is written with the glyphs s and mr .

$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca V/28/}\Hrp \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca T/32/}\Hhbt{\Hqrtesp }}\Hrp \negAROBspace\negAROBspace\Hunh{\Aca D/61/}}\end{hieroglyph}$

$\fegy {Xry-Hbd}$ the lector priest

Litteraly: He who is under ( $\fegy {Xry}$ ) the ritual scroll ( $\fegy {Hbd}$ ) . It's an interesting illustration of a modification of the order of the signs for visual sake. Normaly, one should write : $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca T/32/}\Hitmts \Hunh{\Aca V/28/}\Hrp \Hunh{\Aca D/61/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ (The final d is not written), but the b leg create some unpleasant empty space, which can be filled by the $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca T/32/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ sign.

$\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca S/42/}\Hrp \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca N/29/}\Hhbt{\Aca F/34/}}\Hrp \negAROBspace\Hunh{\Aca D/61/}}\end{hieroglyph}$

$\fegy {HqA-ib}$ , the personal name.

In stelas, offering bearers are often close relatives of the stela's owner. So you will frequently find things like: $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca G/42/\hfill\negAROBsp... ...\Aca I/10/}}\Hitmts \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca N/37/}\Hhbt{\Aca I/10/}}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ ``his son he loves'' or $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca G/42/}\Hrp \Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca... ...Hbt{\HhbtI{\Aca N/37/}\Hhbt{\Aca X/1/}}\Hrp \Hunh{\Aca I/10/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ ``his daughter he loves'' in front of their names.

The duck is the sound `` $\fegy {sA}$ '', for ``son''; the $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca X/1/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ is a ``t'', and a feminine ending; the $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca I/10/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ is a personal pronoun for ``he'', and $\htimage {\begin{hieroglyph} {\leavevmode \Hunh{\Aca N/37/}}\end{hieroglyph}}$ writes the verb ``to love'', because both the word ``canal'' and the verb to ``love'' have the consonant ``mr'' as consonantic skeleton.

Next: kings' names Up: A few frequent words Previous: Names of gods

Serge Rosmorduc
2/26/1998