# Are there any more name prefixes than O', Mc, or Van?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755 "2003-05-12T18:30:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755/61 "2003-05-14T20:58:15Z")

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No idea borderlond, could be… or is that Juanez?

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**Author:** ![Back\_Lot\_Brawl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Back\_Lot\_Brawl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Back_Lot_Brawl)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755/62 "2003-05-14T21:29:29Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by John Mace \*  
> \*\*On the Russian name deal, I seem to recall that it is (or was) common for the middle name to be the father’s first name followed by -vich or -vna and that it was common to use both names. Peter Kalashnikov has two kids: Ivan and Galina. The son is called Ivan Petrovich (Kalashnikov) and the daughter is Galina Petrovna (Kalashnikova). Someone correct me if I’m wrong on that one. \*\*

Yes, that’s about right, but I wouldn’t call it the same thing as a “middle name” as we know it in English. It almost serves as another last name. From what I recall from Russian class, the actual surname (such as Federov, Gorbachev, Krutov, etc.) is not really used much. The “middle name,” which I believe called a “patronymic,” serves the purpose of an American surname. I think you’ve got the variations down right – for example, Anna Kournikova’s last name would be Kournikov if she were male (which she is obviously far from being! :p).

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755/63 "2003-05-14T23:01:16Z")

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Brawl:

I could very well be wrong, but I thought it was similar to what you see in some European countries, like Spain. The person is generally referred to by their first and middle name. Jose Maira Olazabel is Jose Maira, not Jose. Jean Jacques Rousseau is Jean Jacques, not Jean.

And yes, I preffer the Kournikova version to the Kourinkov one.🙂

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**Author:** ![Nocuous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e79b87/32.png) [@Nocuous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocuous)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-more-name-prefixes-than-o-mc-or-van/174755/64 "2003-05-15T00:25:31Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by John Mace \*  
> \*\*Nocuous: I’ve been to Norway several times and got familiar with the whole Landsmal/Riksmal/Nynorsk/Bokmal issue. I found it pretty fascintating. Thanks for the research on the -sen names in Norway. That was good! \*\*

You are welcome. The site I pulled the info from ([SSB](http://www.ssb.no/english/)) is very good if you want any statistics on Norway.

(I also like the hot Norwegian babes, even if I don’t share your facination with babes saying “Riksmal”. 😉 )

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