Personal Names in the Names of Polish Lakes and Ponds

Abstract

This article discusses the names of ponds and lakes in Poland that are derived from first names. It analyzes 283 hydronyms from 76 Polish districts. Among these, 20 are of an older date – that is, attested between the 14th and 19th century – whereas the majority were first recorded in the 20th century. Their motivational base is formed by male and female, mostly Christian, names, whereas a small number are created from old Polish names in their basic and often diminutive forms. The majority of hydronyms were created from the names of landowners, while a smaller proportion are commemorative. Among the latter, names with a literary origin motivated by historical characters and saints are evident. Among desubstantival hydronyms, names formed through transonymization predominate. A large group is formed by compounds with differential segments, whereas only a small number of names are formed through pluralization.