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Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s22: 4.19 Personal names

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s22

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4.19 Personal names

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There are over a hundred personal names in the inscriptions included in the Corpus. A complete list of the names is given in the Index to Personal Names (Appendix II). The typology of personal names in early Tamil society makes an interesting study. The types are illustrated below with examples drawn from the Corpus as well as from other inscribed objects like pottery, coins, seals and rings to present a more complete picture of early Tamil onomastics. The inscribed objects with Tamil-Brāhmī legends have been assigned to the period between ca. 2nd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D. mostly on palaeographic evidence. Names of women are marked (fem.). Names of kings, princes and chieftains and of Jaina monks and nuns are excluded as they have been considered separately in earlier sections.

4.19.1 Appellative nouns as personal names

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The most frequent category of personal names in the inscriptions included in the Corpus is derived from appellative nouns which form a special category in Tamil to express various qualities or properties. They are derived from noun-, verb- or adjectival stems by the addition of pronominal suffixes.

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| (I)(l)lavōṉ | 'householder' < *illam* 'house' |
| (I)ḷava(ṉ) | 'the young one' < *iḷa-* 'young' |
| Eḷa-a- | attributive form of *eḷa(v)aṉ* 'the young one' < *eḷa-* (LT *iḷa-*) 'young' |
| O(p)paṉ | 'the beautiful one' < *oppu* 'beauty' |
| Kaṭal-aṉ | 'he of the sea' < *kaṭal* 'sea' |
| Kuv-aṉ | 'the great one' < *kuvavu* 'greatness' |
| Kuṟṟaṉ | 'the short / little one' < *kuṟu-* 'short, little' |
| Kūṟṟaṉ | 'chieftain' < *kūṟu* 'division'; cf. *kūṟṟam* |
| Koṟṟa(ṉ) | 'the victorious one' < *koṟṟam* 'victory, success' |
| Koṟṟi (fem.) | 'the victorious one' < *koṟṟam* 'victory, success' |
| Kōṭaṉ | 'he of the mountains' < *kōṭu* 'mountain, peak' |
| Cantaṉ | 'the beautiful one' < *cantam* 'beauty' |
| Ceṇṇaṉ | 'the beautiful one' < *ceṇṇam* ' beauty' |
| Taṇṭaṉ | 'the (tax) collector < *taṇṭu* 'to collect , levy'; (or) 'a member of an army' < *taṇṭu* 'army, troops' |
| Tāvaṉ | 'the strong one' < *tāvu* 'strength' |
| Tōṭaṉ | 'he who wears an ear-ornament (*tōṭu*) '; (or) 'the well-dressed one' < *toṭu* 'to wear clothes ' |
| Piṉ-aṉ | 'younger brother' < *piṉ* 'after' |
| Ma(l)laṉ | 'wrestler' < *mal* 'wrestling' |
| Veḷiyaṉ | 'the bright or pure one' <*veḷ-, veḷi* 'bright, purity' |

4.19.2 Names based on religion

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It is an interesting fact that there are very few names in the inscriptions which are based on religion. Most personal names are secular or nondenominational. Of over a hundred names in the Corpus, only the following five can be described as based on religion.

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(i) **Āycayaṉ (No. 55)**

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The name **āycayaṉ** is construed as *āycca-ayyaṉ*. The first part of the name *āycca* is derived from Pkt. *āicca* < Skt. *āditya*, one of the names of the Sun, considered to be an Āditya.

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(ii) **Kaṇa- (Kaṇṇa-) (No. 84)**

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The name may be derived either from Pkt. *kaṇha* (<Skt. *kṛṣṇa*) or from Pkt. *kaṇṇa* (< Skt. *karṇa*).

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The name *ka(ṉ)ṇaṉ* also occurs in pottery inscriptions from Arikamedu,¹ Kodumanal² and Quseir al-Qadim (Egypt).³

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¹ I. Mahadevan 1996a: Figs. 5.22 & 5. 25.

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² See No. 4, Table 1.5 and Fig. 1.20 A.

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³ D. Whitcomb and J.H. Johnson 1979: Pl. 27 j.

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(iii) **Kuviraṉ** (Nos. 21-23, 31 & 32)

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The name is derived from Pkt. *kuvēra* (<Skt. *kubēra*) 'god of riches and Regent of Northern Quarter'. Kubēra is one of the semi-divine Yakshas.

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The name occurs (with variant spellings) in pottery inscriptions from Alagankulam,⁴ Arikamedu,⁵ Kodumanal⁶ and probably Uraiyur.⁷

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⁴ Natana Kasinathan 1997: p. 72, No. 12, Pl. VI.14.

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⁵ R.E.M. Wheeler *et al.* 1946: Pl. XLI, No. 15. (*-kuyir-aṉ*, variant of *kuviraṉ* misread as *-kuḷuraṉ* here). I. Mahadevan 1996a: No. 5.24 (*kuyiraṉ*).

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⁶ Y. Subbarayalu, *Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996* (unpublished): No. 31. (Also in ) K. Rajan 1994: Fig. 23.

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⁷ K.V. Raman (ed.) 1988: Fig. 24.14, Pl. 19.8 (*kuvi[ra\*]..*).

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(iv) **Koṟṟi** (fem.) Nos. 65 & 66)

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The name is probably after the village goddess *koṟṟi* or *koṟṟavai* later identified with Durgā. Alternatively, the name may be the feminine gender form of *koṟṟaṉ* which is derived from *koṟṟam* 'victory, sovereignty'.

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(v) **Tēvaṉ** (Nos. 84 & 85)

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The name is derived from Skt. *dēva* 'god', but understood as 'lord, chief' when occurring as part of personal names.

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The name *tevvai-tattai* (fem.) (< Skt. *dēva-dattā*) occurs in a pottery inscription from Arikamedu.⁸

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⁸ See No. 1, Table 1.5 and Fig. 1.19 A.

4.19.3 Vedic and Brahmanical deities in personal names on inscribed objects

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As may be expected, pottery inscriptions and other inscribed objects like coins, seals and rings, representing a wider or more heterogeneous segment of the early Tamil society, present examples of personal names based on Vedic and Brahmanical deities also.

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(i) **Mittiraṉ**

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A gold ring from Karur⁹ has the legend *mi ti rā ṉa* (*mittiraṉ*), a personal name based on the Vedic deity Mitra.

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⁹ See No. 3, Table 1.8 and Fig. 1.23 E.

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(ii) Vāruṇi

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A pottery inscription from Kodumanal¹ includes the name *vāruṇi-i-y* (*vāruṇi*) derived from Vedic Varuṇa. The Vedic ṛishi Bhṛigu was a *vāruṇi* ('son of Varuṇa').

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¹ Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996 (unpublished): No. 114.

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(iii) Ariyamaṉ

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A gold ring from Karur² has the legend *a ri a mā ṉa* (*ariamaṉ*), a personal name derived from Vedic *aryaman*, one of the Ādityas. The Cōḻa dynasty claimed Aryaman to be among its mythical ancestors.³ One of the dignitaries attesting the Tiruvalangadu Plates bore the name *araiyamāṉ*, apparently derived from Vedic *aryaman*.⁴

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² See No. 5, Table 1.8.

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³ *SII*. III: Tiruvalangadu Plates of Rajendra Cōḻa I, 1018 A.D., pp. 383 ff., line 23 'his son was *aryyamā*, the lord of the earth'.

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⁴ Ibid. line 508.

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(iv) Cātavēta

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A large but crudely incised pottery inscription from Alagankulam⁵ reads *cātavēta* < Skt. *jātavēdas*, a name of the god Agni.

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⁵ Natana Kasinathan 1997: p. 72, No. 13, Pl. V.13 (with a different reading).

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(v) Indra-dhvaja

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An uninscribed bronze seal from Karur⁶ depicts the *indra-dhvaja* 'banner of Indra' before a galloping horse. The *indra-dhvaja* symbol on the seal is the largest depiction known in glyptic art. Perhaps the seal was used in ceremonies connected with *intira-viḻā* 'festival of Indra' celebrated by ancient Tamils as they believed that worshipping Indra would bring timely rains.

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⁶ See No. 4, Table 1.7.

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(vi) Baladēva

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A unique gold ring from Karur⁷ (with a Tamil name written in Prakrit in Southern Brāhmī characters) has the legend *nal-veḷḷai-sa* ('of aupicious *veḷḷai*'); *nal-veḷḷai*, one of the Tamil names of Baladēva (Balarāma), is also attested in early Tamil literature.⁸

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⁷ K.V. Raman 1994, *Dinamalar*, May 30. See also No. 13, Table 1.8 in this vol.

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⁸ E.g., Two of the Caṅkam poets (authors of *Naṟṟ*. 250 and 272) had *nalveḷḷai* as part of their names.

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A silver seal from Karur⁹ has the legend *veḷ-i* (*veḷḷi*) *cāmpāṉ*, a personal name in which the first part, *veḷḷi* (literally, 'the white one') is one of the Tamil names of Baladēva.

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⁹ See No. 7, Table 1.8 and Fig. 1.24 B.

4.19.4 Personal names based on asterisms

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In ancient India and Sri Lanka, it was a common practice to name the children after the asterisms under which they were born or which were considered to bring good luck.¹ The following personal names based on asterisms occur in the inscriptions included in the Corpus as well as in inscriptions on pottery and other objects.

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¹ For personal names in Prakrit based on asterisms, See *Bhārhut Inscrs.* p. 4. For personal names in Sinhala-Prakrit based on asterisms, see S. Paranavitana 1970: p. cxxiv.

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(i) Tiyaṉ (No. 47)

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The name is derived from the asterism (Pkt.) *tissa* < Skt. *tishya* (which is also known as *pushya*). Cf. Ta. *tai* and *pūcam* respectively.

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The following variants of the name occur on inscribed objects and in pottery inscriptions:

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Tiyaṉ

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The name occurs as *ti yā ṉa* in the legends on two gold rings from Karur.² One of the rings has also an interesting motif showing a young prince battling a rearing lion. The significance of the motif has been discussed earlier in section 4.18.1(v).

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² See Nos. 1 & 2, Table 1.8 and Figs. 1.23 C & D.

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Tissa-

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The name occurs as *t(i)sa-* in the Tamil-Brāhmī legend on a local lead coin found near Tissamaharama in Sri Lanka.³

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³ See No. 6, Table 1.6.

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Ticaṉ

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The name occurs as *tica-aṉ* in a pottery inscription from Alagankulam.⁴

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⁴ R. Nagaswamy 1991c: Pl. 25.2, No. 6.

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(ii) Viya(k)kaṉ (Nos. 39 & 84)

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The name is derived from the asterism (Pkt.) *visaka* < Skt. *viśākha*/*vaiśākha*. Cf. Ta. *vicākam* and Sinh. Pkt. *vihaka*.

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Two pottery inscriptions from Kodumanal⁵ refer to *visaka* and *visākī* (fem.). Two Sinhala-Brāhmī cave inscriptions from Sri Lanka⁶ mentions a Tamil merchant with the name *visaka*.

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⁵ (i) An unpublished sherd from Kodumanal with the legend *visakaṉ ātaṉ* in the collections of TNSA, Chennai. (ii) Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996 (unpublished): No. 1. (Also in) K. Rajan 1994: p. 76, Pl. 26. The inscribed pottery was recovered from a megalithic burial at the site.

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⁶ S. Paranavitana 1970: Nos. 356 & 357. The Tamil merchant is referred to as *damēḍa-vaṇijha*.

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(iii) Visuvaṉ (No. 27)

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The name is derived from the asterism (Pkt.) *vissa* < Skt. *viśva* (another name for *uttara-āṣāḍha*). Cf. Ta. *vicuva-nāḷ* (*uttirāṭam*). Another alternative derivation of the name is from Pkt. *visuva* < *vishuvat* 'equinox' (cf. Ta. *viccuva-nāḷ*).

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(iv) Vesaṉ (No. 50)

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The name is derived from the asterism (Pkt.) *vissa* < Skt. *vaiśva* (another name for *uttara-āṣāḍha*). Alternatively, the name may be derived from Pkt. *vessa* < Skt. *vaiśya* 'a member of the Vaiśya caste; cf. Ta. *vaiciyaṉ*.

4.19.5 Personal names (based on asterisms) occurring on inscribed objects

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The following personal names based on other asterisms are attested from pottery inscriptions and other inscribed objects.

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(i) Asaṭaṉ

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The name which occurs in a pottery inscription from Kodumanal¹ is derived from (Pkt.) *asaḍa* < Skt. *āshāḍha* 'the asterism *pūrva-āshāḍha*' (Ta. *pūrāṭam*).

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¹ Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996 (unpublished): No. 38. The inscription reads *a tā ṇa a sa ṭa (ṇa)* (*ataṉ asaṭaṉ*).

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(ii) Asaḷay (fem.)

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The name which occurs in a pottery inscription from Kodumanal² is derived from (Pkt.) *āsaḷha* < Skt. *āshāḍha* 'the asterism *pūrva-āshāḍha*'.

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² Ibid. No. 56. The inscription reads *(a)nti-y=asāḷay* (*anti asaḷai*); cf. *asaṭaṉ* in the note above.

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(iii) Ātiraiyaṉ

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The names *ātiraiyaṉ* and *āttiraya*[*ṉ*] (*ātirai* + *ayyaṉ*) which occur in two pottery inscriptions from Arikamedu³ are derived from the asterism (Ta.) *ātirai* < Skt. *ārudrā*.

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³ (i) See No. 2, Table 1.5 and Fig. 1.19 B.
(ii) I. Mahadevan 1996a: Fig. 5.31. The inscription ends *...ā ta ti rā (ya)* '**āttiraya**[*ṉ*]'.

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(iv) Uttiraṉ

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The name *ū ti rā ṇa* (*uttiraṉ*) occurs in a Tamil-Brāhmī legend on a local lead coin found near Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka.⁴ The variant *uttiraṉ* occurs in a pottery inscription from Arikamedu.⁵ The name is derived from the asterism (Ta.) *uttiram* < Skt. *uttara-phalguni*.

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⁴ See No. 5 Table 1.6.

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⁵ I. Mahadevan 1996a: Fig. 5. 30.

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(v) Mūlaṉ

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The variants *mu lā ṇa* and *mulaṉ* (*mūlaṉ*) occur in two pottery inscriptions respectively at Uraiyur⁶ and Kodumanal.⁷ The name is derived from the asterism (Ta.) *mūlam* < Skt. *mūla*.

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⁶ See No. 3, Table 1.5 and Fig. 1.19 C.

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⁷ Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Unpublished Inscriptions from Kodumanal 1996: No. 12.

4.19.6 Personal names after ṛishis, gōtras, etc.

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Some of the personal names in the inscriptions included in the Corpus are derived from Vedic *ṛishis* or the *gōtras* originating from them.

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(i) From Kaśyapa / Kāśyapa

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*kaśyapa* is the name of a mythical *ṛishi* and *kāśyapa* is the patronym derived from it. Personal names based on them form the most frequent group in this category. The names are spelt variously in the inscriptions.¹ It is significant, given the Jaina context of the inscriptions, that Mahāvīra is said to have belonged to the Kāśyapa *gōtra*.

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¹ See Commentary (14.1).

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The name *kaccavanu* (*kaccavaṉ*) (No. **119**) may also belong to this group, or may be derived from Skt. *kacchapa* > Ta. *kaccapam* 'tortoise, turtle'.

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(ii) From Harita / Hariti / Hārita

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The names are ultimately derived from Skt. *harita*. The personal names in the inscriptions are spelt variously in the inscriptions forming the second most frequent group in this category.²

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² See Commentary (5.1.b and 25.1.b).

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(iii) From Atri

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The personal name *attiraṉ* occurring in one of the inscriptions (No. **24**) is probably derived from *atri* (Ta. *attiri*).

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(iv) From Nakula

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The personal name *na ku lā na* (*nakulaṉ*) occurs in a pottery inscription in Tamil-Brāhmī found at Salihundam,³ Andhra Pradesh. The name is after one of the Pāṇḍava brothers.⁴

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³ R. Subrahmanyam 1964: p. 44, No. 3a; p. 83, No. 1; Fig. 13, No. 3a; Pl. XLVII, top left.

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⁴ See section 1.13.8 for discussion.

4.19.7 A note on personal names derived from Indo-Aryan

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The occurrence of personal names derived from Prakrit or Sanskrit in the Tamil-Brāhmī and Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscriptions does not mean that the persons were 'northerners' any more than those with Sanskritic names in later Tamil inscriptions. Internal evidence indicates that most of the donors and donees were natives of the Tamil country with probably a small number from Karnataka.

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