What's in the Kessab Names?

 Vahe H. Apelian

Դանիէլ - Taniel (Daniel), Դաւիթ - Tavit (David)

In an article written in 1998, Melkon  Eblighatian M.D., recalled hearing about a man known as Daye for the very first time in 1938, when he was eighteen years old. That summer his father took the family, consisting  of his younger brother and mother to spend their summer in Kessab for the very first time, having rented a room from the man Kessabtsis called Daye. The article is reproduced in the book I recently received titled “The Daye of Kessab” (Քեսապի Տային). It  means, “The Uncle of Kessab”.  Daye is a Turkish  word, and it means just that, uncle. Kessabtsis have incorporated many Turkish words in their dialect as a  result of their living under the Ottoman rule for centuries.

Upon settling in for their summer long stay, his father told him to “be respectful to the landlord”, telling him  that “although in appearance he is a modest villager, but he is a very respected person who has been a fedayee (a freedom fighter).” The person in question was Ovsia Saghdejian, about whom the book is about. 

But no one seemed to know his name, recalled Eblighatian, as he became curious about their famous landlord. His father told him that their landlord, I quote: “during the WWI, had taken part in the Battle of Arara, as a legionnaire, where he had distinguished himself for his bravery. Afterwards for many years, with a group of combatants, he had protected Kessab and its villages against lawless marauding crowds. He thus had gained the respect of not only his compatriots but the enemies as well. Perhaps that was the reason”, Melkon Eblighatian’s father had wondered that “everyone without exception, Armenians, and Turks alike, called him KARA DAYE (in Turkish the dark uncle). “ He then told his son that he too did not know their landlord’s real name.

Melkon Eblighatian, in turn, could not bring himself to muster the courage and ask their famous landlord what his name was. One day he brought the issue of Daye’s name to a family friend, Avedis Garboushian who let him know that his name is Ovsia Saghdejian. 

Upon hearing his name, Eblighatian noted that he had not heard the name Ovsia before. Avedis noted to him that after the Armenian Evangelical movement took root in Kessab, from that period  and on many Kessabtsis, I quote: “gave their children biblical names, such as Նաթանայել–Natanayel (Nathaniel), Մաղաքիա–Maghakya (Malachi), Մատաթեա–Madatya (Mattatha), Օպատիա–Obadya (Obadaiah), Ովսեա–Ovsia (Hosea), Եովել–Yovel (Joel), Հեթեթիա–Hetetya (Jedidiah).” He also noted to Melkon that these names were not used in Kessab before. ( Note I listed the names in Armenian, followed by its transliteration, and put the biblical name in parenthesis.)

Apparently Avedis Garboushian forgot to note that Ovsia had a relative who was also a legionnaire and whose name was  Լէվի – Levee (Levi) Saghdejian. A formal picture of the two together graces the book. (See attached: Seated Hovsep, standing LtoR: Levi and Ovsia Saghdejians).

The Armenian Evangelical denomination was founded in Constantinople in 1846. Not long after its founding, it found a receptive audience in greater Kessab and six years later, in 1852, the Armenian Evangelical school was established in Kessab, that continues its mission to this day at elementary and middle school level. The Armenian Evangelical movement gave rise to a spiritual, cultural, and educational renaissance in Kessab that profoundly influenced the character of the Kessabtsis. 

I had often wondered why my paternal uncle was named Ճոզէֆ – Jozef (Joseph). In our family tree that traces 10 generations along patriarchal line, his name had no precedent. After reading Garbsoushian’s explanation, it occurred to me that he too may have been named Joseph for that very reason. In fact, in his village of Keurkune, several of his contemporaries were his namesake, such as Joseph Bedirian, Joseph Kerbabian. It is not uncommon to come across Biblical names in Kessab in their Latin scripted sounding, such as Ճէմս–Jams (James) as in the persons of  James Bedirian and James Apelian of Keurkune, or the graceful Անժէլ–Anjel (Angel) in the person of Angel Megerditchian; or Martha (Մարթա) as in the late Martha Apelian-Titizian; Էֆի(Effie), a maternal aunt to my maternal cousin Annie Hoglind. She may be named after the beloved American missionary in Kessab, Miss Effie Chambers. 

The name Ovsia remained etched in Dr. Melkon Eblighatian’s memory. More than half a century later he consulted Hrachia Ajarian’s (Acharian’s) exhaustive dictionary on “Armenian Proper Names” - (Հայոց Անձնանունների Բառարան) - in five volumes that includes all names mentioned in Armenian literature from 5^th to 15 centuries. He found out that the eminent Armenian linguist has noted in his dictionary that Ovsia is Hebrew in origin and that it means  “to help, free, save” and furthermore he noted that “the name is not used with us.” («Նշանակում է օգնել, ազատել, փրկել։ Այդ անունը մեր մէջ գործածուած չէ։»

Upon reading the explanation of the name and the lack its use among the Armenians, Melkon Eblighatian  became reflective and wondered writing how strange it was and what mysterious serendipity drove the parents to name their village child Ovsia. He concluded his article noting that it seemed preordained that the child would be named so. His endearing name Kara Daye, the Kessabtsis bestowed upon him – Melkon Eblighatian reasoned - was the people’s testament that the child lived up to the true meaning of his name as an adult. 

Note: Cover:  “The Daye of Kessab” (Քեսապի Տային)