Grigori Rasputin: Encyclopedia II - Grigori Rasputin - Meaning of the name Rasputin

Grigori Rasputin - Meaning of the name Rasputin

The name Rasputin in Russian does not mean "licentious," as is often claimed. There is, however, a very similar Russian adjective rasputny (распу́тный) which does mean "licentious" and the corresponding noun rasputnik. There is no definite explanation of the origin of this not uncommon surname which does not have a "disgraceful" meaning, as the contemporary Russian writer Valentin Rasputin would be quick to explain. There are at least two options for the root of the word. One of them is "put' ," which means "way," "road." Close nouns are rasputye, a place where the roads diverge or converge and rasputitsa (распу́тица, "muddy road season"). In occult traditions, a crossroad is a place of magical portent for good as well as evil; various folk beliefs state that one might meet the devil there, but also Saint Peter. Some historians argue that the name Rasputin may be a place name, since it roughly signifies "a place where two rivers meet", which describes the area from which the Rasputin family originates. Another possibility is "put', " which gives rise to the verb "putat' ": "entangle" or "mix up," with "rasputat' " being its antonym: "detangle," "untie," "clean up a misunderstanding," etc.

However the most grounded explanation is a standard Russian surname derivation from the old Slavic name "Rasputa" ("Rasputko") (recorded as early as in 16th century) with the meaning "ill-behaved child," the one whose ways are against traditions or the will of parents.

It is said that Rasputin tried to have his name changed to the inconspicuous "Novykh" after his first pilgrimage to the Holy Land ("Novykh" - from the Russian Новый, "New", connotes to "Novice"), but that is a subject of dispute.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Meaning of the name Rasputin", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki