Dacians were among the inhabitants of Eastern Europe before and during the Roman Empire. Many hundreds of personal names and placenames are known from ancient sources, and they throw light on Dacian and the extent to which it differed from Thracian.
Anthroponyms
Around 1150 Dacian anthroponyms (personal names) and 900 toponyms (placenames) have been preserved in ancient sources. As far as the onomastic (proper names) of Dacians and Thracians is concerned, opinions are divided. According to Crossland (1982), the evidence of names from the Dacian, Mysian and Thracian area seems to indicate divergence of a 'Thraco-Dacian' language into northern and southern groups of dialects, but not so different as to rank Thracian and Dacian as separate languages, There were also the development of special tendencies in word formation and of certain secondary phonetic features in each group. Mateescu (1923), Rosetti (1978) sustain that Thracian onomastic include elements that are common to Geto-Dacians and Bessians (a Thracian tribe). A part of researchers support that onomastically, Dacians are not different from the other Thracians in Roman Dacia's inscriptions. But recently, D. Dana basing himself on new onomastic material recorded in Egyptian ostraka suggested criteria which would make possible to distinguish between closely related Thracian and Dacian-Moesian names and singled out certain specific elements for the latter.
In Georgiev's opinion (1960; 1977) Dacian placenames and personal names are "completely different" from their Thracian counterparts.
Several Dacian names have also been identified with ostracons of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt, i.e. Dadas and Dadazi, Zoutoula, Dotos and Dotouzi, Dieri and Diernais, Diengis, Dida(s), Blaikisa, Blegissa, Diourdanos, Thiadicem, Avizina, Dourpokis, Kaigiza, Dardiolai, Denzibalos (see also Dacian king name Deki-balos), Denzi-balus (attested in Britain), Pouridour, Thiaper and Tiatitis, Dekinais, *Rolouzis, (See Ostraca from Krokodilo and Didymoi)
A Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesAvizinaOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt Probably related to Vezina.
B Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesBastizaName frequently found at Mons Claudianus i.e. two persons have this name on a list of Dacian names, but this name is also the patronyme of the soldier named Diernaios.The name ‘'bast'’ is found in Thrace (cf. Decev) but never as Bastiza.Bikili(s)Decebal's friend (Dio Cassius) BlegissaOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt BlaesusChild of a soldier of cohors I Aelia DacorumBlaikisaOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt BrasusInscription at Apulum that reads: Mucatra, son of Brasus, had a son and heir Mucapor MucatralisAccording to Mommsen (1887), the name is formed by the compounds with –poris i.e. Mucaporis appear as Thracian and as Dacian in numerous casesBurebista "Possessor of so much" cf Sanskrit bhuri "plenty, so much" and cf Ancient Iranian victa "possessor",King of Dacians (Strabo, Jordanes and Decree of Dionysopolis)See also: Buri, Buridavense, Buridava, Buricodava. See also Ariovistus.
C Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesCharnabonKing of the Getae (Sophocles's Triptolemos)ComosicusDacian High Priest and King who lived in the 1st century BC (Jordanes)Cothelas, GudilaKing of the Getae in the 4th century BCCotisoCotiso 'loved' King of the Dacians in the 1st century BC Tomaschek compared this name with the name Cotela of a Getian prince and with the name Cotys, name of several Odrysian and Sapaean (Thracian) princes. Also, he compared with the name Kotys, the Thracian goddess worshipped by the Edonians, a tribe that lived around Pangaion Mountain. He sees here again, the letter "o" as an obscured indistinct, pronunciation of "a". Therefore, he compared Cotiso with the Bactrian Kata "loved".
D Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesDablosaHe is attested at Mons Claudianus(O. Claud. II 402 and 403).DadasOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DadaziOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DaizusThraco-Getian name Daizus Comozoi, interfectus a Castabocis. Daizus Comozoi is a "Royal" Dacian name found also with Thracians from south of the Danube.DamanaisDamanais attested at Mons Claudianus as the father of the Dacian soldier Dida from Krokodilo.DapyxDacian king.DanilloRoman LegionnaireDardanos'Darda-‘ appears as both Daco-Mysian and Thracian.DardiolaiOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt Decaeneus"The one who knows" (dak, dek cf. Sanskrit dasa) or "The Dacian" High priest and king of Dacians (Strabo, Dio Cassius, Jordanes)DecibalusChild of a soldier of cohors I Aelia DacorumDecebalusDacian word balas /balos is from PIE *bel 'strong, power' cf. Sanskrit bala "force" and Dece from PIE *dek 'to take, to honor' Also, it had been suggested Decebalus means "The force of the Dacians" King of Dacians (Dio Cassius)Originally named Diurpaneus, after his victory against Romans he was called Decebalus ("The brave one") Many interpretations are possible for the PIE root *dek that is found also with the name DecaeneusDenzibalosOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DenzibalusAttested in Britannia DekinaisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt Dicomesking of Dacians DidaAelius Dida - Dacian centurion of cohors I Aelia Dacorum stationed in Britannia.Dida(s)Dacian soldier from Krokodilo.DiegisDiegis / Degis from *dhegh ‘to burn' Dacian DiengisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DieriOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DiernaisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DiourdanosOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt Diurpaneus"admired from distance" cf. Sanskrit durepanyaName of the king of Dacians (Dio Cassius) He was renamed to Decebalus after victory over Romans.It is a "Royal" Dacian name found also with Thracians from south of the Danube i.e. Dorpanas (IGB, II, 771) and Dyrpanais (Olbia).DourpokisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DotosOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DotouziOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt DrilgisaWith the inscription CIL VI 1801 as Natopor's brother at Rome.Note also the following names: Drigissa in Superior Moesia and Dia-giza, slave at Rome, CIL XV 2445.Dromichaetes, DromichaetaName of the king of Getae It appears this is a Hellenised form DuccidavaDaughter of a Dacian soldier mentioned in a Roman military diploma issued in 127 in Mauretania Caesariensis DurasKing of the Dacians between 69 AD - 87 AD (Jordanes)
K Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesKaigizaOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt KomakizaKoma-kiza / Koma-kissa is a name attested at Didymoi.The endings term correspond to the Dacian king name Komosicus.KomozoiFather of Daizus. Daizus Comozoi is a "Royal" Dacian name found also with Thracians from south of the Danube.
M Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesMoskonInscription on silver coins about a 3rd-century BC getic kingMucaporInscription at Apulum that reads: Mucatra, son of Brasus, had a son and heir Mucapor MucatralisThese names are Thracians and Dacians (as Mucapor is attested as Dacian and as Thracian name). The names containing Muca- are found in Thracian but also in the proper Geto-Dacian namesMucatraInscription at Apulum that reads: Mucatra, son of Brasus, had a son and heir Mucapor Mucatralis.These names are probably Thracian, not Dacian, as Mucapor is attested as an ethnic Thracian name (see refs above).
N Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesNatoporuscf. Sanskrit nata 'bent', de nam 'bend' and cf. Nath 'lean, rely', 'seek for help'Dacian name of a prince from a Dacian royal family of the tribe of the Costoboci on a Roman inscription (II No. 1801) See also Dacian Natu-spardo (attested with Ammianus) NOTE: some scholars consider this a Thracian name.
O Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesOroles, OrolaFrom ar-, or- 'eagle, big bird' Name of a Dacian prince (Justin)
P Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesPetoporus, PetiporName of a Dacian prince PieporusThe first element Pie is analogue by initial and vocalism with the name Pie-figoi of a Dacian tribe mentioned by Ptolemy. The second element -porus is often met with Dacian and also with Bithynian (a Thracian tribe) names. Tomaschek explained it by the root *par 'replenish, nourish' or as *pa-la 'king'Name of a king of the Costoboci (inscription C.1 Rom. VI, No. 1801).NOTE: Linguists Georgiev and Ivan Duridanov consider this a Thracian name; second element -por (variations: -puri, -pyra-s, -poris, -pouris) comparable to Latin puer 'son, child'.Georgiev, Vladimir I.. "Thrakisch und Dakisch". Band 29/2. Teilband Sprache und Literatur (Sprachen und Schriften [Forts.]), edited by Wolfgang Haase, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1983. p. 1157. Duridanov, Ivan. "Thrakische und dakische Namen". 1. Halbband: Ein internationales Handbuch zur Onomastik. Edited by Ernst Eichler, Gerold Hilty, Heinrich Löffler, Hugo Steger and Ladislav Zgusta. Berlin; New York: De Gruyter Mouton, 1995. p. 828. PouridourOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt
R Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesRescuturmeThe Dacian name Rescuturme can be related to the Aryan word rai "splendor, wealth" and raevant, revant "brilliant", if "-sk" is part of a derivation.Name of a Dacian woman. Inscription (CIL III 1195), cf. names Resculum (a hamlet from Dacia) and Rascuporis / Rascupolis (name with Sapaean and Bithynian Thracian tribes)RhemaxosGetic king who ruled to the north of the Danube around 200 BCRholes, RolesGetae chieftain in Scythia Minor (Dio Cassius)RigozusAnthroponym.RolouzisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt RubobostesDacian king in Transylvania in the 2nd century BC
S Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesScorylo From root *sker 'to leap, spin' Name of a Dacian generalCf. Scoris (Scorinis), a "Royal" Dacian name found also with Thracians from south of the Danube.
T Dacian namePossible etymologyAttestationNotesTarbus"hard, strong, powerful" cf. Bactrian thaurva (de tarva)possibly a prince of the Free DaciansBatty, Roger (2007): Rome and the Nomads: the Pontic-Danubian realm in antiquity, Oxford University Press, , , page 366ThiadicemOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt ThiamarkosDacian king (inscription "Basileys Thiamarkos epoiei")ThiaperOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt TiatiWith the inscription CIL VI 1801 at Rome.TiatitisOstracon of Dacian cavalry recruited after the Roman conquest and stationed in East Egypt Tsinna, Zinnas, Sinna Zinnas in IOSPE I2 136, Olbia, late 1st-early 2nd century Tsinna son of Bassus in ISM V 27, Capidava (Scythia Minor), 2nd century Titus Aurelius Sinna from Ratiaria (Moesia Superior) in CIL III 14507, Viminacium (Moesia Superior), year 195