Genealogy / What does my Polish name mean? [367]

My God Father (Uncle)'s name was Walerian but as a little kid coming to Canada and wanting to use an English variant of his name like his older sister (my mom Zuzana) did he felt that Valerian in English sounded girly, so he went with Walter. I couldn't find much on this, but my mom also had issues as her first name (Janina) she mistranslated and went by the wrong name for years on her driver's license, health card, etc until just a few years ago in her 60s applying for a new Passport they had an issue. Which is odd because they never had an issue with her translation of her name before. So now legally she has one name on her Passport yet a different name on her other documents. She thought Janina translated to Jeannette because another Polish lady with the same Polish name went by that translation. According to the Passport people though it was wrong, and they would not accept it even though she went by that for over 60 years.

Language / What does Janina translate into in English? [27]


Ya that is what I think they felt it should be. They looked on a list I think and said that Jeannette was not on there for Janina which is how my mom had it spelled. She went with that as a child new to Canada because she knew a Polish adult who had the same name and went by Jeannette. At least that is what my understanding of the story from way back then was. I wasn't born yet so just going by memory on what was told to me.. but my memory isn't the best anymore.

They did accept her middle name's English translation which is fine as that is what she goes by anyway in English. But at the time when getting her passport I think she was a little put off that they did not accept the name she had been using for over 50 years in Canada. Especially when her previous Canadian passports (and she had been back to Poland since leaving Poland with her family as a child) she never had a problem with and never was flagged. I guess that was before the world changed with 9-11....

Language / Dziadzia / Babcia - help me with spelling/pronunciation [79]

I was always taught to call mine Babcia (Bahb Cha) and Dziadzio (Dgeh Ah Zee Oh).

My mom was born in Poland but my dad is British and did not want my mom to teach my brothers and I Polish saying "You are in Canada now. Speak English only"... (Ya odd we also don't know French so we are not Bilingual thanks to my dad...)

Language / It is not possible to translate names into English or Polish! [52]

That is cool! I am asking my mom now what my Uncle's name was in Poland before coming to Canada and changing it. I know that she was saying it would have translated to Wanda but they didn't put his as that for English because that is considered a girl's name and he was just a little boy and would have been made fun of.

Language / It is not possible to translate names into English or Polish! [52]

My uncle's name actually translated to a girls name in English so he had to go with the closest English Male name possible and chose Walter. His parents put the English name on his application so he has no issues now in Canada. However with my mom they only translated her middle name as that is the name they always called her. They never translated her first name so it is still in Polish. She tried to translate it herself going by someone else who supposedly had the English version and her parents said it was the same name as hers. Years later the Passport office said it was not the right translation. Still, close enough so they finally allowed her to get her passport but had to keep her Polish name on it. Not the English translation. My mom told me not all names can be translated for a number of reasons. Not just different alphabet.