The meaning of names among Mediterranean Jews
Marc Eliany ?
AYACHE
among other possible variations depending on the country and language of the person.
Avayou is a rare name in the inventory of creators of Mediterranean Jewish origin. It may consist of two element typical to Hebrew names, ‘av’ and ‘yahu’ father’ and ‘god’. Avayou may be a transformation of Aviyahu. It may also mean ‘aba’ and ‘hu’ which implies ‘he is our father.’
Prefixes attached to the root name such as (aben, iben, abi, avi, am, ben, bin, abou, a, aj, al, bel, ha, i, la, lel, me, m, o, wi, vi, ) denotes usually a relation to a person, i.e., the father of or the son of X, a place, i.e., a person from X, an occupation, i.e., a person who practices a specific occupation, a characteristic of a person, i.e., beautiful… The prefixes al, el are equivalent to ‘the’ in English or the article ‘le’ in French. In the Moroccan Berbers tradition, prefixes such as ‘wi’ ‘vi’ ‘i’ means usually a family relationship to X, the equivalent of Abu in Arabic, i.e., ‘the father of’, ‘son of’ a man, a tribal affiliation and so forth.In the Hebrew tradition, the prefix ‘M ‘ is an abbreviation of the word ‘from.’
Suffixes such as ‘i’ or ‘ri’ ‘ti’ refer to an association with a person or a location, for example: arditi= from ardou or ard.
Suffixes such as ‘illo’ ‘ano’ ‘ino’ ‘nino’ are used in Spain and Italy to indicate descendence or association with an attribute.
Suffixes such as ‘yah’, ‘yahu’ ‘hu’ are used in Hebrew to denote God’s benediction, for example: aviyah, aviyahu, avihu…
AYACHE Alain (1930-). Algeria. (Algiers). Journalist, editor in France.
AYACHE Germain (1915-1990). Morocco (Berkane). Professor of history at Mohamed V University in Rabat. Editor of Hesp?ris-Tamuda. Author of Les origines de la guerre du Rif (What led to the Rif War) as well as Le Maroc, bilan d?une colonisation and ?tudes d?histoire marocaine.
AYACHE Y?houdah (1690-1761). Algeria (M?d?e). Chief rabbi of Algiers. Author of L?h?m Y?houdah (Judah’s bread).
References:
Azoulay, Hayim Yossef Shem Hagdolim (the names of the great)
AZOULAY Ha?m Yossef David (Hida) (1724-1807) Ch?m hagu?dolim va?ad lahakhamim (The names of the Great Council of Sages).
Levi, J et. al. 2000 Dictionnaire biographique du monde Juif Sepharade et Mediteranean, Editions Elysee, Montreal.
Toledano, J. 1983 La saga des familles, Les juifs du Maroc et leurs noms, Editions Stavit, Tel Aviv
Laredo A. 1978 Les noms des juifs au Maroc (Madrid, 1978)