The Syriac language has impacted the way Lebanese people talk, even if they’re not aware of it. Many Syriac words have been adapted in the Lebanese language, and have influenced the names of beautiful Lebanese cities.
Thanks to the ancient people who roamed the glorious land, many Lebanese cities acquired their names from different Semitic languages.
Here are some Lebanese cities that actually have Syriac roots.
AMMATOUR
“Aamma d Tura” translates to “The People of the Mountain.”
ANDAKET
The spring with little water.
ASHQOUT
“Asquta” means Rough and Insubordinate Land, which is a feature of the Kesserwan mountain region.
AINATA
Syriac expression for The Water Eye, or Ain el May in current Lebanese
AKOURA
A combination of ‘ain’ (fountain) ‘qura’ (Cold), Akoura means The Cold Fountain.
AITOU
Two different meanings for the name of this northern village are (1) “quayta”: the summer, (2) “ayta”: the anger.
BEHOUAITA
From Syriac “bet te7wita” for a place with a view.
BASLOUKIT
A Syriac name referring to The Place of Ascension.
BCHAMOUN
Syriac Aramaic for the Temple of Eshamun, a Phoenician god.
BCHENNATA
From Syriac “bet shinnata” meaning land of the towering high rocks and the serrated peaks.
BKASSINE
From Syriac “bet ksin” for a place of the hidden.
BAYKOUN
From Syriac “bet yuqné” for a place where coins or icons are forged.
BEJJEH
The Syriac word for gardens.
BTEDHI
From Syriac “bayta d’awé” for The Howling Place.
BASKINTA
The Syriac term for abode, the residence, and the place. You can learn more about Baskinta’s magnificence here.
BAAKLINE
From Syriac “beit aakline” for the place of knots and turns.
BALLOUNEH
Different Syriac origins include (1) ballani/ballana: the bathroom, (2) appolon: the name of a Greek god, (3) abbiluné: the residence of the monk.
BAZOUN
Syriac for “the little hole”.
BIRE
Similar to the Arabic word, it means the wells in Syriac.
BEITEDDINE
“Bet Dino”, the place of judgement.
BISRI
Some varying meanings for this town include: (1) besré: the meat or the cadaver, (2) bisra: the unripe grapes, (3) bet sri: the bad smelling place, (4) bet saray: the house of Sara.
BROUMMANA
It could have Syriac origin as “bet rammana” which means the residence of the god “Rimmon”.
BEIT CHABAB
Syriac name for the house of the neighbor.
CHEBAA
Syriac for satiety and abundance.
CHADRA
Syriac word for ‘the ambassador’.
DEBEL
The Syriac word for dried figs.
DEIR DOURIT
Meaning the nun’s convent.
DIMAN
Syria for “the ideal”.
EHMEJ
“Top of the Valley.”
FALOUGHA
From Syriac “palugha” for the distributor.
FEYTROUN
Which either means “the beautiful throne” or “the master”.
FGHAL
This name could come from different Syrian origins: (1) pegal: the thickness and the softness, (2) pe ala: the work, (3) piggul: the garbage
FERZOL
From Syriac “parzla” for Iron mine. Also, chemistry friends will know FE for iron. Coincidence?
HEMLAYA
From Syriac word “bet hmalé” for grain or harvest.
IJDABRA
The Syriac word for great luck.
JEB JANNINE
The Syriac name for Basin of Gardens. The word ‘Jeb’ refers to a water well or water precipitation.
JEZZINE
The Syriac word for storage/safes.
JENJLEYA
Syriac for a haven.
JRABTA
The name may have different Syriac origins that mean either (1) grabta: the vessel, (2) grafta: the scooped, (3) krupte: the caves.
KFARDEBIAN
The Village of Deers; Kfar means village.
KFAR KILA
The Bride City.
KFARSHOUBA
The Village with Hot Weather. Note: Does the Syriac word Shouba remind you of any Arabic word?
KFARHOUNA
The Village of Young Siblings. The Syriac “ahouné” means young siblings.
KFAR CHELLAL
The Place of Stolen Goods.
KAWKABA
Syriac word for planet.
KFIFAN
From Syriac “kfifuna” meaning the small convex place.
MAGHDOUCHE
Syriac word for people who collect the crops.
MIYEH W MIYEH
Miyeh is Syriac for water, so this name literally means ‘water and water’.
NIHA
Niha is a Syriac name that means the calm and the patient.
QANNOUBINE
This name might have two origins, the Syriac one being “monastery of the novice monk”.
QOUBAIYAT
From Syriac “qba” which means gather of water.
QURNAYIL
From Syriac “qarna d ila” meaning The Summit of God (ila).
RECHMAYA
From Syriac “rish mayo” meaning head of water/spring.
REMHALA
Syriac meaning sand hill.
RAB TLATIN
Syriac word for the guard over 30; it sounds familiar in Arabic too (tlatin).
RMEISH
Located in southern Lebanon on the Lebanese-Palestinian border, Rmeish’s name may have different Syriac origins: (1) ramshaya/ramsha meaning something to do with the night; (2) remis meaning calm; (3) ram ishay meaning the hill of Yassa.
SAWFAR
Syriac word for morning.
SARBA
Syriac word for tower.
SHBANIEH
It could have two Syriac origins (1) shebabanaye: neighbors, or (2) sheba: the robber… (is the neighbor a robber?)
SIN EL FIL
The name literally translates to “the tooth of the elephant”. In Syriac, SHEN D FILA means the ivory, like the tusks of an elephant (fil).
TARTIJ
Mountain of the crown (or of snow patches).
TANNOURINE
Syriac Aramaic for smoke and fire or light. Check out Tannourine in 15 Photos.
ZAHLÉ
Syriac for moving places.
ZGHARTA
From the Syriac word ‘Zeghartay’ meaning the barricades.
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