The Syriac Roots of The Names of Lebanese Cities

@mycameralebanon | @libano_brasil

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B91-UrtA6ol/

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?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMHjjzfAj1V/

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’.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ebQ-csyJgK/

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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