A Brief List of Indo-Scythian Names
The personal names in this section can originally be found in documents and artifacts spanning roughly the 2nd c. BCE to the 3rd c. CE, such as the Mathura lion capital, Indravarma’s silver reliquary, the Rukhuna reliquary, the Bajaur casket, and a large number of extant coins. The area encompassed here is the eastern edge of the Scythian-related territories, with a focus on Gandhara and Taxila.
As might be clear, there’s far less Greek influence on these name constructions than in the above list—although for a few rulers, there appears to be some Grecian style (since the Indo-Scythians overran the Indo-Greek/Greco-Bactrian territories during the 1st c. BCE.). Where applicable, the non-Greek name(s) appear first, with the Greek-influenced name(s) following and noted as such in parentheses.
Many of the names from these lists come from the Wikipedia page on Indo-Scythians and various topically linked pages (such as for individual rulers or the various artifacts linked above). Many of the names also appear in books on ancient numismatics, such as Michael Mitchiner’s series on Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian Coinage.
Other names come from Harmatta’s “Languages and Scripts of Graeco-Bactria and the Saka Kingdoms,” History of Civilizations of Central Asia, vol. 2, 1994. These names are indicated as such. Harmatta does not indicate whether a name is masculine or feminine; I have listed some under a given gender heading based on context clues (e.g., a Greek form that indicates gender or a similar form of the name included in another source mentioned above) and have listed the remaining names under the heading “Unclear.” I recognize this is due to my own limited knowledge of Indo-Scythian naming/language practices; I will update/reorganize as I learn more.
Feminine
Note: it is difficult to tell whether some of these names are Indo-Scythian or if they have origins in another of the ethnic groups living in the area, i.e. from families into which the Indo-Scythian ruling dynasties married (as many of the names belong to the wives of various rulers).
| Name | Source/Notes |
|---|---|
| Abuhola | |
| Akasa / Kasa / Kasaye | |
| Ayasi | This may just be a title or noun |
| Dasaka | |
| Diaka | |
| Kambojika / Kamboja / Kamuia / Kamuio | |
| Kasa / Kasaye | |
| Machênê | |
| Mahaveda | |
| Nadadiaka / Nada-Diakasa / Nadasi-Akasa | |
| Nika | |
| Pispasi / Pispasri / Vespasi / Vespasia | from Harmatta |
| Rukhuna | |
| Rukhunaka | |
| Sisirena | |
| Vasavadatta | |
| Vasumitra | |
| Utara |
Masculine
| Name | Source/Notes |
|---|---|
| Abhiraka | |
| Aduthama | from Harmatta |
| Athama | |
| Ai | Father of Rukhunaka–see note above re: feminine name origins |
| Arta | |
| Artemidoros | Indo-Greek ruler who claimed to be the son of Mauês] |
| Aspavarma / Aspo / Aspavarmo | |
| Aya / Ayasa | Greek form: Azes |
| Ayilisa | Greek form: Azilises |
| Bhadayasa | |
| Bhratadarman | |
| Bhumaka | |
| Castana | from Harmatta; Greek form: Tianes |
| Damajadasri | |
| Damasena | |
| Zeionises (Jihuniasa) | |
| Hagamasa / Hagamasha | from Harmatta |
| Hagana | |
| Hayuara | |
| Horaka | from Harmatta (shortened form of Horamurndaga) |
| Horamurndaga | from Harmatta |
| Horamurta | from Harmatta |
| Indravarma / Idravarma / Indravarman | |
| Indravasu | Possibly Indravarma |
| Isvaradatta | |
| Jayadaman | |
| Jivadaman | |
| Khalama / Khalamasa | |
| Kharaosta / Kharaostasa | Greek forms: Xarahostes / Kharahostes |
| Kharapallana | from Harmatta; Greek form: Charobalano |
| Ksharata | from Harmatta |
| Kusulaka | |
| Liaka / Liako | Possibly related to a Kushan dynasty |
| Kozoulo / Kusulaka | Possibly related to a Kushan dynasty |
| Maja | |
| Manigula | |
| Maoa / Moga / Moa | Greek forms: Maues, Mauakes |
| Mevaki | |
| Miyika | |
| Mujatria | |
| Muki | from Harmatta |
| Nahapana | from Harmatta |
| Nambanus (Nahapana) | |
| Rajula / Rajuvula / Rajavula | from Harmatta |
| Ramaka | Maternal uncle of Indravarma–see note above re: feminine names |
| Rudradaman / Rudrakaman | |
| Rudrasena / Rudrasimha | |
| Samghadaman | |
| Sasan | |
| Satyadaman | |
| Sodasa / Sudasa | |
| Spalagadama | Greek form: Spalagadames |
| Spalahora | Greek forms: Spalahores, Spalohres |
| Spalarisa | from Harmatta; Greek form: Spalirises |
| Telephos Euergetes | Potentially a Saka successor of Maues? it’s unclear |
| Vanasparna / Vanaspara | |
| Vijayamitra | |
| Vijayasena | |
| Viradaman | |
| Vispavarma / Visnuvarma | |
| Visvasena / Visvasimha | |
| Vonones / Vovones | Possibly a Parthian |
| Yasodaman | |
| Ysamotika | from Harmatta |
| Chashtana |
Unclear Gender
| Name | Source/Notes |
|---|---|
| Achia / Adhia | from Harmatta |
| Arajham da | from Harmatta |
| Damaysada | from Harmatta |
| Damijada | from Harmatta |
| Denipa | from Harmatta |
| Hana | from Harmatta |
| Hayuara | from Harmatta |
| Horasada | from Harmatta |
| Jham danama | from Harmatta |
| Jihonika | from Harmatta |
| Kalui / Kaluka | from Harmatta |
| Khalasamusa | from Harmatta |
| Khardaa | from Harmatta |
| Manigula | from Harmatta |
| Murunda | from Harmatta; this may just be a title or noun |
| Nada / Nadadi / Nadasi / Nadasia | This may just be a title or noun |
| Naulada | from Harmatta |
| Patika | from Harmatta; this may just be a title or noun |
| Sodasa / Sudasa | from Harmatta |
| Ulana | from Harmatta |
| Usavadata | from Harmatta |