Nantonicn?

A lifetime of mispronunciation and blank looks has led me here.

Origin of Nantonicn

Nantonicn is a name from Gaul. The only original reference to it is on a stone engraving originally found in Néris-les-Bains, France. I have been advised the stone is now located at the Musée national du Moyen Âge in Paris. Below are two photos of the stone, the first is the original photo, the second has had the writing highlighted in red.

Don’t ask me why Nantonicn looks like it’s written as NANONICN. I can not speak or write Latin. I believe it roughly reads as “Bratronos Nantonicn(os] Epadatextorigi Leucullosu iorebe locito-k”. And translates as “Bratronos, son of Nantonios, made (this) acceptably for Epassatectorix Leucullosos”. Nanto also translates as male kangaroo from the Kaurna Warra Aboriginal language in South Australia.

Why Nantonicn?

You need to ask my parents that. I do know the name came from the book Gaulish Personal Names by David Ellis Evans (1967). The book was in the Flinders University Library when my father was studying there. An interesting note was that when I was studying at Flinders University I went to the library and found the book. Ironically it had not been borrowed since my father borrowed it. I was very tempted to pinch it. If you want to try get it for me you can click on the title and it will take you to Amazon.com where they can try find it.

PronunciationFor 36 years people have looked at my name and thought “how the hell do I say that?”. I don’t know if it is the correct pronunciation, but it has always been said as Nantonin (yes, a silent c).Gaul?

No, not ghoul. Gaul is a region in Western Europe roughly in the area of present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, but also sometimes including the Po Valley, western Switzerland, and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine.

Celtic Gaul represents the region from at least 400BC through to the invasion by the Romans in 50BC, with Roman Gaul lasting till around 486AD.

I always associate Gaul with the Asterix and Obelix comics. I am currently attempting to collect the set of these comics. I have the first five. Whilst there are 34 books in the set, only the first 24 are attributed to both R. Goscinny and A. Uderzo, hence I am only after the first 24.

Néris-les-Bains

Néris-les-Bains is a commune in central France. It has a population of 2852 (2006). It is a picturesque area with a number of beautiful buildings shown below.

Former train station

Municipal theatre

Water Water Everywhere

A common theme running through my life is that of water. I was born under the star sign Aquarius (the water-bearer). I have not been able to find a full translation or Nantonicn but a component of the name Nanto means valley, water-course or stream. The name Néris in Néris-les-Bains comes from the Greek God Nérios, deity personifying the water, the spring (Latinized in Nerius). There were some other references to water but they escape me now.

Hope you have enjoyed the story of my name. If anymore information comes to light I’ll update this entry. Stay tuned for the next instalment of random stuff.

Thanks