> The prefix A- (or Alu- < A(l) lui -- "of") was used mainly for
>creating ad-hoc last names for the offspring of single women
>(of course, "pater semper incertus est"...), added basically to
>their first name. Romanians being generally traditional :-),
>these cases were quite rare and the names of the type "Aanei",
>"Aelenei", "Ailincai" are a small percent. For feminine names
>(of the mothers), "Alu-" should normally not be used.
Besides, as official second names (family names) this kind
of names (Ailenei, Alupulesei, Aursulesei, Avãdanei etc.), are always
composed, as "a(l)" + <a feminine word> + <the genitive ending of the
fem. word> is restricted to the provinces of Moldavia. Nowhere else
in the area of the Romanian language is this kind of construction in use
-- *officially*.
On the other hand, this kind of compositum is used in the entire
area of the Romanian language only as a *nickname*. Usually,
in many regions, the nickname is that of the clan, not only of a
single family. And as such, the rule above in Moldavian names, namely
that only feminina are used, isn't relevant in other non-Moldavian,
areas. (So is, for instance, mine, "A(l) Lupului" ("O'Wolf"), a nickname
belonging not to the greater family, not only to that of my father
and his brothers & sisters. So, the "Wolf's" clan (but not that of the
... werewolf! :-). "Lup" is masculine: "un lup, doi lupi".) But in official
papers this kind of cognomen isn't added to the official name. Of course,
there are numerous cases all over the countries where such a cognomen
have gotten the official second name.
> Marius Iacomi
George Stana