Latvian Anthroponymic Desiderata: Diachronic research of unexplored Latvian given names for global integration and open access (LAnDe)

The aim of the project Latvian Anthroponymic Desiderata: diachronic research of unexplored Latvian given names for global integration and open access (LAnDe) (No.  zp-2025/1-0125, project lead Renāte Siliņa-Piņķe) is to bring Latvian personal name material into the international scholarly circle through the study of 13th to 16th century sources that have not been linguistically analysed so far. The plan is (1) to excerpt and systematise given names data from 20 to 25 sources or sets of sources dating from the 13th to 16th century, (2) to carry out a study on the development of Latvian given names during this period on the basis of the obtained material and scientific literature; (3) to publish the results of the study as open access in at least three articles and in a minimum of 300 entries of the electronic Historical Dictionary of Latvian Given Names (LPVV); (4) on the basis of the insights and research gaps identified, prepare and submit a new project application to a national research and development project competition, (5) to improve the search engine of LPVV and to develop an educational game. The planned project outputs: at least three Scopus articles, 300 entries in the LPVV (origin, historical development, source examples, parallel forms, etc.), a new project application, and a digital educational game. The overarching aim of the project is to ensure the continuity of the temporarily interrupted research on personal names in line with the National Language Policy Framework Plan 2021-2027, and to develop an innovative solution in the field of digital humanities that would allow for the development of further solutions in historical research on language.

23.01.2026. First Project Participants’ Meeting

On 23 January 2026, the project participants came together for their first online meeting. During the meeting, the project lead Renāte Siliņa-Piņķe outlined the project’s objectives and key deliverables, introduced the distribution of responsibilities, presented the upcoming tasks and their main contributors, and agreed on the format and schedule of future meetings.

Data collection, compilation, and systematisation activities had already been initiated in the first half of January. 

Image: a slide from the project leader’s presentation at the general meeting.