List of Coptic place names

This is a list of traditional Coptic place names. This list includes:

• Places involved in the history of Egypt and the Coptic Christianity and the Coptic names given to them.
• Places whose names originate from the Coptic language.
• Places whose names were derived from the Coptic language by scholars.

Egypt

Cairo Governorate

Giza Governorate

Beheira Governorate

Sharqia Governorate

Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate

Qalyubia Governorate

Alexandria Governorate

Monufia Governorate

Gharbia Governorate

• Tanta – ⲧⲁⲛⲧⲁⲑⲟ (Tantato)
• Zefta – ⲍⲉⲃⲉⲑⲉ (Zewete)
• Lake Burullus – ⲗⲓⲙⲛⲏ ⲛⲓⲕⲉϫⲱⲟⲩ (Limne Nikedjow)
• El–Mahalla El–Kubra – ϯϣⲁⲓⲣⲓ (Dishairi), "the residence"
• Difra – ϯⲫⲣⲉ (Tifre)

Damietta Governorate

• Damietta – ⲧⲁⲙⲓⲁϯ (Damiadi), "port"

Sinai

• Sinai – ⲥⲓⲛⲁ (Sina)
• Mount Sinai – ⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲓⲛⲁ (Toou Sina)
• Arish – ϩⲣⲓⲛⲟⲕⲟⲣⲟⲩⲣⲁ (Hrinokorura) (Gr.)
• Farama – ⲡⲉⲣⲉⲙⲟⲩⲛ (Beremun), "house of Amun"
• Sheikh Zuweid – ⲃⲁⲓⲧⲩⲗⲟⲩⲁ (Waitulua)
• Mahammediya – ⲅⲉⲣⲁⲥ (Geras) (Gr.)
• El-Qeis – ⲕⲁⲥⲓⲟⲥ (Kasios) (Gr.)
• Red Sea – ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ (Fiom Enhah)

Beni Suef Governorate

Fayyum Governorate

• Faiyum – ⲫⲓⲟⲙ (Phiom), "the sea, lake"
• Sanhur – ⲥⲩⲛϩⲱⲣ (Synhor), "the residence of Horus"
• Sinnuris – ⲯⲓⲛⲟⲩⲣⲉⲥ (Psinures) (Gr.)
• Ibshaway – ⲡⲓϣⲁⲉⲓ (Bishaei)
• Abu Girg – ⲡⲉⲕⲉⲣⲕⲏ (Bekerke), "temple, house of Horus"
• Tamiyah – ⲧⲁⲙⲁⲟⲩⲓⲥ (Tamauis) (Gr.)
• Hawarra – ϩⲟⲩⲱⲣ (Howor), "great house"
• Lahun – ⲗⲉϩⲱⲛⲉ (Lehone), "the mouth, door"

Minya Governorate

• Minya – ⲧⲙⲱⲛⲏ (Tmone)
• Mallawi – ⲙⲁⲛⲗⲁⲩ (Manlau), "place of textile"

Asyut Governorate

• Asyut – ⲥⲓⲱⲟⲩⲧ (Siowt),
• Kharga – ϩⲏⲃ (Hib)
• Abutig – ⲁⲡⲟⲩⲑⲏⲕ (Abutek), "storehouse"
• Abnub – ⲡⲁⲛⲟⲩⲃ (Banub), "house, temple of gold"
• Manfalut – ⲙⲁⲛⲃⲁⲗⲟⲧ (Manwalot), "place of leather clothing"

Sohag Governorate

• Akhmim – ⲭⲙⲓⲛ, ϣⲙⲓⲛ (Khmin, Shmin), "the abode of Min"
• Abydos – ⲉⲃⲱⲧ (Ebot)
• Girga – ϭⲉⲣϭⲉ, ⲧⲓⲛ (Cherche, Tin), "the Horus"
• Wannina – ⲁⲧⲣⲓⲡⲉ (Atribe), "palace, temple of Repyt"

Luxor Governorate

• Luxor – ⲛⲏ (Ne)
• Esne – ⲥⲛⲏ (Sne)

Qena Governorate

• Qena – ⲕⲱⲛⲏ (Kone)
• Dendera – ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲱⲣⲓ, ⲛⲓⲧⲉⲛⲧⲱⲣⲓ (Dendori, Nidendori), "the goddess"

Aswan Governorate

• Aswan – ⲥⲟⲩⲁⲛ (Suan), "place of trade"
• Elephantine – ⲓⲏⲃ (Ieb)
• Philae – ⲡⲓⲗⲁⲕ (Pilak)
• Edfu – ⲉⲧⲃⲟ (Etwo)
• Kom Ombo – ⲙⲃⲱ (Mbo)
• Qasr Ibrim – ⲡⲣⲓⲙ (Brim)

Outside of Egypt

• Jerusalem – ϩⲓⲉⲣⲟⲩⲥⲁⲗⲏⲙ (Hierusalim)
• Rome – ϩⲣⲱⲙⲏ (Hroma)
• Damascus – Ⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ (Damaskos)
• Gilan – ⲕⲓⲗⲁⲛ (Kilan)
• Hamadan – ⲁⲙⲁϩⲁⲑⲁⲛ (Amahatan)
• Shusha – ⲥⲟⲩⲥⲱⲛ (Souson)
• Khuzestan – ⲟⲍⲉⲟⲥ (Ozeos)
• Tigris – ϯⲅⲣⲓⲥ, ⲡⲛⲁϭ ⲛ̀ⲓⲉⲣⲟ (Tigris, Bnach Eniero)

Countries

• Israel – ⲡⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ (Pisrael)
• Greece – ϯⲉⲗⲗⲁⲥ (Hellas)
• Cyprus – ⲕⲩⲡⲣⲟⲥ (Kupros)
• Ethiopia – ⲉⲑⲱϣ (Etosh)
• Libya – ϯⲗⲩⲃⲏ, ⲗⲏⲃⲓ (ti-Luwi, Liwi)
• Syria – ϯⲥⲩⲣⲓⲁ (ti-Suria)
• India – ϩⲉⲛⲧⲟⲩ (Hendou), ⲑⲉⲛⲧⲓⲕⲏ

References

Further reading

1. Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia. Claremont Colleges Digital Library. Claremont Colleges.
2. Amélineau, Emile. (1893) La géographie de l’Egypte à l'époque copte. Paris: Imprimerie nationale.
3. Werner Vycichl (1983). Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue copte. Louvain: Peeters.
4. Timm, Stefan (1992). Das christlich-koptische Ägypten in arabischer Zeit. Wiesbaden: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag.
5. Peust, Carsten (2010). Die Toponyme vorarabischen Ursprungs im modernen Ägypten. Göttingen.
6. Peust, Carten (2010) Koptische Dialektologie anhand ägyptisch-arabischer Ortsnamen. Göttinger Miszellen 226.
7. Engsheden, Åke (2021). Ancient Place-Names in the Governorate of Kafr el-Sheikh. Leuven: Peeters.
8. Henricus Tattam, S.T.P.. Prophetae Majores in dialecto linguae Aegyptiacae Memphitica seu Coptica. — Oxford, 1852
9. A Coptic Palimpsest Containing Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Judith and Esther In The Sahidic Dialect, Edited By Sir Herbert Thompson. — Oxford, 1911.