[2] This has given rise to at least half a dozen lawsuits over the last couple decades, mostly ethnic Russian Latvian nationals not content with addition of case endings.
Other examples include:[3] Before the Christianization of Latvia in 13th century Latvians commonly gave their children names of objects from natural surroundings, such as Irbe (partridge), Lācis (bear), Ieva (bird cherry) and Ābele (apple tree), many of whom later became last names.
Names of the following 13th and 14th-century fief-owning Baltic vassals have been recorded – Manegints, Radiķis, Tontegode, Tots, Aulis, Mažeiki brothers, Grimeķis, Sirkants, Gaiža, Duvkants, Dumpjāts, Treinis, Gribonis, Mēlvaldis, Kantebute, Stegebute, Taites, Angutis, Poja, Krūms, Pitkejānis, Tautenis, Sentots, Cielava, Karīds etc.
Lutheran priest Christoph Harder also coined a number of new names from Latvian words for different virtues like Dievmīlis (God-lover), Strādulis (hard-worker), Žēlīte (sorrowful one), and Skaidrīte (clear one).
[1] Before the emancipation from serfdom (1817 in Courland, 1819 in Vidzeme, 1861 in Latgale) only noblemen, free craftsmen or people living in towns had surnames.
However, some surnames of Latvian origin (like Mucenieks, Kalns and Putns) have also been recorded as early as the 16th and 17th century, for example, among the transport workers.
[5] In rural regions it historically was common to identify individual by the name of the farmstead they lived in, rather than by a surname.
During the times when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, in official usage Latvian names were commonly Russified.