An examination of student names at Iğdır University from the perspective of onomastics

This thesis examines the knowledge, attitudes, and awareness levels of students studying at Iğdır University regarding their names from an onomastics perspective. The main objective of the research is to reveal the students' liking for their names, the accuracy of their knowledge about the meaning and origin of their names, and how this knowledge is passed down within the family. In this context, the relationships between names and variables such as gender, birthplace, department, and naming methods were also evaluated. The research was conducted using quantitative methods, and a structured questionnaire was applied to collect data. The scope of the study included students of Iğdır University, and the study was conducted with the participation of 1151 students. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations. The results show that a large majority of students like their names and know their meanings. It was determined that female students have more knowledge about the meaning of their names and who gave them to them than male students. It was observed that students who received their names from their elders had a higher rate of knowledge about the meaning and origin of their names; this shows that knowledge of meaning is passed down from generation to generation along with the naming tradition. However, it was found that a significant portion of the students either lacked sufficient knowledge about the origin of their names or had incomplete or incorrect information about it. The study's results reveal that names are not merely an element that identifies an individual, but are closely linked to cultural memory, family tradition, and identity formation. The data shows that while name awareness is generally high among students, awareness of name origins remains limited. In this respect, the research offers an innovative and current contribution to studies in the field of onomastics in Türkiye, using the example of university youth.