English
Vahey
Vahey comes from Irish Mac an Bheathadh ‘son of life’, from Proto-Celtic *biwos ‘alive, living’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- ‘to live’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷeyh₃-‘to live’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷih₃wós‘alive’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*biwos‘alive, living’reconstructed
- Proto-Celtic, derivedc. 1300–800 BCE*biwotūts‘life’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900bethu‘life’
- Middle Irishc. 900–1200betha
- Irishc. 1200–presentbeatha‘life’
- Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac an Bheathadh‘son of life’
- EnglishtodayVahey
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷeyh₃-‘to live’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷih₃wós‘alive’reconstructed
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*biwos‘alive, living’reconstructed
- Proto-Celtic, derivedc. 1300–800 BCE*biwotūts‘life’reconstructed
- Old Irishc. 600–900bethu‘life’
- Middle Irishc. 900–1200betha
- Irishc. 1200–presentbeatha‘life’
- Irish, derivedc. 1200–presentMac an Bheathadh‘son of life’
- EnglishtodayVahey
The story
Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Mac an Bheathadh (‘son of life’), from beatha (‘life’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- ‘to live’
biology, vitamin, viable, hygiene, kidney, revive, vitality, zodiac, anaerobic, quicken, quicksilver, quickness, biogenesis, wyvern, 57 more
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós ‘alive’
quick, vital, couch, vivid, vive, vivacious, convivial, vivacity, 33 more
Today it means
name A surname from Irish.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- / Vahey