REFLECTION OF THE NAMES OF FAMOUS FIGURES OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN IN THE ETHNIC TOPONYMS OF THE SOUTH OF RUSSIA

The history of the Armenian people, which has long suffered claims to its territories from the neighboring states, is an endless chain of tragic events and dramatic situations. Under the blows of the nomadic barbarian hordes in Armenia, cities and villages were destroyed, the original inhabitants were destroyed, and the lands became the property of the invaders. The Armenians who saved their lives left their homeland in large and small groups and settled in other countries, in particular in the South of Russia (the Don and the North Caucasus). A significant part of Armenians who found themselves outside their homeland – in the Diaspora, lost their ethnicity because of assimilation. Many are now in danger of losing their national identity. The most important factor affecting the preservation of national identity in the diaspora is the historical memory of the abandoned Homeland. In turn, the preservation of historical memory is influenced by national toponyms, in particular oikonyms – the names of settlements. The article presents the author’s classification of Armenian toponyms (oikonyms). The third group of oikonyms, the most numerous, consists of settlements named after famous figures of Armenian origin, as well as the founders of settlements. These toponyms have become the object of consideration of this article. In the Soviet period, especially in the pre-war decades, the advantage was given only to revolutionary or Soviet toponyms in terms of content. Most of them are dedicated to Armenians-Soviet public and political figures. Many Armenian settlements either ceased to exist or were renamed for various reasons. The author expresses confidence that at the present stage, the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation create a favorable basis for the restoration of lost national toponyms.

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