The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

I have read a lot about Vampires and I have found that many names are used for the word Vampire, the Dutch call them Vampyr, the Polish call them Wampior or Upior, the Slownik call them Upir, and in the Ukraine the are known as Upeer...

I find it very interesting that there are so many different names and even meanings for them Just like in the Hydra and Albania they are called Wukodalak,Vurkrlaka, and /or Vrykolaka and it means "wolf-fairy" Now this one comfuses me and my question is do any of you know of different names that are used to call a Vampire and maybe the meaning of that name or why?

i have only done some research on the Upir name which the russians called them that ..

I think the different names so the existance because they go across time and boundries it is not just on culture which normal surround miths

yes the different names are of different nationalities and even some say that they are from the greek . I find it very interesting that there are so many different cultures who have the belief of Vampiric history.

That is very true the Skeats and Blagden in Pagan Races of the Malay peninsula believe "a vampire according to the view of Sakai of Perak is not a demon at all....even though it is icidentally so -called.... but being a of flesh and blood"

Some believe that not all Vampires sucked blood yet instead they inflicted contagious disease and strangled their victims without drawing blood or even a speedy or retarded death by many other means...

Yes, (regarding what you stated above) I have also learned that originally many cultures believed vampires to be the cause of unexplained deaths, plague, insomnia and a myriad of other unpleasantries. That being said, the cultural interpretations, as I understand (and who am I, anyway lol) are linked to these beliefs of "boogey man" destruction. Even the signs we may now commonly relate to "vampires" such as the teeth marks in the flesh and the like did not have to exist in these older cultures for the idea that vampires were the cause.

I apologize that this doesn't really give you too much more. I can say that the History Channel did a great documentary on vampires (about two hours or so) and it covers many topics you've touched on in this thread. I think it may be available on their site?

Interesting thread, btw

i am not sure as to what other names there are for vampires other then vamprye even then i am not sure of its meaning.

well I also follow the Wallachians history and they call them the Murony anthey not only suck the blood of victimsbut also posses the powers of assuming differentshapes such as a cat, dog even a spider, via the bite on the neck , and the Walachians have a great fear of sudden deathbecause they fear that it is cause freom the bite of a vampire and no one can save them from that fate ... just some more info

I have seen many different names for Vampires, but with every language you will have different people saying different things about what they mean and that is with every word.... it really is what you take Vampire for in the end... Just how people take the meaning of Vampires not everyone will have the same outlook on them..

This is so true that everyculture has their meanings and names for the "Vampire" yet they all do pertain to the fact that they cause death... and enjoy Blood... :)

very true, vampires seem to span the countries of mother earth, and in each has a given name for them, yet one thing remains the same, the myth of what they are and what they do.

that is true Cadrewolf they still are feared and have ledgends all over the world for the chaos that they bring and create . hummm very interesting makes one thinkg... so they really do exist... when reading all this it makes even the most non-believer BELIEVE.... is my opinion.

Just to play devil's advocate (one of my many talents...), if we consider that these cultures are older and not necessarily "educated" in the ways of many sicknesses, etc (again, based on the time these legends were developed and not the modern world) who's to say it's anything more than humanity's common mental defense to automatically finger something; anything as the culprit? As for the vast spreading of commonality among some of these cultures vampire legend, could it be a matter of our discovering this pattern and applying to the vampire myth? Not all claims of vampirism were based on blood-drained corpses.

Again, just wondering and not trying to start trouble *smile*

Lamia is apparently the greek word, for vampire. -shrugs-

HerAshes I agree it is a very good probability as to what you said, and many of these do not have anything to do with Blood draining corpses LOl yet it is all too familiar sooo who is to really say and you are not starting trouble just a very good conversation .. :)

Well, there's a name for it in most any other language, that's why it's another language :P And with other languages- some don't translate exactly to another.

There is so much info on them. That even if some of it is bull. That shows me they have been around since the dawn of time.

A vamp by any other name bites just as hard. Is that the way it goes? i dont remember. Id like to learn more about howdifferent cultures view them. Thanx for sparking my intrests!:)

There is a book out by David J. Skal that is called Vampires and it gives all the ancient cultures and countries info on what they called the Vampires and their names and how they are somehow related to the ledgends of Vlad or similiarities to that .. I have found it very interesting if anyone would like to go read it or get it I got it at Barnes and Noble.. just alittle info for the curious at heart.. :)

you are so right that is an awesome book I have it also and it is full of info thanks for sharing with us :)

i think it is that area way to call vampire nothing. everthing has a different name in different places.

I think alot of people think of Vlad being the main name for Vampire and forget that there was a history even far before he came around..

the first nations call us skinwalkers the reasion is we come out at night and tend to take on the skin of our prey

It makes it very difficult to say we don't exist when there is a word for us in almost every culture and every language, doesn't it??

True

It is so true that vampires cannot be ignored if so many cultures embrace some belief in them.

I just go by vampire or sang vamp. I've not had any revelations of other names for me personally.

no but i am a vampire i've never been called otherwise and i don't really care cause either way they all match up to being the same thing in 1 way or another

As our lauguage is different with each culture, so is our perception of the being we call a vampire. They are similar, yet the interpretation divulges the culture in which it was born.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL A ROSE.

I think that most often the name of something reflects the cultures beliefs. Its just like how different countries have different names in different languages. The culture gives the vampyre the name that best fits it according to their culture and language

Good post LadyA. I think that about sums it up. The name for a vampire is just a refletion of the country it comes from.

In Australia the vampire of choice is called Yara-ma-yha-who- More beast than man, this vampire dwelt in fig trees and
would jump down on people who passed by or slept under the tree. The creature
would drain the blood from the person, though not usually enough to kill.
Sometimes it ate the person whole, then regurgitated them out later. The more
often a person was attacked, the more like the creature they became, until
eventually they were made fully into a yara-ma-yha-who.

I think it would be a half were man type vamperic creature

we exist all over the world... this means our names n culture may differ but as cadrewolf said, we are all the same being

well I agree that there are many names for the Vampire due to all the different cultures, and the stories over the years , to me it just proves that there iare Vampires out there and people just choose not to believe .. LOL .

Culture is a large influence on the vampire name and it's legend.

Well, in my language they are called "Vampīri" , when "ī" is pronounced the same as "ee"in a word "bee", and with that name it's understand the same as english "vampires".
In a figurative sense It's called "blood sucker", if translated directly, but from what I could find now, no other name has been mentioned.

I read this book and it has like over 100 ledgends and names from different countries/cultures for the same meaning as Vampire and as you say it is sometimes also just a different pronounciation .. yet spelt the same .. Just amazing that people would not believe they exist if so manyhas the history and ledgends hummm.

There's a couple of member articles by Artemeka called 'Global vampires-myth and legend' that will really help your question here. it's packed full of great info.

this is a fary intersting topic i will have to do mor reserch on it

Different countries and peoples have different religons and belief systems.Some of the old western Europeon countries consider them merely a nuisance, like a mice.And simply regard them as such, and take precautions against them.My old grannie had this mind-set as well,be careful and but about go about your normal life.
Depending on one's religious belief, is what would denote what they are called and why.The history of the country and it's people would give you that answer. The answers could be endless actually.

I believe that each culture has an equivalent of the vampire...the label is just different is all...

i knew that there were differnet names, tnx forthe information, its useful and interesting.

in italy they are called strogi

very imformative im glad i read it it tought me alot i didnt know