Imants is a

Latvian masculine given name Latvian names, like in most European cultures, consist of two main elements: the given name (''vārds'') followed by family name (''uzvārds''). During the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet occupation (1940–1941; 1944–1991) the practic ...

, from the

Livonian language Livonian ( or ) is a Finnic language whose native land is the Livonian Coast of the Gulf of Riga, located in the north of the Kurzeme peninsula in Latvia but also used to be spoken in the Salaca River valley. Although its last known native ...

: ''im'' meaning "miracle" added to ''and'' meaning "gift". The name is borne by more than 6,250 men in

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

. Its nameday is celebrated on 1 July. The name is one of the relatively few surviving Latvian names of indigenous origin from among the great number revived or introduced during the

Latvian National Awakening The Latvian National Awakening () refers to three distinct but ideologically related national revival movements: * the First Awakening refers to the national revival led by the Young Latvians from the 1850s to the 1880s * the Second Awakening ...

of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to the Latvian calendar, the

name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...

for Imants is July 1. A female variant, "Imanta" was included in a 1915 calendar and first recorded in 1921. Variations of it, such as "Ima", "Imandra", "Imanda", and "Imulis" were also later in the 20th century, though the last two were only recorded once. The associated

is August 19.

Individuals

The name Imants may refer to the following: * Imants Barušs, Canadian professor of psychology *

Imants Bleidelis Imants Bleidelis (born 16 August 1975) is a Latvian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made 106 appearances for the Latvia national team. Club career Born in Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union, Bleidelis started his car ...

(born 1975), Latvian footballer * Imants Bodnieks (born 1941), Latvian racing cyclist *

Imants Kalniņš Imants Kalniņš (born 26 May 1941) is a Latvian composer, musician and politician. Having studied classical and choral music, he has written seven symphonies, several operas (including the first rock opera in the USSR, ), oratorios, cantatas ...

(born 1941), Latvian composer *

Imants Kokars Imants Kokars (16 August 1921 in Gulbene, Latvia – 24 November 2011 in Riga, Latvia) was a Latvian people, Latvian pedagogue and Conducting, conductor. His twin brother Gido Kokars was also a conductor. Imants Kokar has been chief conductor of s ...

(1921–2011), Latvian music pedagogue and conductor *

Imants Lancmanis Imants Lancmanis (born July 29, 1941) is a Latvian painter and art historian. He has also been the director of Rundāle Palace Museum from 1976 until 2019. Biography Imants Lancmanis was born on July 29, 1941, in Riga. In 1959 he graduated fro ...

(born 1941), Latvian art historian *

Imants Lešinskis Imants Lešinskis (17 December 1931 – 23 December 1985) was a Latvian KGB agent and a double agent for the CIA who defected from the Soviet Union to the United States with his wife and daughter in 1978 while working for the United Nations in ...

(born 1935), KGB agent *

Imants Lieģis Imants Viesturs Lieģis (born 30 April 1955) is a Latvian diplomat and politician. Since 2016, he has served as Latvia's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to France, as well as non-resident ambassador to Algeria, Morocco and Monaco. He ...

(born 1955), Latvian ambassador *Imants Ozers (born 1960) Artist *

Imants Priede Imants (Monty) George Priede is a British-Latvian zoologist, author and academic. He is professor emeritus in the University of Aberdeen, Scotland known for his work on fish and life in the deep sea. Priede has published over 150 research papers ...

(born 1948), British-Latvian zoologist, author and academic *

Imants Sudmalis Imants Sudmalis (18 March 1916 OS, Cēsis, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire – 25 May 1944 NS, Riga, Latvia) was a Latvian editor and Soviet communist and partisan, the Hero of the Soviet Union (awarded posthumously on October 23, 1957) ...

(1916–1944), Latvian communist and Soviet partisan *

Imants Tillers Imants Tillers (born 1950), is an Australian artist, curator and writer. He lives and works in Cooma, New South Wales. Early life and education Imants Tillers was born in Sydney in 1950, the child of Latvian immigrants. In 1973 he graduated fro ...

(born 1950), Australian artist *

Imants Zemzaris Imants Zemzaris (born 14 April 1951) is a Latvian composer and teacher. His family is famous in Latvia due to his grandfather Jānis Endzelīns. A native of Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns ...

(born 1951), Latvian composer *

Imants Ziedonis Imants Ziedonis (3 May 1933 – 27 February 2013) was a Latvian poet and writer who first rose to fame during the Soviet era in Latvia. Early life and education Ziedonis was born in the Sloka fisherman's district of Jūrmala, Latvia. He was edu ...

(born 1933), Latvian poet

Notes

Sources

Pilsonības un Migrācijas Lietu Parvalde (PMLP): Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs personal name database

References

* Latkovskis, Leonards, 1971: ''Latgalu uzvordi, palames un dzymtas II''. Munich: Latgalu izdevniecība * Siliņš, K., 1990: ''Latviešu personvārdu vārdnīca''. Rīga: Zinātne {{given name, Imants, nocat Latvian masculine given names Masculine given names Uralic personal names