Page "Abandinus" Paragraph 6

The semantics of the theonym are unknown.

All the same, linguistic knowledge of Proto-Celtic lexis permits a narrowing of the likely possibilities of the theonym ’ s semantics.

The name could be interpreted as an extended form of a stem composed of Proto-Celtic elements deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots * ad-‘ to ’ + either * bʰend-‘ sing, rejoice ’ or * bʰendʰ-‘ bind ’.

Along these lines, the name would mean ‘( the god ) who sings to ( something / someone )’ or ‘( the god ) who binds ( something / someone ) to ( something / someone ).’ However, it is also possible to see the name as an extended form of a variant form of the Proto-Celtic word * abon-‘ river ,’ derived from the Proto-Indo-European root * ab -, * h₂eb-‘ water, river ’.

The Romano-Celtic name for the Humber is documented as having been Abus which suggests that a shorter element * abo-existed in the Proto-Celtic lexicon as a word for ‘ river ’ or ‘ water .’ This * abo-element could have been the source of the Ab -- element in the theonym Abandinus.

So the name can also be analysed as * Ab-Andinus ‘ Andinus of the River ,’ Andinus being a theonym attested elsewhere in the ancient Roman Empire.