MovieChat Forums > My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) Discussion > Toula?

Toula?

posted 17 years ago by christydegen
10 replies | jump to latest

My daughter absolutely loves the name Toula. My first husband was Greek so she has Greek blood. She is now pregnant with twins (one of each) and would like to name the girl Toula. I cannot find any information about the name anywhere. As my husband has passed away and I have lost contact with his family, i do not know where to go for information about the name except here.
Does anybody know the meaning of the name? Is it short for something and if so, what?
My daughter thinks the full name is mentioned in the movie, but I did not hear it when I watched it.
Thank you to anybody who takes the time to answer me.

[–] JR541 17 years ago

Deosn't Toula say that her full name is FORTOULA and that it translates to "The light of God"?

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] christydegen 17 years ago

Thank you very much. It is a very pretty name.

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[–] izanami292 17 years ago

Christydegen, the name "Toula" doesn't mean anything. Its a nickname derived from various Greek names. Usually children are given such nicknames and they sometimes stick with a person into adulthood. I don't remember what her official name is in this movie but if JR541 is correct and it is "Fotini" which translates to "Light" then Fotini=Fotoula from were "Toula" is derived from. But there are many Greek names that you can derive "Toula" from, such as: Dimitra=Dimitroula=Toula.

Most Greek female names have such nicknames that are derived in a similar fashion as "Toula" and in some cases more then just one version; such as (the original names is first in bold followed by various nicknames)
Anna:=Annoula=Ninoula=Noula
Katerina:=Rina=Nina=Katerinoula=Noula=Katey=Ketoula=Toula
Anastasia:=Natasa=Anastasoula=Tasoula=Soula
Dimitra=Dimitroula=Toula
Asimina:=Mina=Minoula
Sofia:=Sofouli=Fouli=Sofaki
Nicoletta:Niki=Nikoula=Koula
Theodora:=Dora=Theodoroula=Roula=Rouli=Roulaki
Melpo:=Melpoula=Poula
Vasiliki:=Viki=Vikoula=Koula
Fotini:=Fofoula=Fouli=Fofi=Fotoula=Toula
Andromachi:=Machi=Machoula
Kyriaki:=Kyriakoula=Koula=Kiki
Despina:=Despinaki=Despinoula=Noula
Paraskevi:=Paraskevoula=Voula
Argiaro:=Argiaroula=Roula
Christina:=Christinoula=Noula=Christinaki
Elenora:=Nora=Elenaki
Petra:=Petroula=Roula=Petraki

And the list goes on. Most Greek nicknames are derived in such a fashion. I have known people with the same name i.e Katerina one would use the nickname Nina the other Rina and another Katey, all are derived from the same name Katerina but someone not familiar with any of these persons wouldn't know all three share the same name. While others have the same nickname i.e. Toula but their nicknames are not derived from the same name i.e. Fotoula=Toula=derived from Fotini & Dimitroula=Toula=derived from Dimitra. Hope that makes some sense.

[–] kittymix99 16 years ago

hey my best friends name is Paraskevi shortened to Stavia do those mean anything?

[–] Impressive_Bicycle_Girl 15 years ago

Paraskevi (the name) is sometimes translated into English as Paula.

In Greek, it means Friday.

"I'm through being polite, goddamn it!"

[–] Evitadp-1 15 years ago

Her name is Fotoula and her nameday is on January 6th.

I'm smiling. This should scare you.

[–] Hyperion_LXXVII 14 years ago

As someone mentioned earlier there is no official Greek name called Toula - this is short for a number of names (the list is very long...)

I don't think Fotoula is an official name either - Fotoula probably comes from Fotini which is feminine for Fotis or Fotios. Many Greek names come in a masculine and feminine form.

Vasilios - Vasiliki
Dimitrios - Dimitra
Ioannis - Ioanna

As with the rules of Greek grammar, masculine names or nouns end with 's' while feminine names end with a or 'i' (or more accurately the greek letter 'ita' or 'eta' - there is no latin version of this so i is the closest). The rules apply to last names as well, so actually Toula Portokalos is incorrect. Her last name should be Portokalou, eg Fotini Portokalou or Toula Portokalou. It's common in Greek communities abroad for women to keep the exast same last name as their husbands to avoid confusion amongst "non Greeks", but this is actually not right in Greek. It even sounds strange when you speak Greek to pronounce a woman's last name with an s.

Fotoula is more than likely just a nickname for Fotini. It's an endearing nickname you would call a little girl named Fotini. But I could be wrong as there can be variations of the same name as well. Greek is quite a complex and diverse language.

[–] WhiteHeron 14 years ago

Christydegen: Since you asked the question 2 years ago, I'm wondering whether your daughter did name her daughter Toula?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Starlicious_85 14 years ago

Okay I have to ask, Its now Oct and you posted this back in Feb. How are the twins? What names did she go with?!

Rest your head close to my heart, Never to part, Baby of mine...