Casimir

Casimir, an English, French and Latin form of the Polish name Kazimierz.

Etymology

The name may mean "someone who destroys opponent's prestige/glory during battle", and is derived from the Slavic elements: kaziti "to destroy" and měr "prestige, fame". The latter element is also found in Vladimir, and is cognate to the Germanic and Celtic name element -mer or -mar (e.g. Dietmar) with similar meaning. It is often conflated with mir "peace, world", thus some researchers translate the name as "the one who reveals or establishes peace". Some sources give the meaning as "proclamation of peace". Several Polish kings have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great and Saint Casimir, a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty. Feminine forms are: Casimira, Kazimiera. Kazimierz could be also related with a Turkish name Kazim.

List of variations

Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens (/ˈsuːfjɑːn/ SOOF-yahn; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He first came to wider recognition with the 2000 album, A Sun Came, which was released on the Asthmatic Kitty label he co-founded with his stepfather. He is perhaps best known for his 2005 album, Illinois, which hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and for the single "Chicago" from that album.

Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas. Stevens makes use of a variety of instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same recording, and writes music in various time signatures. Though he has repeatedly stated an intent to separate his beliefs from his music, Stevens also freely draws from the Bible and Christian tradition.

Biography

Early life

Stevens was born in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of nine, when his family moved to Petoskey, in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He was raised by his father Rasjid and his stepmother, only occasionally visiting his mother, Carrie, in Oregon after she married her second husband Lowell Brams. (Brams would later become the head of Stevens' record label Asthmatic Kitty). He attended Petoskey High School, Interlochen Arts Academy and graduated from Harbor Light Christian School. He went on to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and earned a Masters in Fine Arts from The New School in New York City.