Polish Names

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Polish Names

Christian Influence
Although many Polish names are similar to Russian names, much as the Polish language is similar to the Russian language, the cultures of the two countries come from very different traditions. The Poles (as opposed to their Russian Orthodox cousins) are staunchly Roman Catholic and most Polish people have Slavic forms of Catholic names. In the the Middle Ages, clerics began pushing for children to be named after saints and only after saints. These names were usually of saints (or semi-legendary Christian heroes), and are of Latin, Greek, or Aramaic origin.

Adrian
Agata - Agatha
Agnieska - Agnes
Amadeusz, Hamadej - Amadeus
Ambrozy -Ambrose
Andrzej, Jedrzej - Andrew
Ania, Anna- Anna
Aniela - Angela
Antoni - Anthony
Anzelm - Anselm
Apolonia
Augustyn - Augustine
Baltazar - Balthazar
Barabasz - Barabas
Barbara
Barnaba - Barnabas
Bartlomiej - Bartholomew
Benedykt - Benedict
Berenike - Veronica, Berenice
Blazéj, Blózej - Blaise
Bonifacy - Boniface
Brygida - Bridget
Brykcy, Brykcjusz - Brictius
Cyprian, Cypryjan - Ciprianus
Damijan - Damian
Dionizy - Dionysus
Dominik - Dominic
Donat - Donatus
Elena, Helena, Alena - Ellen, Helen
Eustachy, Ostasz - Eustace
Fabian
Feliks, Felicjan, Szczesny - Felix
Filip - Philip
Franciszek - Francis
Gabrjel - Gabriel
Gabrysia - Gabriella
Gaspar - Jasper
Gerwazy - Gervase
Grzegorz - Gregory
Idzi - Giles
Ignacy - Ignace
Izydor, Sidor - Isidore
Jachym, Jakin - Joachim
Jacenty - Hyacinth
Jan - John
Jeronim, Hieronim - Jerome
Jerzy - George
Józef - Joseph
Juda - Judah
Julian - Julian
Juliusz - Julius
Just - Justus
Justyn - Justin
Kajetan - Gaetano
Kamil - Camillus
Kamila - Camilla
Katarzyna - Katherine
Klara - Clara
Klaudia - Claudia
Klaudiusz - Claudius
Klemens, Kliment - Clement
Klementyna - Clemetine
Konstantyn - Constantine
Korneliusz - Cornelius
Kosma - Cosmo
Kryspin - Crispin
Krysztof - Christopher
Ksawery - Xavier
Laurencjusz, Lawcenty, Wawrzeniec - Laurence
Lev - Leo
Lucjan - Lucian
Lukasz - Lucas, Luke
Maciej, Mateusz - Matthias
Magdalena, Madlen - Magdalene
Malgorzata - Margaret
Marek - Marcus, Mark
Maria, Marija - Maria
Martyn - Martin
Michal, Michail - Michael
Narcyz - Narcissus
Pauwel, Pawel, Pawol - Paul
Pielgrzym - Peregrine
Pietr, Piotr, Piotyr - Peter
Pius
Raina - Regina
Rozalia - Rosalia
Sebestyjan, Sobiestian, Bastyjan - Sebastian, Bastian
Seweryn - Severinus
Siemion, Syzmeon - Simon
Sylwan - Silvanus
Sylwester - Sylvester
Sylwia - Sylvia
Szczepan - Stephen
Tadeusz - Thaddeus
Teresa - Theresa
Toma, Tomasz - Thomas
Tymoteusz, Tymofij - Timothy
Urban
Urszula, Orszula - Ursula
Walenty - Valentine
Walery - Valerius
Weronika, Weronija - Veronica
Wiecency, Wincenty - Vincent
Zofia, Zofija - Sophia

Old Testament names were not used as often, but can be found. Old Testament names are usually of Hebrew origin, although some are thought to be Egyptian.

Adam
Abram
Aron - Aaron
Bienijamin, Beniamin - Benjamin
Danil, Danilo - Daniel
Daniela - Danielle
Dawid - David
Debora - Deborah
Eljasz - Elijah, Elias
Elzbieta - Elizabeth
Emanuel - Emmanuel
Ester - Esther
Ewa - Eva
Hania - Hannah
Isaak - Isaac
Izajasz - Isaiah
Jaagob, Jakow - Jacob
Jonasz - Jonah, Jonas
Jonatan - Jonathan
Jordan
Jozafat - Jehoshaphat
Juda, Juta - Judah
Judyta - Judith
Lazar, Lazarz - Eleazar, Lazarus
Lidia - Lydia
Marta - Martha
Moises, Mojz, Mojzes - Moses
Natan - Nathan
Nikodem - Nicodemos
Noe - Noah
Rachwal - Raphael
Rachela, Rahel - Rachel
Rebeka - Rebecca
Rut - Ruth
Salmon - Solomon
Salomea - Salome
Sara, Zarah - Sarah
Teofil - Theophilus
Tobiasz, Tobijasz - Tobias
Tytus - Titus
Uriah - Urjasz
Zachariasz - Zachary
Zuzanna, Zuzanny - Susan

German Influence
To the east of the Polish-speaking lands, lay the German-speaking lands. Beginning in the 18th century the Germans (led by Prussia and Austria) exerted a tremendous amount of pressure on Poland, often collaborating with Russia to divide and conquer their eastern neighbor.

Perhaps as a consequence, many Polish names have a distinctly German origin (although some were also saintly names):

Adelajda - Adelaide
Alberta
Alfons - Alphonse
Alicja - Alice
Alojzy - Aloise
Antonia
August
Amelja, Amaljia - Amelia
Bartold
Bernard (also a saint’s name)
Berta - Bertha
Blanka - Blanche, Blanca
Emilan - Emil
Emma (also a saint’s name)
Emilija - Emily
Elza - Elsa
Emeryk - Emmerich
Ferdynand - Ferdinand
Freyderyka, Fryderyka - Fredericka
Friederich, Frydrych - Frederick
Gertruda, Giertruda - Gertrude
Hainrich, Hajnrich, Henryk - Henrick, Henry
Hanz, Hans - Johannes, John
Herman, Arman
Hubert
Jakub - Jakob, Jacob
Karol, Karul - Karl, Charles
Karoline - Karoline, Caroline
Katarina - Katherine (also a saint’s name)
Kondrat, Konrad, Kunrad - Conrad
Krystian - Christian
Krystyna, Krystjana - Christina, Christiana
Lampert - Lambert
Lenard, Lenhart - Leonard
Leon
Lodwik, Lodwig, Ludwich, Ludwik - Ludvig (Louis)
Lorenz, Lorenc- Laurence
Maksym - Maximus
Matylda - Mathilde, Matilda (also a saint’s name)
Odo - Otto
Olbrecht - Albrecht, Albert
Oliwjer - Oliver
Rafal - Raphael
Rajmund - Raymond
Rawel, Rawol - Raoul
Robert
Roderyk - Roderick
Rodolf - Rudolph
Róza - Rosa
Ryszard - Richard
Stefan - Stephen (also a saint’s name)
Szczedrzyk, Czedrzyk -Theodoric
Ulryk - Ulrich
Walter
Wiktor - Victor, Viktor
Wilam, Wielhelm - William, Wilhelm
Zygmund, Zygmunt - Sigmund

English Influence
English is also a Germanic language, and a cousin of German. A few English names have crept into Polish as well, including:

Edyta - Edith
Etel - Ethel
Edmund (also a saint’s name)
Edward (also a saint’s name)

Scandinavian Influence
The Scandinavian languages are also Germanic, and also cousins of German. A few Scandinavian (Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, etc.) names have crept into Polish as well, including:

Eryk - Eric
Inga
Jadwiga - Hedwig (also a saint’s name)

Russian Influence
As hard pressed as Poland was by the Germans, it was more tightly squeezed by the Russians to the east.

The Russians gave to Poland a variety of Russian names, many of which had a Greek origin, were from the the Orthodox church, and belonged to Orthodox saints. Others were of a native, Slavic origin. Still others were known as the west, as the Orthodox and Catholic branches of Christianity shared many saints. These include:

Aleksandr (Leksandr, Oleksandr) - Alexander
Aleksandra - Alexandra
Aleksy - Alexei (Alexis)
Anastazja - Anastasia
Anastazy - Anastasius
Anatol - Anatoli (Anatolius)
Artemi (Artemas)
Atanazy - Athanasius
Cyryl, Cyrul - Cyril
Bazyli, Vasily, Wasyl - Vasili (Basil)
Boris
Demetr, Dmitr, Demetrjusz - Dmitri (Demetrios)
Iwan - Ivan (John)
Makary - Makarios
Metody - Methodios
Mikolaj, Nikolaj - Nikolai (Nicholas)
Nadzieja - Nadezhda
Roksana - Roxana
Tamary - Tamar
Teodor, Dorofiej - Fyodor (Theodore)
Teodora - Theodora
Teodozja, Teodozia- Theodosia
Teofila - Theophila
Wolodymyr, Wlodzimierz - Vladimir
Tekla - Fekla
Zoe

Slavic Names
In addition, Poland retained many native Polish names of Slavic origin, including the elements “bog”(god), mier (great), mir (peace), bole (large), chwala (praise), milo (favored), and slaw/slav (glory),

Some of these names include:

Bialas - “White Man”
Bogumil - “God Favored”
Bogumierz - “God is Great” or “God is Peace”
Boguchwal - “God Praise”
Boguslaw - “God Glory”
Boleslaw - “Large Glory”
Bozydar - “Divine Gift”
Bronislaw - “Armor Glory”
Budzislaw - “Stir to Glory”
Kazimierz/Casimir “Destroy Peace”
Czabor “Honor Battle”
Czeslaw - “Honor Glory”
Dobiemir - “Kind Peace”
Dobieslaw - “Kind Glory”
Dobrogost - “Kind Guest”
Dobromil - “Kind Grace”
Gniewomir - Angry Peace”
Jaropelk - “Spring People”
Jaroslav - “Spring Glory”
Jarogniew “Spring Angry”
Kwiatoslav - Flower Glory
Lech - The name of a folk hero of Poland.
Lechoslaw - “Lech’s Glory”
Lubomierz - “Love Great” or “Love Peace”
Ludomir - “Peace Great”
Lutobor - “People Battle
Lutoslaw - “People Glory
Mieczyslaw - “Man Glory
Milobor - “Favored Battle”
Milogost - “Favored Guest”
Miloslaw - “Favored Glory”
Miroslaw - “Peace Glory”
Mscislaw - “Vengeance Glory”
Przemysl - “Trick”
Przybyslaw - “Help Glory”
Radoslaw - “Happy Glory”
Radzimierz - “Happy Great” or “Happy Peace”
Roscislaw - “Usurp Glory”
Stanislaw, Stanislas - “Camp Glory” or “Government Glory”
Wladyslaw - “Rule Glory”
Wenceslaus, Wenceslas, Waclaw - “More Glory”

Polish Names Today
According to Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(http://www.poland.gov.pl/?page=1030802031), although “traditional” names like Anna, Maria, Barbara, Magdalena, Katarzyna, Piotr, Jan, Tomasz, and Marek are still used, many Polish parents are taking names from “imported soap opears,” or “performers, sportsmen, or other celebrities” and that there is a great desire to give one’s child a “rare, unusual, or foreign-souding name.”

“Trendy” names in Poland today girls names include Aleksandra, Alicja, Angelika, Anita, Dominika, Gabriela, Julia, Justyna, Kamila, Karolina, Kinga, Klaudia, Magdalena, Natalia, Oliwia, Patrycja, Paulina, Sylwia, Weronika, and Zuzanna for girls;

And Adam, Adrian, Andrzej, Arkadiusz, Bartlomiej, Damian, Daniel, Dariusz, Dawid, Dominik, Filip, Jakub, Jan, Kacper, Kamil, Karol, Konrad, Krystian, Kryzysztof, Lukasz, Marcin, Mateusz, Michal, Oskar, Pawel, Patryk, Przemyslaw, Radoslaw, Rafal, Sebastian, and Szymon for boys.

Some Polish Names hosted by Edgar’s Name Page include:

Adrian
Anna
Barbara
Daniela
Casimir
Gabriela
Fabian
Jan
Marta
Roman
Stanislas
Urban