A Guide to Czech Boy Names [with Audio]
Some Czech boy names (like Ladislav, Milan, Miloš, and Radek) have Slavic origins. Czech itself is a Slavic language.
Many Czech boy names also come from Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Examples include names like Jan, Daniel, Dominik, and Jiří —you may not have guessed that Jiří is the Czech equivalent of the English name George (which comes from Greek).
In the Czech Republic, there is the svátek (name day) tradition. Each day of the year has a name assigned to it, and on the day corresponding to your name, you celebrate your name day.
That's why Czech parents often choose names that appear in the calendar so their kids don't miss out on having a svátek (name day) celebration.
Popular Czech Boy Names
Audio recordings: in this article, click on any of the names to hear an audio recording of its pronunciation.
Most Czech names are not very common in English. Many of them are either of Slavic origin or have been adapted to sound more natural to the Czech ear. Even names that are of Germanic or French origin often look nothing like their English equivalents.
One thing to remember about Czech names is that Czech people rarely call each other by their full name. Instead, they opt for a nickname or a diminutive version of the name. Someone's full name is often only used in formal settings (such as one's workplace).
Here is a list of some of the most common Czech boy names:
The Czech name Aleš comes from the Greek Alexein. It means "defender".
While Greek in origin, the name is thought to have been adapted from the Russian name Alexej.
The name Antonín comes from the Latin name Antonius, meaning "highly praiseworthy". It is the Czech equivalent of the English name Anthony.
Czech is a Slavic language, so unlike the Romance languages, Czech is not a language which comes from Latin. However, alongside Slavic names there are a number of Latin-derived names which are common in the Czech Republic.
Daniel is a popular Czech boy name. Its origin can be traced back to the Old Testament. In Hebrew, Dániel means "God is my judge".
The name Dominik comes from the Latin word dominus. It means "of the Lord" or "belonging to the Lord".
Jakub is the Czech equivalent of the English name Jacob. It is of Hebrew origin, and it means "supplanter" or "he who grasps the heel".
Jan is the second most common Czech boy name. It's the Czech equivalent of John, and it means "God is gracious".
Most Czech people named Jan will often go by the nickname "Honza". This version of the name comes from the German name Hans.
The Czech name Jindřich is of Germanic origin, and it means "ruler of the house".
Jindřich is the Czech version of the English name Henry. When Czechs learn about British history, they talk about Jindřich VIII instead of Henry VIII.
Jiří is the number one most common Czech boy name. It comes from the Greek geórgos, meaning "farmer" or "Earth worker".
The English equivalent of Jiří is George.
The name Josef is of Hebrew origin. It means "he will add" or "God increases".
Most Czech people named Josef go by the nickname Pepa. This nickname comes from the Italian version of the name - Beppe.
While Josef is still one of the most common Czech boy names, its popularity has decreased among new parents.
The name Karel comes from the German name Karl. It means "free man", and it is the Czech equivalent of the English name Charles.
Czech people often associate the name Karel with the king Karel IV (or Charles IV).
Karel IV was the first King of Bohemia who also became the Holy Roman Emperor. He is perhaps the most well-known and beloved Czech king. His name holds a huge cultural significance – even the biggest Czech university is named after him: Univerzita Karlova (Charles University).
Ladislav is a name of Slavic origin which is commonly used in the Czech republic. It means "glorious ruler".
The name Libor comes from the Latin Liberius, meaning "free".
The Czech name Lukáš comes from the Greek name Loukas. It means "man of Lucanus".
Marcel is a name of Latin origin. It means "belonging to Mars".
The name Marek comes from the Latin name Marcus, meaning "dedicated to Mars" or "warlike".
Martin comes from the Latin name Martinus. Much like the name Marek, it means "dedicated to Mars" or "warlike".
Matěj is the Czech equivalent of the English name Matthew. This cute Czech boy name is of Hebrew origin, and it means "gift of God".
Michal is a name of Hebrew origin. It means "who resembles God".
In many languages, Michal is considered a girl's name – the feminine version of Michael. However, both Michal and Michael are considered boy names in Czech.
Milan is a Slavic name that comes from the Slavic word "mil", meaning "kind" or "nice". It is etymologically related to the Czech word "milý" which means "kind".
Much like the name Milan, Miloš is a Slavic name that comes from the word "mil". It means "kind" or "nice".
Miroslav is a name of Slavic origin, and a common boy name in the Czech Republic. This name literally means "one who celebrates peace" (mír = peace; slav = celebrate).
The Czech boy name Ondřej comes from the Greek andréios. It means "man", "warrior", or "brave".
Ondřej is the Czech equivalent of the English name Andrew.
The name Pavel comes from the Latin Paulus. It means "small" or "humble".
Petr comes from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone".
Petr is a unique name in the Czech calendar – it appears twice. Once in February and once in June. This is a rare occurrence in the calendar and one easily explained.
The June date is closely tied to religion and Saint Petr (also known as Peter the Apostle.) Other countries that celebrate name days (such as Slovakia) also have the name Petr appear in the calendar on June 29.
On the other hand, the February date is a solely Czech tradition.
Anyone named Petr can choose which day they want to celebrate their name day on – some even choose to celebrate twice a year!
Radek is a Slavic name. It is etymologically related to the Czech word "rád" which means "glad" or "happy".
The name Roman comes from the Latin word Romanus. It means "citizen of Rome".
Stanislav is an old name of Slavic origin. It means "he who achieves glory or fame".
The Czech boy name Tomáš is of Aramaic and Greek origin. It means "twin".
Václav is a beautiful Czech boy name that means "wreath of glory" or "having greater glory".
Václav is a culturally significant name – many famous Czechs were called Václav. Perhaps the most famous one is Saint Václav, Duke of Bohemia and martyr, who is also the subject of the popular Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas.
The last President of Czechoslovakia, as well as the first President of the Czech Republic, was also named Václav (Václav Havel).
The name Vít is thought to be either of Latin origin (meaning "joyful" or "life") or of Germanic origin (meaning "forest").
Vladimír is a Slavic name. It means "of great power" or "great ruler".
This pretty Czech boy name is of Slavic origin. It means "rejoicing warrior" or "he who enjoys war".
Zdeněk is either of Latin origin (meaning "man from Sidon") or of Slavic origin (meaning "here famous").
Old-fashioned Czech Boy Names
Not all Czech names are as popular as they used to be. Nowadays, Czechs tend to prefer shorter, more modern-sounding names. Traditional, flowery names are becoming less and less common.
Some of these names might still be in use, albeit sparingly. Others have found their place in history books but are not commonly encountered in day-to-day life.
Still, the popularity of names comes and goes. While some of these may not be popular now, they were once – and it's possible they might eventually make a comeback.
Here is a list of some of the more traditional Czech boy names:
The name Bohumil comes from the Greek Teofil. It means "favored by God".
The Czech name Bořivoj is of Slavic origin. It means "warrior" or "fighter".
Cyril is of Greek origin. It means "lordly".
The name Cyril is closely tied to Slavic history. Cyril and his brother Methodius are credited with inventing the Glagolitic alphabet, which is the oldest known Slavic alphabet.
The Czech name Čeněk is a diminutive form of Vincenc which comes from the Latin name Vincenzo. It means "conqueror" or "winner".
The Czech boy name Dalibor is of Slavic origin. It means "to fight far away".
Drahoslav is a Slavic name. It means "precious and glorious".
The name Hynek is a Czech version of the German name Heinrich. It means "ruler of the house".
Lubomír is a name of Slavic origin. It means "peace-loving".
The Czech male name Mojmír is of Slavic origin. This name means "my peace".
Oldřich is a Czech name which comes from the German name Ulrich, meaning "rich" or "with a great inheritance".
Oldřich used to be a very popular name in the Czech Republic. Many people over 60 may still be named Oldřich. However, this name is rare among the younger generation.
Otakar is a Czech boy name of Germanic origin. This name means "watchman of property" or "warden of riches".
The traditional Czech boy name Rostislav is a Slavic name. It means "to increase glory". (The Czech word « růst » means "to increase", and the Czech word « sláva » means "glory" )
The name Rudolf is of Germanic origin. It's the Czech version of the English name Rudolph. It means "famous wolf".
Rudolf used to be a very popular name in the Czech Republic, but this name has become much less common in the last two decades.
Vítězslav is a Czech male name. It means "celebrating victory". (The Czech word « vítězství » means "victory", and the Czech word « slavit » means "to celebrate" )
Rare Czech Boy Names
Some Czechs prefer to go for something more unusual when picking a name for their child. Modern Czechs often opt for names that are versions of more popular English names (such as Eduard = Edward).
Here are some of the most unique Czech boy names:
- Damián
- Dušan
- Eduard
- Eliáš
- Hugo
- Ivo
- Matyáš
- Radim
- Štěpán
- Tadeáš
- Tobiáš
- Vilém
Conclusion
These are just a few of the most interesting Czech boy names. Czech is a beautiful, complex language with much more to offer. There are many more names this guide did not mention.
Some of these may sound familiar to an English speaker – such as David, Filip, Robert, or Richard. Others are much more obscure and Slavic in origin – Čestmír, Bedřich, or Přemysl.
While in recent years, names of Latin and Germanic origin have become increasingly popular in the Czech Republic, Slavic names still have a place in the Czech culture. Many of the more old-fashioned names are closely tied to Czech history and are still celebrated to this day.
When you travel to Prague (the capital of the Czech Republic), knowing some Czech names will help you remember the names of the people you meet.
This article has a companion article on Czech girl names.
