140 Hungarian Boy Names That Pack European Charm

There are quite a few Hungarian baby boy names with religious and historical significance. For example, Adojan implies ‘from the Adriatic.’ Agoston, a Hungarian variant of Gustaaf, signifies 'staff of the gods.' The popular name Dominik means ‘one who is born out of Gods.’ Marton means ‘a warring individual.’ The Hungarian name Árpád is also historically significant. Árpád was the leader of the confederation of the Magyar tribes in the 9th and 10th centuries. Likewise, the Hungarian name Béla is also linked to the country's history. Béla IV was the king of Hungary, and his reign was marked by serious Mongol invasions.

The history of the Hungarian language starts with the Uralic era, in the Neolithic age (3). At this time, the linguistic ancestors of all Uralic languages existed together in the Ural Mountains. Numerous Hungarian words, especially in the language's basic vocabulary, have a Uralic origin. The Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th and 17th centuries influenced the naming tradition, with many Iranian and Turkish words entering the language (4). At this time, Hungarians developed culturally. Their borrowed vocabulary had terms referring to elegant dressing. Words of a learned upper-class society also entered the language. These factors played a role in Hungarian baby boy names as we know them today.

In Hungary, children often take their father’s surnames. Some names correspond to a saint. These have an associated date when the specific saint’s day is celebrated.

Hungary is a unique European nation because Hungarians speak a language unrelated to any other major European language (5). Hungarians usually first put family names, except foreign names, in their speech and text. The Hungarian language has distinct orthographic rules. So, names may have different spelling patterns than those in neighboring European countries.

In Hungary, a baby’s name must be selected from a list of pre-approved names. You must apply for approval if your chosen name is absent from the list. Applications are considered by the Research Institute for Linguistics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences following a set of principles (7).

Hungarian names often have a single given name. They also have only one surname. Surnames are taken from common sources like trades, traits, ethnic origins, and names of places. A title of nobility is inserted before the surname. When a baby is baptized, they can get an additional or baptismal name. This is true, especially if there is no saint with their name. The child then takes a name associated with a patron saint (7).

Vadász and Vadászó are two names that mean hunter and hunter-man, respectively.

The Hungarian word Cigany, which has been a part of the Hungarian language since the Middle Ages, means gypsy. The most common surname of Romanian/Gypsy/Hungarian origin is "Móré.' It implies Romanian or Gypsy (8).