Boyan ( bg, Боян) is a Slavic male

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. The short form of the name ''Boyan'' used in Bulgaria is ''Bobi'' or ''Bobby'' (Bulgarian: Боби). Its female equivalent is ''Boyana'' (Bulgarian: Бояна). In present days it is used as a

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

written as ''Boyan'' (Bulgarian: ''Боян''), and also in all countries of former

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

, mainly written as ''

Bojan Bojan (Serbian Cyrillic and Macedonian: Бојан; Ukrainian, Russian and Bulgarian Cyrillic: Боян, transcribed ''Boyan'') is a Slavic given name, derived from the Slavic noun ''boj'' "battle." The ending ''-an'' is a suffix frequently fou ...

'' (Serbian and Macedonian: Бојан)/(Slovenian/Croatian: Bojan). The name is recorded in historical sources among the

Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely understo ...

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...

, Macedonians,

Czechs The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, c ...

Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...

Etymology

There is some discussion as to where the name ''Boyan'' comes from. It is generally accepted that it is derived from the word ''бой-'' (''boy-''), which means "battle", and the

suffix In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns, adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs. Suffixes can carry ...

''-ан'' (''-an'') which is common in Bulgarian and other Slavic names. Together, ''Boyan'' (''Боян'') means "warrior" or "fighter". It is also considered as a possibility from the Turkic/Mongolic word " Bayan" ( mn, Баян) meaning ''rich, wealth'', of the

khagan Khagan or Qaghan (Mongolian:; or ''Khagan''; otk, 𐰴𐰍𐰣 ), or , tr, Kağan or ; ug, قاغان, Qaghan, Mongolian Script: ; or ; fa, خاقان ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan ...

of Avars

Bayan I Bayan I reigned as the first khagan of the Avar Khaganate between 562 and 602. As the Göktürk Empire expanded westwards on the Eurasian Steppe during the 6th century, peoples such as the Avars (also known as the ''Pseudo-Avars'', ''Obri'' ...

(562-602), and of the

Bulgars The Bulgars (also Bulghars, Bulgari, Bolgars, Bolghars, Bolgari, Proto-Bulgarians) were Turkic semi-nomadic warrior tribes that flourished in the Pontic–Caspian steppe and the Volga region during the 7th century. They became known as nomad ...

Batbayan Batbayan ( bg, Батбаян) ruled the Khazarian Bulgars mentioned by Theophanes and Nicephorus after the Khazars defeated the Bulgars and Old Great Bulgaria disintegrated. There is a scholarly theory that he may have been the same person as ...

(665–668); from the name of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

, the area of modern

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

, in Serbian as Bojka (

White Serbia White Serbia ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Бела Србија, Bela Srbija; wen, Biеło Srbsko), called also Boiki ( grc, Βοΐκι, Boḯki; sr-Cyrl-Latn, link=no, Бојка, Bojka; wen, links=no, Boika), is the name applied to the assumed homeland of ...

), where lived the

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...

tribe

Boii The Boii (Latin plural, singular ''Boius''; grc, Βόιοι) were a Celtic tribe of the later Iron Age, attested at various times in Cisalpine Gaul (Northern Italy), Pannonia (Hungary), parts of Bavaria, in and around Bohemia (after whom the ...

; from the

'' Bryan'' or ''

Brian Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word meani ...

'' which shares spelling and meaning similarity. Therefore, according to the Celtic origin of the name ''Bryan'' or ''Brian'', the Slavic name ''Boyan'' or ''Bojan'' could have the meaning "strong" or "noble".

Notable Boyans

Batbayan of Bulgaria Batbayan ( bg, Батбаян) ruled the Khazarian Bulgars mentioned by Theophanes and Nicephorus after the Khazars defeated the Bulgars and Old Great Bulgaria disintegrated. There is a scholarly theory that he may have been the same person as ...

, also known as ''Batboyan'' or simply ''Boyan''. The first son of Bulgarian khan

Kubrat Kubrat ( el, Κοβρᾶτος, Kούβρατος; bg, Кубрат ) was the ruler of the Onogur–Bulgars, credited with establishing the confederation of Old Great Bulgaria in ca. 632. His name derived from the Turkic words ''qobrat'' — ...

. * Boyan-Enravota, the first Bulgarian Christian martyr and the earliest Bulgarian saint *

Boyan (bard) Boyan is the name of a bard mentioned in the Rus' epic '' The Lay of Igor's Campaign'' as being active at the court of Yaroslav the Wise. He is apostrophized as Volos's grandson in the opening lines of ''The Lay'' (probably a reference to Vel ...

, Russian bard from the 10th century *

Boyanka Angelova Boyanka Angelova ( bg, Боянка Ангелова; born October 28, 1994) is a Bulgarian gymnast, known for complex and difficult combinations in rhythmic gymnastics. She has mistakenly been identified as the granddaughter of Nadia Comănec ...

, Bulgarian gymnast *

Boyan Chowdhury The Zutons are an English indie rock band, formed in 2001 in Liverpool. The band are currently composed of singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave McCabe, drummer Sean Payne and saxophonist Abi Harding. They released their debut album, '' Who Ki ...

, former lead guitarist of rock band The Zutons * Boyan Gaytanov, Bulgarian footballer * Boyan Iliev, Bulgarian football player * Boyan Jovanovic, professor of economics at New York University * Boyan Kotsev, Bulgarian cyclist * Boyan Petkanchin, Bulgarian mathematician * Boyan Peykov, Bulgarian footballer *

Boyan Radev Boyan Radev ( bg, Боян Радев; born February 25, 1942 in Moshino, Pernik) is a former Greco Roman wrestler from Bulgaria. He was the first Bulgarian two-time Olympic Games champion (1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico) and one-time world champio ...

, Bulgarian wrestler *

Boyan Slat Boyan Slat (born 27 July 1994) is a Dutch inventor and entrepreneur. A former aerospace engineering student, he is the CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. Initial interest in plastic pollution In 2011, aged 16, Slat found more plastic than fish while div ...

(born 1994), Dutch inventor and entrepreneur * Boyan Tabakov, Bulgarian football player *

Boyan Vodenitcharov Boyan Vodenitcharov ( bg, Боян Воденичаров) (born 1960) is a Bulgarian pianist and composer. While a student in Sofia's State Conservatory (where he was later a teacher) he won the 1982 National Composition Competition, and was awar ...

, Bulgarian pianist and composer *

Boyan Yordanov Boyan Yordanov ( bg, Боян Йорданов, born 12 March 1983) is a Bulgarian volleyball player, member of the Bulgaria men's national volleyball team. Boyan started his career in Levski Volley, Levski (Siconco) Sofia. He made his first cap ...

, Bulgarian volleyball player * Boyan Peyakovich, Serbian IT specialist

Places

Boyana Boyana ( bg, Бояна ) is a neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated 8 km south of the city centre, in the outskirts of Vitosha. Boyana is one of the most expensive parts of Sofia to l ...

, neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...

Boyana Church The Boyana Church ( bg, Боянска църква, ''Boyanska tsărkva'') is a medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church situated on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in the Boyana quarter. In 1979, the building was added to the UNESCO W ...

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

Bulgarian Orthodox The Bulgarian Orthodox Church ( bg, Българска православна църква, translit=Balgarska pravoslavna tsarkva), legally the Patriarchate of Bulgaria ( bg, Българска патриаршия, links=no, translit=Balgarsk ...

church situated in the Boyana neighbourhood *

Boyana Glacier Boyana Glacier ( bg, ледник Бояна, lednik Boyana, ) in Levski Ridge, Tangra Mountains on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands in Antarctica is situated southeast of Macy Glacier and west-southwest of Srebarna Glacier. It is bou ...

Livingston Island Livingston Island (Russian name ''Smolensk'', ) is an Antarctic island in the Southern Ocean, part of the South Shetlands Archipelago, a group of Antarctic islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was the first land discovered south of 60 ...

in the

South Shetland Islands The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of . They lie about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between southwest of the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. By the Antarctic Treaty of 195 ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

, which is named for Boyana neighbourhood.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyan Bulgarian masculine given names Czech masculine given names Polish masculine given names Slovak masculine given names Slavic masculine given names Masculine given names

Etymology

Notable Boyans

Places

See also

References