Wenceslaus, Wenceslas, Wenzeslaus and Wenzslaus (and other similar names) are Latinized forms of the
Czech name
Czech names are composed of a given name and a surname, family name (surname). Czechs typically get one given name – additional names may be chosen by themselves upon baptism but they generally use one. With marriage, the bride typically adopts ...
Václav Václav () or rarely Vácslav is a Czech name, Czech male given name. It is among the most common Czech names. The Latinized form of the name is Wenceslaus and the Polish form of the name is Wacław. The name was derived from the old Czech name Vece ...
. The other language versions of the name are , , , , , , among others. It originated as a Latin spelling for Czech rulers. It is a
Slavic dithematic name (of two lexemes), derived from the Slavic words ''veli/vyache/więce/više'' ("great(er), large(r)"), and ''slava'' ("glory, fame") – both very common in Slavic names – and roughly means "greater glory". Latinised name Wenceslaus corresponds to several West Slavic,
Lechitic given names, such as ''Wieceslaw'', ''Wiecejslav'', ''Wieńczysław''/''Vienceslav'', ''Vjenceslav'', ''Węzel'', ''Wacław'' and a few more.
People named Wenceslaus or spelling variations thereof include:
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Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935 or 929), saint and subject of the Christmas carol "
Good King Wenceslas"
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Wenceslaus II, Duke of Bohemia (died 1192)
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Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (c. 1205–1253), King of Bohemia
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Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (1271–1305), King of Bohemia and Poland
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Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (1289–1306), King of Hungary, Bohemia, and Poland
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Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia
Wenceslaus IV (also ''Wenceslas''; ; , nicknamed "the Idle"; 26 February 136116 August 1419), also known as Wenceslaus of Luxembourg, was King of Bohemia from 1378 until his death and King of Germany from 1376 until he was deposed in 1400. As he ...
(1361–1419), King of Bohemia, and German King
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Wenceslaus I of Legnica (c. 1318–1364)
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Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg
Wenceslaus I (also ''Wenceslas'', ''Venceslas'', ''Wenzel'', or ''Václav'', often called Wenceslaus of Bohemia in chronicles) (25 February 1337 – 7 December 1383) was the first Duke of Luxembourg from 1354. He was the son of John of Bohemi ...
(1337–1383), the first Duke
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Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1316–1378), born Wenceslaus
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Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677), Czech etcher
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Wenceslaus Hanka (1791–1861), Czech philologist
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Venceslaus Ulricus Hammershaimb (1819–1909), Faroese minister and linguist
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Venceslau Brás (1868–1966), 9th President of Brazil
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Vjenceslav Richter (1917–2002), Croatian architect
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Vjenceslav Novak (1859–1905), Croatian writer
See also
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Boleslaus, cognate
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Ventsislav, Bulgarian variant
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Višeslav, South Slavic cognate
External links
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{{Given name
Masculine given names
Slavic masculine given names