Boyan (given name)

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Boyan (Bulgarian: Боян) is a Bulgarian and Slavic male given name. 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 given name in Bulgaria written as Boyan (Bulgarian: Боян), and also in all countries of former Yugoslavia, mainly written as Bojan (Serbian: Бојан)/(Slovenian/Croatian: Bojan).

The name is recorded in historical sources among the Bulgarians, Serbs, Czechs, Poles, and Russians.^[1]

Etymology

There is some discussion as to where the name Boyan comes from. It is generally accepted that it is derived from the word boj/boy, which means "battle", and the suffix -ан (-an) which is common in Bulgarian and Slavic names.^[2] Together, Boyan means "warrior" or "fighter".^[2]

Previously was also considered as a possibility from the Turkic-Mongol personal name "Bayan" (rich), of the khagan of Avars, Bayan I (562-602), or of the Bulgars, Batbayan (665–668);^[2] from the name of Bohemia, the area of modern Czech Republic, in Serbian as Bojka (White Serbia), where lived the Celtic tribe Boii;^[2] from the Celtic Bryan or Brian which shares spelling and meaning similarity.^[2] Therefore according to the Celtic origin of the name Bryan or Brian, the Bulgarian and Slavic name Boyan or Bojan could have the meaning "strong" or "noble".^[2]

Notable Boyans

• Batbayan of Bulgaria, also known as Batboyan or simply Boyan. The first son of Bulgarian khan Kubrat.
• Saint Enravota, or Voin or Boyan, was the eldest son of khan Omurtag of Bulgaria and the first Bulgarian Christian martyr
• Boyan, Russian bard from the 10th century
• Boyan Radev, Bulgarian wrestler
• Boyan Peykov, Bulgarian footballer
• Boyan Vodenitcharov, Bulgarian pianist and composer
• Boyan Tabakov, Bulgarian football player
• Boyan Yordanov, Bulgarian volleyball player
• Boyan Iliev, Bulgarian football player
• Boyan Petkanchin, Bulgarian mathematician
• Boyan Gaytanov, Bulgarian footballer
• Boyan Jovanovic, professor of economics at New York University of Serbian descent
• Boyan Vukelic, Canadian actor of Serbian descent
• Boyan Dimitrov, Bulgarian mathematician
• Boyanka Angelova, Bulgarian gymnast
• Boyan Chowdhury, former lead guitarist of rock band The Zutons
• Petro Boyan, Ukrainian opera singer who performed in Canada.

See also

• Bojan (name)
• Bryan (given name)
• Bulgarian name
• Serbian name
• Slavic names

References