Wikipedia

Gyula (name)

Gyula listenⓘ (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈɟulɒ]) is a Hungarian male given name of presumably Turkic origin. Its meaning is 'torch'.[1][2] It was revived in the 19th century when it was mistakenly identified with the Latin name Julius.[2]

Gyula
Gendermasculine
Language(s)Hungarian
Name dayApril 12
Other gender
FeminineJúlia
Origin
Language(s)Old Turkic
Meaningtorch
Other names
Nickname(s)Gyuszi
Anglicisation(s)Julius
Not to be confused with Gyula (title).

History edit

Initially, it was a title within the Hungarian tribal alliance, but after establishing the Kingdom of Hungary, it evolved into a personal and placename. In the written sources from the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th century, variations such as Giula, Geula, Gula, and Iula are already present.[2] It became rare in the 16th century and almost disappeared. The name was revived during the 19th century when it was mistakenly believed to be derived from the Latin Julius.[2] As a result, its female counterpart became Júlia. In 1823, István Széchenyi wrote: "Count Károly Andrássy and Countess Etelka Szápáry's son is the first Hungarian child in centuries to be baptized as Gyula."[2]

Etymology edit

The etymology of the name is disputed, however it is traditionally considered of Turkic origin. According to Lóránd Benkő, the word originates from Old Turkic, presumably from the Khazar language. Benkő assumed a *ǰula form derived from a Turkic word meaning 'torch.'[1] Related words of Turkic origin can be found in the Hungarian language: gyúl (to catch fire, to be ignited) cf. West Old Turkic: *jul; East Old Turkic: *yul. András Róna-Tas and Árpád Berta also consider the latter to be a Turkic word.[3] Dániel Németh suggested that the word may have Uralic origins. He derives it from the Finno-Ugric *ćȣlkɜ-, *ćȣ̈lkɜ- (shines, gleam, glitter) and the Ugric*čittɜ- (shine, illuminate) words.[4] However, this theory was criticized by János B. Szabó and Balázs Sudár:[4]

As a settlement name edit

 
The Roman Catholic Cathedral in Alba Iulia (Gyulafehérvár), in the former capital of Transylvania, which city was named after Gyula II, a Hungarian tribal leader in the middle of the 10th century
 
King Saint Stephen of Hungary captures his uncle Gyula III, the ruler of Transylvania (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)

The name often appears as a Hungarian toponym as well in the Carpathian Basin, in former territory of the Kingdom of Hungary.[2]

Notable persons edit

 
Gyula, third captain of the Hungarians during the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)
 
Gyula Andrássy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary (1867–1871) (painting by Gyula Benczúr in 1884)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Benkő 1967, p1137–1138
  2. ^ a b c d e f Fercsik; Raátz 2009, p144
  3. ^ Róna-Tas; Berta 2011, p409–411
  4. ^ a b Németh 2023, p207–208


Sources edit

  • Lóránd, Benkő (1967). A magyar nyelv történeti-etimológiai szótára (in Hungarian). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó.
  • Lóránd, Benkő (1993). Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Ungarischen (in German). Vol. I. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 963 05 6227 8.
  • Fercsik, Erzsébet; Rácz, Judit (2009). Keresztnevek enciklopédiája (PDF) (in Hungarian). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó. ISBN 978 963 9902 18 3.
  • Róna-Tas, András; Berta, Árpád (2011). West Old Turkic - Turkic Loanwords in Hungarian 1-2. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978 3 447 06260 2.
  • Németh, Dániel (2023). "Régi és új etimológiák". Magyar Nyelv (in Hungarian). 119 (2). ISSN 1588-1210.

See also edit

  • Gyula (title)is a Hungarian title of the 9th to 10th centuries.
  • Gyula II, the gyula who was baptized in Constantinople around 950.
  • Gyula III, the gyula who was defeated by King Stephen I of Hungary around 1003.
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