Wojciech

Wojciech (IPA: [ˈvɔjt͡ɕɛx] ^ⓘ) is a Polish name, equivalent to Czech Vojtěch [ˈvojcɛx], Slovak Vojtech, and German Woitke. The name is formed from two Slavic roots:

• wój (Slavic: voj), a root pertaining to war. It also forms words like wojownik ("warrior") and wojna ("war").
• ciech (from an earlier form, tech), meaning "joy".^[1]

The resulting combination means "he who enjoys war" or "joyous warrior".

Its Polish diminutive forms include Wojtek [ˈvɔjtɛk] ^ⓘ, Wojtuś [ˈvɔjtuɕ], Wojtas, Wojcio, Wojteczek, Wojcieszek, Wojtaszka, Wojtaszek, Wojan (noted already in 1136), Wojko, and variants noted as early as 1400, including Woytko, Woythko, and Voytko. The feminine form is Wojciecha (IPA: [vɔjˈt͡ɕɛxa]). Related names in South Slavic languages include Vojko, Vojislav, and Vojteh.

The name has been rendered into German in several different variations, including: Woitke, Witke, Voitke, Voytke, Woytke, Vogtke, Woytegk, Woytek, Wogtke, Woetke, Wötke, and Wotke. It appears as Woyzeck in the play of that name by Georg Büchner. A variant form is Wozzeck, the result of confusion due to the similarity of the letters ⟨y⟩ and ⟨z⟩ in Sütterlin handwriting; this form is used as the name of the opera by Alban Berg, based on Büchner's play.

The Germanic name Adalbert is sometimes associated with Wojciech, or Vojtech, but the two names are not linguistically related. Their components and meanings are completely different, but the names may have become associated as a result of the 10th-century St. Adalbert of Prague (born Vojtěch Slavník) having taken the name Adalbert at his confirmation.

The name day for individuals named Wojciech is 23 April.