Slovakia Naming Customs

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After settling in America, immigrants from Slovakia, regardless of their ethnic, social, and cultural background, usually modified or changed their names. That's why contemporary surnames of Slovak-Americans differ from those of their Slovak relatives, which both differ from what it was historically.

In the absence of a consistent system, names in Slovakia (similar to other European countries) were not stable for many centuries. Medieval people or even those of the 18th century, were not forced to use one official, very individual, and hereditary surname. It was enough if one could be more or less precisely distinguished by the society. Everyone had a given name, usually a Christian name. This was used during the course of his life in various forms.

For example, George could be used in Latin forms Georgius or Georg, in Hungarian György, in Slovak forms Juraj Ďord' Juro Jurko Ďuro Dzuro Ďurko.
The first name was further supplemented with different characteristics:

• father's, mother's, or family name: Glaško derived from Blasius or Blazej; Matuška derived from Mat'us or Mathias; Tomašikoviech from Tomáš or Thomas.
• occupation: Kolar - Wheeler, Schmidt - Smith.
• place of origin: Ocovská - a native of Očova, Turčan - a citizen of the Turiec region, Horváth - Croat.
• nicknames, etc.

Male Given Names

Andrej (or Ondrej) Anton František Jakub Ján Jozef Juraj Karol Lukáš Martin Matej Matúš Michal Pavol Peter Štefan Tomáš

Andrew Anthony Frank Jacob John Joseph George Charles Luke Martin Matthew Matthias Michael Paul Peter Stephen Thomas

Female Given Names

Alžbeta Anna Antonia Apolónia Barbora Cecília Dorota Eva Františka Johana Juliana Jozefa Katarína Mária Margita Rozália Štefánia Terézia Žofia Zuzana

Elizabeth Ann Antonia Apollonia Barbara Cecilia Dorothy Eve Frances Johanna Julianna Josephine Catherine Mary Margaret Rosalie Stephanie Theresa Sophia Susan