Gyula (name) explained

Gyula
Gender:	masculine
Feminine:	Júlia
Meaning:	torch
Language:	Hungarian
Language origin:	Old Turkic
Nickname:	Gyuszi
Anglicisation:	Julius
Name Day:	April 12

Gyula (in Hungarian pronounced as /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]

History

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. 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. 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."

Etymology

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.' 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:

As a settlement name

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

Notable persons

Gyula II
Gyula III
Gyula Aggházy (1850–1919), Hungarian genre painter and art teacher
Gyula Andrássy (1823–1890), Hungarian statesman; Prime Minister of Hungary, Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary
Gyula Andrássy the Younger (1860–1929), Hungarian politician
Gyula Babos (1949-2018), Hungarian jazz guitarist
Gyula Bádonyi (1882–1944), Hungarian footballer
Gyula Batthyány (1887-1959), Hungarian painter and graphic artist
Gyula Benczúr (1844-1920), Hungarian artist
Gyula Bíró (1890–1961), Hungarian Olympic football player
Gyula Bóbis (1909–1972), Hungarian heavyweight wrestler
Gyula Bodrogi (born 1934), Hungarian television and film actor
Gyula Cseszneky (1914–1970), Hungarian aristocrat, poet, cavalry officer
Gyula Csortos (1883–1945), Hungarian film and stage actor
Gyula Derkovits (1894-1934) Hungarian painter and graphic artist
Gyula Feldmann (1880—1955), Hungarian football player and coach
Gyula Gál (born 1976), Hungarian handball player
Gyula Germanus (1884–1979), Hungarian orientalist, politician, writer and academic
Gyula Glykais (1893–1948), Hungarian fencer
Gyula Gózon (1885–1972), Hungarian actor and comedian
Gyula Gömbös (1886–1936), Hungarian military officer and politician, Prime Minister of Hungary
Gyula Grosics (1926–2014), Hungarian footballer
Gyula Horn (1932–2013), Hungarian politician; third Prime Minister of Hungary
Gyula Illyés (1902–1983), Hungarian poet and novelist
Gyula Kabos (1887–1941), Hungarian actor and comedian
Gyula Kállai (1910–1996), Hungarian Communist politician
Gyula Károlyi (1871–1947), Hungarian politician, Prime Minister of Hungary
Gyula Katona (born 1941) Hungarian mathematician
Gyula Kellner (1871–1940), Hungarian athlete
Gyula Kertész (1888–1982), Hungarian footballer
Gyula Koi (1977–), Hungarian legal scholar and administrative lawyer
Gyula Kőnig (1849–1913), Hungarian mathematician
Gyula Kristó (1939–2004), Hungarian historian
Gyula Krúdy (1878–1933), Hungarian writer and journalist
Gyula László (1910–1998), Hungarian historian, archaeologist and artist
Gyula Lóránt (1923–1981), Hungarian footballer and manager
Gyula Mándi (1899–1969), Hungarian Olympic footballer and manager
Gyula Moravcsik (1892–1972), Hungarian historian and byzantologist
Gyula Németh (linguist) (1890–1976), Hungarian linguist and turkologist
Gyula Ortutay (1910–1978), Hungarian ethnographer and politician
Gyula Pados (born 1969), Hungarian cinematographer and director
Gyula Pártos (1845–1916), Hungarian architect
Gyula Sáringer (1928–2009), Hungarian agronomist and entomologist
Gyula Szabó (1930–2014), Hungarian actor
Gyula Szapáry (1832–1905), Hungarian politician, Prime Minister of Hungary
Gyula Török (1938–2014), Hungarian boxer
Gyula Vikidál (born 1948), Hungarian singer
Gyula Wlassics (1852–1937), Hungarian politician
Gyula Zsivótzky (1937–2007), Hungarian hammer thrower
Gyula Grosz (1962), Hungarian Artist and Jewelry Designer

References

Benkő 1967, p1137–1138
Fercsik; Raátz 2009, p144
Róna-Tas; Berta 2011, p409–411
Németh 2023, p207–208

Sources

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