Common Polish Given Names and their English Equivalent

Here is a list of Polish names and their approximate English equivalent names. Approximate can mean "translation" or it can mean that this English name sounds the closest to its Polish original.

Not all Polish-Americans used a translation of their name. Some might adopt a new name entirely to better fit into their surroundings.

This isn't a complete list of all Polish names, but is a list of the most common ones found in the Kuryer Polski Oindex.

For more information about Polish names, try the Polish GenWeb website.


For more information about any given names, try the Behind the Name website.

These were submitted by Karen.  Thanks Karen.

Polish Name	English "Equivalent"
Aleksander	Alexander
Anton/Antoni	Anthony
Bartlomiej	Bartholomew
Adalbert	Albert, George, (Wojciech)
Agnieszka	Agnes
Anastazya	Anastasia
Andrzej	Andrew
Aniela	Angela
Antonia/Antonina	Antoinette
Apolonia	Pearl, Pauline, Polly
Boleslaw	Boleslaus, William
Boleslawa	Wilhelmina
Bronislaw	Bronislaus, Bruno
Bronislawa	Bernice, Bertha 
Brygida	Bridget
Cecylia	Cecelia
Czeslaw	Chester
Dawid	David
Dominik	Dominic
Dorota	Dorothy
Elzbieta	Elizabeth
Emilia	Emily
Ewa	Eva
Felicya	Felicia, Phyllis
Feliks	Felix
Filip	Philip
Florentyna	Florence, Flora
Franciszek	Frank, Francis
Franciszka	Frances (female)
Genowefa	Genevieve
Grzegorz	Gregory
Halina	Helen
Helena	Helen
Henryk	Henry
Henryka	Henrietta, 
Hedwig	Jadwiga, Harriet, Hattie
Hiacynt	Hyacinth, Jacek
Hiacynta	Hyacintha, Jacinta
Hieronym	Henry, Jerome
Ignacy	Ignatius
Irina	Irene
Izydor	Isadore
Jadwiga	Hedwig, Harriet, Hattie
Jakub	Jacob
Jan	John
Jerzy	George
Joanna	Joanne, Jane, Jean, Joan, Jennie
Jozef	Joseph
Juliana	Julia, Julie
Karol	Carl, Charles
Kamila	Camille, Camilla
Karolina	Caroline, Charlotte
Katarzyna	Katherine, Catherine
Klara	Clara, Clare
Klemens	Clement, Clemens
Konstanty	Constantine
Konstantyna	Constance
Krystyna	Christine, Kristine
Krzysztof	Christopher
Leokadia	Leocadia, Laura
Leon	Leo 
Lorenz	Lawrence
Lucja	Lucy
Lucjan	Lucian
Ludwik	Louis
Ludwika	Louise
Lukasz	Lucas, Luke
Maciej	Matthew
Magdalena	Mary Magdalene, Madeline
Malgorzata	Margaret
Marcianna	Marcy, Martina, Martha
Marcin	Martin
Marek	Mark
Marianna	Mary  
Maria or Marya	Mary
Marta	Martha
Mateusz	Mathias, Matthew
Michal	Michael
Mieczyslaw	Michael
Mikolaj	Nicholas
Pawel	Paul
Pelagia	Pearl, Pauline, Polly, Paula
Piotr	Peter
Rafal	Ralph
Rajmund	Raymond
Roza	Rose, Rosa
Ryszard	Richard
Salomeja	Salome, Sarah
Szymon	Simon
Stanislaw	Stanislaus, Stanley
Stanislawa	Stella
Stefan	Steven. Stephen
Szczepan	Steven, Stephen
Stefania	Stephanie
Sylwester	Sylvester
Tadeusz	Thaddeus, Ted
Tekla	Thecla, Tillie
Teodor	Theodore, Ted
Teodora	Theodora, Dora
Tomasz	Thomas
Waclaw	Wenceslaus, Walter
Waclaw	Violet
Walenty	Valentine, Waltery
Walentyna	Valentina, 
Wawrzyniec	Lawrence
Weronika	Veronica
Wicenty, Wincenty	Vincent
Wiktor	Victor
Wladyslaw	Ladislaus, Walter
Wojciech	Adalbert, Albert, George
Zofia	Sofia, Sophie
Zuzanna	Susanna, Susan
Zygmunt	Sigmund