Etymology
Bydgoszcz, originally Bydgoszcza (feminine gender word), is created as a pronoun name, the second part of which – goszcz comes from gost-jь possibly or gost-ja an old Slavic root which refers to an urban or suburban trading settlement. Other examples of this include the German 'Trebgast' in Bavaria, which until 1028 was known as Trěbigost-jь, Radogost-jь, in Austria, is also a prominent example; it is today known as Ratgoz. There are also a number of other Polish place names which make use of the goszcz suffix: Małogoszcz and Skorogoszcz. Bydgoszcz however has a long, rich history of etymological change:
- 1239, Bidgosciam
- 1242, castrum quod Budegosta vulgariter nuncupatur (castle, which is colloquially called Bydgoszcza)
- 1279, Bidgoscha
- 1558, Bydgoszcz, that is, until the 16th century, Bydgoszcza "fishing village or campsite belonging to Bydgosta"
The name Byd-gost contains archaic elements of the Proto-Slavonic root 'byd' which existed as a variant of the verb 'to raise' ( Ancient Russian vъzbydati = stimulating, Proto-Slavonic bъděti / bъd 'ǫ = no sleep, to watch), and the common Slavic root Goszcz (fireplace). Some people identify the name of the town as BUDOrgis, a name from the 2nd century which is listed next to the village Calisia on the amber route.
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