Halych - Name

Name

The city's name, though spelled identically in modern East Slavic languages (Галич), is pronounced Halych in Ukrainian and Galich in Russian. The Russian transliteration should not be confused with the Russian town of Galich. In Polish the name is rendered Halicz; in the Yiddish language Helitsh or Heylitsh (העליטש); in Latin, Galic; in Hungarian, Halics.

The origin of the Slavic toponym "Halych" is after the Khwalis or Kaliz who occupied the area from the time of the Magyars. They were also called Khalisioi in Greek, and Khvalis (Хвалис) in Russian. Historians formerly believed it was Celtic, related to many similar place names found across Europe such as "Galaţi" (Romania), "Galatia" (Turkey), "Gaul" (France) and "Galicia" (Spain). Another version postulates "hals", "salt", at the root of "Halych", as the salt trade was a substantial economic factor in the medieval history of Halych. Max Vasmer and modern Slavists generally agree that "Halych" is an adjective derived from the East Slavic word for "jackdaw," "halka." This bird featured in the town's coat of arms (but not in the Árpád coat of arms, when Corvinus is a raven) when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (since 1772).

Local folk legend would have it that the name "Halych" comes from a legendary "Prince Halychyna," the first ruler of these lands. In fact, a kurgan referred to by locals as "Halychyna's tomb," excavated in 1996, contained a ritual cremation site and a bronze weapon and gold disc that could have belonged to a noble leader.