Wojciech ( is a Polish given name, equivalent to Czech Vojtěch, Slovak Vojtech, and German Woitke. Wojciech is one of the oldest Slavic names. The name is formed from Polish "wój" (Slavic: "voj") – a root pertaining to war which also forms Polish words like wojownik meaning warrior, and wojna meaning war – and "ciech" (from an earlier form "tech") meaning joy, with the resulting combination meaning "the joy of war" or "smiling warrior". Its Polish diminutive forms include Wojtek (pronounced: ), Wojtuś, Wojtas, Wojcio, Wojcieszek, Wojtaszka, Wojtaszek, Wojan (noted already in 1136), Wojko. The feminine form is Wojciecha. Related names in South Slavic languages include Vojko, Vojislav, and Vojteh.
The name has been rendered into German in several different variations including: Woitke, Witke, Voitke, Voytke, Woytke, Vogtke, Wogtke, Woetke, and Wötke. It appears as Woyzeck in the play of that name by Georg Büchner. A variant form is Wozzeck, the result of confusion due to the similarity of the letters ‹y› and ‹z› in Sütterlin handwriting; this form is used as the name of the opera by Alban Berg based on Büchner's play.
The name Adalbert is sometimes associated with Wojciech/Vojtech but they have no linguistic relationship with each other. Their components and meanings are completely different but the names may have become associated as a result of St Adalbert of Prague (born Vojtěch Slavník) taking the name of Adalbert at confirmation.
The name day for individuals named Wojciech is on April 23.
Read more about Wojciech: People and Characters With The Given Name Wojciech, See Also