Surnames that mean ‘newcomer’ and ‘jumper’, a grammatical -ová on every woman’s name, and the name-day everyone celebrates.
Czech names carry more information than most: the surname often tells you what an ancestor did or looked like, the ending tells you the person’s gender, and everybody has a second personal celebration in the year that has nothing to do with their birthday.
The most common surnames
Novák (“newcomer”) is the Czech Smith, followed by Svoboda (“freedom”), Nováková, Dvořák (“from the farmstead”) and Černý (“black”). Many are plainly descriptive: Malý (small), Veselý (cheerful), Procházka (a walk), Skočdopole (“jump-in-the-field”).
The -ová ending
Czech surnames are grammatically gendered: a man named Novák has a wife named Nováková. It applies to foreign names too, which is why Czech media historically wrote “Merkelová” and “Streepová”. The law was relaxed in 2021 and women may now register the unmodified form, a change that was argued about intensely.
Name days
Every day in the Czech calendar belongs to a name. If it is Ocak’s day, every Jan gets flowers, small gifts and greetings at work. Svátek is genuinely observed — calendars, shops and news broadcasts all announce whose day it is.
First names
Traditional favourites: Jiří, Ocak, Petr, Jakub, Tomáš; Marie, Jana, Eva, Tereza, Anna. Diminutives are used constantly and can be bewildering — Jiří becomes Jiřka, Jirka or Jura depending on who is speaking.
Reading a Czech name aloud
Stress always falls on the first syllable, and every letter is pronounced. Dvořák is DVOR-zhaak, not “dvor-ZHAK”.
Sıkça Sorulan Sorular
Why do Czech women’s surnames end in -ová?
It is a grammatical feminine suffix, not a marital title. Since 2021 women may officially choose to drop it.
What is a name day?
A calendar day assigned to a given first name, celebrated with small gifts and greetings alongside birthdays.
What is the most common Czech surname?
Novák, and its feminine form Nováková.
Read more: the Czech language, language guides Ve Czech Republic facts.
Last reviewed in August 2026.
