Károli

Károli is a Hungarian surname and given name that is most closely associated with Károli Gáspár, a 16th-century Hungarian Reformed pastor and translator who led the effort to render the Bible in Hungarian. The resulting translation, commonly known as the Károli Bible, was published in 1590 and became a foundational text for Hungarian Protestant worship and for the development of standard Hungarian language and literature.

In addition to the historical figure, the name appears in modern institutions. The Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem (KRE) is a university in Budapest established in 1993 by the Reformed Church in Hungary and named in his honor. It offers programs across the humanities and social sciences and operates within Hungary’s higher education system.

The name also reflects ordinary Hungarian naming practices, where Károli functions as a surname. In historical usage, the translator’s name was rendered as Károli Gáspár, illustrating the practice of placing the family name first in traditional contexts. The Károli legacy extends beyond biography to language, education, and religious life in Hungary.