Motl

Motl is a name that can function as both a given name and a surname in Jewish and Central European contexts. As a given name, Motl is a Yiddish diminutive of Mordechai and has appeared in various Jewish communities and literary works. In Yiddish-language literature, Motl is the title character of Sholem Aleichem's short story Motl, the Cantor's Son, which follows a boy named Motl and his family.

As a surname, Motl is used in Central European contexts and is carried by a number of individuals in academic and intellectual fields. The most widely known bearer in contemporary public discourse is Luboš Motl, a Czech theoretical physicist and science writer noted for his online commentary and his blog The Reference Frame. His work has contributed to discussions on physics topics and the public understanding of science, though it has also been the subject of debate within scientific and online communities.

The name Motl remains relatively uncommon and is most often encountered in historical, literary, or academic contexts. Outside these uses, it functions primarily as a personal name within families or communities that maintain Yiddish or Central European naming traditions.