Wojciech

Wojciech is a masculine given name of Polish origin. It derives from Old Polish elements woj- meaning “war” or “warrior” and ciech meaning “joy” or “delight,” giving a meaning akin to “joy in war” or “one who brings joy in battle.” The name has strong cultural resonance in Poland, in part due to Saint Wojciech, also known as Adalbert of Prague, a 10th‑century missionary and bishop who is venerated as a patron saint of Poland and the Czech lands. His feast day is celebrated on April 23.

In contemporary usage, Wojciech remains common in Poland. Variants exist in other Slavic languages, such as Vojtěch in Czech and Vojtech in Slovak; the Latin form Adalbert is sometimes used in religious contexts. Diminutives include Wojtek and Wojtuś, with Wojtek being a familiar form that has also appeared as a nickname for a famous Polish WWII war-time bear.

Notable people named Wojciech include the Polish statesman Wojciech Jaruzelski; the footballer Wojciech Szczęsny; the film director Wojciech Has; the composer Wojciech Kilar; and the computer scientist Wojciech Zaremba, a cofounder of OpenAI.