mladá

Mladá is a Czech term that functions both as a feminine form of the adjective mladý, meaning young, and as a component in geographic names. In the Czech toponymic system, it often appears at the beginning or within two-word place names and can signal a younger or secondary part of a settlement.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from the Czech root for “young.” In place names, Mladá is typically used to distinguish a newer or subsidiary area from an older counterpart, or to reflect a historical association with a founder, family, or local development phase. As a linguistic element, it is common in the naming of municipalities, villages, and towns across the Czech Republic.

Notable places: The most widely known examples of toponyms that include Mladá are Mladá Boleslav, a city in the Central Bohemian Region, and Mladá Vožice, a town in the South Bohemian Region. These names illustrate how Mladá operates within larger geographic designations to convey historical or descriptive information about the place.

Other uses and variations: Beyond these well-known instances, Mladá occurs in various other localities as part of longer names, each with its own administrative status and regional affiliation. The term remains a common descriptive element in Czech place names and, more broadly, in descriptive congruence with the language’s gendered forms.

See also: Mladá Boleslav; Mladá Vožice.