Wenceslaus

Wenceslaus and Wenceslas (and other similar) are Latinized forms of the Slavic name (in different forms) Czech: Václav, Polish: Wacław, Więcesław, Russian: Vyacheslav, Croatian: Vjenceslav, among others. It originated as a Latin spelling for West Slavic rulers. It is a Slavic dithematic name (of two lexemes), derived from the Slavic words veli/vyache/więce/više ("great(er), large(r)"), and slava ("glory, fame"), both very common in Slavic names. It roughly means "greater glory". It may refer to:

People

• Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935 or 929), and subject of a Christmas carol
• Wenceslaus II, Duke of Bohemia (died 1192)
• Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (c. 1205–1253), King of Bohemia
• Wenceslaus II of Bohemia (1271–1305), King of Bohemia and Poland
• Wenceslaus III of Bohemia (1289–1306), King of Hungary, Bohemia, and Poland
• Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia (1361–1419), King of Bohemia, and German King
• Wenceslaus I of Legnica (ca. 1318 – 1364)
• Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg (1337–1383), the first Duke
• Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1316–1378), born Wenceslaus
• Wenceslas Hollar (1607–1677), Bohemian etcher
• Wenceslaus Hanka (1791–1861), Bohemian philologist
• Rafael Wenceslao Núñez Moledo (1825–1894), 13th President of Colombia
• Venceslaus Ulricus Hammershaimb (1819–1909), Faroese minister and linguist
• Venceslau Brás (1868–1966), 9th President of Brazil
• Prince Wenceslas of Nassau (born 1957)
• Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein (born 1974).
• Vjenceslav Richter (1917–2002), Croatian architect
• Vjenceslav Novak (1859–1905), Croatian writer

Placenames

• Wenceslas Square, a public square in Prague
• Wenceslas Mine, Lower Silesia, now in Poland

Other

• "Good King Wenceslas", a popular Christmas carol

See also

• Boleslaus, cognate
• Višeslav, South Slavic cognate
• Wenceslao, Spanish variant
• Slavic names