Bogdan is a Slavic masculine given name widespread in Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Slovenia. It means "given by God," derived from the Slavic elements bogŭ meaning "god" and danŭ meaning "given." This pre-Christian name later served as a translation of the Greek name Theodotus, which carries the similar meaning of "given to god." The calque reflects the spread of Christianity among Slavic peoples, where native names were often modeled after Greek or Hebrew originals. Variants and Forms The name has numerous variants across Slavic languages. In Polish, both Bogdan and the historically altered form Bohdan appear, where the sound 'g' shifted to 'h'. Ukrainian also favors Bohdan. The feminine form Bogdana is used in Romanian, while the Polish variants include Bogna and the diminutive Dana 3 in Bulgarian. Macedonian diminutives include Boban, and Old Slavic retains the form Bogodanŭ. Surname descendants such as Bogdanov (Russian), Bogdanova (feminine Russian), Bogdanić (Croatian), and Bogdanović (Serbian) are common patronymics across the region. Notable Bearers Historical notable bearers include Bogdan I of Moldavia, a 14th-century voivode who fought for independence against the Kingdom of Hungary. Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu was a prominent 19th-century Romanian writer and philologist. In modern times, the name is used across the Balkans and Eastern Europe, often reflecting Christian tradition. Meaning: "given by God" Origin: Slavic (Bogdan), calque of Theodotus Type: Given name (masculine) Usage regions: Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia