Ivailo

Ivailo is an alternate transcription of the Bulgarian name Ivaylo, which itself may derive from an old Bulgar name meaning "wolf". This name is most famously associated with the 13th-century rebel leader and tsar of Bulgaria, Ivaylo (also spelled Ivailo).

History

Ivaylo of Bulgaria (died 1281) was a peasant who led a revolt against the Bulgarian nobility in 1277, capitalizing on widespread discontent. He succeeded in becoming tsar of Bulgaria, reigning from 1278 to 1279. Despite victories against the Byzantines and Mongols, he faced hostility from the nobility and was eventually forced into exile among the Mongols. The Mongols killed him in 1281, on the orders of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaeologus.

Cultural Significance

Ivaylo's story has been romanticized in Bulgarian folk songs, traditions, and legends. Marxist historians later portrayed him as an early anti-feudal revolutionary, and his uprising inspired Bulgarian hajduk freedom fighters during the Ottoman period. He is also known by the nickname Bardo.

Related Forms

The feminine form of Ivailo is Ivayla.

• Meaning: Possibly derived from an old Bulgar word meaning "wolf"
• Origin: Bulgarian, old Bulgar
• Type: First name
• Usage Regions: Bulgaria