Meaning & History
Konrád is a Hungarian, Czech and Slovak masculine given name, and also a surname (female form: Konrádová in Czech and Slovak). It is the local form of Conrad, a name of Old German origin meaning "brave counsel" — derived from the elements kuoni "brave" and rat "counsel, advice".
Etymology and History
The Germanic root Conrad was borne by several medieval rulers, including Conrad II, the first Holy Roman Emperor of the Salic dynasty, and a 10th-century saint Bishop of Konstanz. The name spread across Central Europe through German influence, adapting into various local forms. In Hungarian, Czech, and Slovak, the native phonetic equivalent became Konrád (with an acute accent on the a), preserving the original meaning.
Notable Bearers
As a given name, Konrád was historically used among Bohemian nobility. Notable bearers include Conrad I, Duke of Bohemia (c. 1035–1092; Czech: Konrád I. Brněnský) and Conrad II, Duke of Bohemia (c. 1136–1191; Czech: Konrád II. Ota). The name continues to be used in contemporary times, though less commonly than its German counterpart.
As a surname, Konrád is widespread in Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Distinguished individuals include György Konrád (1933–2019), an acclaimed Hungarian writer and sociologist; Ferenc Konrád (1945–2015) and János Konrád (1941–2014), Hungarian water polo players; and Slovak ice hockey goaltender Branislav Konrád (born 1987). In the Czech lands, Karel Konrád (1899–1971) was a writer and journalist. In sports, brothers Kálmán Konrád (1896–1980) and Jenő Konrád (1894–1978) were Hungarian footballers and managers who later fled the Nazi regime and settled in the United States.
Cultural Significance
Konrád is the most common form of Conrad in Hungary and the Slovak and Czech Republics. It fits into the broader pattern of Germanic names that were adopted into Slavic and Finno-Ugric languages with phonological adaptation. Related names across European languages include Italian Dino, Swedish Konrad and Kurt, and Dutch Coenraad/Koenraad with its diminutive Coen.
- Meaning: brave counsel (from Old German kuoni "brave" + rat "counsel")
- Origin: Germanic, via German Konrad/Conrad
- Type: Given name and surname
- Usage regions: Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Konrád