Boyana

Coordinates: 42°38′41″N 23°15′58″E / 42.64472°N 23.26611°E / 42.64472; 23.26611

Boyana (Bulgarian: Бояна) is a neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, part of Vitosha municipality and situated 8 km south of the city centre, in the outskirts of Vitosha. Boyana is one of the most expensive parts of Sofia to live in. The residents are primarily wealthy business people, government officials and other prominent members of Bulgarian society. Formerly an outlying village, it was incorporated into Sofia in 1961.

History

Boyana's name was first mentioned in the 11th-century Vision of Daniel in the excerpt РЄЧЄТЬ ОУ БОІАНѢ ѠСТАВИТЄ ТОУ ПЛѢНЬ. The name is most likely derived from the personal name Boyan. An alternative suggested etymology from Vulgar Latin or Balkan Latin *boiana ("herdsman's [river]), from Latin boviana ("herdsman's") is considered less likely.

In connection with the 1040 uprising of Peter Delyan and the Pecheneg invasion of 1048, an important stronghold under the name of Boyan (Боян, Βοιάνος) is mentioned in the area, where a garrison led by a voivod called Botko was stationed.

Boyan (given name)

Boyan (Bulgarian: Боян) is a Bulgarian and Slavic male given name. The short form of the name Boyan used in Bulgaria is Bobi or Bobby (Bulgarian: Боби). Its female equivalent is Boyana (Bulgarian: Бояна).

In present days it is used as a given name in Bulgaria written as Boyan (Bulgarian: Боян), and also in all countries of former Yugoslavia, mainly written as Bojan (Serbian: Бојан)/(Slovenian/Croatian: Bojan).

The name is recorded in historical sources among the Bulgarians, Serbs, Czechs, Poles, and Russians.

Etymology

There is some discussion as to where the name Boyan comes from. It is generally accepted that it is derived from the word бой- (boy-), which means "battle", and the suffix -ан (-an) which is common in Bulgarian and Slavic names. Together, Boyan (Боян) means "warrior" or "fighter".

It is also considered as a possibility from the Turkic-Mongol word "Bayan" (Mongolian: Баян) meaning rich, wealth (since the Proto-Bulgarians were semi-nomadic warrior tribes of Turkic extraction), of the khagan of Avars Bayan I (562-602), and of the Bulgars khan Batbayan (665–668); from the name of Bohemia, the area of modern Czech Republic, in Serbian as Bojka (White Serbia), where lived the Celtic tribe Boii; from the Celtic Bryan or Brian which shares spelling and meaning similarity. Therefore, according to the Celtic origin of the name Bryan or Brian, the Bulgarian and Slavic name Boyan or Bojan could have the meaning "strong" or "noble".

Boyana (disambiguation)

Boyana may refer to:

People

Places

See also