Czech Name Days: The Svátek Tradition, Dates and Wishes
How to wish someone a happy name day: Všechno nejlepší k svátku! (“All the best for your name day!”)
Czech name days are calendar dates assigned to first names, celebrated much like a small birthday. The day is called svátek or jmeniny: Josef celebrates on 19 March, Jan on 24 June and Marie on 12 September. The usual wish is Všechno nejlepší k svátku! (“All the best for your name day!”).
Czech name days are dates in the calendar assigned to first names, and on your name’s day Czechs congratulate you almost as warmly as on your birthday. The day is called svátek in everyday speech, or more formally jmeniny. Nearly every date carries a name, Czech calendars and newspapers print it, and many people know the name days of everyone in their office.
Where Czech name days come from
The tradition grew out of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, when a child was often named after the saint of the day. Over time the list was adjusted to the names Czechs actually use, as Wikipedia’s overview of Czech name days notes, so today it mixes saints (Josef, Václav), Slavic names (Ludmila, Bohumil) and newer names. National holidays such as 1 January and 25 December have no name.
There is no single official list. A report in the daily Deník quoted a family with the name Andělín, which is missing from most calendars, observing that only calendar publishers can change it. In practice the main calendars agree on nearly all dates, and parents with an unusual name simply pick a day for the child, often with the help of a naming reference book.
Czech name days through the year
These are some of the best-known dates in the standard Czech calendar.
| Season | Names and dates |
|---|---|
| January–March | Lenka 21 Feb; Tomáš 7 Mar; Viktorie 10 Mar; Josef 19 Mar |
| April–June | Jiří 24 Apr; Jana 24 May; Jan 24 Jun; Petr and Pavel 29 Jun |
| July–September | Jakub 25 Jul; Anna 26 Jul; Marie 12 Sep; Václav 28 Sep; Michal 29 Sep |
| October–December | Eliška 5 Oct; Tereza 15 Oct; Karel 4 Nov; Martin 11 Nov; Kateřina 25 Nov; Ondřej 30 Nov; Barbora 4 Dec; Mikuláš 6 Dec; Lucie 13 Dec; Adam and Eva 24 Dec; Štěpán 26 Dec |
A few of these overlap with other celebrations. 28 September, Václav‘s day, is also a public holiday, St. Wenceslas Day. 6 December is Mikuláš, when St. Nicholas visits children with an angel and a devil. 24 December belongs to Adam a Eva, which Czechs celebrate alongside Christmas Eve, the main day of Czech Christmas; see Merry Christmas in Czech. And 11 November, Martin‘s day, comes with a folk saying that Martin arrives on a white horse, meaning the first snow.
How to wish someone a happy name day
| Czech | English | Hear |
|---|---|---|
| Všechno nejlepší k svátku! | All the best for your name day! | |
| Hodně štěstí k svátku! | Lots of luck for your name day! | |
| Kdy máš svátek? | When is your name day? (informal) | |
| Kdo má dnes svátek? | Whose name day is it today? | |
| Dnes má svátek Jan. | Today is Jan’s name day. |
The standard wish is Všechno nejlepší k svátku!. You will also hear the shortened Všechno nejlepší!, which works for birthdays too. Pair it with the person’s name in the vocative case if you know it: Honzo, všechno nejlepší k svátku! For more celebration phrases, see happy birthday in Czech and our Czech greetings list.
How Czech name days are celebrated
Name days are lighter than birthdays. Typical gestures are:
- A text message or a quick call from friends and family.
- A small gift, such as flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine.
- At work, the person celebrating often brings cake or a snack for colleagues.
- A toast after work or at a family dinner.
If you bring flowers, give an odd number of stems. Even numbers are traditionally reserved for funerals.
Many Czech phone calendars, websites and radio stations announce whose name day it is each morning, which is why a Czech friend may surprise you by remembering yours.
Czech name days vs birthdays
A birthday (narozeniny) is personal, and adults do not always share the date. A name day is public: anyone who knows your name can work out the date from the calendar. That makes Czech name days an easy, low-pressure occasion to say something kind to a colleague, a neighbor or an in-law you are still getting to know.
Some dates are shared by two names, which makes them doubly busy. Petr and Pavel both celebrate on 29 June, two of the most common male names in the country, so offices with several Petrs and Pavels can feel like a party. Couples sometimes enjoy the coincidence of Adam a Eva on Christmas Eve.
Finding your own Czech name day
Look up the Czech form of your name: John is Jan (24 June), Mary is Marie (12 September), Peter is Petr (29 June), Catherine is Kateřina (25 November). If your name is not in the calendar, Czechs usually choose the day of a similar name. Our guide to Czech names lists English equivalents, and Czech months helps you read the dates on a Czech calendar.
Common mistakes
- Confusing svátek with a public holiday. The word means both; státní svátek is a state holiday.
- Using the birthday wish word for word: name days use k svátku, birthdays k narozeninám.
- Giving an even number of flowers.
- Forgetting that both name forms can count. Jana celebrates on 24 May, while Jan celebrates on 24 June.
- Assuming every name has a day. Many new names, such as some popular foreign ones, are missing from the calendar.
For an English-language overview of the custom, see My Czech Republic’s name day guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are Czech name days?
Dates in the Czech calendar assigned to first names. People with that name receive congratulations and small gifts, a bit like a second birthday.
How do you say happy name day in Czech?
Všechno nejlepší k svátku!, meaning “All the best for your name day!”
When is Jan’s name day in the Czech Republic?
24 June. The female form, Jana, has its name day on 24 May.
Do all Czech names have a name day?
No. Most traditional names do, but some newer or foreign names are missing, and national holidays such as 1 January have no name.
Are Czech name days still celebrated?
Yes. Calendars and media announce the day’s name, and friends, family and colleagues usually send wishes or small gifts.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Name days in the Czech Republic
- Calendar.center: Jmeniny (Czech name-day calendar)
- My Czech Republic: Czech name days
- Deník.cz: report on names missing from the calendar
