Dear Jennifer,

I have always been fascinated by names, especially since I have an unusual name myself. I am of part-Polish heritage and have always struggled to get information on the Polish names that I have found on my family tree. I was wondering if you could tell me the meaning of the name Feliksa and if you think it would work in non-Polish society? Also would it be possible to give me any history of the name Eugeniusz? It was my grandfathers name and although quite popular for a time in Poland I have never been able to find any reliable information on it in English.

Thank you so much for the help,
Genevieve

Hi Genevieve,

Both Feliksa and Eugeniusz are variations of the Latinized names Felicia or Felix and Eugene. Felicia means “Happy, Prosperous” as Eugene means “Well born.”

Just like dictionary words, most names have roots and offshoots (prefixes, postfixes) that can be traced back to Roman or Latinized names.

Hope that helps!
Sincerely,
Jennifer

Polish actor Eugeniusz Bodo and his dog Sambo
Polish actor Eugeniusz Bodo and his dog Sambo

Jennifer Moss (she/her) is the founder of BabyNames.com, author of The Baby Names Workbook, and Producer of The Baby Names Podcast. Jennifer is widely regarded as the leading expert on popular baby name trends and the naming process, serving as the authoritative source on the subject for national and international media.

Jennifer entered the tech arena in the 80s as a software developer and database architect, and became a pioneer in the Internet industry. In addition to operating BabyNames.com, Jennifer owns a web development agency in central California.