Radu (given name)

Radu
Pronunciation[ˈradu]
GenderMale
Origin
Word/nameSlavic
Meaningrad (the happy one)
Region of originRomania
Other names
Related namesRada (female first name), Radoslav

Radu is a masculine Romanian given name of Slavic etymological origin, derived from the Old Church Slavonic root rad- (cf. радъ "glad"). Radu became widespread among the (non-Slavic) Romanians because of Radu Negru's status as legendary founder of Wallachia, a historical Romanian state. Many Wallachian and some Moldavian voivodes or princes have been named Radu.

Notable people named Radu include:

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  • Radu Filipescu (born 1955), Romanian anti-communist dissident
  • Radu Florescu (1925–2014), Romanian historian and academic, professor at Boston College

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  • Radu Irimescu (1890–1975), Romanian businessman, politician, and diplomat
  • Radu Ivan (born 1969), Romanian judo practitioner

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  • Radu Klapper (1937–2006), Romanian-Israeli poet and author
  • Radu Korne (1895–1949), Romanian general during World War II

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Romanian rulers

Main article: List of rulers of Wallachia

This section is organized chronologically.

  • Radu Negru (Radu the Black; born 1269), legendary founder of Wallachia
  • Radu I of Wallachia (fl. c. 1377–1383), Voivode of Wallachia, sometimes identified as Radu Negru
  • Radu II of Wallachia (Radu II Praznaglava, Radu II Empty Head, Radu the Bald; died c. 1428), reigned intermittently from 1420–1427
  • Radu the Handsome (Radu cel Frumos, Radu III of Wallachia; 1437/1439–1475), the younger brother of Vlad III the Impaler
  • Radu IV the Great (Radu cel Mare; 1467–1508), son of Vlad Călugărul, reigned 1495–1508
  • Radu Bădica (died 1524), son of Radu IV the Great, reigned 1523–1524
  • Radu of Afumați (Radu de la Afumaţi; died 1529), son of Radu cel Mare, reigned intermittently from 1522–1529
  • Radu Paisie (Radu VII Paise, Petru I; fl. 1534-1545), son of Radu cel Mare, reigned almost continuously from 1535–1545
  • Radu Ilie Haidăul (died 1558), son of Radu of Afumați, reigned 1552–1553
  • Radu Mihnea (1586–1626), son of Mihnea Turcitul, reigned from 1601–1602, 1611, 1611–1616, and 1620–1623
  • Radu Șerban (died 1620), reigned from 1602–1610 and in 1611
  • Radu Iliaș (died 1632), son of Alexandru Iliaș, reigned in 1632
  • Radu Leon (also Radu the Oyster-seller; died 1669), son of Leon Tomșa, reigned 1664–1669

Other uses

See also