Bucharest: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Bucharest – Meaning: settlement of a man named Bucur – Origin: Romanian – Gender: Unisex – Pronunciation: BOO-kuh-rest


Bucharest is a Romanian unisex name meaning “settlement of a man named Bucur”. It appears in our list of 175+ European City Baby Names With Old-World Elegance.

Meaning & Origin of Bucharest

Meaning: Settlement of a man named Bucur.

Origin: Romanian.

A common claim: Bucharest is often said to mean 'city of joy' Actually: The name literally means 'settlement of Bucur,' a personal name. Linking 'Bucur' to 'joy' (bucurie) rests on a founding legend rather than established etymology.

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Bucharest

Phonetic: BOO-kuh-rest   IPA: /buːkəˈrɛst/

Popularity of Bucharest

Bucharest doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Bucharest

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