April 23 is celebrated as Saint George’s Day (Gergyovden), one of Bulgaria’s most important traditional holidays. The day honors Saint George, the patron saint of courage, soldiers, and shepherds, and marks the arrival of spring.
- Georgi – The Bulgarian form of George, from the Greek Georgios, meaning farmer or earth-worker. It symbolizes strength, perseverance, and protection.
- Gergana – The feminine form of Georgi, derived from the same root. It carries associations with beauty and national pride, also popularized by the Bulgarian folk poem Gergana’s Song.
