| County name |
Language of origin |
Meaning |
| Alba |
Romanian
(Latin) |
The city of Alba-Iulia ("The white city of Julius"; also Bălgrad, in Slavic - "White city"), probably from the white colour of the city walls |
| Arad |
Hungarian |
The city of Arad, named in the 11th century Urod after the name of a Hungarian knight, probably from the root ur meaning lord |
| Argeş |
Dacian |
Argeş river, named in ancient times Argessos, probably meaning "shiny" |
| Bacău |
Slavic? |
possibly named after a local warlord called Bako |
| Bihor |
Slavic |
vihor (whirlwind) |
| Bistrita-Nasaud |
Slavic and German |
- the city and river Bistriţa - of Slavic origin (rapid)
- the city of Năsăud - from German Nussdorf (the walnut tree village)
|
| Botoşani |
Romanian |
several variants:
- botoş (tick)
- botos (big-mouthed)
- botoşei (booties)
|
| Braşov |
Slavic? |
? |
| Brăila |
Slavic |
old name Brailov, unknown meaning |
| Buzău |
Romanian
(Dacian) |
from the word buză (lip) |
| Caraş-Severin |
Turkish and Latin |
- Caraş river: from Turkish Kara (dark, black)
- Turnu Severin (Severin Tower) - possibly from Severus, a Roman emperor that built there a tower.
|
| Călăraşi |
Romanian
(Latin) |
călăraş a military auxiliary corp of cavalery during the Middle Ages in Wallachia |
| Cluj |
Latin |
clusium a medieval castre, name given by the German colonists (Klausenburg) |
| Constanţa |
Latin |
the city of Constanţa was named Constantiana by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine |
| Covasna |
Slavic |
cvaz (sour) reffering to the taste of the mineral waters of the area |
| Dâmboviţa |
Slavic? |
? |
| Dolj |
Slavic |
Dolu Jiu, the Jiu of the valley |
| Galaţi |
Cuman
(Arabic) |
gala(t), from Arabic kalhat (fortress) |
| Giurgiu |
Italian |
The city of Giurgiu was founded by the Genoese in the 14th century and named after San Giorgio, the patron of their city |
| Gorj |
Slavic |
Gora Jiu, the Jiu of the mountains |
| Harghita |
? |
? |
| Ialomiţa |
Slavic |
Ialomiţa river, from Slavic jalov = barren |
| Iaşi |
Sarmatian |
From the Sarmatian Iazygi which lived in the 1st century |
| Ilfov |
Slavic |
? |
| Maramureş |
Dacian |
from Mureş ("murky") |
| Mehedinţi |
? |
? |
| Mureş |
Dacian |
Mureş river, known by the Dacians as Maris, meaning "murky" |
| Neamţ |
Romanian
(Slavic) |
The city of Piatra Neamţ, neamţ meaning "German", as the Teutons built a fortress there |
| Olt |
Dacian |
Olt river, known by the Dacians as Alutus |
| Prahova |
Slavic |
Prahova river, from Slavic :
- prag, meaning "water cataract"
- prah, meaning "dust"
|
| Satu Mare |
Romanian
(Latin + Dacian) |
Satu Mare city, meaning "Big village" |
| Sălaj |
Slavic? |
? |
| Sibiu |
Slavic |
sviba horn |
| Suceava |
Slavic? |
? |
| Teleorman |
Cuman |
deliorman, meaning "mad forest", "endless forest" |
| Timiş |
Dacian |
known as Tibisis by the Romans and it was probably a Dacian name |
| Tulcea |
? |
? |
| Vaslui |
Cuman |
? |
| Vâlcea |
Slavic |
vlk (wolf); name of a Dark Age Slavic warlord |
| Vrancea |
Slavic |
vrana (raven) |
