Tomislav (, ) is a Slavic masculine given name, that is widespread amongst the

South Slavs South Slavs are Slavic people who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austria, ...

. The meaning of the name ''Tomislav'' is thought to have derived from the

Old Slavonic Old Church Slavonic or Old Slavonic ( ) is the first Slavic literary language and the oldest extant written Slavonic language attested in literary sources. It belongs to the South Slavic subgroup of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European ...

verb "'' tomiti''" or "'' tomit'''" meaning to "''languish''", "''torture''" or "''struggle''", combined with "''slava"'' meaning glory. Other origin theories suggest the name is a variant derived from the

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

Apostle Thomas Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...

, whilst another theory postulates that it is a Slavicised corruption of the (Dog) Latin "''Dominus Slavus''". The first recorded bearer of the name was the 10th-century King

Tomislav of Croatia Tomislav (, ) was the first king of Croatia. He became Duke of Croatia and was crowned king in 925, reigning until 928. During Tomislav's rule, Croatia forged an alliance with the Byzantine Empire against First Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria. Croati ...

, for this reason it has become popular amongst

Croats The Croats (; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries in Central Europe, Central and Southeastern Europe who share a common Croatian Cultural heritage, ancest ...

. In

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

, the name Tomislav was among the top ten most common masculine given name in the decades between 1970 and 1999. The name is also widespread amongst

Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...

, reaching popularity during the 1930s and 40s. King

Alexander I of Yugoslavia Alexander I Karađorđević (, ; – 9 October 1934), also known as Alexander the Unifier ( / ), was King of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes from 16 August 1921 to 3 October 1929 and King of Yugoslavia from 3 October 1929 until his assassinati ...

gave his second child the name as a symbolic gesture of unity for his subjects. The name is also carried within the nations of

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

, and Bulgaria. Amongst

West Slavs The West Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak the West Slavic languages. They separated from the common Slavic group around the 7th century, and established independent polities in Central Europe by the 8th to 9th centuries. The West Slavic langu ...

in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the cognate is Tomisław, and among

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

it is Tomiszláv. Toma is a popular diminutive for ''Tomislav'' in the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

, whilst the derivative

Name day In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively t ...

(''Tomindan'') is celebrated on October 6 according to the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...

, and October 19 in the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian cale ...

People with the name

Arts and entertainment

Tomislav Dretar Tomislav Dretar (born 2 March 1945) is a Croatian, Bosnian, French and Belgian poet, writer, critic, and translator, as well as an academic, journalist, editor, political leader and president of Bihać's Croatian Defence Council during the Bosn ...

, Croatian novelist * Tomislav Ivčić, Croatian singer * Tomislav Ladan, Croatian novelist * Tomislav Miličević, American musician * Tomislav Mužek, Croatian tenor * Tomislav Osmanli, Macedonian screenwriter * Tomislav "Toma" Zdravković, Serbian singer * Tomislav Zografski, Macedonian composer

Business

* Tomislav Damnjanovic, Serbian businessman & arms smuggler *

Tomislav Momirović Tomislav Momirović (; born 17 October 1983) is a Serbian businessman and politician who served as minister of internal and foreign trade from 2022 to 2024. A member of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), he served as minister of construction, ...

, Serbian businessman and politician * Tomislav Karadžić, Montenegrin-Serb businessman & football administrator * Jan Tomislav Topić, Ecuadorian businessman and presidential candidate

Media

* Tomislav Jakić, Croatian journalist * Tomislav Kezarovski, Macedonian journalist

Military

* Tomislav Sertić, Croatian General * Tomislav Simović, Serbian Lieutenant General (JNA)

Politics

* Tomislav Donchev, Bulgarian politician *

Tomislav Karamarko Tomislav Karamarko (; born 25 May 1959) is a Croatian politician who served as First Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia from January to June 2016. He served in the Cabinet of Jadranka Kosor as Minister of the Interior from 2008 to 2011. Early li ...

, Croatian politician * Tomislav Lampel, birth name of the Serbian-Israeli politician Yosef "Tommy" Lapid * Tomislav Ljubenović, Serbian politician *

Tomislav Merčep Tomislav Merčep (28 September 1952 – 16 November 2020) was a Croatian politician and paramilitary leader during the Croatian War of Independence who was later convicted of war crimes. Early life and the Croatian War of Independence A native of ...

, Croatian politician *

Tomislav Nikolić Tomislav Nikolić ( sr-Cyrl, Томислав Николић, ; born 15 February 1952) is a Serbian former politician who served as the president of Serbia from 2012 to 2017. A former member of the far-right Serbian Radical Party (SRS), he di ...

, former President of Serbia * Tomislav Petrak, Croatian politician *

Tomislav Žigmanov Tomislav Žigmanov ( sr-Cyrl, Томислав Жигманов; born 12 April 1967) is a Serbian author, community leader, and politician from the country's Croats of Serbia, Croat community. He has led the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojv ...

, Croat-Serbian politician

Royalty

Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia Prince Tomislav of Yugoslavia ( sr-cyr, Томислав Карађорђевић, Tomislav Karađorđević; 19 January 1928 – 12 July 2000) was a member of the House of Karađorđević, the second son of King Alexander I and Queen Maria of Y ...

* Tomislav II (honorary title), Prince Aimone, 4th Duke of Aosta

Science and academia

Tomislav Maretić Tomislav Maretić (13 October 1854 – 15 January 1938) was a Croatian linguist and lexicographer. He was born in Virovitica, where he attended primary school and the gymnasium (school), gymnasium in Varaždin, Požega, Croatia, Požega and Zag ...

, Croatian linguist & lexicographer * Tomislav Šola, Croatian museologist *

Tomislav Trifić Tomislav Trifić ( sr-cyr, Томислав Трифић; born 4 March 1949) is a Serbian graphic artist and dean of the University of Pristina Faculty of Arts, in North Kosovo, Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landl ...

, Serbian academic & graphic artist * Tomislav Volek, Czech musicologist

Sports

* Tomislav Ašković, Serbian long-distance runner *

Tomislav Brkić Tomislav Brkić (; born 9 March 1990) is a Bosnian professional tennis player. Brkić achieved a career-high in doubles of World No. 40 on 17 January 2022. He has won two ATP doubles titles one with Nikola Ćaćić and one with Francisco Cabral ...

, Bosnian tennis player *

Tomislav Butina Tomislav Butina (; born 30 March 1974) is a Croatian former professional footballer who played as goalkeeper for Dinamo Zagreb, Club Brugge and Olympiacos. He was also capped 28 times for the Croatia national team in the period from 2001 to 200 ...

, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Ćiraković, Montenegrin footballer *

Tomislav Colić Tomislav Colić ( sr-Cyrl, Томислав Цолић; born October 13, 1987) is a Serbian association football, footballer formerly with Los Angeles Blues in the USL Professional Division and Anaheim Bolts in the Professional Arena Soccer Leagu ...

, Serbian footballer * * Tomislav Dokić, Serbian volleyball player *

Tomislav Draganja Tomislav Draganja (; born 10 August 1994) is a Croatian former tennis player. Draganja primarily focused on doubles, where had a career high ATP doubles ranking of world No. 115 achieved on 26 February 2018. He mainly competed on the ATP Challe ...

, Croatian tennis player *

Tomislav Ivić Tomislav Ivić (; 30 June 1933 – 24 June 2011) was a Croatian professional football player and manager. Often described as a brilliant strategist, Ivić is credited with helping develop the modern style of the game. In April 2007, Italian spor ...

, Croatian football manager *

Tomislav Ivković Tomislav Ivković (born 11 August 1960) is a Croatian professional Manager (association football), football manager, executive and former Football player, player. During his playing career, which spanned two decades, he competed mostly in Portug ...

, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Jagurinovski, Macedonian handball player * Tomislav Jotovski, Macedonian tennis player * Tomislav Jurić, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Kaloperović, Serbian footballer & manager * Tomislav Karlo, Croatian swimmer * Tomislav Kelava, Serbian boxer *

Tomislav Knez Tomislav Knez (born 9 June 1938 in Banja Luka) is a retired footballer from Yugoslavia. He was part of the Yugoslav squad that won gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics. During his club career he played for Borac Banja Luka, Dinamo Zagreb, SV Schw ...

, Bosnian footballer * Tomi Kostadinov, Bulgarian footballer *

Tomislav Marić Tomislav Marić (born 28 January 1973) is a German-born Croatian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Club career Marić was born to Bosnian Croat parents in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg and started his first-team career ...

, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Mikulić, Croatian footballer *

Tomislav Milićević Tomislav Milićević (; 29 September 1940 – 24 October 2024) was a Yugoslav and Serbian Association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football), defender. Playing career Milićević started out at FK Napredak Kruševa ...

, Serbian footballer * Tomislav Mišura, Slovenian footballer * Tomislav Mrčela, Australian footballer * Tomislav Papazov, Bulgarian footballer * Tomislav Pavlov, Bulgarian footballer * Tomislav Pajović, Serbian footballer * Tomislav Pondeljak, Australian footballer * Tomislav Prosen, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Pucar, Croatian table tennis player * Tomislav Sivić, Serbian footballer *

Tomislav Smoljanović Tomislav Smoljanović (born 15 July 1977) is a Croatian medical scientist, physician, and a retired rower. Smoljanović won bronze at the 2000 Summer Olympics and silver at the 2001 World Championships as a member of the national eights team. ...

, Croatian rower * Tomislav Šokota, Croatian footballer * Tomislav Ternar, Slovenian tennis player * Tomislav Tomić, Bosnian footballer * Tomislav Višević, Bosnian-Croat footballer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomislav Masculine given names Slavic masculine given names Bosnian masculine given names Croatian masculine given names Serbian masculine given names Bulgarian masculine given names hr:Tomislav (razdvojba)