Gregor

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine given name often associated with figures in literature or history ; sometimes referring to characters in notable works, such as a pivotal figure in Kafka's novels ; occasionally used as a surname in certain cultures
2. Refers to a male personal name that appears in various cultures ; also recognized as the name of significant fictional personas, including in classic literature ; may function as a last name in some regions
3. A name used for men that is seen both historically and in stories ; can identify prominent fictional roles, notably in literary contexts ; sometimes utilized as a family name across different backgrounds

Etymology: Gregor is a form of Gregory, and Gregory comes from the Greek "egrēgoros," meaning "watchful" or "awake," related to "egeirein," "to wake." The name spread across Europe through the early Church, and its Germanic and Slavic forms, including Gregor, kept the same meaning. Franz Kafka's novella "The Metamorphosis" (1915) gave the name its most famous fictional bearer. Gregor Samsa wakes one morning transformed into a giant insect, so the name of a man meant to be watchful becomes that of someone who cannot even get out of bed. In Scotland, MacGregor means "son of Gregor," the name of a Highland clan. Gregor Mendel, the Moravian friar whose pea-plant experiments founded genetics, took the name Gregor when he entered his Augustinian monastery in Brno.