About the name Trayan / Trajan
Etymology & meaning
Trayan descends from the Roman imperial name Traianus, but the Bulgarian naming system reread it through the verb "traya" — "to last, to endure": a protective wish-name for long life. The feminine is Trayana.
History & patron saint
The folk calendar attached Trayan and Trayana to Trifon Zarezan (14 February old style) — the vine-grower's day, together with the whole circle of vine-and-wine names. No memory of the Roman emperor is kept — the tie is folk and calendrical.
Traditions & customs
On Trifon Zarezan the vines are ritually pruned and wine is poured for abundance — celebrants are often crowned "kings of the vineyard" in their villages. Treats come with wine at a winter table.
Popularity & notable bearers
Trayan is a steady if never mass Bulgarian name, commonest in the northwest — along the old Roman Danube roads where the name has lived for centuries.