Radu is a masculine Romanian given name of Slavic etymological origin, derived from the Old Church Slavonic root rad- (cf. ' "glad"). Radu became widespread among the (non-Slavic) Romanians because of Radu Negru's status as legendary founder of Wallachia, a historical Romanian state. Many Wallachian and some Moldavian voivodes or princes have been named Radu. Notable people named Radu include:
A
B
- Radu Barbu (born 1989), Romanian football player
- Radu BÃÂldescu (1888âÂÂ1953), Romanian general during World War II
- Radu BÃÂlescu (1932âÂÂ2006), Romanian and Belgian physicist
- Radu Beligan (1918âÂÂ2016), Romanian actor and director
- Radu Berceanu (born 1953), Romanian engineer and politician
- Radu Bîrzan (born 1999), Romanian football player
- Radu Boboc (born 1999), footballer
- Radu Boureanu (1906âÂÂ1997), Romanian poet and writer
- Radu BudiÃÂteanu (1902âÂÂ1991), activist of the Iron Guard
- Radu Buzescu (fl. c. 1593âÂÂ1601), boyar of Wallachia during the reign of Michael the Brave
C
D
F
- Radu Filipescu (born 1955), Romanian anti-communist dissident
- Radu Florescu (1925âÂÂ2014), Romanian historian and academic, professor at Boston College
G
I
- Radu Irimescu (1890âÂÂ1975), Romanian businessman, politician, and diplomat
- Radu Ivan (born 1969), Romanian judo practitioner
J
K
- Radu Klapper (1937âÂÂ2006), Romanian-Israeli poet and author
- Radu Korne (1895âÂÂ1949), Romanian general during World War II
L
M
- Radu Malfatti (born 1943), Austrian trombone player and composer
- Radu Manicatide (1912âÂÂ2004), Romanian engineer and aircraft constructor
- Radu Marculescu, electrical engineer
- Radu Mareà(1941âÂÂ2016), Romanian writer and journalist
- Radu Marian (born 1977), Moldavian singer sopranist
- Radu ÃÂtefan MazÃÂre (born 1968), Romanian politician
- Radu MihÃÂileanu (born 1958), Romanian-French actor and filmmaker
- Radu MîÃÂu (born 1994), Romanian football player
- Radu Motreanu (born 1998), Romanian football player
- Radu Muntean (born 1971), Romanian filmmaker
N
P
- Radu Paladi (1927âÂÂ2013), Romanian composer, pianist, and conductor
- Radu Paliciuc (born 1988), Romanian basketball player
- Radu Pamfil (1951âÂÂ2009), Romanian football player
- Miron Radu Paraschivescu (1911âÂÂ1971), Romanian writer
- Radu Petrescu (born 1980), Romanian rugby referee
- Radu Marian Petrescu (born 1982), Romanian football referee
- Radu Podgorean (born 1955), Romanian politician
- Radu Poklitaru (born 1972), Moldovan choreographer
- Dumitru Radu Popa (born 1949), Romanian-American writer
- Dumitru Radu Popescu (1935âÂÂ2023), Romanian writer
- Mihai Radu Pricop (1950âÂÂ2018), Romanian politician
R
S
- Radu SabÃÂu (born 1968), Romanian water polo player
- Radu Sabo (born 1971), Romanian football player
- Radu Scîrneci (1926âÂÂ2015), Romanian alpine skier
- Radu ScoarÃÂÃÂ (born 1999), Romanian football player
- Radu Simion (1940âÂÂ2015), Romanian pan flute player
- Radu Sîrbu (born 1978), Moldovan pop singer, formerly of the boy band O-Zone
- Radu Stanca (1920âÂÂ1962), poet, playwright, theatre director
- Radu Stroe (born 1949), Romanian navigational engineer and politician
- Radu Lucian Sulica, Romanian-American physician and laryngologist
T
V
Z
Wallachian rulers
Listed chronologically:
- Radu Negru (Radu the Black; born 1269), legendary founder of Wallachia
- Radu I of Wallachia (fl. c. 1377âÂÂ1383), Voivode of Wallachia, sometimes identified as Radu Negru
- Radu II of Wallachia (Radu II Praznaglava, Radu II Empty Head, Radu the Bald; died c. 1428), reigned intermittently from 1420âÂÂ1427
- Radu the Handsome (Radu cel Frumos, Radu III of Wallachia; 1437/1439âÂÂ1475), the younger brother of Vlad III the Impaler
- Radu IV the Great (Radu cel Mare; 1467âÂÂ1508), son of Vlad CÃÂlugÃÂrul, reigned 1495âÂÂ1508
- Radu BÃÂdica (died 1524), son of Radu IV the Great, reigned 1523âÂÂ1524
- Radu of AfumaÃÂi (Radu de la AfumaÃ
£i; died 1529), son of Radu cel Mare, reigned intermittently from 1522âÂÂ1529
- Radu Paisie (Radu VII Paise, Petru I; fl. 1534-1545), son of Radu cel Mare, reigned almost continuously from 1535âÂÂ1545
- Radu Ilie HaidÃÂul (died 1558), son of Radu of AfumaÃÂi, reigned 1552âÂÂ1553
- Radu Mihnea (1586âÂÂ1626), son of Mihnea Turcitul, reigned from 1601âÂÂ1602, 1611, 1611âÂÂ1616, and 1620âÂÂ1623
- Radu ÃÂerban (died 1620), reigned from 1602âÂÂ1610 and in 1611
- Radu IliaÃÂ (died 1632), son of Alexandru IliaÃÂ, reigned in 1632
- Mihnea III Radu (1613âÂÂ1660)
- Radu Leon (also Radu the Oyster-seller; died 1669), son of Leon TomÃÂa, reigned 1664âÂÂ1669
Other uses
See also