 Men bearing the name Bakó or Bako are documented in medieval Transylvania and in 15th-century Bulgaria, but according to Victor Spinei the name itself is of Turkicmost probably of Cuman or Pechenegorigin.Nicolae Iorga believes that the city's name is of Hungarian origin (as Adjud and Sascut).Another theory suggests that the town's name has a Slavic origin, pointing to the Proto-Slavic word "byk", meaning "ox" or "bull", the region being very suitable for raising cattle; the term, rendered into Romanian alphabet as "bâc", was probably the origin of "Bâcău".