Editing Kaunas (section)

==Name==
===Etymology===
[[File:CartaMarina.png|thumb|left|Kaunas is named "Cavm" on [[Carta Marina]] from 1539]]
The city's name is of [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] origin and most likely derives from a [[personal name]], however the exact person is unknown and it is believed that he was the ruler of Kaunas Castle.<ref name="Etimologija">{{cite web |title=Kaunas Lietuva |url=https://www.lithuaniainworld.lt/lt/kaunas-lietuva.html |website=Lithuaniainworld.lt |access-date=12 October 2024 |language=lt}}</ref> The personal name Kaunas is derived from an [[adjective]] {{langx|lt|kaunus|label=none}} which means "who likes to fight".<ref name="Etimologija"/> Other possible meaning of the name of the city of Kaunas is that it is derived from an old adjective which is not in use anymore and which meant "deep", "low", "located in the valley".<ref name="Etimologija"/>

Before Lithuania regained independence, the city was generally known in English as ''Kovno'', the traditional [[Slavic languages|Slavicized]] form of its name. The Polish name is {{lang|pl|Kowno}} {{IPA|pl|ˈkɔvnɔ|}}, and the names in [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] include {{lang|be|Koўна}} ({{lang|be-Latn|Kowna}} {{IPA|be|ˈkou̯nɐ|}}) and {{lang|be|Каўнас}} ({{lang|be-latn|Kawnas}} {{IPA|be|ˈkau̯nɐs|}}).<ref>http://www.tnpa.by/#!/FileText/328852/231296</ref> The [[Yiddish]] name is {{lang|yi|קאָװנע}} ''{{lang|yi-Latn|Kovne}}'', and the names in [[German language|German]] include ''{{lang|de|Kaunas}}'' and ''{{lang|de|Kauen}}''. On [[Carta Marina]] from 1539, the city was named ''{{lang|la|Cavm}}''. The city and its [[elderships of Lithuania|elderates]] also have names in other languages (see [[Names of European cities in different languages: I-L#K|Names of Kaunas in other languages]] and [[Names of Lithuanian places in other languages#Elderates of Kaunas|names of Kaunas elderates in other languages]]).

===Folk history===
A 16th-century legend in the ''[[Bychowiec Chronicle]]'' claims that Kaunas was established by the Romans in [[ancient history|ancient times]]. These Romans were supposedly led by a patrician named Palemon, who had three sons: Barcus, Kunas and Sperus.<ref name=palemonas>{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Lietuvių enciklopedija |title=Palemonas |first=Zenonas |last=Ivinskis |author-link=Zenonas Ivinskis |location=Boston |publisher=Lietuvių enciklopedijos leidykla |year=1953–1966 |volume=21 |pages=400–401 |lccn=55020366}}</ref><ref name="Etimologija"/> Palemon fled from [[Rome]] because he feared the mad Emperor [[Nero]]. Palemon, his sons and other relatives travelled to Lithuania. After Palemon's death, his sons divided his land. Kunas got the land where Kaunas now stands. He built a fortress near the confluence of the [[Neman|Nemunas]] and [[Neris]] rivers and the city that grew up there was named after him. A suburban region in the vicinity is named "Palemonas".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://palemonas.info/palemonas/kauno-mikrorajonas-palemonas/ |title=Palemonas.info; Kauno mikrorajonas – Palemonas |access-date=13 April 2011 |language=lt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824002842/http://palemonas.info/palemonas/kauno-mikrorajonas-palemonas/ |archive-date=24 August 2011 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

According to historian [[Teodor Narbutt]] the Lithuanians previously worshiped god Kaunis whose statue was located in the current Kaunas Old Town near [[Neman]] River.<ref name="Etimologija"/>