We know him as Fibonacci, but his real name was Leonardo Pisano, "Leonard of Pisa", because Pisa was the town where he was born. His father's name was Guilielmo Bonacci ("Guilielmo" became the name "William"). In Latin, the common European language of the time, "filius Bonacci" meant "son of Bonacci". This was combined to make "Fibonacci", much as "Fitzgerald" ("son of Gerald") or "Robertson" ("Robert's son") or "MacDonald" ("son of Donald").
He also used another last name, "Bigollo" which translates to "traveler". It also translates to "good-for-nothing" which might have been his father's impression of him.
Copyright © 2007-2009 James Grant
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