Marek Zidlicky

Marek Zidlicky is a Czech hockey player who spent 12 years in the NHL, mostly with the Predators, Wild, and Devils. We're pretty sure he is not Jewish... but we have to ask.

If we spell Marek's name using the full Czech alphabet, it's "Židlický". You see that pesky mark above the Z? That makes it soft, closer to a J sound than a Z, forming the syllable "Žid". You don't have to know Czech to know what that means.

That is because "Žid" or its variations is a common word for "Jew" in many Eastern European languages. In some (Lithuanian, Polish), it's a perfectly cromulent, neutral word. In some (Russian! What did you expect?), it's an ugly ethnic slur. Czech is on the good side of the fence, so it's a good start.

Alas, the Internets are divided on the meaning of the name. Yes, one option is that it means "Jew", with "-licky" being a common Czech suffix for similar names. The alternative is that it comes from "židle" or "židlice", the Czech word for chair. In this interpretation, "Židlický" could mean "chairmaker".

Considering the other semi-famous Czech Židlickýs include Jan, a pastor... we're gonna go with "chairmaker".

Verdict: **Not a Jew**.

_June 9, 2025_