Meaning & History
The first element of this name is either derived from Baltic vyd meaning "to see" (which would then make this name a variant of Vydgailas) or from Baltic vyti meaning "to chase, to drive away" (see Vytautas). The second element is derived from old Lithuanian gailas, which usually means "strong, potent" but has also been found to mean "sharp, jagged" as well as "angry, fierce, violent" and "miserable, sorrowful, remorseful". Also compare the modern Lithuanian noun galia meaning "power, might, force".