Hungarian surnames often reflect the country's rich history and cultural influences. Many surnames are derived from occupations, geographical locations, or personal characteristics. For example, names like Kovács (meaning "blacksmith") and Nagy (meaning "big" or "great") are common and illustrate this trend. In Hungary, surnames typically come before given names, which is the opposite of the naming convention in many Western cultures. Additionally, Hungarian surnames can change based on gender; for instance, a male with the surname Kovács may have a female counterpart named Kovácsné, indicating "wife of Kovács."