The name has two possible derivations, one from a Baltic word meaning "gift", and the other as a diminutive of Indriķis, the Latvian form of Heinrich.

Indulis was the name of the hero of the legend of Indulis and Ārija, the Latvian Romeo and Juliet, set in the 13th century during the German conquest, which relates the tragic love of Indulis, a Curonian chieftain, and Ārija, daughter of a German military commander. The name was revived, along with many other medieval names, in the late 19th century, and was brought to especial prominence by the poet and dramatist Rainis with the publication in 1911 of his play "Indulis un Ārija".

As a modern name, Indulis is better-known than many Latvian names because of Indulis Emsis, Prime Minister of Latvia in 2004, the first Green head of state in the world.

Notes

Sources

• Pilsonības un Migrācijas Lietu Parvalde (PMLP): Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs personal name database

References

• Latkovskis, Leonards, 1971: Latgalu uzvordi, palames un dzymtas II. Munich: Latgalu izdevniecība
• Siliņš, K., 1990: Latviešu personvārdu vārdnīca. Rīga: Zinātne