Question: when did warsaw became the capital of poland

title: Warsaw
text: Warsaw 's name in the Polish language is Warszawa ( also formerly spelled Warszewa and Warszowa ) . Other previous spellings of the name may have included Worszewa and Werszewa . According to some sources , the origin of the name is unknown . In Pre-Slavic toponomastic layer of Northern Mazovia : corrections and addenda ( the Narew drainage ) , it is stated that the toponymy of northern Mazovia tends to have unclear etymology ( p. 30 ) . Originally , Warszawa was the name of a fishing village . According to one theory Warszawa means `` belonging to Warsz '' , Warsz being a shortened form of the masculine name of Slavic origin Warcisław ; see also etymology of Wrocław . However the ending - awa is unusual for a big city ; the names of Polish cities derived from personal names usually ending in - ów / owo / ew / ewo ( e.g. Piotrków , Adamów ) while the - av - in the early name of Wrocław is part of a personal name . Folk etymology attributes the city name to a fisherman , Wars , and his wife , Sawa . According to legend , Sawa was a mermaid living in the Vistula River with whom Wars fell in love . In actuality , Warsz was a 12th / 13th - century nobleman who owned a village located at the modern - day site of the Mariensztat neighbourhood . See also the Vršovci family which had escaped to Poland . The official city name in full is miasto stołeczne Warszawa ( `` The Capital City of Warsaw '' ) . A native or resident of Warsaw is known as a Varsovian -- in Polish warszawiak , warszawianin ( male ) , warszawianka ( female ) , warszawiacy , and warszawianie ( plural ) .