In the first of our series of well-known surnames here in Malta, we begin with Borg. And how could we not? Borg is literally the most common surname on the mainland (but not in Gozo, where the surname Vella wins that prize), and you are likely to see it all over the place – from shop names to newspaper articles.

Pronunciation

Bore-ge

History

Borg is said to be a Sicilian semantic name, and it can be traced back to the Eastern and Southern Mediterranean. The word itself means ‘a pile of rocks’, and it links to the Arabic word burjd, meaning a rocky tower, so some argue that those with the surname Borg would have originally been part of the building trade.

An alternative history, though, could come from the French history books in the Middle Ages that state that the name Borg is a derivative of the word ‘bolle’ for ‘bowl’. A well-respected ancient family in Languedoc in the south was known as Bourg, and – interestingly – one of their members was made a Knight of Malta. Perhaps all of today’s Borgs are actually his descendants (so could technically be considered knights too, right?!)

Borg: The Famous

As the absolutely most common surname in the Maltese islands, there are lots of well-known Borgs to meet. Here’s a snapshot:

Pete Borg

The frontman for the very popular and multi award-winning pop/rock band Red Electrick, Pete Borg is also a guitarist, song producer, and songwriter. It wasn’t long ago that Pete got to perform Wonderwall with one of his idols – Liam Gallagher. Some of Red Electrick’s most popular songs include The End of it All, The Runaway and Shake.

Christabelle Borg

Although she is known simply as Christabelle, this renowned singer is a Borg too! She is best-known for representing Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 in Portugal, but is also a CEO, entrepreneur and social media influencer. Her wedding in 2018 was considered one of the biggest events of the year!

Gerard James Borg

Also in the music industry and linked to the Eurovision (perhaps it’s a Borg thing!), Gerard has penned six of the Maltese entries for the annual Eurovision Song Contest with writing partner Philip Vella, one of which placed second. He is also the writer behind a series of popular local tongue-in-cheek novels, including Sliema Wives and Married Madliena Men.

Alex Borg

Not music related this time, Alex is actually a top snooker player who turned professional in 1991. He is best-known for beating the likes of Nigel Bond and John Higgins, and has played everywhere from India to China – up against some of the best in the game.

BONUS:

Among some famous international Borgs, you’re likely to find a number in Canada, the US and Australia – where many Maltese families moved to in the 70s and 80s. That said, the best known Borg we know of is Björn Rune Borg, who is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. We can’t find a Maltese connection, though, so Björn’s Borg is clearly of different heritage, and his surname has a hard ‘g’ at the end, as opposed to the softer ‘g’ in Maltese.