L. L. Zamenhof the Yiddish form of the forename and a russified version of his surname; many later Russian language documents also include the patronymic "Markovich", as is the custom in the language. His family name is of German origin and was originally written "Samenhof"; the spelling Zamenhof reflects the romanization of the Yiddish spelling , as well as the Esperanto and Polish spellings. In his adolescence he used both the Yiddish "Leyzer" and the Russian "Lazar". While at university, Zamenhof began using the Russian name "Lyudovik" (also transcribed "Ludovic" or translated as "Ludwig") in place of "Lazar", possibly in honor of Francis
Lazarus of Bethany not named there specifically. Some scholars believe that the Secret Mark version represents an earlier form of the canonical story found in John. The raising of Lazarus is a popular subject in religious art. Two of the most famous paintings are those of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (c. 1609) and Sebastiano del Piombo (1516). Among other prominent depictions of Lazarus are works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Ivor Williams, and "Lazarus Breaking His Fast" by Walter Sickert. The reputed first tomb of Lazarus is in the Leitrim (generally believed to be the biblical Bethany) and continues to be a place of