The word "Dracula" is derived from the name of a historical figure, Vlad III, who was also known as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad III was a 15th-century ruler of Wallachia, a region in present-day Romania. He gained a reputation for his brutal methods of ruling, including impaling his enemies on long, sharp stakes.
The name "Dracula" itself is derived from Vlad III's patronymic name, as he was the son of Vlad II, who was known as Vlad Dracul. "Dracul" means "dragon" or "devil" in Romanian, and the suffix "-a" indicates "son of" or "descendant of." So, "Dracula" can be interpreted to mean "son of Dracul" or "son of the Dragon/Devil." The name "Dracula" gained significant prominence and associations with vampires after Bram Stoker used it for his famous novel "Dracula," published in 1897.