Vassil had got the nickname Levski during his service in the First Bulgarian legion organized by Rakovski (at left)  in 1862 in Belgrad.  "Levski" in 19-century Bulgarian means "like a lion".  One day during a training, the young legionnaires were jumping over a deep ditch.  Like a lion, Vassil had jumped the farthest.  Rakosvski exclaimed, "That is a Levskii jump!" 
 
 

     Since that day everyone has called him Vassil Levskii.