View Message

After all that talk of medieval and historical names I finally got around to going through this [scholarly] medieval name website I bookmarked who knows how many months ago. Oh, the fun! I wanted to share some of the ones that I liked or jumped out to me most, and I also did my own searching for information if it wasn't provided in the listing.

---

Note: These are all feminine names recorded in England before 1250. And abbreviations used: ME - Middle English, OE - Old English, CG - Continental Germanic, OFr - Old French

---

Admiranda - Latin "admired"
Bedelove - ME from OE Bíedelufu. Bíede could come from the verb "to command" or see entry for Bede, Lufu = "love." Other forms: Bedeluue, Biedeluue
Belissendis - CG, OFr forms: Belisant, Belsante
Brichtrith - from OE Beorhtðrýð. Beorht = "brightness", ðrýð = "strength". Other form: Brichteriðe
Brightwyna - from OE Beorhtwynn. Beorht = "brightness", wynn = fem. of wine = "friend". Other forms: Brictwen, Brichtwen
Chyldeluve - from OE Cildlufu, ME Childlove.
Dæglufu - OE dæg = "day", lufu = "love". Other forms: Daylove, Dayluue. (Loveday's opposite!)
Dúfe - OE "dove". Other forms: Duva, Doue, Duua
Eglentyne - from OFr Aiglentine. (Eglantine)
Emelot, Amelot - vernacular forms of Latin Amelina, Emelina, same as OFr Ameline, Emmeline
Epicelena - possibly from Greek epikéleusis "cheering, exhortation"
Estrangia - from OFr estrange, from Latin extraneus "external, foreign" possibly in the sense of "uncommon, exceptional."
Éastorhild - OE éastor = Easter?, hild = battle). Other form: Estrild
Finepopla - unknown origin
Freþesant - Other form: Frethesant. From CG Frithesuind, Fredesendis. Possibly related to friþ = "peace"?
Hyssmaye - probably from CG Ismagi. Other forms: Ysemay, Ysmay, Ismay
Imagantia - from Latin imago "picture"
Joia - Other forms: Joiha, Joya, Joye, Johi. "Joy"
Léofgifu, Léofgeofu - OE léof = "love", gifu = "gift". Other forms: Leviva, Leofgife, Leueiua, Lyveva
Loverun - from OE Léofrún. Léof = "love", rún = "whisper". Other forms: Leverun, Leuerun
Merewen - from OE Mærwynn. Mǽre = "great, splendid" (thanks, Pie!), wynn is fem. of wine "friend."
Richemay - from OE Rícmæg. Ríc = used to help form a proper name, mæg = kinsman. Other forms: Rechemay, Richemaya
Roana - from OFr roan (same as English word)
Royse - Norman, whence ME Rose, from CG Hrodohaidis, Rothnaid. I knew this was in the database but I mostly liked the CG form. :)
Salove - from OE Sælufu, sæ = "sea", lufu = "love". Other form: Selova
Scolace - Latin, Scholastica. Other form: Scolacia
Sedemaiden - from OE Sidumægden or Seodumægden. Sidu = "custom, manner", mægden = "maiden" Other forms: Sedemai, Sedemay
Splendora - from Latin "splendor"
Wentliana - from Welsh Gwenllian. Other forms: Wantelien, Wenthelen
Wichtiva - from OE Wihtgifu, wiht = "wight" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wight, yeah I didn't know that either), gifu = "gift". Other forms: Wictiue, Wyghtyeue

---

I especially am loving Bedelove, Brightwyna, Éastorhild, Hyssmaye, and Loverun. And looking up Éastor led me to Easterdæg... not a name, just the word, but how cute is that?!

---

I went through an Anglo-Saxon phase maybe a year ago, and I totally think I just rekindled that. Majorly fun stuff, go check it out:
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/reaney/
which I linked to from this site: http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/eng1066to1300.shtml
And you might need this nifty tool: http://www.oldenglishtranslator.co.uk/

This message was edited 6/9/2011, 2:55 PM