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That theory is supported by very reliable modern philological sources, specialised in onomastics (Roberto Faure) or in Arthurian literature (Carlos Alvar, e.g., cites the bonds between Galahad and the Biblical/religious theme: "Galaad: Hijo menor de José de Arimatea y su mujer Elyap; hermano de Josefés. (...) Del mismo modo que Josefés es el hijo soltero de José de Arimatea, entregado a la religión, guardián del Grial, Galaad parece tener encomendada la perpetuación del linaje escogido, del que surgirán los caballeros más destacados del mundo artúrico.").

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In the original old French sources of the legend, the name is Galaad, just the Greco-Roman form of the toponyme used in the Vulgata version of the Bible and in many of the sequent versions (Gilead in English).

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But John Rhys (Studies in the Arthurian Legend, 1891) thought that the name was from Welsh origin (from the personal name Gwalchaved, cited in Culhwch ac Olwen). Withycombe found this theory not very convincing.

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M.T. Morlet (1991) suggested that the creator of the name could had used the Germanic personal name Galahard as inspiration (this name still being alive as family name in France).

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Lumia
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