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ArchivesName meaning "pledge"
Giselle means "pledge" or "hostage". But I've also read that Gage means "pledge" from French "le gage". But in BtN database it says Gage means "measure". Could Gage have two meanings? Or is the pledge meaning a misunderstanding?
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
"You sought a flower and found a fruit. You sought a spring and found a sea. You sought a woman and found a soul. You are disappointed."
"It does not become me to make myself smaller than I am." (Edith Södergran 1891-1923)
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I looked up "gage" in the dictionary and one of the definitions said it's something used as a guarentee of good faith or something used as a symbol of a challenge to fight. Also says it's derived from French "gage", "of Germanic origin, related to 'wage' and 'wed'."
I wonder if the database just has "measure" down because of the word "gauge"/"gage"?
I don't know anything about languages, but if one of the meanings is a misunderstanding, I'd say it owuld be "hostage" or "measure". I can't see a lot of people in any culture wanting to name their daughter Hostage or Measure.
Maybe, if the meaning is really pledge, it has more to do with faith, or trust?
I wonder if the database just has "measure" down because of the word "gauge"/"gage"?
I don't know anything about languages, but if one of the meanings is a misunderstanding, I'd say it owuld be "hostage" or "measure". I can't see a lot of people in any culture wanting to name their daughter Hostage or Measure.
Maybe, if the meaning is really pledge, it has more to do with faith, or trust?
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Hanks & Hodges' A Dictionary of Surnames does give both of these meanings for the surname Gage.
1. metonymic occupational name for an assayer...from Middle English, Old French ga(u)ge "measure."
2. metonymic occupational name for a moneylender, from Middle English, Old French gage "pledge, surety against which money was leant."
1. metonymic occupational name for an assayer...from Middle English, Old French ga(u)ge "measure."
2. metonymic occupational name for a moneylender, from Middle English, Old French gage "pledge, surety against which money was leant."
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