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I've come across two characters from German folklore: King Ilsing and his daughter Princess Ilse. The Ilse river is supposedly named for her. Does anyone know what Ilse and Ilsing mean? I suppose Ilse could be a nn for Elisabeth but the fact that her name comes from German folklore makes me think there's another answer.
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“Violence, in truth, recoils upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit he has dug for another." - Sherlock Holmes, The Speckled Band
BTN's Resident Historian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Violence, in truth, recoils upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit he has dug for another." - Sherlock Holmes, The Speckled Band
BTN's Resident Historian
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Replies
Idk, but I love Ilse
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Ilse is in the database: German and Dutch diminutive of ELISABETH, however in this case I have another theory (see below).
Ilsing: I found this as a Scandinavian male given name. Also in use as a surname.
There are also places called Ilsingham and Ilsington in Devonshire, England. The name Ilsington is derived from the Domesday name, Ilestintona, which may have developed from the old English personal name, Ielfstan, when the village was first invaded by the Saxons:
http://www.ilsingtonparish.co.uk/history.htm
If Ilsington is from Ilestintona, that would mean, that Ilsing is from Ilestin. Ilestin is also used as a surname, no meaning found. Probably there is a relation with the surname Iles, which is of Norman (French) origin. An interesting explanation of the meaning of Iles you can find here:
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Iles
I would guess that Ilsing means something like "islander". And in this case, the name Ilse would probably not be a variant of Elisabeth, but a form of the described name Iles.
By the way: here's the story you referred to:
http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/ilse.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ilse
Ilsing: I found this as a Scandinavian male given name. Also in use as a surname.
There are also places called Ilsingham and Ilsington in Devonshire, England. The name Ilsington is derived from the Domesday name, Ilestintona, which may have developed from the old English personal name, Ielfstan, when the village was first invaded by the Saxons:
http://www.ilsingtonparish.co.uk/history.htm
If Ilsington is from Ilestintona, that would mean, that Ilsing is from Ilestin. Ilestin is also used as a surname, no meaning found. Probably there is a relation with the surname Iles, which is of Norman (French) origin. An interesting explanation of the meaning of Iles you can find here:
http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Iles
I would guess that Ilsing means something like "islander". And in this case, the name Ilse would probably not be a variant of Elisabeth, but a form of the described name Iles.
By the way: here's the story you referred to:
http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/ilse.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Ilse
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Thank you. That's very interesting.
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Sorry, also here Ilse is ultimately a diminutive from Elisabeth:
According to the following site, the German town Ilsenburg originally was called "Elysynaburg"
http://www.vg-ilsenburg.de/staticsite/staticsite.php?menuid=64&topmenu=64&keepmenu=inactive
So this would mean, that Ilse is from Elysyna. I found given names Elysyna and Elysyn, Elysyn also in use as a surname. I did not find the meaning and origin, but it's probably a form of Elise, which is a short form of Elisabeth.
According to the following site, the German town Ilsenburg originally was called "Elysynaburg"
http://www.vg-ilsenburg.de/staticsite/staticsite.php?menuid=64&topmenu=64&keepmenu=inactive
So this would mean, that Ilse is from Elysyna. I found given names Elysyna and Elysyn, Elysyn also in use as a surname. I did not find the meaning and origin, but it's probably a form of Elise, which is a short form of Elisabeth.
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I wonder if Elysyn and Elysyna could have come from the Greek mythological paradise, Elysium (or its adjectival form, Elysian). It has certainly been used in other European placenames (such as the Champs-Élysées in Paris).
This message was edited 6/13/2010, 7:15 AM
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Hmmm, interesting thought. I found the following links that might support your idea:
Name Elysia, origin Greek, meaning "struck by lightning":
http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Elysia.html
Scroll down: Etymology: Elysium is an obscure name that evolved from a designation of a place or person struck by lightning, enelysion, enelysios.
http://www.answers.com/topic/elysium
The following site gives both meanings (from Elysium, and from Elisabeth):
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Elysia
But this site gives more interesting possibilities:
Elysia - Meaning of the name:
[ 4 syll. e-ly-sia, el-ys-ia ] The girl name Elysia is pronounced ahLIHZHiyah or ahLIYZHah †. Elysia has its origins in the Germanic, Hebrew, and Old Greek languages. It is used largely in the English language. From Old Greek roots, its meaning is 'blissful'. In Roman and Greek mythology, the Latin Elysium or Greek Elysion was the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous; this was a pagan concept associated with the Christian Heaven. Elysia could be derived as the feminine form of this name. It could also be from Alicia, Elizabeth, or the combination of Elise and Alicia:
http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Elysia
Name Elysia, origin Greek, meaning "struck by lightning":
http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Elysia.html
Scroll down: Etymology: Elysium is an obscure name that evolved from a designation of a place or person struck by lightning, enelysion, enelysios.
http://www.answers.com/topic/elysium
The following site gives both meanings (from Elysium, and from Elisabeth):
http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Elysia
But this site gives more interesting possibilities:
Elysia - Meaning of the name:
[ 4 syll. e-ly-sia, el-ys-ia ] The girl name Elysia is pronounced ahLIHZHiyah or ahLIYZHah †. Elysia has its origins in the Germanic, Hebrew, and Old Greek languages. It is used largely in the English language. From Old Greek roots, its meaning is 'blissful'. In Roman and Greek mythology, the Latin Elysium or Greek Elysion was the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous; this was a pagan concept associated with the Christian Heaven. Elysia could be derived as the feminine form of this name. It could also be from Alicia, Elizabeth, or the combination of Elise and Alicia:
http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Elysia
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