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ArchivesRe: Question- meaning behind word element "elf" in many Germanic names?
in reply to a message by Wes
It's derived from the Anglo-Saxon word ælf meaning "elf" (see https://www.behindthename.com/element/ae32lf). The word itself seems to be from Proto-Germanic *albiz which possibly meant "white" (see https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/ælf). I'm not very knowledgeable about Anglo-Saxon and Germanic names, but from what I can find, elves were widely featured in Germanic mythology as creatures with supernatural abilities. They were thought to be able to help (or obstruct) common people, too. Perhaps that's why.
My PNL: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/159719
"I wanted to do good. I really wanted to be good. I didn't just see things. I did things. Things that haunt me every single day of my life." – Simon Asher, Quantico
My PNL: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/159719
"I wanted to do good. I really wanted to be good. I didn't just see things. I did things. Things that haunt me every single day of my life." – Simon Asher, Quantico
This message was edited 1/31/2018, 11:34 PM
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