Agolant m Carolingian CyclePossibly a Romance language form of Arabic
الأغلب (al-ʾAghlab), a 9th-century emir of Ifriqiya in North Africa, which is derived from
أغلب (ʾaghlab) meaning "predominant, supreme". This is the name of a Saracen king in medieval French tales of
Charlemagne and his knights.
Aifric f IrishFrom Old Irish
Affraic, possibly from
Afraicc, the Old Irish name of the continent of Africa (see
Africa 1). Alternatively, it could be from *
Aithbrecc, an unattested earlier form of
Aithbhreac. This was the name of two abbesses of Kildare in the 8th and 9th centuries. It was also borne by a 12th-century daughter of the king of the Isle of Mann who married the Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy.
Amadis m LiteratureProbably an Old Spanish form of
Amadeus. In a medieval tale Amadis of Gaul was a heroic knight-errant and the lover of
Oriana. The earliest extant version of the story,
Amadís de Gaula, was written by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo in 1508.
Angharad f Welsh, Old Welsh (Modernized), Welsh MythologyFrom an Old Welsh name recorded in various forms such as
Acgarat and
Ancarat. It means
"much loved", from the intensive prefix
an- combined with a mutated form of
caru "to love". In the medieval Welsh romance
Peredur son of Efrawg, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of the knight
Peredur.
Avtandil m Georgian, LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli based it on Persian
آفتاب (āftāb) meaning "sunshine" and
دل (del) meaning "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by
Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.
Bors m Arthurian CycleFrom French
Bohort, probably from Old French
behort or
bohort meaning
"jousting" or
"jousting lance". First appearing in the 13th-century
Lancelot-Grail Cycle, Bors was one of Arthur's knights who quested for the Holy Grail. His father, the king of Gaunnes, was also named Bors.
Bradamante f Carolingian CycleUsed by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem
Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian
brado "wild, untamed, natural" and
amante "loving" or perhaps Latin
amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen
Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem
Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera
Alcina (1735).
Caradog m Welsh, Arthurian CycleFrom the Old Welsh name
Caratauc, a Welsh form of
Caratācos. This is the name of several figures in Welsh history and legend, including an 8th-century king of Gwynedd, a 12th-century saint, and a son of
Brân the Blessed. In Arthurian romance Caradog is a Knight of the Round Table. He first appears in Welsh poems, with his story expanded by French authors such as Chrétien de Troyes.
Galahad m Arthurian CycleFrom earlier
Galaad, likely derived from the Old French form of the biblical place name
Gilead. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of
Lancelot and
Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the 13th-century French
Lancelot-Grail Cycle.
Ganelon m Carolingian CycleFrench form of the Old German name
Wenilo. In the medieval French epic
La Chanson de Roland Ganelon is the knight who betrays
Charlemagne's army to the Saracens, resulting in the death of
Roland and the rest of the rear guard. He was based on Wenilo, a 9th-century archbishop of Sens who betrayed Charles the Bald (Charlemagne's grandson).
Gareth m Welsh, English (British), Arthurian CycleMeaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends
Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named
Beaumains) is a brother of
Gawain. He goes with
Lynet to rescue her sister
Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on
Gaheriet or
Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name
Gwrhyd meaning
"valour" (found in the tale
Culhwch and Olwen) or
Gwairydd meaning
"hay lord" (found in the chronicle
Brut y Brenhinedd).
Gawain m Arthurian CycleMeaning uncertain, from the Latin form
Gualguainus used in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth (appearing also as
Walganus,
Gwalguanus and other spellings in different copies of the text), where he is one of the knights who serve his uncle King
Arthur. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmai, and it is possible that the name derives from
Gwalchmai or a misreading of it.
... [more] Geraint m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleMeaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of
Gerontius. This was the name of a figure in various Welsh legends. He was also incorporated into Arthurian tales (the romance
Geraint and Enid) as one of the Knights of the Round Table and the husband of
Enid.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, ItalianPossibly a Romanian variant of
Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Kay 2 m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleFrom the Welsh name
Cai or
Cei, possibly a form of the Roman name
Gaius. Sir Kay was one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He first appears in Welsh tales as a brave companion of Arthur. In later medieval tales, notably those by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, he is portrayed as an unrefined boor.
Lancelot m Arthurian CyclePossibly an Old French diminutive of
Lanzo (see
Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of
Arthur's wife
Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in
Erec and Enide and then as a main character in
Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.
Lassie f LiteratureFrom a diminutive of the northern English word
lass meaning
"young girl", a word probably of Norse origin. This name was used by the author Eric Knight for a collie dog in his novel
Lassie Come-Home (1940), later adapted into a popular film and television series.
Laudine f Arthurian CyclePossibly a derivative of
Lot 2 (or derived from the same place name). It was used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for a character in his romance
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Also called the Lady of the Fountain, Laudine married
Yvain after he killed her husband.
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian CycleFrench diminutive of
Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century
Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir
Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Lohengrin m Arthurian CycleFrom the earlier form
Loherangrin, derived from
Lothringen, the German name for the region of
Lorraine. It appears in Arthurian legend, initially in the 13th-century German poem
Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, belonging to a son of the knight
Parzival. The tales were adapted by Richard Wagner for his opera
Lohengrin (1850).
Lunete f Arthurian CycleForm of
Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight
Yvain.
Lyonesse f Arthurian CycleMeans
"lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale
Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister
Lynet gains the help of the knight
Gareth in order to save her.
Mantas m LithuanianFrom Lithuanian
mantus meaning
"intelligent, clever" or
manta meaning
"property, wealth". Herkus Mantas was a 13th-century Prussian hero who fought against the Teutonic Knights.
Nestan-Darejan f LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for a character in his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli derived it from the Persian phrase
نیست اندر جهان (nīst andar jahān) meaning
"unlike any other in the world" or
"unique". In the poem Nestan-Darejan is a princess loved by
Tariel.
Oriana f Italian, SpanishPossibly derived from Latin
aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish
oro or French
or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight
Amadis.
Orlando m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Carolingian CycleItalian form of
Roland, as used in the epic poems
Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and the continuation
Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poems, Orlando is a knight in
Charlemagne's army who battles against the invading Saracens. A character in Shakespeare's play
As You Like It (1599) also bears this name, as does a city in Florida.
Owain m Welsh, Arthurian CycleFrom an Old Welsh name (
Ougein,
Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name
Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *
owi- "sheep", *
wesu- "good" or *
awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix
gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into
Yvain for his Arthurian romance
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King
Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of
Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.
... [more] Pelleas m Arthurian CyclePossibly from the Greek name
Peleus. In Arthurian legend this is the name of a knight in love with Arcade or Ettarde. He first appears in the Old French
Post-Vulgate Cycle in the 13th century, later in Thomas Malory's
Le Morte d'Arthur (15th century) and Alfred Tennyson's
Idylls of the King (1859).
Percival m Arthurian Cycle, EnglishCreated by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem
Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French
perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name
Peredur. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King
Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.
Peredur m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleMeaning uncertain. It possibly means
"hard spears" from Welsh
peri "spears" and
dur "hard, steel". In early Welsh poetry and histories, the brothers Peredur and Gwrgi were chieftains in Cumbria who defeated
Gwenddoleu at the Battle of Arfderydd. This name was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Latin form
Peredurus for an early (fictitious) king of Britain. Entering into Arthurian romance, Peredur is an aspiring knight in the 14th-century Welsh tale
Peredur son of Efrawg (an adaptation or parallel of Chrétien de Troyes' hero
Percival).
Pridon m GeorgianGeorgian form of
Fereydoun. It appears in the 12th-century Georgian epic poem
The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Pridon (fully Nuradin-Pridon) is a friend of
Avtandil and
Tariel.
Ramaz m GeorgianPossibly a Georgian form of
Ramadan. It appears in the 12th-century Georgian epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin.
Ruggiero m Italian, Carolingian CycleItalian form of
Roger. This is the name of a Saracen knight in the epic poems
Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and
Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto, as well as several operas based on the poems. In the tales Ruggiero is a noble opponent of
Orlando who falls in love with the female knight
Bradamante.
Tariel m Literature, GeorgianCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. He may have based it on Persian
تاجور (tājvar) meaning "king" or
تار (tār) meaning "dark, obscure" combined with
یل (yal) meaning "hero". In the poem Tariel, the titular knight who wears a panther skin, is an Indian prince who becomes a companion of
Avtandil.
Temple m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.
Tinatin f Georgian, LiteraturePossibly related to Georgian
სინათლე (sinatle) meaning
"light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem
The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of
Avtandil.
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian CycleProbably from the Celtic name
Drustan, a diminutive of
Drust, which occurs as
Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As
Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French
triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch
Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King
Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Yvain m Arthurian CycleForm of
Owain used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian romance
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion.