| Serving dual interests is my interest this | | | | Adelaide (Germanic) "noble sort" Ailith |
| month. Here's a list I hope will appeal to | | | | (uncertain) possibly an Anglicized form of |
| both prospective parents and writers who are | | | | AilÃs, the Irish form of Alice, a short |
| stumped for some good character names. The | | | | form of Adelaide Alice (Old French) a short |
| focus is on names used between the Norman | | | | form of Adelaide, "noble sort" Amaria |
| Conquest and the year 1300 in England, names | | | | (Latin?) Possibly from the Latin amarus, |
| that have in some cases been out of | | | | "bitter" Avelina (Old French) pet form of |
| circulation for many years, but might now | | | | Avila, the medieval Latinized form of Avis, a |
| safely be revived. Finding appropriate period | | | | Germanic name of unknown meaning. During |
| names can be a real challenge for a writer. | | | | medieval times, the name became associated |
| While medieval England is not the most common | | | | with the Latin word avis, meaning "bird". |
| story timeframe, medieval names certainly | | | | Beatrix (Late Latin) from the Latin Latin |
| hold more surprises than a later period might | | | | Viatrix, meaning "traveler". The spelling was |
| offer. In trying to serve the dual interests | | | | altered to include bea, part of the Latin |
| of writer and parent, I've selected those | | | | element beatus, meaning "blessed" Betta |
| names I think are most appealing to the | | | | (uncertain) Possibly a pet form of Elizabeth, |
| modern ear. There are some names, like Nest, | | | | "God is my oath" Brigit (Irish) "exhalted |
| for a girl, or Godelot, for a boy, which | | | | one" Catin (uncertain) probably a contracted |
| probably just don't stand the test of time. | | | | form of Catarina, a variant of Catherine, |
| For a wider selection of medieval names, | | | | "pure" Christiana (Latin) Feminine form of |
| visit The Medieval Naming Guide, which has a | | | | Christian, meaning obvious Eleanor (French) |
| vast selection of names and the dates in | | | | from the Provençal name Alienor, possibly |
| which they were used. Masculine Names | | | | a form of Helen, meaning uncertain Emeline |
| Adémar Aimery (uncertain) Perhaps a form | | | | (French) French form of the Latin Aemilius, |
| of Emery Amaury (French form of a Germanic | | | | "rival" Florencia (Roman) from the masculine |
| name) "powerful labor" Anselm (Germanic) ans, | | | | name Florentius, "flourishing, prosperous" |
| "god", and selm, "protection, helmet" | | | | Gemma (Italian) "precious stone" Giliana |
| Benedict (Latin) "blessed" Berenger Bertran | | | | (uncertain) feminine form of the Latin |
| (Germanic) "bright raven" Clement (Latin) | | | | Julian, "youth" Helena (Latin) Latinate form |
| "gentle, merciful" Etienne (French) French | | | | of Helen, meaning uncertain Héloïse |
| form of Stephen, "crown" Everard (Germanic) | | | | (Old French) uncertain meaning; possibly |
| "brave boar" Frederick (Germanic) "peaceful | | | | derived from the Greek helios, meaning "sun" |
| ruler" Geoffrey (Germanic) The first element, | | | | Ilaria (Italian) Feminine form of Hilarius, |
| geof is of uncertain meaning, but the second, | | | | "cheerful" Isabelle (Spanish) English |
| frey, comes from frid, meaning "peace" | | | | spelling of the Spanish variant of Elizabeth, |
| Gervase (English) the English form of a | | | | "God is my oath" Isemay Jolicia Joya |
| Latinized form of a Germanic name meaning | | | | (English) "joy" Juliana (Latin) feminine form |
| "spear" Gregory (Latin) "watchful, alert" | | | | of Julian, "youth" Lia (English) short form |
| Guillaume (French) French form of William, | | | | of names ending in lia Luciana feminine form |
| "resolute protector" Guy (Norman) the Norman | | | | of Lucian, "light" Margaret (Greek) "pearl" |
| form of Germanic names beginning with the | | | | Margery (English) medieval English form of |
| element witu or wit Hélie (French) Maybe a | | | | Margaret, "pearl" Matilda (Germanic) |
| form of Helios, the Greek word for "sun"? | | | | "strength in battle" Melisende (Norman |
| Henry (Germanic) "home ruler" Hugh (Germanic) | | | | French) derived from the Germanic name |
| "heart, mind, or spirit" Jordain (English) | | | | Amalaswinth. "strength in work or labor". |
| Anglicized form of the French form of Jordan, | | | | This was the name of Charlemagne's daughter. |
| "to flow down" Joscelin (Norman) the Norman | | | | Mirabell (Latin) "wonderful" Osanna (French) |
| French variant of a Germanic name, Gautelen, | | | | a form of Hosanna, a Hebrew word meaning |
| which was derived from the name of a Germanic | | | | "deliver us" Pavia (Scandanavian) "day" |
| tribe, the Gauts Odo (Germanic) a short form | | | | Philippa (Greek) feminine form of Philip, |
| of any name beginning with od, "wealth, | | | | "lover of horses" Reyna (Spanish) a variant |
| fortune" Osgood (Germanic) "god is good" Otto | | | | spelling of Reina, "queen" Roana (Scottish?) |
| (German) late form of Odo, "wealth, fortune" | | | | possibly a variant on the Scottish isle of |
| Peter (Greek) "stone" Philippe (French) | | | | Rona Rose (English) "rose" Sabeline (Galican) |
| French form of the Greek Philippos, which | | | | pet form of Sabella, a Galican form of |
| means "lover of horses" Ranulf (Old Norse) | | | | Isabel, "God is my oath" Sibylle (Germanic) |
| Scottish variant of the Old Norse Randulfr, | | | | Germanic form of the Greek Sibylla, |
| "rim of a shield" Robert (Germanic) "bright | | | | "prophetess" Theda (Greek) pet form of |
| fame" Rocelin (uncertain) possibly a male | | | | Theodora, "gift of God" Ysolt (French) an |
| variant of Rosalyn, "soft horse"? Roger | | | | English spelling of the French Yseult, a form |
| (Germanic) "famous spear" Roland (Germanic) | | | | of Isolde, possibly a Welsh name meaning |
| "famous land" Stephen (Greek) "crown" | | | | "beautiful". In the legend of Tristan, the |
| Thibault (French) French form of the Germanic | | | | hero is in love with a married woman bearing |
| Theobald, "bold people" Thomas (Greek) Greek | | | | this name, and also married to a woman who |
| form of the Aramaic name Te'oma, "twin" Toly | | | | bears the name. |
| Turstin (Old Norse) "Thor stone" Walter | | | | |
| (Germanic) "ruler of an army" Warin | | | | Brian Yalung has been naming babies for 10 |
| (Germanic) "enclosure" William (Germanic) | | | | years. |
| "resolute protector" Wymon Feminine Names | | | | |