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