The Middle Ages was a fascinating time in Europe’s history, and the common names of the period were no different. Medieval names come from many nations and cultures, and some names were made famous through the deeds of their bearers, whether brave or atrocious. However, some uncommon names are making a comeback as people look for original names for their children.
Most of the names in the Middle Ages had meanings related to religion, battle, and leadership because those were prominent features in those times. Some names were also associated with personal traits, nature, and mythology. Many Medieval names are no longer used, but they are gaining popularity.
Perhaps you are looking at possible names for your baby, or you’re just interested in the monikers of the Middle Ages. We’ll look at common and uncommon names for males and females during Medieval times and some gender-neutral names, too.
Table of Contents
65 Common And Uncommon Male Names From The Middle Ages
Since the Middle Ages happened between the 5th and 15th centuries CE, we rely on historical texts to validate the information. Fortunately for us, English King Henry III and his nobles drew up The Fine Rolls, which included all sorts of interesting information about the Middle Ages. The ten most common boys’ names in Medieval England were included in that information.
The ten most common names for boys in Medieval England were:
- William
- John
- Richard
- Robert
- Henry
- Ralph
- Thomas
- Walter
- Roger
- Hugh
Many of these names are widely used today. However, if you’re looking for a more exotic name for your boy, hundreds of more derive from other countries, and their meanings are pretty cool, too. Let’s look at a few.
- Alban: Alban is a Latin word for “white.”
- Aldous: Aldous is a German and Italian name for “wealthy.”
- Archibald: Archibald is German for “genuine.”
- Arne: Arne is Old Norse for “eagle.”
- Bahram: Bahram is a Persian name meaning “victorious.”
- Bard: Bard is a Gaelic name meaning “singer” or “poet.”
- Bertram: A German and French name, Bertram means “bright raven.”
- Björn: Björn means “bold as a bear” and is a German and Scandinavian name.
- Cassian: Cassian is a Latin name meaning “vain.”
- Conrad: Conrad, or Konrad, is an Old German name meaning “brave counsel.”
- Crispin: Crispin is a Latin name meaning “curly.”
- Daegal: Daegal derives from Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian roots. It means “dweller by a dark stream.”
- Drogo: An Old German name, Drogo means “to carry or bear.”
- Dustin: Dustin means “dark stone” in Old English or “valiant fighter” in German.
- Elric: Elric is an English name meaning “wise ruler.’
- Emil: Emil is a Latin name that means “trying to be equal or better.”
- Everard: Everard is German for “wild boar.”
- Finnian: Finnian is an Irish name meaning “white” or “fair.”
- Galileo: Galileo is an Italian name that means “from Galilee.”
- Gandalf: Gandalf is an Old Norse name meaning “wand elf.”
- Gregory: Gregory is a Greek name meaning “watchman.”
- Hamlin: Hamlin is a German name for “little home lover.”
- Hawk: Hawk is an English name meaning “hawklike.”
- Hildebald: Hildebald is Ancient German, meaning “battle bold.”
- Ivo: Another German name, Ivo, means “archer” or “yew wood.” Ivar is a Scandinavian variant of this name.
- Jeremiah: Jeremiah is a Hebrew name meaning “exalted of God.”
- Kazamir: Kazamir is a Slavic name that means “destroyer of peace.”
- Kenric: Kenric is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “fearless leader.”
- Leif: Leif is an Old Norse name meaning “beloved.”
- Leoric: Leoric means “lion-like” and is an English name.
- Lothar: Lothar is a German name for “famous warrior.”
- Maurin: Maurin is a Latin name meaning “dark-skinned.”
- Milo: In Slavic-speaking countries, Milo means “beloved,” while in Latin, it means “soldier.”
- Morcant: Morcant is a Welsh name that means “bright sea.”
- Neville: Neville is a French name meaning “from the new farmland.”
- Njal: Njal is a Scandinavian name for “champion.”
- Odel: Odel means “wealthy” and is an Anglo-Saxon name.
- Orvyn: Orvyn is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “brave friend.”
- Osric: Osric is a German and English name that means “divine ruler.”
- Otto: Otto is a German name that means “wealth.”
- Pascal: This French name means “born at Easter.”
- Piers: Piers derives from Latin and means “stone” or “rock.”
- Randolf: Randolf means “shield” in Anglo-Saxon.
- Ricard: Ricard is an English name and means “powerful and rich ruler.”
- Rudolf: Rudolf is a German name meaning “famous wolf.”
- Sebastian: Sebastian is derived from Latin and Greek and means “revered” or “from Sebastia.”
- Severin: Severin is a Latin name that means “serious or strict.”
- Svend: Svend is a Danish name meaning “young man.”
- Theodoric: Theodoric is a German name meaning “people’s ruler.”
- Tobias: Tobias means “God is good” and has roots in Hebrew and Greek.
- Torsten: Torsten is a Norse name that means “Thor’s stone.”
- Wilkin: Wilkin is a version of the English name William, meaning “armed resolution.”
- Wolf: An English name meaning “wolf-like.”
- Wymond: Wymond is a Middle English name meaning “battle protector.”
- Zemislav: Zemislav is a Slavic name meaning “family glory.”
65 Common And Uncommon Female Names From The Middle Ages
Female names from the Middle Ages are just as intriguing as the male names mentioned above. According to the Fine Rolls by Henry III, here are the most famous girls’ names in England during Medieval times:
- Alice
- Matilda
- Agnes
- Margaret
- Joan
- Isabella
- Emma
- Beatrice
- Mabel
- Cecilia
We still hear many of these names today, although some have diminished in popularity. So, let’s look at other names for girls back in the Middle Ages. You might just find the perfect one for your princess.
- Adelaide: Adelaide is a German name meaning “noble kind.”
- Anika: Anika derives from Hebrew and means “gift of God’s favor.”
- Annora: Annora is a Latin name for “honor.”
- Astrid: Astrid means “super strength and derives from Old Norse.
- Beatriz: Beatriz (Spanish), or Beatrix (Latin), means “happy.”
- Berenice: Berenice is a Greek name that means “bearer of victory.”
- Brenna: Brenna is a name of Irish origin that means “little raven.” In American English, it means “sword.”
- Celestina: Celestina comes from the Latin root “celestial,” meaning “heavenly.”
- Clotilda: Clotilda is a German name that means “famous for battle.”
- Colette: Colette is a Greek name meaning “victory of the people.”
- Desislava: Desislava is Bulgarian and means “finding glory.”
- Diamond: Diamond is an English name that means “brilliant.”
- Dorothy: A Greek name, Dorothy means a “gift of God.”
- Edme: Edme is a strong Scottish name meaning “warrior.”
- Eira: Eira is a Welsh name meaning “snow.”
- Ella: Ella is a Hebrew name meaning “goddess.” It can also be a German name for “all.”
- Eydis: Eydis is a Norse name that means “goddess of the island.”
- Frida: Frida is a Spanish name that means “peaceful ruler.”
- Genevieve: Genevieve has two meanings. In French, it means “tribe woman,” and in Welsh, it means “white wave.”
- Godiva: Godiva means “God’s gift” and derives from English.
- Gunnora: Gunnora is Old Norse and means “weary in battle.”
- Helga: Helga is a Norse name meaning “sacred” or “holy.”
- Hildegund: This German name means “fight.”
- Honora: Honora can mean “dignified” in Latin or “noblewoman” in French.
- Inga: Inga is a Scandinavian name that means “guarded by Ing.” Ing, in Norse mythology, was the god of peace and fertility.
- Isabeau: Isabeau is a French name meaning “pledge to God.”
- Jacquette: Jacquette means “supplanter” and is derived from French.
- Jehanne: Jehanne means “Yahweh is gracious” in Hebrew.
- Joan: Joan is another Hebrew name that means “God is gracious.”
- Lana: Lana is a peaceful English name that means “calm as still waters.”
- Lucia: Lucia, or Lucy, is a Latin-Roman name meaning “light.”
- Luthera: Luthera is an English name meaning “army of the people.”
- Martine: Martine is the Latin word for “Mars,” the Roman god of war.
- Maude: Maude is an English name meaning “mighty battle maiden.”
- Mirabel: Mirabel is a Latin name that means “wonderful.”
- Odelgarde: Odelgarde means “victory of the people” in German.
- Olive: Olive is derived from Old Norse and means “kind one.”
- Petra: Petra is a Greek name meaning “stone.”
- Philomena: Philomena means “beloved” in Greek.
- Randi: Randi is derived from English, German, and Norwegian. However, it is an Arabic name that means “fair,” “God-lovable,” or “beautiful.”
- Raphaelle: Raphaelle means “God heals” in Hebrew.
- Regina: Regina means “queenly” in Latin.
- Revna: Revna is an Old Norse name that means “raven.”
- Sabina: Sabina means “understanding” in Hebrew. Additionally, it is a Hindi musical instrument.
- Savia: In Latin, Savia means “intelligent.” Additionally, in Arabic, Savia means “beautiful.”
- Sif: Sif is a Scandinavian name meaning “bride.”
- Sigrid: Sigrid is an Old Norse name that means “winning adviser.”
- Thomasina: Thomasina is a Greek name for “twin.”
- Tiffany: Tiffany means “appearance of God” in French.
- Tove: Tove means “God is good” in Hebrew.
- Ulfhild: Ulfhild is a Viking (Nordic and Swedish) name meaning “wolf and battle.”
- Ursula: Ursula means “little bear” in Latin.
- Winifred: Winifred means “peace” in English and German.
- Yrsa: Yrsa is an Ancient Norse name meaning “she-bear.”
- Zelda: Zelda is short for Griselda. It means “fighting maiden” in German.
12 Gender-Neutral Names From The Middle Ages
Many of the boys’ and girls’ names listed above can be gender-neutral. But if you want to play it more on the safe side, here are some non-binary names you can give your little one.
- Asmi: Asmi is a Hindu name that means “self-confidence.”
- Clement: Clement is a Latin name that means “merciful” and “compassionate.”
- Drew: Drew means “courageous” in Greek.
- Felize: Felize, or Feliz, means “fortunate” or “lucky” in Latin.
- Florian: Derived from the Latin word “flora,” the name Florian means “flowering.” Florian can also mean “yellow” or “blonde.”
- Gervaise: Gervaise means “skilled with a spear” in French.
- Guardia: Guardia comes from the Medieval phrase, “Diotiguardi,” which means “may God watch over you.” Guardia is likely derived from Germanic, Italian, and Spanish origins.
- Palmer: Palmer means “pilgrim” in English. It refers to when pilgrims carried palm fronds on a pilgrimage to the promised land.
- Peregrine: Peregrine is a Latin name meaning “traveler.”
- Quentin: Quentin means “fifth-born child ” in Latin.
- Rogue: Rogue is an English name that means “unpredictable.”
- Stace: Stace means “resurrection” in Greek.
Conclusion
Middle Ages names are making a comeback. Well, some of them, anyway. Some names have remained popular throughout generations, especially if they are royal names handed down. However, many people are looking for an original name for their child, and Medieval names offer a lot of options for those looking to be authentic.
References
- https://mom.com/pregnancy/75-genuine-medieval-baby-names-with-enduring-style
- https://nameberry.com/list/891/medieval-names
- https://www.familyeducation.com/150-medieval-names-to-inspire-your-baby-name-search
- https://www.medievalists.net/2011/04/william-agnes-among-the-most-common-names-in-medieval-england/
- https://www.peanut-app.io/blog/medieval-baby-names