Friday, February 17, 2017

Medieval World Tour--Ireland

It's probably pretty obvious by now that I love medieval English names, especially for girls. Well, I decided it's probably time to branch out, and am going to be looking at medieval names from other parts of the world, especially for names/forms that didn't survive to modern day.
First up: Irish!
(unless otherwise noted, the modernized Irish spelling is given)

Boys:
  • Ailill (AL-yill)--prob. "elf, sprite"
  • Ainníleas (AWN-eel-yas)--poss. "adopted child". Older form is Aindiles (AWN-dyil-yes). 
  • Anluan (AHN-loon)--poss. "great warrior" or "great hound". Modern surname form is Hanlon / O'Hanlon.
  • Ardán (AR-dawn)--"bear". Older form is Artán (AR-tawn). 
  • Baisceann (BAWSK-yan)--poss. "red head" or "round head"
  • Beollán (BYOHL-awn)--poss. "lively"
  • Branagán (BRAHN-ah-gawn)--"little raven". Modern surname form is Branigan/Brannigan.
  • Caithnia (KAWN-yee-ah)--"battle champion"
  • Céadach (KYAD-ahkh)--poss. "first". Anglicized as Kedagh
  • Ceallachán (KYAL-akh-awn)--prob. "little bright-head". Modern surname form is Callaghan/Callahan
  • Ceat (kyat)--"enduring, ancient". Older form is Cett (kyet).
  • Ceithernach--(KAY-her-nahkh)--"leader of warriors"
  • Ciarmhac (KYAR-vahk)--"dark son"
  • Ciothruadh (KYEER-oo-ah)--"red shower" or poss. "red passion"
  • Criofan / Criomthann (KREE-fan)--"fox"
  • Daighre (DIRE-yeh)--"flame"
  • Dalbhach (DAHL-vahkh)--poss. "guileful"
  • Éireamhón (AYR-yav-ohn)--origin unknown. Anglicized as Erevan or Erivan
  • Éimhín (AY-veen)--poss. "ready". Older form is Émíne (AY-veen-yeh).
  • Eochai / Eochaidh (OH-khee)--"horse". Older spelling is Eochaid
  • Eocho (OH-khoh)--form of Eochai. Older form is Eochu (OH-khoo). 
  • Fítheal (FEE-hyal)--poss. "goblin, sprite"
  • Flaitheamh (FLAH-hav)--"lord".
  • Flaithrí (FLAH-ree)--prob. "warrior king" or "lord-king"
  • Gaoithín (GAY-heen)--"little clever one". Older form is Gáethíne (GAY-heen-yeh). 
  • Guaire (GOOer-yeh)--"proud, noble"
  • Irial (EER-ee-ahl)--origin unknown
  • Laighneach (LYE-nakh)--"from Leinster". Older spelling is Laighnech
  • Lughaidh (LOO-ee)--from the god-name Lugh, "light"
  • Marcán (MAR-kawn)--"steed"
  • Muirgheas (MOOR ['oo' like in English "foot"]-yas)--"sea-strength"
  • Ríoghbhardán (RYEER-dawn)--"royal poet". Modern surname form is O'Riordan / Riordan.
  • Solamh (SOHL-av, SUL-av)--form of Hebrew Solomon, "peace".
  • Taichleach (TAHL-yakh)--"pacifying". Older spelling is Taithlech
  • Tuathal (TOO-ah-hahl)--"ruler of the people". Modern surname form is O'Toole.

Girls:
  • Abhlach (AHV-lahkh)--poss. "apple tree"
  • Ailleann (AWL-yan)--poss. "elf"
  • Aodhamair (AY-ah-meer)--"fire" [a feminine of Aidan/Aodhán]
  • Barrdhubh (BAR-oov)--"dark-headed"
  • Bébháil (BYAY-vahl)--poss. "lady of Ireland"
  • Béibhinn (BAY-vin)--"fair lady"
  • Caointiarn (KWEEN-tee-arn, KEEN-tee-arn)--"gentle lady"
  • Cobhlaith (KAHV-lah)--prob. "victorious"
  • Dianaimh (DYAN-iv)--"flawless"
  • Duibheasa (div-AS-ah)--"dark waterfall". Older form is Dub Essa (doov es-sah).
  • Dúinseach (DOON-shakh)--"fortress" or poss. "brown-haired girl"
  • Dunlaith (DOON-lah)--prob. "fortress-lady"
  • Eachra / Eachradh (AKH-rah)--prob. "horse". Other form is Echrad (EKH-rahth ['th' like "that"]).
  • Fíneamhain (FEEN-awn)--"vineyard"
  • Finneacht (FYIN-akht)--"fair" [a feminine of Finn]
  • Fíona (FEE-nah)--"vine". Older form is Fíne (FEEN-yeh).
  • Forlaith (FUR-lah, FOR-lah)--"sovereignty"
  • Gearrog (GYAR-rog)--"short"
  • Geiléis (GYEL-aysh)--prob. "bright swan"
  • Gormlaith (GORM-lah)--"blue lady" or poss. "splendid lady"
  • Lasair (LAH-seer)--"flame"
  • Learbhean (LYAR-van)--poss. "lady of the sea"
  • Líoghach (LEE-yahkh)--"beautiful"
  • Mór (MOHR)--"great, tall"
  • Muireann (MOOR ['oo' like English "foot"]-yan)--prob. "fair-sea". Older spelling is Muirenn
  • Muirgheal (MOOR ['oo' like English "foot"]-yal)--"sea-bright". 
  • Onóra (oh-NOR-ah)--form of Latin Honora, "honor"
  • Raghnailt (RYE-nilt)--from Norse Ragnhild, "battle-counsel"
  • Róinseach (ROHN-shakh)--"seal" [a feminine of Ronan]
  • Rónait (ROH-nat)--"seal" [another feminine of Ronan]
  • Saorla / Saorlaith (SAYR-lah)--prob. "noble princess". Older spelling is Sáerlaith
  • Séadach (SHAY-dahkh)--prob. "rich possessions"
  • Tailte (TAHL-tyeh)--poss. "earth" or "beautiful"
  • Tuathla / Tuathlaith (TOO-ah-lah)--"princess of the people"
  • Uasal (OO-sahl)--"noble"

Unisex:
  • Bairrfhionn (BAHR-ee-ahn)--"fair-headed"
  • Beag (BYAG)--"small". Older form is Becc ("BEK"). 
  • Caisin (KAHSH-een)--prob. "curly"
  • Ceallach (KYAHL-ahkh)--prob. "bright head" [much more common for boys]. Modern surname form is Kelly / O'Kelly.
  • Conna (KUN-nah, KAHN-nah)--prob. form of Latin Columba, "dove"
  • Éireannach (AY-ren-ahkh)--"of the Iverni/Erainn" [early Irish tribe]. Older spelling is Érennach
  • Uaithne (OO-in-yeh)--"green"

I know, I know--where are all the girls' names? The reason there are much fewer is two-fold:
Firstly, feminine names were much less likely to appear in records and writings; and secondly, girls were given English or Norse names more often than boys, especially the closer you get to modern-day, and many of those are still around today!

Because girls' names were harder to find, I ended up with a greater time-range than for boys--the boys' names are mostly late Medieval period (1100-1500), while some of the girls' names come from as early as the 600s. 

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