Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Medieval World Tour--Spain & Catalonia

Up today on the Medieval World Tour is Spain & Catalonia! As always, I'm looking particularly for names/forms that didn't survive to the modern age (although some are still around in surname-form).
Also, I especially had a lot of fun saying this list out loud. :p
[For this post (and possibly from now on), consider 'RR' to indicate a rolled/trilled R. This list is full of them!
Also, while there was a lot of overlap between Spanish and Catalan, some forms I found 
only in Catalan, those are marked as such ]

Boys:
  • Auderico (ow-deh-RREE-koh ['ow' like in "cow"])--prob. from Germanic "wealth-ruler" or poss. "old-ruler"
  • Berenguer (beh-ren-GEHR)--from Germanic, "bear-spear" [Catalan]. Spanish form was Berenguel (beh-ren-GEL). 
  • Bonanat (boh-nah-NAHT)--prob. from Latin, "good birth"
  • Ferro (FEHRR-oh)--prob. short form of Fernando and other Germanic Fer/Far- names, "journey" [also means "iron" in modern Catalan]
  • Gauceran (gow-tseh-RAHN ['ow' like in "cow"])--from Germanic, "Goth-raven". Another form was Golceran (gohl-tseh-RAHN). [both Catalan]
  • Guerau (geh-ROW ['ow' like in "cow"])--form of Gerald [Catalan]
  • Guillen (gee-LYEN ['ly' like the 'lli' in "million"])--form of Guillermo/William. Also spelled Guillén
  • Gutierre (goot-YEHRR-ay)--form of Walter
  • Merino (meh-RREE-noh)--prob. from Latin Marinus, making it a masculine form of Marina. [coincides with a medieval title Merino, that prob. from Latin maiorino "of a large area"]
  • Monnio (MOHN-nee-oh)--origin uncertain, poss. a Spanish form of medieval Basque Munio (origin unknown), or a form of Monica
  • Ordonio (orr-DOHN-yoh)--origin uncertain, poss. from Latin Fortunatus. Also spelled Ordoño
  • Savarico (sah-vah-RREE-koh)--origin uncertain, poss. from Germanic Suebi ("Swabian"), Latin Sabini ("Sabine"), or Latin Sabius ("wise") + Germanic ric, "ruler"
  • Teodemiro (teh-oh-deh-MEE-rroh)--prob. from Germanic, "people-famous" [making it a form of modern German Dietmar]
  • Vastian (vahst-YAHN)--prob. a short form of Sebastián
  • Vermudo (vehrr-MOO-doh)--prob. from Germanic, "vigilant protection". 

Girls:
  • Adalez (ah-dah-LEDZ)--form of Adelaide
  • Aiculina (eye-koo-LEE-nah)--poss. a diminutive of a Germanic Aic-name, "to possess", or a form of Latin Aquilina, "little eagle" [Catalan]
  • Aldonça (ahl-DOHN-tsah, ahl-DOHN-sah)--poss. from Germanic, "noble-ready" or "battle-ready" [making it a feminine form of Alonso/Alphonse].
    Other forms included Aldonza (ahl-DOHN-dzah) and Eldonza (el-DOHN-dzah). 
  • Amaltruda (ah-mahl-TROO-dah)--from Germanic, "bravery-strength" or "bravery-maiden"
  • Berengaria (beh-ren-GAH-rree-ah)--from Germanic "bear-spear". A Catalan form was Berenguera (beh-ren-GEH-rah).
  • Bonanata (boh-nah-NAH-tah)--prob. from Latin, "good birth"
  • Brunissenda (broon-ee-SEN-dah)--from Germanic, "brown-strength", or poss. "breastplate-strength". A Catalan form was Brunissen (broon-EE-sen). 
  • Castellana (kahs-teh-LYAH-nah ['ly' like the 'lli' in "million"])--"castellan"
  • Ermesenda (ehrr-meh-SEN-dah)--from Germanic, "great strength". A Catalan form was Ermessen (ehr-MES-sen). 
  • Geralla (zheh-RAH-lyah ['ly' like the 'lli' in "million")--prob. feminine of Gerald [Catalan]
  • Guialma (gee-AHL-mah)--feminine of Guillermo/William
  • Jaumeta (zhow-MEH-tah ['ow' like in "cow"])--feminine of Jaume/James [Catalan]
  • Marquesia (mar-KEH-see-ah)--"marquise/marchioness". Another form was Marquesa (mar-KEH-sah)
  • Mayor (mah-YOHR, mye-OR)--prob. from Latin maior "greater, older". Also spelled Maior. [still means "greater, older" in modern Spanish]
  • Monnia (MOHN-nee-ah)--origin uncertain, poss. a Spanish form of medieval Basque Munia (origin unknown), or a form of Monica
  • Nofra (NO-frah)--feminine of Onophrius, from Hellenized Egyptian, "he who is happy"
  • Rica (RREE-kah)--short form of Germanic Ric-names, "ruler". [also means "rich" in modern Spanish and Catalan]
  • Rogera (roh-ZHEHR-ah)--feminine of Roger, "fame-spear" [Catalan]
  • Sesilda (seh-SEEL-dah)--poss. from Germanic, "lament-battle", or a form of Cecilia
  • Sonifreda (soh-nee-FREH-dah)--from Germanic, "truth-peace", or poss. "sun-peace"
  • Urraca (oo-RRAH-kah)--"magpie". Another form was Oreka (oh-RREK-ah). 

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