Saturday, May 23, 2020

Idas & Aidas, Isas & Aisas

More short girls' names that travel well!
As usual, English is a bit of an oddball when it comes to pronunciation, so just assume all -ida names are "ee-dah" unless long-established in English, and the -aidas & -aisas are "ah-ee-dah" / "eye-dah" and "ah-ee-sah" / "eye-sah".  ;)
[it's literally been years, but I have done a few other lists of short, similar girls' names: Eias, Elas, & Elias; Ias, Inas, & Itas; Aias, Anas & Aras; Iras & Yras, Ilas & Ylas]


  • Blida ([archaic] Swedish)
  • Brida ([anglicized] Irish, Italian)
  • Cida ([Brazilian] Portuguese)
  • Dida (Danish, Swedish, Arabic, Romanian) [multiple derivations, masculine in Arabic]
  • Fida (Arabic) [unisex]
  • Frida (Scandinavian, Spanish, English)
  • Friida (Finnish)
  • Guida (Portuguese)
  • Ida (English, German, Italian, Scandinavian, Russian, Dutch)
  • Iida (Finnish)
  • Lida (English, Russian, Scandinavian, Persian) [multiple derivations]
  • Lída (Czech)
  • Liida (Finnish)
  • Nida (Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Lithuanian, Scandinavian) [multiple derivations]
  • Rida (Arabic) [masculine. Also, closer to "rid-ah" than "ree-dah"]
  • Thida (Thai, Burmese) [separate derivations]
  • Tida (Scandinavian)
  • Vida (Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, English, Persian) [multiple derivations, masculine in Hungarian]
  • Yida (Mandarin) [unisex]

  • Aida (really, everywhere) [multiple derivations]
  • Daida (Spanish)
  • Fraida (Yiddish)
  • Gaida (Latvian)
  • Laida (Spanish, Basque)
  • Maida (Scandinavian, Bosnian, English) [multiple derivations, "may-dah" in English]
  • Naida (Croatian, Bosnian, English, Spanish) [multiple derivations, usually "nay-dah" in English]
  • Saida (Arabic, Scandinavian) [separate derivations]
  • Smaida (Latvian)
  • Taida (Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Croatian, Polish, Latvian)
  • Vaida (Lithuanian, Latvian)
  • Zaida (Arabic)

  • Brisa (Spanish)
  • Chisa (Japanese)
  • Cisa (Germanic mythology) [German pronunciation of -isa names is "ee-zah" rather than "ee-sah"]
  • Dísa (Icelandic)
  • Disa (Scandinavian)
  • Gisa (German) 
  • Hisa (Japanese)
  • Iisa (Finnish)
  • İsa (Turkish) [masculine]
  • Isa (Arabic, Spanish, German, Scandinavian) [multiple derivations; masculine in Arabic]
  • Kiisa (Finnish)
  • Kisa (Danish, Japanese) [separate derivations, more common in fiction than IRL in Japanese]
  • Liisa (Finnish, Estonian)
  • Lísa (Icelandic)
  • Lisa (all over the western world)
  • Miisa (Finnish)
  • Misa (Japanese, Scandinavian) [separate derivations; unisex in Scandinavia]
  • Niisa (Finnish)
  • Nisa (Turkish, Thai, Scandinavian) [separate derivations]
  • Risa (Japanese, English, Scandinavian) [multiple derivations]
  • Sisa (Quechua)
  • Tisa (English, Serbian, Nepalese [Newar?]) [separate derivations]
  • Viisa (Finnish)
  • Vísa (Icelandic)
  • Visa (Scandinavian) [unisex]
  • Yisa (Nigerian [Edo?]) [masculine]
  • Zisa (Germanic mythology, Yiddish) [separate derivations]

  • Aisa (Scandinavian, Japanese, Greek mythology) [separate derivations]
  • Caisa (Scandinavian)
  • Faisa (Arabic, Swahili)
  • Kaisa (Scandinavian, Estonian)
  • Maisa (Scandinavian, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish) [multiple derivations]
  • Raisa (Arabic, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian) [multiple derivations]
  • Taísa ([Brazilian] Portuguese)
  • Taisa (Russian, Belarusian)
  • Thaísa ([Brazilian] Portuguese, Spanish)

Friday, May 1, 2020

Medieval World Tour--France

Continuing my (increasingly delayed) series, today I'll be scouring records of medieval France.
As before, I'll be focusing mostly on names that did not survive until modern times, except possibly in surnames. :)
[previous Medieval World Tours: Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain & Catalonia]


[the pronunciations are roughly Old French, but since the transition to Middle French began during the late Medieval period, slightly more modernized pronunciations would be reasonable as well]

Boys:
  • Achere (ah-SHEHR)--from Germanic, "blade-army"
  • Aicard (eye-KARD)--from Germanic, "possess-strong"
  • Aleaume (ah-leh-AWM)--prob. from Germanic, "noble-helmet"
  • Ardric (ar-DREEK)--from Germanic, "strong ruler"
  • Berard (beh-RARD)--from Germanic, "bear-strong"
  • Bermond (behr-MOND)--from Germanic, "bear-protection". Another form was Bermund (behr-MOOND). 
  • Daguin (dahg-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "day-friend"
  • Enguerrand (en-geh-RAWND)--from Germanic, "Angle-raven" ["Angle" as in 'Anglo-Saxon'; not geometry] or "angel-raven". Other forms included Enguerran (en-geh-RAWN) and Anguerran (awn-geh-RAWN). 
  • Ertaut (ehr-TAWT)--from Germanic, "strong-power". Another form was Artaud (ar-TAWD). 
  • Faruin (far-ooEEN)--prob. from Germanic, "journey-friend". Another form was Faroin (far-oEEN).
  • Fortin (fahr-TEEN)--from Latin, "strong"
  • Fulcuin (foolk-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "people-friend". Another form was Fulcoin (foolk-oEEN).
  • Galeran (gah-leh-RAWN)--from Germanic, "foreigner-raven", or poss. "reign-raven"
  • Garnier (garn-YEHR)--form of Werner
  • Giruin (zheer-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "spear-friend". Others forms included Giroin (zheer-oEEN), Geruin (zhehr-ooEEN), and Geroin (zhehr-oEEN). 
  • Gisbern (zhees-BEHRN)--from Germanic "arrow-bear"
  • Guarin (gwah-REEN)--from Germanic "guard". Another form is Guérin (gay-REEN). 
  • Guerric (gwehr-REEK)--from Germanic, "guard-ruler"
  • Guimart (gee-MART)--from Germanic, "battle-famous"
  • Guiscard (gees-KARD)--from Old Norse, "wise and brave"
  • Herluin (hehrl-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "earl-friend"
  • Hildebert (heel-de-BEHRT)--from Germanic, "battle-bright". Another form was Ildebert (eel-deh-BEHRT). 
  • Imbert (eem-BEHRT)--from Germanic "strong and bright". Also spelled Ymbert
  • Isarn (ee-ZARN)--from Germanic "iron"
  • Isoard (eez-oARD)--from Germanic, "iron-guard". Also spelled Ysoard
  • Jael (zhah-EL)--from [Biblical] Hebrew, "ibex"
  • Josce (zhots)--from Germanic "Gaut/Geat" [the root form of Jocelyn]
  • Josceran (zhots-eh-RAWN)--from Germanic, "Gaut-raven". Also spelled Joceran. Another forms included Gauceran (gaw-tseh-RAWN) and Josseran (zhos-seh-RAWN). 
  • Landuin (lahnd-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "land-friend". Another form was Landoin (lahnd-oEEN).
  • Lauger (law-ZHEHR)--prob. from Germanic, "grand spear"
  • Maiulf (mye-OOLF)--prob. from Germanic, "might-wolf"
  • Marcuin (mark-ooEEN)--prob. from Germanic, "border-friend". Another form was Marcoin (mark-oEEN).
  • Maurel (maw-REL)--prob. form of Maurus or Maurice
  • Merme (mehrm)--from Latin "smallest"
  • Nivart (nee-VART)--from Germanic, "new-strong"
  • Odart (od-ART)--from Germanic, "wealth-strong". Another form was Oudart (oo-DART). 
  • Onfroi (on-FROY)--form of Humphrey
  • Otran (ot-RAWN)--from Germanic, "wealth-raven"
  • Paien (pye-EN)--from Latin, "rustic". Also spelled Payen
  • Ponce (ponts)--form of Pontius. Also spelled Pons.
  • Radoard (rahd-oARD)--prob. from Germanic, "counsel-guard"
  • Rainulf (rye-NOOLF)--from Germanic, "counsel-wolf"
  • Rasse (rahs)--from Germanic "counsel"
  • Sabin (sah-BEEN)--masculine of Sabine/Sabina. Another form was Savin (sah-VEEN). 
  • Saruin (sar-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "war-equipment friend". Another form was Saroin (sar-oEEN).
  • Segoard (seg-oARD)--prob. from Germanic, "victory-guard"
  • Seguin (seg-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "victory-friend". 
  • Stainard (stye-NARD)--from Germanic, "stone-strong"
  • Tassin (tahs-SEEN)--from Germanic, "deed, act"
  • Teduin (ted-ooEEN)--from Germanic, "people-friend"
  • Vauquelin (vaw-keh-LEEN)--from Germanic "foreign"
  • Ysambert (ee-zam-BEHRT)--from Germanic "iron-bright". Another form was Ysambart (ee-zam-BART). 

Girls:
  • Acherea (ah-sheh-reh-ah)--from Germanic, "blade-army" [this is the Latinized form, and I think the everyday French form would have been Acheree (ah-sheh-RAY) based on the one cartulary I found online; however, I cannot find any other records, or confirmation by someone more educated, so.....]
  • Agenilde (ah-zhen-EELD)--from Germanic, "blade-battle"
  • Alaine (ah-LINE)--feminine of Alain/Alan
  • Ansois (awns-oEES)--from Germanic, "god-tree"
  • Asceline (ah-tsel-EEN)--from Germanic "noble" [making it a relative of Ada/Adele]. Also spelled Aceline. Other forms included Asseline (ah-sel-EEN) and Acelot (ah-tsel-OT). 
  • Avice (ah-VEETS)--prob. from Latin, "bird", or Germanic Aveza, meaning unknown [in the latter case, making it a relative of Evelyn]
  • Benceline (ben-tseh-LEEN)--from Germanic "bond"
  • Berarde (beh-RARD)--from Germanic, "bear-strong"
  • Beroilde (behr-oEELD)--from Germanic, "bear-battle"
  • Blaisotte (blye-ZOT)--feminine of Blaise. Another form was Blaisine (blye-ZEEN). 
  • Cardine (kar-DEEN)--diminutive of Richarde/Ricarda
  • Crespine (kres-PEEN)--feminine of Crispin. Another form was Crispine (kris-PEEN). 
  • Duveline (doo-veh-LEEN)--poss. from Germanic "dove"
  • Emelot (em-eh-LOT)--form of Emmeline. Also spelled Emmelot. Another form was Amelot (ah-meh-LOT). 
  • Engelaide (en-zhel-ide)--from Germanic "of angel-kind"
  • Faroilde (far-oEELD)--prob. from Germanic, "journey-battle". Another form was Farilde (far-EELD). 
  • Florimonde (flah-ree-MOND)--prob. Latin 'flower" + Germanic "protection"
  • Fulcoare (foolk-oAHR)--from Germanic, "people-protection"
  • Galienne (gah-lee-EN)--poss. from Latin "Gaulish/Gallic"
  • Girarde (zhee-RARD)--feminine of Gerard. Another form was Guerarde (geh-RARD). 
  • Girois (zheer-oEES)--prob. from Germanic, "spear-wood"
  • Gratiane (grah-tee-AHN)--from Latin, "grace". Another form is Gratienne (grah-tee-EN). 
  • Guillette (geel-YET)--prob. feminine of Guillaume/William and other Will-names. 
  • Guiotte (gee-OT)--feminine of Guy. Another form was Guyonne/Guionne (gee-ON). 
  • Havoise (hahv-oEEZ)--from Germanic, "battle-wood". Other forms included Haduise (hahd-ooEEZ) and Haoÿs (hah-aw-EES). 
  • Hersent (hehr-SENT)--from Germanic, "army-strength"
  • Hesceline (hets-el-EEN)--from Germanic, "health". Also spelled Heceline
  • Hildois (heeld-oEES)--from Germanic, "battle-wood". Another form was Hilduis (heeld-ooEES).
  • Jael (zhah-EL)--from [Biblical] Hebrew, "ibex"
  • Jamette (zhah-MET)--feminine of Jacques/James [and therefore a form of Jacqueline]
  • Lantilde (lahn-TEELD)--from Germanic, "land-battle"
  • Léonete (lay-oh-NET)--feminine of Léon
  • Mathurine (mah-toor-EEN)--from Latin "timely, mature"
  • Odeline (od-el-EEN)--from Germanic "heritage", or poss. "wealth".
  • Odierne (od-ee-EHRN)--from Latin, "today, now"
  • Odine (od-EEN)--feminine of Odin or a Germanic Od-name, like Odart.
  • Perrote (pehr-ROT)--form of Perrine/Petra. Other forms included Perrette (pehr-RET) and Péronne (pay-RON). 
  • Perside (pehr-SEED)--from [Biblical] Greek "Persian"
  • Rainilde (rye-NEELD)--prob. from Germanic, "counsel-battle". Other forms included Ragnilde (rahn-YEELD) Regenilde (reh-zhen-EELD), Raintilde (rine-TEELD), and Rainoilde (rine-oEELD). 
  • Rainois (rine-oEES)--prob. from Germanic, "counsel-wood". Other forms included Ranois (rahn-oEES) and Rainuis (rine-ooEES). 
  • Rauline (raw-LEEN)--feminine of Raoul/Ralph. Another form was Raullette (raw-LET). 
  • Richilde (ree-SHEELD)--from Germanic, "mighty battle"
  • Roceline (rots-el-EEN)--from Germanic "famous". Also spelled Rosceline
  • Rogère (rozh-EHR)--feminine of Roger
  • Saintisme (sine-TEEM)--from Latin, "most saintly"
  • Sanceline (sawn-tseh-LEEN)--from Latin, "holy, pious"
  • Saroilde (sar-oEELD)--from Germanic, "war-equipment battle". Another form was Sarilde (sar-EELD). 
  • Scolace (skol-AHTS)--from Latin "scholar"
  • Sedile (seh-DEEL)--poss. from Latin "seat"
  • Tassine (tahs-SEEN)--from Germanic, "deed, act"
  • Thiece (tee-ETS)--from Germanic, "people". Another form was Teceline (tets-el-EEN). 
  • Yfeme (ee-FEM)--form of Euphemia/Effie. Another form was Yfame (ee-FAHM). 

Oh my goodness, this list could have easily been twice as long! Like English, French is incredibly prolific at coining and adapting names, and French names of the time are arguably some of the most well-documented in Europe.
(You may notice, I didn't even include any names of Breton origin on here. A list for another day!)