New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] What's your favorite medieval name from the popularity charts?
https://www.behindthename.com/top/lists/england-medieval/1377
Mine are probably Clement and Godelena. I never knew that Christian was used for girls and Jena for boys.
Mine are probably Clement and Godelena. I never knew that Christian was used for girls and Jena for boys.
This message was edited 8/23/2021, 8:12 PM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
I expected to see Hawise on the list for girls - I know earlier in the fourteenth century (and perhaps earlier than that) it was quite popular. It's probably related to Helwise... still not 100% sure how to pronounce it.
Anyway... from the less-typical-of-now names, I like:
Edus
Benedict (there's Cumberbatch, but how many others?)
&
Felice
Isolde
Petronille
Godelena
Christian and Julian were used for women back then, yes (likely pronounced kris-tee-AN and joo-lee-AN), and Stacey is historically unisex as well (though it has always sounded feminine to me)... but I am scratching my head as to how Jena could've been a man's name.
Of the more typical names, I like / love*:
William
Thomas
Richard*
Roger
Adam* (I forget that this was popular in the middle ages - but among the common-folk, not the nobility; it was also the name of Edward II's illegitimate son, who I believe died in his teens)
Nicholas*
Geoffrey
Simon
Stephen
David
James
Edmund
Denis
Michael
Luke
Elias
&
Joan (yes, this was actually more popular than Mary; I was doing research on the Despenser War and Edward II's reign, and I swear every other noblewoman was named Joan - though I don't know if it was pronounced like we say it today or if it was jo-AN)
Isabel
Elizabeth
Denise
Rose
Constance
Eve
Marion (though I prefer Marian)
Eleanor
Lora
Both Lora's and Annabel's appearance on the list surprised me.
Anyway... from the less-typical-of-now names, I like:
Edus
Benedict (there's Cumberbatch, but how many others?)
&
Felice
Isolde
Petronille
Godelena
Christian and Julian were used for women back then, yes (likely pronounced kris-tee-AN and joo-lee-AN), and Stacey is historically unisex as well (though it has always sounded feminine to me)... but I am scratching my head as to how Jena could've been a man's name.
Of the more typical names, I like / love*:
William
Thomas
Richard*
Roger
Adam* (I forget that this was popular in the middle ages - but among the common-folk, not the nobility; it was also the name of Edward II's illegitimate son, who I believe died in his teens)
Nicholas*
Geoffrey
Simon
Stephen
David
James
Edmund
Denis
Michael
Luke
Elias
&
Joan (yes, this was actually more popular than Mary; I was doing research on the Despenser War and Edward II's reign, and I swear every other noblewoman was named Joan - though I don't know if it was pronounced like we say it today or if it was jo-AN)
Isabel
Elizabeth
Denise
Rose
Constance
Eve
Marion (though I prefer Marian)
Eleanor
Lora
Both Lora's and Annabel's appearance on the list surprised me.
1
Bruh Mary is #49???
33% John wowww
Umm I like these names a lot. I like Sibyl, Mariot, Isolde, Julian, Avice?? Petronille.
Bartholomew, Gilbert, Benedict, Gervase, Nigel, Giles.
Wow Griffin and Stacey for boys!
33% John wowww
Umm I like these names a lot. I like Sibyl, Mariot, Isolde, Julian, Avice?? Petronille.
Bartholomew, Gilbert, Benedict, Gervase, Nigel, Giles.
Wow Griffin and Stacey for boys!
1
Sarah and Matthew
1
Edmund & Lucy
1
I don't think Jena would actually have been a male name. I'm guessing it's an abbreviation of Jehannes or something like that. It's not a very good list, tbh - too standardised and too limited in scope.
My favourite which isn't currently in use would be Ibot.
My favourite which isn't currently in use would be Ibot.
1
If it's straightforward about what it's representing, can it be too standardized and limited? It doesn't seem like its purpose is to present anything other than "Common Names for Adults in Late Medieval England 1377-1381." Maybe you think its purpose is too small?
3
For a start, it's based on tax rolls rather than births, so it's very constrained to those who were able to pay tax, skewing the sample significantly. Secondly, it's a survey of less than half of England's counties, and without knowing which counties were considered we can't know how heavily weighted it was to a particular area (for example, if the author only considered southern counties nearer to London). Thirdly, it looks like spellings have been standardised and combined, which involves assumptions being made on the part of the modern author which do not necessarily represent the perceptions of the people bestowing or using those names.
4
Probably my favorites are Elias & Isolde.
William
Laurence
Elias
Griffin
Madok
Joan
Isolde
Sybil
Anne
Idony
Eleanor
Lora
Godelena is good too!
William
Laurence
Elias
Griffin
Madok
Joan
Isolde
Sybil
Anne
Idony
Eleanor
Lora
Godelena is good too!
1
I just love Sybil. Even though some people think it's boring, I can't get over it. Some others:
Alice. One of those names that is so previously that you don't hear it much anymore.
Julian. For a girl? Super cute!
Boys:
Philip. Disney prince vibesss
Griffin.
Alexander. A classic. Would use the nn Ander as apposed to Alex or Alec.
Alice. One of those names that is so previously that you don't hear it much anymore.
Julian. For a girl? Super cute!
Boys:
Philip. Disney prince vibesss
Griffin.
Alexander. A classic. Would use the nn Ander as apposed to Alex or Alec.
2