Britomart is a literary name invented by Edmund Spenser for his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590). It belongs to a female knight who embodies the virtue of chastity, an allegorical figure partly representing Queen Elizabeth I. The name is a modified form of Britomartis, a pre-Hellenic Cretan goddess associated with mountains and hunting, sometimes identified with Artemis (the Greek goddess of the hunt).
Etymology
Spenser likely altered Britomartis by dropping the final -s, perhaps to create a more Anglicized or euphonious name. The original name's meaning is obscure: the Roman writer Solinus claimed it meant "sweet maiden," though this is fanciful. Spenser's use of Britomart also invited folk etymology, in which it was interpreted as a compound of Briton (an ancient inhabitant of Britain) and Martis (the genitive form of Mars, the Roman god of war). This martial resonance suits Spenser's knight, who is both a warrior and a symbol of purity.
Notable Bearers
Britomart is entirely a literary name; it has no known historical or real-world bearers outside Spenser's work. In The Faerie Queene, Britomart is the daughter of King Ryence of Wales. She sets out on a quest to find the knight Arthegall, whom she has seen in a magic mirror and whom she is destined to marry. Armed with a magical spear, she fights to protect the innocent and uphold chastity. Spenser drew on the medieval chivalric romance tradition but gave Britomart a crucial role in the poem's moral allegory.
Cultural Significance
Though confined to literature, Britomart has occasionally been adopted as a given name in modern times, particularly by those with an interest in Renaissance poetry or feminist symbolism. The name's rarity makes it a distinctive choice, evoking themes of strength, virtue, and independence. Its strange mellifluous quality aligns with other Spenserian inventions like Una and Gloriana.
- Meaning: Given folk etymology, "British warrior" or "sweet maiden" (uncertain)
- Origin: Invented by Edmund Spenser from Britomartis
- Type: First name
- Usage region: English literature, occasional modern English
- Gender: Female