Names Categorized "archaic English"

Albertus is the Latinized form of Albert. In the Netherlands, it functions as the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates and in formal records, while the shorter Albert is employed in everyday life....

Athelstan is a modern revival of the Old English name Æðelstan. In use since the 19th century, the name carries the weight of early medieval English history. It is predominantly a masculine name used in English-speaking...

EtymologyBaldric is a masculine given name of Old German origin, derived from the elements bald meaning "bold, brave" and rih meaning "ruler, king". Thus, the name signifies "bold ruler" or "brave king". Its ancestral ro...

Christobel is a rare English feminine given name, primarily considered a variant of Christabel. The name Christabel itself is a combination of Christina and the suffix -bel, inspired by Latin bella meaning 'beautiful'. T...

Crispian is a medieval English variant of the name Crispin. Like its counterpart, Crispian ultimately derives from the Roman cognomen Crispinus, itself a derivative of Crispus, meaning 'curly-haired' in Latin. The name g...

Dederick is an older form of the name Derek, originating in English usage. Ultimately, it is derived from the Gothic name *Þiudareiks, meaning "ruler of the people," from elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king."...

Docia is a relatively rare female given name in the English-speaking world, most likely a diminutive of Theodosia. Its usage appears to be very uncommon, lacking major bearers or wide historical recognition, and it likel...

Dreda is a short form of the name Etheldreda, which itself is a Middle English descendant of the Old English name Æðelþryð. The Anglo-Saxon name Æðelþryð is composed of the elements æðele meaning "noble" and þryþ meaning...

Drogo is a medieval masculine name of uncertain origin, brought to England and Italy by the Normans. The name's etymology is debated: it may derive from Gothic dragan meaning "to carry, to pull," or from Old Saxon drog m...

Dulcibella is a feminine given name of English origin. It is a Latinized form derived from the Latin elements dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful," ultimately carrying the meaning “sweet and beautiful.”HistoryThe name ap...

Ebenezer is a male given name of Hebrew origin, derived from the phrase Even Haʿazer (אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר), meaning "stone of help". The name originates from a monument erected by the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament to com...

Etymology and OriginsElfleda is a Middle English form of the Old English names Æðelflæd and Ælfflæd. These names became rare after the Norman Conquest, but were briefly revived in the 19th century. Ælfflæd means "elf bea...

Elihu is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "my God is he" — from elements ʾel ("God") and hu ("he"). It appears several times in the Old Testament, most notably as one of the friends of Job in the Book of...

OverviewEppie is an English feminine given name primarily used as Diminutive of either Euphemia or Hephzibah. While the former is more common, both roots contribute to the name's gentle and affectionate tone.Etymology an...

Ermintrude is an English form of the Old German name Ermendrud. It derives from the Germanic elements irmin "whole, great" and drud "strength", giving the name a meaning akin to "great strength." The name was borne by Er...

Ethelbert is a masculine given name of English origin, derived from the Middle English form of Æþelbeorht. It ultimately traces back to the Germanic elements adal meaning "noble" and beraht meaning "bright," thus conveyi...

Ethelinda is an English form of the Germanic name Adallinda. The name was very rare in medieval times, but it was revived in the early 19th century. It is composed of the Germanic elements adal meaning "noble" and lind m...

Ethelred is a Middle English form of the Old English name Æðelræd, which is composed of the elements æðele 'noble' and ræd 'counsel, advice'. Thus, the name means 'noble counsel' or 'well-advised.' Etymology and History...

Euphemia is a female given name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek verb εὐφημέω (euphemeo), meaning "to use words of good omen." This verb combines the elements εὖ (eu), meaning "good," and φημί (phemi), meaning "to...

Fulk is an old European masculine given name, ultimately derived from the Proto-Germanic element *fulką meaning "people," through the Old Frankish fulk and Old High German folk. It originated as a short form of various c...

Etymology Fulke is a variant of Fulk, a name of Germanic origin introduced to England by the Normans. The root name ultimately derives from the Old Frankish element fulk or Old High German folk, meaning "people," tracing...

Githa is a rare feminine given name in English, ultimately derived from the Old Norse name Gyða via Gytha. It emerged as a variant spelling in the 19th-century revival of medieval names within English-speaking countries....

GythaGytha is an English female given name, derived from Gyða, an Old Norse diminutive of Guðríðr. The root name Guðríðr itself combines the elements guð meaning 'god' and fríðr meaning 'beautiful, beloved'. Gytha thus c...

Hamnet is a masculine diminutive of Hamo, an English name of medieval origin. It is most famously remembered as the name of William Shakespeare's only son, who died in childhood at age 11 in 1596. Shakespeare's tragedy H...

Etymology and HistoryIdonea is a medieval English female name, most likely a Latinized form of the Old Norse Iðunn, the name of the Norse goddess of spring and immortality. The spelling appears to have been influenced by...

Idony is a Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea. The name Idonea itself is likely a Latinized form of the Old Norse name Iðunn, the name of the Norse goddess of spring and immortality, combined with the spelling in...

Jep is an obsolete English masculine given name, originating as a medieval diminutive of Geoffrey. The name Geoffrey itself came to England through the Normans, derived from a Frankish name whose precise etymology is unc...

Jeptha is a variant of Jephthah, a name of Hebrew origin central to the biblical Book of Judges. Jephthah, which in Hebrew (Yiftāḥ) means “he opens,” derives from the root paṯaḥ (to open). The name appears in the Old Tes...

Lettice is a medieval vernacular form of Letitia, derived from the Late Latin name Laetitia, meaning "joy, happiness." The name was borne by an obscure saint venerated primarily in Spain, and it gained use in England dur...

Etymology and Possible OriginsMarilla is an uncommon feminine given name that likely originated as a fanciful late-19th-century American variant of Maria or a diminutive of Mary. It may also be a shortened form of Amaryl...

Melicent is an older form of Millicent, a feminine given name of Gothic origin. The name ultimately derives from the Gothic *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals (meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave") and swinþs (...

Meriel is a feminine given name, primarily used in English-speaking countries. It is a variant of Muriel, which itself is an anglicized form of the Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. The name was also adopted in mediev...

Moss is an English given name that originated as a medieval form of Moses. The name Moses itself is derived from Hebrew Moshe, likely of Egyptian origin mes meaning "son," though the Old Testament offers an alternate ety...

Nigellus is the Latin form of Nigel, itself a medieval Latinized spelling associated with the given name Neil. While Nigellus was originally a direct Latinization of Nigel, its usage as an independent name in English-spe...