Feminine Given Names in A Dictionary of English Surnames

Part Two: The Names A-G

Talan Gwynek, Fause Losenge Herald Extraordinary
(Brian M. Scott, scott@math.csuohio.edu)
© 1994 by Brian M. Scott; all rights reserved.

Go to Part One: Introduction
Go to Part Three: The Names H-Z

The Names, A to G

Abbatissa App. the Lat abbatissa `abbess' used as a personal name.

Abelota Abel-ot < ABEL.

Acelina < OFr A(s)celine < CG Azilin < Azo; DECN has the masculine form ACELIN. [Aslin]

Adelaide < CG Adalhaidis. [Adeline, Alis]

Adeline CG Adelina, hyp. < CG Adelhaid. [Adeline, Alin, Edlin]

Admiranda Lat `admired'.

Agatha OFr Agace. Agote is a dim. of Agg, a hyp. of Agnes or Agace (Agatha). [Agass]

Agenilda CG Agenildis.

Agnes OFr Anés; Ann-ot < Ann < Annes; Agote is a sim. dim. of Agg, a hyp. of Agnes or Agace (Agatha). [Agnes, Annas, Annatt, Agget]

Aicusa This name is completely obscure to me.

Aileva < OE Æðelgifu. DECN ELGIVA, which includes some citations that prob. belong to ALVIVA. [Ayliff]

*Ailfrida A hypothetical ME form < OE *Æðelfrîð.

Ailith < OE Æðelgýð.

Alba < OFr albe, aube < Lat albus `white'.

Albreda < OFr Albree, Aubree, Auberee, CG Alb(e)rada. [Aubray]

Aldith < OE Ealdgýð.

Aldusa Hyp. < Ald- < OE Eald-, perh. < *Éaldhyse. DECN incorrectly cites Aldus 1273 as masc. The vern. is app. Aldus, Latinized Aldusa (gen. Alduse). [Aldis, Edis]

Aleusa This name is completely obscure to me.

Alfild < OE Ælfhild.

Alfled < OE Æðelflæd or Ælflæd. Ædlflete and Ailfled are clearly the former. DECN ELFLEDA. [Alflat]

Alfrun < OE Ælfrún.

Alice < OFr Aalis, Aliz < CG Adalhaidis; Allot < OFr Aalot, hyp. of Alis. [Alis, Allott]

Aline CG Adalina, Adelina, Agellina, Aillina; can be hyp. < OFr Aalis. [Alin]

Alison OFr Alison, Alizon, hyp. for Alice. [Alison]

*Alkith A hypothetical ME form < OE *Ealhgýð, which is not certainly attested.

Alma The identical name in DECN is post-period and of a completely diff. origin.

*Alswyth < OE Æðelswíð or Ælfswíð. (In the example n is an error for u; the name should read Alsueta.)

Alvina < OE Ælfwynn.

Alviva < OE Ælfgifu. Some DECN citations under ELGIVA belong here. [Elvey]

Amabel < Lat amabilis `loving'. [Annable, Amabell]

Amanda OFr Amand, Amant, Lat amandus `meet to be loved'. DECN is wrong in calling it a literary invention from 17°.

Ameria Perh. a fem. form < OFr Amauri, Emaurri < CG Amalric.

Amice Fr Amice < Lat amicus `friend'. [Ames]

Amphelisia Etymology unknown.

Amy < OFr Amée < Lat Amata `beloved'. [Amey]

Anastasia < Gk anástasis `resurrection'.

Anchoret < Welsh Angharad.

Ann

Annabel Prob. by dissimilation < Amabel. (The person recorded as Anilla is also in record as Annabel.) [Annable, Hunnable]

Annora See DECN HONOR.

Antigone Gk.

Arabel See ORABEL.

Argentina < OFr Argentin, a dim. of argent `silver'; the name is found again as Argenten and Argintyne 1642.

Audrey < OE Æðelðrýð; Aldreda may also be < OE Ælfðrýð or Ealhðrýð. [Audrey]

Avelina OFr Aveline, CG Avelina, a double dim. of Avo. DECN EVELINA. [Aveline]

Avice OFr Avice, prob. < Lat Avitia rather than CG Aveza. [Avis]

Avina Prob. hyp. < Avice. [Avins]

Aylild < OE Æðelhild.

Ælfgýð OE.

Badelota Bade- appears to be < OE or CG Badu-, attested in OE Badugyth and Badusuið c.800 and CG Badilo 877, but -lota is a mystery; perh. the name is a double dim. in -el-ot(a) < the OE hyp. Badu. Sim. double dims. in -el-in(a) are found in 12°.

Baldith < OE *Bealdgýð. The first citation is garbled and may belong at *Baldiva.

*Baldiva A hypothetical ME form < OE *Bealdgifu.

Barbara < Gk bárbaros `foreign, strange'. Barbary, Barbery are the usual vern. forms of Barbara; Bab and Barb are hyps. from which various dims. in -et, -ot, and el are formed.

Basilia < Gk basíleios `kingly'. [Baseley]

Beatrix OFr Beatris, Betriz. Bete is a hyp. form of which Beton is a dim. Becok is a dim. of Be, a hyp. of Beatrix or Beton. Beatricie and Beatricis are Lat gens. of Beatricia and Beatrix, resp. [Beatrice, Beeton, Beet, Bett, Beacock]

*Bedelove A hypothetical ME form < OE *Bíedelufu.

Begild < OE Béaghild.

Bele OFr bele `beautiful'; Bella is prob. a Latinization. (Bel(l) is a hyp. of Isabel, however.)

Belsant OFr Belisant, Belisent < CG Belissendis.

Bencelina A fem. form of Benzelinus, a dim. of CG Benzo.

Berchthild < OE *Beorhthild.

Bertha OFr Berte, CG Berhta, Berta.

Blanch OFr blanche `fair, white'. Blench is prob. uninflected. [Blanch]

Blissot Perh. < ME blissed `happy, fortunate, blessed'.

Blitha App. < OE blíðe `merry, friendly'; perh. a hyp. for Blíððryð.

Bonajoia OFr bone joie `good joy' or `good jewel'; cf. DECN JOY.

Botild < OE Bóthild or ON Bóthildr, Bóthilda.

Branwen Welsh Branwen or Brangwain. DECN BRONWEN.

Braya Perh. < an unspecified Cornish nickname.

Brichtled < OE Beorhtflæd.

Brichtiva < OE Beorhtgifu. [Brightiff]

*Brichtrith < OE Beorhtðrýð.

*Brichtwen This form may actually be < masc. OE Beorhtwine, but the others are definitely fem. < OE Beorhtwynn.

*Burgwen < OE Burgwynn.

Caesaria Fem. of Caesar, a cognomen of the Roman gens Iulius.

Camilla Etymology uncertain, perh. Etruscan.

Cassandra Gk.

Cecilia OFr Cecile < Lat Caecilia, fem. of Caecilius, < caecus `blind'; the vern. form is Sisley, Cecily, etc. [Sisley, Siss, Sisterson]

*Childlove A hypothetical ME form < OE *Cildlufu; cf. Lovechild.

Celestria App. < Lat caelestis `belonging to heaven, coming from heaven'.

Christiana Fem. of Lat Christianus `Christian'. The citations for Christian are prob. fem. Xristiana shows a common scribal abbreviation. [Christian]

Christina < OE crísten `Christian'; the Eng form of C(h)ristiana. [Christin]

Chuna A ME name that occurs as both masc. (Chun(n)) and fem.; its antecedents are unknown.

Clara Fr Claire < Lat Clara `bright, fair'.

Clarel OFr, perh. a dim. of Claire (CLARA).

Claremunda OFr Claremonde, CG Clarmunt, Claremunda; DECN CLARIMOND.

Clariandra App. < Lat clarus `bright, fair' and Gk andria, a late form of andreia, fem. of andreios `manly, masculine', whence ANDREW.

Clarice Perh. < Lat CLARA; perh. < a Lat abstract noun claritia < clarus `bright, shining', used as a given name by analogy with LETTICE. [Claris]

Clemence Fem. of Fr Clement; Lat Clementia, fem. of Clemens `mild, merciful'. [Clem]

Constance Fr, < Lat constantia `constancy', usually Englished as Custance, of which Cuss and Cust are hyps. [Constance, Cust]

Dametta OFr Damette, of unknown origin.

Damisona Perh. < damascene (mod. damson) `Damascene plum'? But the COED first has that a.1400.

*Daylove < OE *Dæglufu.

Decima Fem. of Lat Decimus `tenth'. The only example in DECN is from 1799.

Denise Lat Dionysia, fem. of Dionysius < Gk Dionysios `of Dionysos'. Dyot is a dim. of Dye, a hyp. [Denis, Dye, Dyett]

Derehild < OE *Déorhild.

Desiderata Lat `desired'; DECN DÉSIRÉE.

Diamanda < ME, OFr diamant < l. Lat diamas `diamond'.

Diana Lat; DECN dates its appearance in England to 16°.

Dorothea App. an inversion of Gk Theodôra `gift of God'.

Douce ME douce, dowse < OFr dolz, dous `sweet', used as a personal name; Dulcia is a Latinized form; DECN DULCIE. [Douce]

Duva < OE *Dúfe `dove'. [Dove]

Drueta App. a fem. form of Druet(tus), a dim. of OFr Dreus, Drues (nom.) and Dru, Driu, Dreu (acc.) < CG Drogo; cf. DECN DROGO. [Drewett]

Edild < OE Éadhild.

Edith < OE Éadgýð. Eda is a hyp., and Edekin is a dim. thereof. (OE Eadu is attested c. 800, presumably < some name in Éad-.) Edon and sim. forms in DECN are prob. < masc. OE Éadhún. Edgidia is an unusual Latinization. [Edith, Ead, Edds, Edkins]

Ediva < OE Éadgifu. [Eadie]

Edusa A short form of a fem. name in Éad-, prob. either Éadgifu or Éadgýð, but perh. *Éadhyse. Ediz is definitely identifiable with a woman in record as Editha and Edit.

Edwen < OE Éadwynn.

Egelina Prob. a Norman form of CG *Agilina.

Eglentyne < OFr Aiglentine, a dim. of aiglente < Lat aculenta `prickly'.

Einilda < CG Aginildis.

Ela Hyp. < Elena or poss. Eleanor.

Eleanor < Provençal Aliénor, a form of Ellen. [Ellenor]

Elisant OFr (also Elissent) < CG Elisind. Elysant is app. uninflected.

Elizabeth Betha is a hyp. form, as perh. is Ellice, a possible source of the dim. Elisota. However, Elisota looks like a fem. form of Elisot < Elis, ME form of Gk Elias. Lylie is prob. another hyp., with Lillian as a dim. See DECN LILLIAN. [Ellis, Lyley]

Ellen < HELEN < Gk `Elenê, fem. of `Elenos `the bright one'. [Ellen, Ellett]

Emma ME Emm < Norman Emma < CG Emma, Imma, with dim. Emmota. [Emm, Emmatt, Imm]

Emmeline OFr Ameline, Emmeline, hyp. < CG Adal-; OFr Amelot, Emelot, hyp. <
>Ameline. Ameline and Emeline are formally a Lat gens. of Amelina and Emelina, resp., but they app. also represent vern. forms in the nom. [Emblem, Emblott, Amelot]

Engelise < OFr Engelais < CG Engilheid.

*Engelith < OE Engelgýð, a hybrid < CG Engel- and OE -gýð.

Enota A dim. in -ot of some unidentified fem. name.

Epicelena Perh. related to Gk epikéleusis `cheering, exhortation', epikeleúô `to exhort, encourage, cheer on'.

Estrangia App. < OFr estrange < Lat extraneus `external, foreign', perh. here in the sense of `uncommon, exceptional'.

Estrild < OE Éastorhild. DECN has it surviving in England only until 12°.

Etfled < OE Éadflæd.

Eulalia A Latinization of Gk eulalos `sweetly-speaking'. DECN classifies some forms under HILARY, taking them to be fem. forms of Lat Hilarius. [Hillary]

Euphemia Gk Euphêmía `auspicious speech'; Femmota is app. a dim. in -ota. [Effemy]

Eustacia Lat Eustachis, perh. of Gk origin.

Eva Lat, of Heb origin; the vern. is Eve. Ewe may be a different name. The dims. are in -ot, -et, -el-ot, and -el-un. [Eve, Eveling, Evatt, Ewe]

Felicia Lat fem. of Felix `happy'; Felis, Phelis is the Eng form < Fr Felise. Fillys 1569 may be late enough to represent PHYLLIS instead. [Felice]

Fina Perh. < OFr fin `delicate, tender'.

Finepopla Completely obscure to me.

Florence Lat Florentia < florens `blooming'.

Floria Fem. of Lat Florius, but here prob. Latinization of Fluri < OFr flur `flower' > ME flur, flour, which makes Flour' an early example of Flower, dated to 17° by DECN.

Fousafia Completely obscure to me.

Frethesant CG Frithesuind, Fredesendis, etc.

Freware < OE Fréowaru.

Galiena Prob. not CG but rather related to Lat Gallus `inhabitant of Gallia'.

Gerbaga This has the appearance of being from a name in CG Gair- or OE Gér-, but the deuterotheme is unidentifiable.

Geva A hyp. < Genevieve, with a dim. in -cok. Geue is a regular Lat gen. of Geua; it may also be a vern. nom. form. [Jeeves]

Gilia Fem. of GILES, regularly Latinized Egidia, or hyp. < Gillian (JULIANA).

Gillian See JULIANA.

Gisla CG.

Gode OE.

Godeleva < OE *Godléofu. [Goodliff]

Godelina CG.

Goderun Prob. < OE *Godrún.

Godith < OE Godgýð; DECN GOODETH. [Goodison]

Godiva < OE Godgifu. [Goodeve, Goodiff]

Godusa < OE Godhyse.

*Godwen < OE *Godwynn.

Goldburg < OE *Goldburg.

Goldcorn A ME fem. name.

Golde OE.

Goldhen ME, literally `gold hen'. No doubt an occasional formation.

Goldiva < OE *Goldgiefu. Goldyna is a scribal error for Goldyua.

Goldrun < OE *Goldrún.

Golla Eng spelling of ON Gulla, a hyp. of names in Guðl-.

*Grece Perh. < CG grisja `grey', since OFr gris `grey' appears in ME as grece, greyce; popularly assoc. with OFr grace < Lat gratia `grace'. Grace and Grece prob. represent the vern. forms. DECN GRACE. [Grace]

Greta Prob. a hyp. < Margareta; slightly more common early than DECN realized.

Griselda The name is app. < an CG name in -hildis, but the etym. is obscure. The citation seems to belong here.

Guenevere See JENNIFER.

Gunnilda < ON Gunnhildr; the vern. seems to be Gunnell, of which Gunn(e) may be a hyp. DECN GUNILDA, ELPN Gunhild. [Gunnell, Gunnett, Gunson]

Gunnora < ON Gunnvr, ODa Gunwor, Gunnor, but often Norman. ELPN Gunnur. [Gunner]

Guthild < OE *Gúðhild, app. the native OE equiv. of the very common ON Gunnhildr.

Gwenllian See WENTLIANA.

Go to Part One: Introduction
Go to Part Three: The Names H-Z