Medieval Names
Updated Sun Jun 21 2026
Share
Copy link
Medieval names are often thought of as clunky, consonant heavy choices, such as Ermentrude and Ulrich. While these names were well-used throughout the Middle Ages, the most popular medieval names were classic, familiar choices including Alice, Isabella, and Emma for girls, and William, John, and Henry for boys.
In fact, these names were so common that creative nicknames had to evolve to distinguish one from another. Many traditional nicknames and derivatives emerged in the Middle Ages, including Bess, Hal, and Ellen. Others survive today only in surnames, such as Jenkins — Jenkin was a nickname for John — and Perrin, a variation of Peter.
Along with Alice and William, other medieval names that currently rank in the US Top 1000 include Amira, Beatrice, Dante, Ellis, Emmeline, Lucia, Roger, and Walter. Rare medieval names worth reviving include Amabel, Cyprian, Isabeau, and Lucan.
A number of medieval names have changed gender identity over the centuries. In the Middle Ages, Christian and Julian were mostly feminine names, while Hilary and Vivian were considered masculine names.
The names listed here include popular and rare names associated with medieval times, along with names of famous figures in medieval legend.
RELATED:
- Oliver
Origin:
Germanic, LatinMeaning:
"elf army; ancestor's relic; olive tree"Description:
Oliver is an international star, ranking near the top of the charts throughout the English-speaking world and in a host of European and Latin American countries, from Norway to Chile, Slovenia to Switzerland. Why? Because Oliver is energetic and good-natured, stylish but classic, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness.
- Emma
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"universal"Description:
Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place.
- Henry
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Henry is well and truly back in style. The classic returned to the Top 10 in the US in 2021 for the first time in over a century, and as of 2024, sits at Number 6. Like James and Theodore, Henry is a strong, traditional name that also manages to feel stylish and gentle.
- James
Origin:
English variation of Jacob, HebrewMeaning:
"supplanter"Description:
James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
- Isabella
Origin:
Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned as Number 1 in 2009 and 2010.
- William
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down the most popular baby name beginning with W of all time.
- Ava
Origin:
Hebrew, Latin or GermanicMeaning:
"life; bird; water, island"Description:
Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, ranking in the Top 10 for 20 years, from 2005 through 2024, only falling out in 2025.
- Eleanor
Origin:
English variation of French Provencal Alienor, meaning unknownDescription:
Eleanor's straightforward feminine image combined with its royal medieval history is striking just the right note for parents in search of a girls' name that combines substance and style.
- Jack
Origin:
English, diminutive of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Jack may have fallen from its Number 1 place in England, but in the US it's as popular as it was at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. A durable, cheery, everyman form of John, Jack ranks as one of the most popular boy names starting with J.
- Sebastian
Origin:
Latin from GreekMeaning:
"person from ancient city of Sebastia, venerable"Description:
With international flair and elegance, Sebastian is a saintly, Shakespearean and Disney-inspired choice: refined, classic-yet-unconventional, and totally in tune with other popular choices like Theodore, Oliver, and Alexander. Recent data has seen it rank in the Top 20 in the US, while across the globe it sits in the Top 100 in England and Wales, Czechia, The Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Austria, Norway, and Puerto Rico.
- Elizabeth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Elizabeth is one of the most popular girls' names of all time, the female equivalent of James or William. Yet Elizabeth has so much going for it—rich history, broad appeal, and timeless style—that no matter how many little girls are named Lizzie, Eliza, and Beth, you can still make Elizabeth your own.
- John
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to tire of this straight-arrow, almost anonymous John Doe of names, replacing it with fancier forms like Jonathan and the imported Sean and Ian.
- Lucy
Origin:
English variation of Lucia, LatinMeaning:
"light"Description:
A versatile classic, Lucy is both sweet and solid, a saint's name, and the heroine of several great novels. First fashionable in England and Wales, Lucy is now a popular choice in the US, The Netherlands, and New Zealand.
- Alexander
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree.
- Matthew
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M. The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the fashionable classic—safe and sturdy, yet with a more engaging personality than John or William.
- Luke
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"man from Lucania"Description:
Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker.
- Thomas
Origin:
AramaicMeaning:
"twin"Description:
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100, Thomas feels like a safe bet and a name that fits into any era.
- David
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"beloved"Description:
David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
- Miles
Origin:
English form of Milo, Latin and Old German,"soldier or merciful"Meaning:
"soldier or merciful"Description:
Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century and now ranks at its highest point ever, in the Top 50.
- Charles
Origin:
French from GermanMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Charles derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "free man", and is a royal name in multiple European countries. A famous early bearer is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards and then Roman Emperor in the 8th-9th centuries.
The Nameberry App Is Live
Find your perfect baby name together in our app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
- Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
- Names you match on are saved to your shared list
- Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
- Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
- Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
