Historic and Vintage Names
Medieval Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
Wilkin
English, German
"son of Wilkin; resolute protection"
Probably too odd and elven for mainstream success, but there are certainly circumstances in which this would make a nice boys' name. It might be a nice way to honor a William from your family tree,…
Wilmot
Manx variation of William, German
"resolute protection"
Wilmot has the sort of old-school bookish charm of other surname-sounding names like Beckett, Everett, Griffith and Weston. This could be a good choice for families wanting to honor that special…
Wolf
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
" traveling wolf"
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…
Wolfram
German
"wolf raven"
This powerful old name can actually be traced back to two distinct sources. As an Old German name, Wolfram (borne by the medieval poet Wolfram von Eschenbach) derives from a combination of wolf +…
Wybert
English
"bright battle"
Wybert is a medieval variation of the Old English name Wigberht, from the components wig , meaning "battle," and beorht , "bright."
Yocheved
Hebrew
"God is glory"
The name of the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses in the Old Testament. Yocheved was also the name of one of the three daughters of the medieval Talmudic scholar, Rashi. Famous modern-day bearers…
Yvaine
Female variation of Yvain or Scottish
"evening star"
A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust , in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of…
Zuan
Italian
"god is gracious"
Medieval Venetian form of John, which feels ripe for a comeback in 21st-century America.
Altaluna
Latin, combination of Alta and Luna
"high, sublime + moon"
Celestial, poetic, and powerful, Altaluna is a Medieval Italian name, combining the elements of Alta , meaning "high" – or "sublime" in a more poetic sense – and the on-trend Luna, meaning "moon".…
Alisander
Variation of Alexander, English, Greek
"defending men"
Sleek and poetic, Alisander is a Medieval form of Alexander, notably appearing in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur . An appealing choice to those who like the strength of Alexander, the literary…
Adeliza
Medieval English and Old Swedish form of Adelaide
"noble, nobility"
Adeliza is a unique member of the popular Adelaide-Adeline family. Different enough to distinguish it from all the others? Maybe, and it's definitely got an appealing sound that makes it sound a bit…
Ademar
Germanic
"wealth and fame"
Worn by several medieval troubadours, this name is still used in French, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries.
Aelfric
Anglo-Saxon
"elf power"
Properly written Ælfric, this Anglo-Saxon name derives from Old English name elements meaning "elf" and "power". It belonged to several notable medieval churchmen, and is thought to be the origin of…
Aenor
French
"famous wealth"
A medieval French name which belonged to the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine (incidentally, Aenor is thought to be an older form of the name Eleanor). Its etymology is uncertain, but it may derive…
Africa
Place name, various meanings
Most Africas today would be named for the continent, but the name actually existed in Scotland in medieval times, where there was a Celtic queen named Affrica. Africa has also been a Spanish name for…
Agatha
Greek
"good woman"
Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…
Agnes
Greek
"pure, virginal"
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…
Aladár
Hungarian
"old wise ruler or old and famous"
Aladár is believed to be of Germanic origin, as a Hungarian form of Aldric, meaning old, wise ruler, or Aldemar, meaning old and famous. This Hungarian variant comes from medieval Hungarian legend,…
Alard
German
"noble, steadfast"
Alard looks and sounds like the name of a romantic, medieval knight. It's dashing and unusual; but still easy to pronounce and spell. Cognate Adelard might also appeal if you are considering this…
Aldin
Aldin is a masculine name with Germanic roots, likely derived from the elements 'ald' meaning 'old' or 'wise' and 'win' meaning 'friend.' This creates a meaning along the lines of 'old or wise…