Historic and Vintage Names
Medieval Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
Aldus
Variation of Aldous, English from German
"old"
The name Aldus gained some recognition through Aldus Manutius, a renowned 15th-century Italian printer and publisher who founded the Aldine Press. The name might be more familiar in its Aldous form,…
Algirdas
Lithuanian
"every rumor, all the news"
Derived from the components al , meaning "each" or "every," and gandas , "rumor" or "news." Algirdas is best known as the name of a medieval Lithuanian ruler, son of Gediminas.
Aline
Variation of Adeline or Aileen
Aline may have originated as a short form of Adeline in the Middle Ages, but it may also be a variation of the Irish Aileen or Scottish Eileen. Aline dropped off the Top 1000 in the 1950s. Fewer than…
Aloys
Variation of Alois or Aloysius, Latin
"famous warrior"
Aloys derives from Alois, a form of the Latin Aloysius which is a relative of the German and French Louis. Aloys has been particularly popular in German-speaking countries, especially Austria,…
Alric
German
"ruler of all"
Common in Sweden, Alric is part of the family of medieval sounding names, like Alaric, Casimir and Leopold that are increasing gaining a fanbase, perhaps as an antidote to the modern inventions that…
Amabel
Latin
"lovable"
Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for…
Amaethon
Welsh
"farming"
A name from Welsh legend. Amaethon son of Dôn is mentioned in several medieval Welsh texts. In Culhwch and Olwen he is the only person who can plow a certain field, and in the poem The Battle of the…
Amice
English from Latin
"friend"
Amice is a name that was used in the Middle Ages but has fallen out of use now. It seems completely suited for modern life, though, with a pronunciation that's like Alice wth an m.
Amlyn
Welsh, meaning unknown
A name from medieval romance. Amlyn ac Amig is the Welsh version of Amis et Amiles , a French moral tale of friends in Charlemagne's court. The name itself is gentle and straightforward, although the…
Amparo
Spanish and Portuguese
"refuge, shelter"
Amparo is a medieval name related to the Virgin Mary most closely associated with the city of Valencia, in Spain. Although it does not appear at all on the most recent US name roster, meaning it was…
Anchoret
English from Welsh
A medieval Anglicization of the Welsh name Angharad, meaning "more love". A possible variant form is Ingaret.
Angharad
Welsh
"much loved"
This name dates back to Arthurian legend, in which Angharad was the lover of Percival, one of the Knights of the Round Table, and was used more recently for the name of the favorite wife of the…
Anice
Variation of Agnes
"pure, virginal"
Anice and Annis are variations of Agnes that have fallen from use, perhaps because of pronunciation issues. Neither spelling was used for any baby girls in the US in the most recent year counted,…
Annabel
Scottish variation of Amabel
"loving"
Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem…
Annot
Medieval English
"grace"
A medieval English diminutive form of Ann, also recorded as a given name.
Ansel
German
"with divine protection"
Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a…
Aphra
Hebrew, variation of Aphrah
"dust"
Aphra would make an interesting choice-- especially since it's the name of the first professional female writer in English, the seventeenth century's Aphra Behn. Born in 1640, she was a prolific…
Aquila
Latin
"eagle"
An evocative ancient word that's used as a first name in the New Testament, among other places. It's also the name of an eagle-shaped constellation. That said, contemporary interest in the name…
Argenta
Latin
"silvery"
More modern and alluring than Silver, Argenta is one of the few mineral/metal-related names.
Arianrhod
Welsh
"silver wheel"
Fleetwood Mac introduced the world to Rhiannon, but Arianrhod is a lesser-known woman of Welsh legend. Strap in, this is a name story! In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, a medieval tale, she gives…