Historic and Vintage Names
Medieval Names
Across 17 pages
of 17
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…
Dob
Diminutive of Robert, English
"bright fame"
Along with Dobbin, Dob was medieval nickname for Robert.
Digory
English
"lost one"
Digory is the name of a character in a romantic poem from the Middle Ages as well as from The Chronicles of Narnia , also known as The Professor. There's a Harry Potter character named Diggory. If…
Hutchin
Diminutive of Hugh, English from German
"mind, intellect"
Right in between Hitch (as in the Will Smith movie) and Hudson, Hutchin is a surname and nickname name that has an outside chance of working as a first name for boys. If you're naming your son for an…
Aurembiaix
Aragonese
"from the lower golden land"
Aurembiaix was an impressive medieval countess, whose father Ermengol fought for her to inherit his lands, title and estate. Aurembiaix later fought for her right to succeed her father, and being a…
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…
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,…
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…
Denise
French, feminine variation of Denis
"god of Nysa"
Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa…
Hildegard
German
"comrade in arms; battle enclosure, battle ground"
Hildegard is an ancient name that sounds it, but it does have sweet short forms Hildie and Hilda to recommend it, as well as several illustrious historical bearers. Strong and striking, it would make…
Denis
French from Greek
"god of Nysa"
While Dennis may be more familiar to English speakers, Denis, or sometimes Denys, were the original medieval French forms of the name. Ultimately derived from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and…
Atkin
English diminutive of Adam, Hebrew
"son of the red earth"
Atkin is a short form of Adam that originated in Medieval England. It's now obsolete, but traces remain in surnames such as Atkins and Atkinson. Medieval nicknames that followed a similar formula…
Hilary
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
The only version that works for boys anymore is the Latinate Hilario or Ilario. Better to look to Felix for a happy-meaning name.
Hewet
Diminutive of Hugh, English from German
"mind, intellect"
Hewet is a masculine name with medieval English origins, functioning as a diminutive form of Hugh, which derives from the Germanic element 'hug' meaning 'heart,' 'mind,' or 'spirit.' This charming…
Hermelinda
German
"powerful and gentle"
An ancient Germanic name that's so clunky and contrarian it's actually cool. One famous Hermelinda was a medieval queen of the Lombards; another was a Belgian saint. Though neither Herman nor Linda…
Hodge
Variation of Roger, German
"famous warrior"
Hodge is a medieval English nickname for Roger, which was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Roger isn't ready for a comeback yet, but we'd love to see the resurgence of Hodge,…
Herbert
German
"bright army"
Names ending in bert have long been in limbo, but with the return of Albert, maybe there's hope for Herbert. who could share the Bertie nickname. Herbert is a name that's been used by English…
Humphrey
German
"peaceful warrior"
Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond…
Arnold
English from German
"ruler, strong as an eagle"
Strange as it may now seem, the venerable St. Arnold was a Greek by birth, a musician who became a member of the court of Charlemagne. The name is said to have been introduced into Britain by the…
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,…