13th Century Chic

First names that would be at home in any tavern, abbey, or court. Drawn from a variety of sources.
  1. Aeron
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "berry"
    • Description:

      Aeron was possibly a minor Celtic god of war, and is definitely a river in modern-day Wales.
  2. Alistair
    • Origin:

      English spelling of Alasdair, Scottish version of Alexander
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      With many British names invading the Yankee name pool, the sophisticated Alistair could and should be part of the next wave. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. You have a triple choice with this name--the British spell it Alistair or Alastair, while the Scots prefer Alasdair--but they're all suave Gaelic versions of Alexander. Adopted by the lowland Scots by the seventeenth century, the name didn't become popular outside Scotland and Ireland until the twentieth century.
  3. Allyn
    • Anders
      • Origin:

        Scandinavian variation of Andrew
      • Meaning:

        "strong and manly"
      • Description:

        Friendly, unusual, but a decidedly Old Country version of Andrew and one of the classic Scandinavian names. It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2006 and then reentered in 2010. Its rising popularity could be attributed to the interest in Anderson, which has been gaining steadily over the last fifteen years.

        Trivia tidbits: The patronymic Andersson is the second most popular surname in Sweden, and in Denmark, Donald Duck is called Anders.

    • Angharad
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "much loved"
      • Description:

        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 warlord in Mad Max: Fury Road. It was quite popular in the Middle Ages and is still heard in Wales, but we doubt that even the glamorous Rosie Huntington-Whiteley could propel it to wider popularity.
    • Arianell
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "silver"
      • Description:

        This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered. Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig, who became Arianell's spiritual teacher.
    • Arianwyn
      • Origin:

        Welsh
      • Meaning:

        "woman of silver"
      • Description:

        Spelling variant of Arianwen. Note that in Welsh, the -wyn suffix is usually masculine.
    • Auberon
      • Origin:

        English, French, German
      • Meaning:

        "elf ruler, bright elf; noble bear"
      • Description:

        Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. A Shakespeare-adjacent choice, Auberon started out as as a pet form of Auberi, the French form of German Alberich.
    • Abrigo
      • Aerend
        • Aerian
          • Antica
            • Bannan
              • Baran
                • Origin:

                  Turkish and Persian
                • Meaning:

                  "ram"
                • Description:

                  Baran is barely known in the US -- unless it's mistaken for royal moniker and Trump son name Baron -- but it might make a perfect choice for a boy born under the sign of Aries.
              • Bayard
                • Origin:

                  English
                • Meaning:

                  "russet-haired"
                • Description:

                  An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse.
              • Blodwyn
                • Belgan
                  • Belifan
                    • Beniman
                      • Beridan