Dusty Ancient Gems

Eglantine

French and English botanical name

"sweetbriar"

This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant, but it does have literary creds, having appeared in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales . The French form Églantine appeared in the…

Eileithyia

Greek

Variation of Ilithyia.

Elocadia

Elocadia is an extremely rare feminine name with Latin roots. It likely derives from the Latin word 'eloquentia' meaning eloquence or fluent speech, possibly connected to the concept of elocution.…

Elpis

Ancient Greek

"hope"

A positive name from mythology, given to the hope left in Pandora's box.

Elysande

English, Germanic

"temple path"

An intriguing medieval name found in various forms across Europe. Variants include Elisende, Elisenda, Elysant, Elysande, Elisent and Helisent. It likely derives from a Visigothic name meaning…

Endellion

Cornish place and saint's name

"fire soul"

Endellion is the name of an early saint who was a daughter of King Brychan and goddaughter of King Arthur whose life is commemorated by the Cornish village of St. Endellion. This intriguing ancient…

Eostre

Old English from German

"dawn"

Eostre is the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring and dawn. In ancient times, the pagans had festivals and feasts celebrating Eostre, but this practice was eventually overtaken by the Christian Easter…

Esclarmonde

Occitan

"Light of the World"

Esclarmonde de Foix was an Occitan countess and an important figure in Catharism, a medieval Christian movement, which allowed women and men to both hold church offices. Her tale inspired an opera by…