So I started writing Merlin fics, because I need to heal my inner 12 year old self who was forever shaped by the events of that show, and I thought it would be fun to research names used in the Arthurian setting!
(Not because I'm overly concerned about historical accuracy, we die like the accuracy in this show)
A couple of notes before the list:
1. Arthurian legend takes place in the 5th and 6th century modern-day England, but the legends themselves were largely written down and romanticized in the 12th through 15th centuries, and some of the character names reflect that. Also, practically none of the names I combed through were recorded in centuries 5 and 6 in England. Combining these factors with the fact that Arthurian contributors occasionally invented names (Percival, for example), as well as the fact that there are far fewer feminine names than masculine recorded, take all of this with a grain of salt -- and don't be afraid to take creative liberties! I tried to limit the list to names found before 1000, but I bent those limits a little.
2. Many names of Greek and Latin origin only came in use in England in the 12th century. Most Biblical names only came into use even later than that, mostly in the 16th century with the protestant reformation. For instance, the name Mary was only recorded in England in the 1100s.
Anyway!! Here is a list of masculine and feminine names found in historical records that might've been used in the Arthurian setting. I chose lesser-known ones for the sake of not overlapping with canon characters.
⚔︎ feminine ⚔︎
Alana. Aldith. Alfhild. Athela. Auicia. Avelina. Avice. Claricia. Cyneburg. Ediva. Elene. Emma. Emmote. Ethele. Folckiva. Genevieve. Germaine. Gilia. Gwen. Gwenfrewi. Hawis. Hersent. Hodierna. Hyssop. Idony. Imma. Isabel. Ithael. Jonilde. Kueneva. Lamberta. Laura. Lefhild. Luce. Lucia. Lucie. Marina. Mathilda. Mildred. Odile. Olive. Ositha. Rikella. Rosamond. Sabina. Winefrida. Wulviva. Wiburga.
⚔︎ masculine ⚔︎
Adalfrid. Adalger. Adalmar. Adalmund. Adalrad. Adolf. Alard. Aldhelm. Alfheah. Alfhelm. Alfred. Alfstan. Alfsy. Alfwald. Alfwin. Alwi. Alwin. Alyn. Ansfrid. Ansgar. Answard. Aodh. Arthfael. Arthur. Ashwy. Audrad. Aule. Aylward. Bertrick. Bertwald. Bjorn. Brendan. Brice. Brighthelm. Brightnod. Brihtstan. Cadwallon. Cuthbert. Cuthred. Daniel. Dunstan. Eckfrid. Edgar. Edmund. Edrich. Edward. Edwin. Edwy. Eilric. Eugene. Eutropius. Fergal. Fergus. Finnian. Firmin. Fremin. George. Gerald. Germain. Gervais. Giles. Godwin. Henry. Hugo. Hugone. Hywel. Isenbern. Isfael. Knihtwine. Lambert. Laurentius. Lefchild. Lefrich. Lefwin. Llywarch. Llywellyn. Madog. Maelgwn. Malcolm. Maol Dúin. Mark. Martin. Meredith. Morgant. Odart. Ordbriht. Ordgar. Ordulf. Orm. Osberht. Osulf. Oswald. Oswin. Owaine. Radulfi. Radulphus. Reginald. Rhodri. Ricard. Ris. Teague. Theodrad. Ðeodred. Tigernach. Tyrnaci. Tuathal.Turketulo. Ulf. Ulfi. Uulfsi. Winsy. Wulfhæh. Wulfgar. Wulfric. Wulfstan. Wulfsye.
Source: the amazing https://dmnes.org/names <3
enjoy! 🗡️🧙🏻♂️
