Medievalizing a Name: Elizabeth to Elisende
By Abby Sandel, Appellation Mountain
Names from the Middle Ages are fascinating. They’re often quite similar to those parents love today, but tend to be almost entirely overlooked.
Nameberry has long had the Coolator. I would call this the Medievalizer, except that sounds like a torture device.
Instead, this is a list of the 2013 US Top Ten for girls, with suggestions for parents looking for something just a little different – or maybe something that would be right at home in the eleventh century.
1. Sophia
Sophia is a legitimate medieval appellation. She appears as early as the twelfth century. But for something more exotic, consider Sapphira, Simona, Sabeline, or Selova.
2. Emma
Like Sophia, she’s another one on this list requiring no transformation, but parents could opt for an elaboration like Emmeline, Emmelina, or Emmelise.
3. Olivia
This is one of the names that sounds like it could be authentic, but is actually relatively modern. Oliva was a second century saint, but her name had faded. Oliver was a fairly common masculine moniker, but for a medieval girls’ name with similar sounds, consider Oriana or Oriel.
4. Isabella
Isabella would have worn perfectly well in the Middle Ages – she was more common than Elizabeth in many places throughout much of the era. And yet, if you’re looking for something different, consider Isabeau, Isolda, Idonia, or Belsante.
5. Ava
Av- names are available in abundance: Avelina, Avelot, Avice, and Avina are just a few that feel like they’re borrowed from a past era, while still being wearable in the twenty-first century.
6. Mia
She’s super-short, as is period-correct Ada or Ida.
7. Emily
You might have met an Emily in the fourteenth century, but there are other interesting, ends-in-y choices, like Adelie, Mabley, Cecily, and Sidonie.
8. Abigail
This one had me stumped. There’s nothing quite like the -gail ending, and it turns out that even Ab– is relatively unused. Amabel, the forerunner of Annabel and company, comes the closest.
9. Madison
They lack her modern, unisex sound, but this name owes her origins to medieval staples like Matilda and Maude. Another option is Allison – but she feels very twentieth century.
10. Elizabeth
You could use Elizabeth, but Elisende or Helissent has more of that Great Hall vibe.
I am indebted to several sources for inspiration for this post: the extensive lists at the Medieval Names Archive, Kate Monk’s Onomastikon, and The Middle Ages. For more Medievalizing, see the original post here.
Are there other medieval names you’d consider using in 2014?