ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1366 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1366 ************************************ 2 Nov 1998 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for information about the name , which you believe to be Iberian. This letter is a brief answer to your question. We could not find any evidence that was used as a first name in period. It is used as a first name in modern times [1], and in modern literature [2]. There is a town called or (with an accent on the ), near the city of Granada in Andalucia (southern Spain). It has apparently existed since Roman times, when it was called [3]. Since is a place name, it could be used as a surname. A name like would be a fine choice for a late-period Spanish persona. If you'd like to consider some other late-period Spanish women's names, you can find a list on-line: 16th-century Spanish Women's Names http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~kvs/fnames.html We suggest a late-period persona because this part of Andalucia wasn't conquered by the Christians until quite late in our period, and the town almost certainly had a different name in Arabic. I hope this brief letter has been useful. Please write us again if you have any questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, Talan Gwynek, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Juliana de Luna, Eithni ingen Cormacc, and Alan Fairfax. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 2 Nov 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] A search for at Alta Vista turned up a few examples of people using it as a first name. [2] There is a character named in Elfquest and one in the movie "Willow". [3] We couldn't find a lot of information about this town. We found it on a map, spelled , with an accent. Bethel, John P., ed., _Webster's Geographical Dictionary_ (Springfield, Massachusetts: G. & C. Merriam Co., 1969). Other sources spell it without the accent. A tour guide to the Granada area mentions its Roman origin and a church built during the reign of Charles V. http://www.red2000.com/spain/granada/1tour.html