ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2084 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2084 ************************************ 04 Aug 2000 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for our opinion of as an English (preferably Kentish) masculine name sometime between 1200 and 1250 AD. Here is what we found. We could not find evidence that was used in medieval England. developed from the Hebrew name shared by several Biblical figures; it is often reflected in modern English editions as a different name for each figure: , , and . While the name did not come into use until much later in England, many forms of the name are documented about this time in England, including:[1] Latinized forms: 1086 1186, 1316 Vernacular forms: 1086 1306, 1379 1273 , 1273 1273 1273 1300 We recommend you choose one of the vernacular forms. The Latinized forms are documentary forms, which would probably be used only in written records, while vernacular forms would be used by people talking to you or about you. Various forms of a byname meaning 'at the smithy' can be found shortly after your time, including or (1279) and (1330). [2, 3] Forms with as opposed to appear to have come into use at a later time.[3] We do not have specific evidence for names from Kent during your period, but in 1298-99, we found the Latinized and the byname in Kent. [4] Therefore, we believe that the forms mentioned above are also appropriate in Kent. In summary, a name like or is a fine name for an Englishman living in the first half of the 13th century. His name could have been written or . I hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Maridonna Benevuti, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Arval Benicoeur, Talan Gwynek, Blaise de Cormeilles, Antonio Miguel Santos de Borja, Julie Stampnitzky, Adelaide de Beaumont, and Aelfwyn aet Gyrum. For the Academy, Juliana de Luna 5 August 2000 --------------------------------------------------- References [1] Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988), s.n. Matthew. [2] John, Trevor (Ed.), The Warkwickshire Hundred Rolls of 1279-80; Stoneleigh and Kineton Hundreds_, Records of Social and Economic History, New Series XIX, published for The British Academy by Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 288. [3] Reaney, P. H., & R. M. Wilson, _A Dictionary of English Surnames_ (London: Routledge, 1991; Oxford University Press, 1995), s.n Athersmith [4] Thrupp, Sylvia L., with the assistance of Harold B. Johnson. 'The earliest Canterbury freemen's rolls. 1298-1363'. Kent Records: Documents illustrative of Medieval Kentish Society. Kentish Archaeological Society, no date; pp. 187, 178.