ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2108 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2108 ************************************ From: "Sara L Friedemann" 1 Oct 2000 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You wanted to know if would be an appropriate name for a Norwegian woman living between 1200 and 1500. Here is the information we have found. is a form of . (The {ae} represents the a-e ligature.) Unfortunately, we were unable to find any evidence that this was used in Norway earlier than the 18th century. [3,5] While forms that are close to in spelling are found in Denmark in your period, the Norwegians seemed to have retained three syllables. [1]: Marreta 1388 Marritta 1400 M{ae}ritta 1408 Me{ae}ritta 1408 Marretta 1446 Marete 1471 Meritt{ae} 1475 Marrete 1477 In Danish, we find forms that are even closer to your desired name [2]: M{ae}r{ae}t{ae} 1330 M{ae}ritt{ae} 1345 Mert 1379-1428, 1428, 1429, 1438 Merth 1379-1428, 1411-19 Marete 1387 M{ae}rd{ae} 1394 Merte 1399, 1407, 1428 M{ae}rete 1399 M{ae}rde late 14th c. Merd{ae} 1401-50 Mertha 1413 Murde 1436 Merde 1453, 1491 Based on these forms, we feel that could well have been used in Danish ca. 1400, though we consider or to be more likely. We find it less likely that the name would have been used in Norway before the end of your period. would have been pronounced \MAIR-t@\, where the \@\ represents the final vowel sound in or . The roots of the byname are , meaning "to prophesy," and , "woman, wife." (The slash represents an accent over the previous vowel.) We find it used twice as a descriptive byname in 10th and 11th century sagas. [4] We were unable to find any evidence that this byname was used in your period: the Norse society of the time of the sagas was pagan, and many things that were acceptable in a pagan society were frowned upon when Christianity was introduced. By your period, we don't think it is likely that anyone would have been known as a soothsayer or a prophetess. The most common type of surname for a Norwegian or Danish woman from your period would be a patronymic, a surname based on the name of the bearer's father. If you would like suggestions for names that would be appropriate for your father, and information on how to form patronyms, please write again and we will be happy to assist you. We hope that this letter has been useful to you, and that you will not hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Maridonna Benvenuti, Lindorm Eriksson, Hartmann Rogge, Talan Gwynek, Amant le Marinier, Christian de Holacombe, Juliana de Luna, and Julie Stampnitzky. For the Academy, ~Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 01Oct00 --------------------------------------- References: [1] Lind, E.H., _Norsk-Isla:ndska Dopnamn ock Fingerade Namn fra*n Medeltiden_ (Uppsala & Leipzig: 1905-1915, sup. Oslo, Uppsala and Kobenhavn: 1931). s.n. Margre/ta [2] Knudsen Gunnar, Marius Kristiansen, & Rikard Hornby, _Danmarks Gamle Personnavne_, Vol. I: Fornavne (Copenhagen: 1936-48). s.n. Margareta [3] Kruken, Kristoffer, ed. _Norsk personnamnleksikon_, 2nd ed. (Oslo: Det Norske Samlaget, 1995)s.nn. , [4] Lind, E.H., _Norsk-Isla:ndska Personbinamn fra*n Medeltiden_ (Uppsala: 1920-21). s.n. spa/kona [5] In modern times, has also been a form of the name . However, this association was not made until the 18th or 19th century.