ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2190 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2190 ************************************ ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* From: (Josh Mittleman) 20 Dec 2000 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked whether is an appropriate name for a Frankish man in the first half of the 9th century. Here is what we have found. Unfortunately, your name is not appropriate for your period. In the early Middle Ages, throughout the Germanic world, both men and women were almost always identified simply by a single given name. There are some examples of names consisting of a given name plus a single byname (surname), particularly among the upper nobility; but three-element names did not come into use for several centuries. The bynames that were used in your period were quite different from later-period surnames. Some were short forms of a man's given name, others were descriptive nicknames. Some seem to be alternate given names. The largest category was patronymics, i.e. bynames that identify a man as his father's son. Here are some typical examples. They are all in Latin, which was of course the written language of the period [8]: 8th c. "Grimo who is Adalgisus" 8th c. "...also named..." 929 945 947 "...who is called..." 947 "...called..." 960 960 730 "...son of Wolfridus" 742 We found no example from your period of a Frankish name which identifies a man by the place where he lives. The form is definitely inappropriate: The word didn't exist in German languages until long after your period. The style of name you've chosen, , is most compatible with the 14th through 16th centuries, though the mixture of German and Latin spellings that you've used is unlikely at any time in our period. If you're interested in that possibility, write us again and we'll discuss it in more detail. Scholars generally agree that the name was not used by the Franks outside the royal family [1]. We have found references to a handful of German examples in the 10th century, but the name appears to have come into general use only in the 11th and 12th centuries [2, 5]. The history of the name is slightly complex. The German name derives originally from an older form of the word 'fist'. It is recorded as an epithet as early as 1270, "Wessel with the fist". The best-known bearer of the name is the 16th century magician Georg Faust. He also styled himself , making a play on the Latin word "lucky" [3]. Much earlier in history, the Latin word itself was used as the basis for a name; there were several early Saints Faustinus and a 5th century Saint Faustus [4]. However, these names did not remain in use in Germany into the Middle Ages. did not come back into use as a given name until the 19th century [6]. We're not sure what (modern French ) was called in the Germanic languages of your period. In Latin texts, it was called or [10]. Einhard used the genitive form in his "Life of Charlemagne" [9]. We found it used in a personal name in 1165, "Albertus who is called 'of Aquigranum'" [7]. We're sorry to have to give you such a thoroughly negative report. We're not going to suggest alternatives since we'd have to guess which elements of your name and persona you'll choose to change. If you'd like further help, please write us again. We can help you choose a name better suited to 9th century Frankish; or to find a period in which the name you've got will fit better; or we can help you find a compromise between the two. We 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 Talan Gwynek, Dietmar von Straubing, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, and Adelaide de Beaumont. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 20 Dec 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] Jarnut, Jo"rg, 'Nobilis non vilis, cuius et nomen et genus scitur', in Dieter Geuenich, Wolfgang Haubrichs, & Jo"rg Jarnut, _Nomen et gens_ (New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1997), p.119. 'It is generally accepted, for example, that until the 8th century and were used exclusively by the Arnulfings and that from 751 on they were exclusively royal names. This assumption may perhaps be accurate for France, as shown by research in the admittedly incomplete Duisburg data bank. But in 765 there was a Pippin in Tuscan Chiusi, and in 770, also in Tuscany, there were two landholders named .' [2] Socin, Adolf, _Mittelhochdeutsches Namenbuch. Nach oberrheinischen Quellen des 12. und 13. Jahrhunderts_ (Basel: Helbing & Lichtenhahn, 1903; Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1966), p.468. The earliest examples of native to Germany are , 1094, bishop of Constanz; 1129 in Strassburg. There is an 11th century , but this was a Scandinavian pilgrim. [3] Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann, _Etymologisches Woerterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen_ (Limburg a. d. Lahn, C. A. Starke-Verlag, 1957-1960), s.n. Faust. [4] "Faustus Of Riez, Saint" Encyclopędia Britannica Online. [Accessed 13 December 2000]; "Sts. Faustinus and Jovita" and "Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice", Catholic Encyclopedia (WWW: New Advent, 1999). http://www.eb.com:180/bol/topic?eu=34442&sctn=1 http://newadvent.org/cathen/06019a.htm http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14003a.htm [5] Seibicke, Wilfried, _Historisches Deutsches Vornamenbuch_ (de Gruyter, series, various dates), s.n. Karl. [6] Seibicke, s.n. Faustus. [7] Brechenmacher s.n. Aachen. [8] Stark, Franz, _Die Kosenamen der Germanen_ (Wiesbaden: Dr. Martin Sa:ndig oHG., 1967 [1868]), pp.150-156. [9] "Einhardi Vita Karoli Magni", ed. Ulrich Harsch (WWW: The Latin Library, accessed 20 Dec 2000), chapter 14. http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/CLASSICS/ein.html A translation of this passage is available at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/einhard.html [10] Bethel, John P., ed., _Webster's Geographical Dictionary_ (Springfield, Massachusetts: G. & C. Merriam Co., 1969), s.n. Aachen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Correction, Arval, 26 Sep 2003: Added the missing note [10].