ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2428
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2428
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10 Dec 2001
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked our help finding a feminine name similar to <Maren> that is
appropriate for Denmark between 1157 and 1241.  In particular, you asked
about <Maeynsaeth>, <Merethe>, <Maerethe>, <Maereth>, and <Marena>.  This
letter is a brief answer to your question.

You told us that you found these five names in Gunnar Knudsen's Danmarks
Gamle Personnavne.  We know no better source for information about Danish
medieval names, though we can learn more by comparing data from adjacent
countries.  

<Merethe>, <Maerethe>, and <Maereth> are medieval Danish forms of
<Margaret>.  The name <Margaret> was introduced into Denmark in the
mid-13th century, so early forms may be appropriate for the very end of
your period.  However, if you are thinking of a persona who lived
1157-1241, then this name would not be a good choice.  The earliest certain
example of the name in Denmark is <Margareta Sprenghest>, whose son <Erik
M{ae}reto s[on]> "Erik Margaret's son" is mentioned between 1259 and 1286.
Other early examples are <Ascerus M{ae}r{ae}dhes[on]> 1275 and <Sweno
M{ae}r{ae}t{ae}s[on]> 1302 [1].  The symbol {ae} represents the letter ash,
which is written as an a-e ligature (i.e. two letters squashed together so
that the righthand stroke of the 'a' is also the left-hand stroke of the
'e').  The letters in square brackets are abbreviations that we've expanded
for clarity.  A spelling like <M{ae}rete>, pronounced \MEH-r@-t@\, or
<M{ae}r{ae}dhe>, pronounced \MEH-r@-dh@\, is certainly appropriate for the
second half of the 13th century in Denmark.  Because spelling probably
lagged behind pronunciation, it's reasonable to push these forms back to
the end of your period.  In the pronunciation guides, \@\ represents the
sound of the <a> in <about> or <soda>, and \dh\ stands for the sound of the
<th> in <this>.

<Marena> appears to be a variant of <Marina>, but it's not one that we've
found in Scandinavian records.  We found <Marina> (from which modern Danish
<Maren> derives) in Danish records in 1329 and <Mariena> in 1390; but both
are well beyond your period [2].  A similar name, <Marianna>, was
introduced earlier: We found references to a 13th century Danish nun of
this name, to a man <Thury Marienn{ae} s[on]> in 1285, and to a 13th
century <Mariana> [3].  <Mariana> or <Marienna> is a plausible name for the
latter part of your period; it was pronounced \mar-ee-AH-n@\ or
\mar-ee-EN-n@\.

<M{ae}yns{ae}th> is recorded in 1306; it is a Danish form of the Low German
name <Meynset>.  This is the only example of this name we found recorded in
medieval Denmark and it is a half-century too late for your period; so we
can't recommend it as a good choice [4].  It was pronounced \MAIN-set\.


We 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 Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Gunnvor Silfraharr, Talan Gwynek, and Adelaide
de Beaumont.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  10 Dec 2001


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References

[1] Knudsen Gunnar, Marius Kristiansen, & Rikard Hornby, _Danmarks Gamle
Personnavne_, Vol. I: Fornavne (Copenhagen: 1936-48), s.n. Margareta.
There may have been a Portuguese princess of this name, grandmother of
Valdemar the Young, who died in Denmark in 1231; her name is given in one
source as <M{ae}rethe>, but in most sources she is called <Alienor>.

[2] Knudsen s.n. Marina.

[3] Knudsen s.n. Marianna.

[4] Knudsen s.n. Meinseth.