ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2688 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2688 ************************************ 1 May 2003 From: Aryanhwy merch Catmael Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You wanted to know if , , , or is an appropriate name for a Norman-French woman living between 1300 and 1450. You also wanted to know if a surname based on or would be appropriate. Here is the information we have found. We have little data from late medieval Normandy, so our recommendations are based on data from adjacent regions. Though France today is a unified country with a common language, this was not the case in the medieval era. It was a collection of dialects, some quite similar, some quite different. Therefore, names from regions closer to Normandy will be better recreation than ones from further away. is found in Paris in 1292 and 1423, and in Picardy in the 13th and 14th centuries. [1,2,4] It's a fine choice for your given name. We have not found used in France at any time. We recommend you do not use this name. is an Anglo-Norman name, found in England in the 12th-14th centuries. [3] We have not found this spelling in France, and believe it to be exclusively English. In Picardy in the 14th century, the name occurs as , where the slash represents an accent over the previous letter. [4] In Paris in 1421, the name occurs as and . [2] These accents are almost certainly modern editorial editions; the expected medieval spellings would be and . [9] While many forms of were used in France during your period, is not a good choice. The in the first syllable began to be dropped from the name in the 11th century, and by the 12th century, forms without the were the most predominant. By the 13th century, spellings with the are almost non-existent. [5] We therefore recommend that you consider a different spelling. Here are other forms that we've found in your period: In Picardy, mostly in the 13th C though continuing through the 15th C: [4] Aalis Aelidis Aelips Aelis Alips Alis In Paris, 1292: [1] Aales Aalez Aalis Aaliz In Calais, c.1300, where the name was fairly popular: [6] Aalis Aelidis Aelis (most common) Lisa Lise Lisse In Artois, c.1300: [6] Aalis Aelis (most common) Alais Alis Lice Lise In Lorraine 1267-98, and its variants are the second most common name. Other forms (in order of frequency) are: [7] Aileis Aleit Alleit Aleis In Lyon 1388, we found two instances of and one of . [8] Finally, in Paris, the name is found as in 1421. [2] A surname based on or is eminently plausible; such a byname would indicate that your father's name was or . In Paris in 1292, the given name is spelled . [1] In 1423 in Paris, we find the bynames and , both of which are likely derived from the given name or . [2] As with above, the accent here may be a modern editorial addition. In Calais, we find in 1283; this is a compressed form of . [6] is also common in Artois c.1300. [6] Where you decide to place your persona in France will affect what spelling is most reasonable; we recommend that you choose a given name and area from one of the lists above and then use a spelling for the surname from the same region, as this will result in the most authentic name. If you are interested in the pronunciation of any of these names, please don't hesitate to write us again. We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write us 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, Talan Gwynek, and Dietmar von Straubing. For the Academy, -Aryanhwy merch Catmael, 01May03 -- References: [1] Colm Dubh, "An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris", Proceedings of the Known World Heraldic Symposium 1996 (SCA: Montgomery, Alabama; WWW: SCA, Inc., 1997). http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/paris.html [2] Friedemann, Sara L. (aka Aryanhwy merch Catmael), "French Names from Paris, 1421, 1423 & 1438" (WWW: privately published, 2002-2003). http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/paris1423.html [3] Withycombe, E.G., _The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names_, 3rd ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988). s.n. Honoria [4] Morlet, Marie-Therese, _Etude d'anthroponymie picarde, les noms de personne en Haute Picardie aux XIIIe, XIVe, XVe siecles_ (Amiens, Musee de Picardie, 1967), pp. 21, 22, 29 [5] Morlet, Marie-Therese, _Les Noms de Personne sur le Territoire de l'Ancienne Gaule du VIe au XIIe Siecle_, three volumes (Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1972). I:16c-d [6] Gysseling, Maurits, and Pierre Bougard, _L'Onomastique Calaisienne a la Fin du 13e Siecle_, Onomastica Neerlandica (Leuven: Institut voor Naamkunde, 1963). [7] Jacobsson, Harry, _E/tudes d'Anthroponymie Lorraine les Bans de Tre/fonds de Metz (1267-1298)_ (Go:teborg: Gumperts Fo:rlag, 1955). [8] Edouard Philipon, Le Livre du Vaillant des Habitants de Lyon en 1388 (Lyon: Impressions de M. audin et Cie, 1927). [9] Pope, M.K., _From Latin to Modern French_ (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1966). This particular use of the acute accent dates to c.1530; it is therefore not appropriate for your period.