ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2734 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2734 ************************************ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTE: This report was originally sent as a direct reply, and therefore is not as reliable as regular Academy reports. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! We've found just one instance of in pre-1600 sources, in 14th century Picardy [1]. We doubt the name was used much earlier -- the word itself didn't appear until 1175 [2] -- and clearly didn't become popular until much later. It also seems to be a development unique to the northern -- and perhaps the northwestern -- parts of France. Arval for the Academy 24 Jun 2002 [1] Morlet, Marie-Therese, _Etude d'anthroponymie picarde, les noms de personne en Haute Picardie aux XIIIe, XIVe, XVe siecles_ (Amiens, Musee de Picardie, 1967), p.117. [2] Robert, Paul, _Le Petit Robert 1: Dictionnaire alphabe/tique et analogique de la langue franc,ais_ (Paris: Le Robert, 1985), s.v. noel.