Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 627

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/627

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Later research turned up additional information relevant to this report. See the end of the letter for details.

Greetings,

Here's the information we found on "Lia, wife of Corin (or MacElys)," which you wanted to use as a Scottish name between 1000 and 1400.

We didn't find "Lia" in any of the languages which were spoken in Scotland during this period. We did find one example of "Lia" in English from 1191. (1) The only similar Gaelic name we found was "Líadan," (pronounced "LEE-ah-dahn"), which was used during your period. We only found "Líadan" in Ireland, but it could possibly have been used in Scotland as well. (2)

Gaelic-speaking women were rarely, if ever, named "wife of <husband>." We have a couple of examples of this use, but generally, women were named "inghean <father>" (which means "daughter of <father>.") For example, you might be called "Líadan inghean Domnaill," which means "Líadan, daughter of Domnaill" and is pronounced "LEE-ah-dahn NEE-yen DOH-nil."

Arval Benicoeur, Effric neyn Kenyeoch vc Ralte, Talan Gwynek, and Tangwystl verch Morgant Glasvryn contributed to this letter.

We hope this has been helpful, and that we can continue to assist you.

In service,
Alan Fairfax
Academy of S. Gabriel

(1) Reaney & Wilson, "A Dictionary of English Surnames," under "Bristow."

(2) O'Corrain & Maguire, "Irish Names."