Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 831

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 831

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/831

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

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Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked about the name <Talorc Morbet> as a Pictish male name from around 300 A.D. Here is what we have found.

As you said, <Talorc> was the name of a Pictish king who reigned from 641-653. Other names that are similar are <Talorcan>, who reigned from 781-785, and <Talorcen>, who reigned from 635-657.

<Morbet> is found in a 14th century chronicle as the byname of a king who reigned somewhere in the first several centuries A.D. In a different manuscript, the byname is the Latin <Magnus>, which would point to <Morbet> having the same meaning of "large" or "great."

We are unsure what form the name <Talorc Morbet> would have taken in the third century. The available records of Pictish names all date from many centuries after your period, and there is no reliable way to guess what 3rd century Pictish names actually sounded like. [1] We could make a reasonable guess at the form of a Pictish name in later centuries. If you are interested in moving your persona to the 7th or 8th century, write us again and we'll be happy to help.

We hope that this letter has been useful to you. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear, or if you have any other questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, and William Castille.

For the Academy,
Aryanhwy Prytydes merch Catmael Caermyrdin


[1] Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, "A Consideration of Pictish Names" (Y Camamseriad, Issue 4, Summer 1996, pp.29-56; WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1996).