ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 978 http://www.s-gabriel.org/978 *********************************** ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Some of the Academy's early reports * * contain errors that we haven't yet * * corrected. Please use it with caution. * * * ************************************************* ************************************************* * * * NOTE: Later research turned up additional * * information relevant to this report. * * See the end of the letter for details. * * * ************************************************* 26 May 1998 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for help choosing a feminine name and asked about or something similar. You also expressed interest in the meanings of these names. Here is what we have found. Your wrote that you found the two elements of this name listed as Gaelic, but on our form you chose Welsh as the language of your name. In our period, Gaelic was spoken in Ireland and parts of Scotland. Welsh was spoken in Wales. The two languages are related, both members of the Celtic language family, but they are no more similar than French and Italian. They were different languages in period and names were constructed quite differently in each. In fact, all the elements of your name are Gaelic, so we've assumed that you do want a Gaelic name. If you actually want a Welsh name and persona, please write us again and we'll offer some suggestions. itself is not correct, but there are a couple very similar names. , pronounced \MEER-nyeh\, was the name of the mother of the Irish epic hero Finn mac Cumaill. We don't have evidence that it was used by real people in our period and we doubt that it was. (with only one ), pronounced \KUN-ihr-yeh\, was the name of several legendary heroes, but was never commonly used by real people. It was used occasionally among the O Clery family in the late Middle Ages [1]. The word did not exist in Gaelic until after our period. In period, the proper way to say "Muirne daughter of Conaire" is . The change in spelling of is required by Gaelic grammar, and it changes the pronunciation of the name to \MEER-nyeh IN-yen KHUN-ihr-yeh\. The \KH\ represents the harsh, rasping sound in words like the German or Scottish . Names don't really have meanings. Every name ultimately derived from some regular word in an ancient language, but names very rapidly take on a meaning of their own, as names, and lose their association with their roots. Certainly by the Middle Ages, a name like was simply a name, with its root meaning only distantly recalled. (Think about the name . How often does it matter that its Aramaic root meant "twin"? How many people do you know named who _aren't_ twins?) probably derived from a word meaning "high-spirited, festive" [1]. may have derived from the Old Irish word for "road, path" [2]. But none of these meanings would have been relevent at any time in the Middle Ages or afterward: Names were just names. And all of these names are fine choices for an Irish persona set at some time from the 13th century onward. I hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek, Zenobia Naphtali, Tangwystyl vz. Morgant Glasvryn, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, and Teceangl Bach. For the Academy, Arval Benicoeur 26 May 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - References [1] O/ Corra/in, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire, _Irish Names_ (Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1990). [2] Royal Irish Academy, _Dictionary of the Irish Language: based mainly on Old and Middle Irish materials_ (Dublin : Royal Irish Academy, 1983). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Correction, 3 Nov 2004, Arval: Concerning the name , we had originally offered the possibility that the name was used by real people; but further research has failed to bear out that hope. We doubt it was used. The SCA College of Arms ruled the name unregisterable in the March 2004 LoAR (Middle-A, Caitili/n inghean mhic Uidhir). http://www.sca.org/heraldry/loar/2004/03/04-03lar.html We also originally offered as an alternative, saying it was used from the early Middle Ages to the end of our period. Ref. [1] s.n. Mo/irne doesn't support that statement: It only says that the name was used in Omeath through the end of the 19th century, but gives no indication that it was used within our period. On re-consideration, we can't recommend it.