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Greetings,
Here's the information we have on the name "Dragonshade."
We can find no evidence that "Dragonshade" could be any kind of medieval name. It is not in the form of a given name, and it is not constructed properly for a descriptive byname or a place name. There are some similar names which might appeal to you, but "Dragonshade" itself is not possible. In particular, we didn't find any examples of "shade" used in any kind of medieval name.
Since we weren't sure if you were looking for a first name or a last name, we've covered both possibilities.
Two-part descriptive words (such as "dragon-shade") weren't used as first names in any language we know of. However, we did find some Franco-Latin first names which are related to "Dragon." You may be interested in "Draconius" (1) or "Draco" (2), which could have been used in France from the 8th to 10th centuries. In later centuries-- perhaps the 10th through 13th--the name "Dragon" and its diminutive "Dragonet" were used in southern France. (3)
"Dragonshade" also won't work as a descriptive nickname. Descriptive names are generally literal. If a man is called "Dragonhand," it means that his hand is deformed and looks like a dragon's claw, not that he strikes with the power of a dragon. Because of this, "Dragonshade" is a highly unlikely name, and we can't think of any form which would be plausible.
There are some English place-names which begin with the element "Drake." Some examples include
You could pick a first name and a descriptive term "of Drake..." You could follow "Drake" with any common English term for a place. "Drakewood" and "Drakebrook" are two possibilities, and there are many more.
You could choose a French persona and use a first name like "Draconius," "Draco," "Dragon," or "Dragonet" with a French byname. Or, you could pick an English first name and use it with "of Drakehill" or another placename. Whatever you wish to do, we will be happy to help.
Arval Benicouer, Tangwystl verch Morgant Glasvryn, and Hartmann Rogge 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
Annotation by Aryanhwy, 21 January 2007:
For more detailed information on the use of the element <Drake-> in English place names, see Report #2215.