Igraine

Igraine is a figure from Arthurian legend, best known as the mother of King Arthur by Uther Pendragon. The meaning of her name is uncertain, but it originates from the Latinized form Igerna, which itself comes from the Welsh Eigyr. In medieval Welsh sources, she was called Eigyr or Eigr, and Geoffrey of Monmouth rendered the name into Latin as Igerna in his 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae. From this Latin form, the name evolved into Old French Ygerne or Igerne and later into English as Igraine, Igreine, or Ygrayne, depending on the version.

In Arthurian legend, Igraine is initially the wife of Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, by whom she had several daughters, including Morgan le Fay (though some texts vary the number and names of these daughters, such as Elaine and Morgause). When Uther Pendragon fell in love with her, the wizard Merlin helped Uther disguise himself as Gorlois, allowing him to enter Tintagel Castle and conceive Arthur. After Gorlois's death in battle, Uther married Igraine, and Arthur was secretly given to Merlin to be raised elsewhere. Different accounts diverge on the details of Igraine's later life; in some, she later enters a convent.

Igraine's name is not common in modern usage except among Arthurian enthusiasts or fiction referencing the legend. Variants include the Latin Igerna and the original Welsh Eigyr.

Notable Bearers in Legend

• Igraine is a principal figure in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (12th century), which established many details of her story.
• In Thomas Malory's 15th-century Le Morte d'Arthur, she is referred to as Ygrayne, and her daughters by Gorlois are Elaine, Morgause, and Morgan le Fay.
• Some Welsh texts, like the Brut Tysilio, name Cador of Cornwall as her son with Gorlois.
• In Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, Igraine appears as Arnive, Arthur's mother who is a wise figure at his court.

Key Facts

• Meaning: Unknown; derived from Latin Igerna ← Welsh Eigyr
• Origin: Welsh → Latin → Old French → English
• Type: Feminine personal name from Arthurian legend
• Usage Regions: Primarily English-speaking medieval and modern contexts