Anglo-Saxon Names

Æbbe is an Anglo-Saxon female given name attested in early medieval England. It is the Old English form of Ebba, but the names are effectively identical: the modern spelling Ebba often represents the same historical name...

Æðelbeald is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements æðele "noble" and beald "bold, brave". It is a spelling variant of Æthelbald, reflecting regional or chronological differences in Anglo-Saxon orthograph...

Æðelflæd is an Old English feminine name composed of the elements æðele 'noble' and flæd, possibly meaning 'beauty'. It is a variant spelling of Æthelflæd. Etymology and Linguistic Roots The first element derives from th...

Æðelfrið is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements æðele ("noble") and friþ ("peace"), thus meaning "noble peace." The name adheres to the Germanic tradition of dithermatic (two-element) personal names, o...

Etymology and OriginsÆðelmær is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements æðele meaning "noble" and mære meaning "famous", thus signifying "noble and famous". This type of compound name, where two positive q...

Æðelræd is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements æðele "noble" and ræd "counsel, advice", thus meaning "noble counsel." This name was borne by two Saxon kings of England, most notably Æðelræd II (c. 966–...

Æðelric is an Old English masculine given name derived from the elements æðele meaning "noble" and ric meaning "ruler, king," thus translating to "noble ruler." This name was borne by several early Anglo-Saxon kings and...

Æðelstan is an Old English masculine name that combines the elements æðele 'noble' and stan 'stone', thus meaning 'noble stone'. It is closely related to the variant Æthelstan and the Modern English form Athelstan, which...

Æðelþryð is the Old English form of the female given name Æthelthryth, derived from the elements æðele "noble" and þryþ "strength". The name is historically significant due to its association with Æthelthryth (also known...

Æðelwine is an Old English masculine name derived from the elements æðele "noble" and wine "friend". Its exact meaning is therefore "noble friend". This name belongs to a class of traditional Anglo-Saxon theophoric and c...

EtymologyÆðelwulf is an Old English name composed of the elements æðele "noble" and wulf "wolf", thus meaning "noble wolf". It is a cognate of the Old German name Adolf, which derives from Adalwolf, sharing the same elem...

Ælfflæd is an Old English female name from Anglo-Saxon England, composed of the elements ælf meaning "elf" and flæd, possibly meaning "beauty". The name thus signifies "elf-beauty" or "beautiful as an elf". It was borne...

Ælfgar is an Anglo-Saxon masculine personal name, composed of the Old English elements ælf (elf) and gar (spear), thus meaning "elf spear." It is the Old English form of the name Algar, which shares the same etymological...

Ælfgifu is an Anglo-Saxon feminine personal name derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and giefu "gift". Many women of note bore this name during the Anglo-Saxon period. One notable bearer was the first wife of...

Ælfgyð is an Old English feminine name composed of the elements ælf 'elf' and guð 'battle', thus meaning 'elf-battle'. This name was borne by several notable women in Anglo-Saxon England. It is a variant spelling of Ælfg...

Ælfheah is an Old English masculine given name, derived from the elements ælf "elf" and heah "high". The name thus carries a literal meaning of "elf-high" or "noble elf," reflecting common Anglo-Saxon naming conventions...

Ælfhild is an Old English feminine given name composed of two elements: ælf meaning "elf" and hild meaning "battle". The name is therefore a compound signifying "elf-battle" or "battle-elf," likely indicating a warrior-l...

Ælfnoð is an Old English masculine given name, formed from the elements ælf "elf" and noð "boldness, daring". The name thus means "elf-boldness" or "bold as an elf", reflecting a common Germanic naming tradition of combi...

Ælfræd is the Old English form of Alfred, a name meaning "elf counsel" from the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". The name is most famously associated with Alfred the Great (c. 849–899), King of Wessex and la...

Ælfric is an Anglo-Saxon masculine given name, derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and ric "ruler, king". It is a cognate of the Germanic name Alberich. The name was common in Anglo-Saxon England, and various...

Ælfsige is an Old English masculine name derived from the elements ælf "elf" and sige "victory", thus meaning "elf victory" or "victorious elf." It is characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon naming tradition, where compounds o...

Ælfstan is an Old English masculine given name, derived from the elements ælf "elf" and stan "stone". The name thus carries the poetic meaning of "elf-stone," possibly connoting strength or protection associated with myt...

Ælfswiþ is an Old English feminine personal name dating from the Anglo-Saxon period. It belongs to the common Germanic naming tradition of combining two meaningful elements, often celebrating desirable qualities or super...

Etymology and MeaningÆlfþryð is an Old English feminine name composed of two elements: ælf meaning "elf" and þryþ meaning "strength". Thus, the name signifies "elf strength". It is the original Old English form from whic...

Ælfthryth is an Old English feminine given name, the variant of Ælfþryð (see Elfreda). The root of the name lies in the elements ælf "elf" and þryþ "strength", combining to mean "elf-strength". The original form Ælfþryð...

Ælfweard is an Old English masculine name meaning "elf guardian," derived from the elements ælf "elf" and weard "guardian." The name reflects the Anglo-Saxon tradition of combining supernatural beings with protective con...

Ælfwig is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements ælf 'elf' and wig 'war, battle', thus meaning 'elf-battle' or 'battle with elves'. The name is found in pre-Norman England and belongs to the tradition of...

Ælfwine is an Old English masculine given name derived from the elements ælf "elf" and wine "friend", thus meaning "elf-friend". This name reflects the Anglo-Saxon tradition of compounding meaningful elements to create p...

Ælfwynn is an Old English feminine name meaning “elf joy,” derived from the elements ælf “elf” and wynn “joy.” The name is historically significant as that of the daughter of Æðelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, who briefly r...

Ælred is a contracted form of the Old English name Æðelræd, from which the more familiar Æthelred also derives. The root elements are æðele 'noble' and ræd 'counsel, advice', so the name literally means 'noble counsel'....

EtymologyÆsc is an Old English name meaning "ash tree." It derives from the rune ᚫ (æsc) in the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, which represented the short vowel sound /æ/ and was named after the ash tree. The true spelling uses th...

Æthelbald is an Old English masculine name, a variant of Æðelbeald, derived from the elements æðele meaning "noble" and beald meaning "bold, brave." The name thus conveys the meaning "noble and brave." It was borne by se...

Æþelbeorht is an Old English masculine given name, the cognate of Albert from Proto-West Germanic *Aþalaberht. The name is composed of the elements adal "noble" and beraht "bright", thus meaning "noble and bright". Etymo...

Æthelberht is an Old English masculine given name, a variant of the Anglo-Saxon name Æþelbeorht. Both forms are cognate with the Germanic name Adalbert (modern Albert), meaning "noble and bright" from the elements adal "...

Etymology and OriginsÆthelflæd is a variant of the Old English name Æðelflæd, which is composed of the elements æðele meaning "noble" and flæd, possibly meaning "beauty." The name thus conveys a sense of noble beauty or...

Æthelnoð is an Old English masculine given name, composed of the elements æðele “noble” and noð “boldness, daring.” This compound name reflects the common Anglo-Saxon tradition of forming names from noble qualities, inte...

Æþelræd is a variant spelling of the Old English name Æðelræd, itself derived from the elements æðele "noble" and ræd "counsel, advice". The name thus conveys the meaning "noble counsel". This Anglo-Saxon name was borne...

Æthelred is an Old English personal name derived from the elements æþele 'noble' and ræd 'counsel, advice', giving the meaning 'noble counsel' or 'well-advised'. It is a variant of Æðelræd, the more common spelling in hi...

Æthelric is a masculine Anglo-Saxon name, a variant of Æðelric. The root form Æðelric derives from Old English elements æðele ("noble") and ric ("ruler, king"), thus meaning "noble ruler". This name was borne by several...

Æthelstan is a variant spelling of the Old English name Æðelstan, commonly modernized as Athelstan. Deriving from the elements æðele "noble" and stan "stone," the name literally means "noble stone." Etymology and linguis...

Æthelthryth (c. 636 – 679), also known as Etheldreda and Saint Audrey, is an Anglo-Saxon name best associated with a notable East Anglian princess, queen, and abbess. The name is a variant of Æðelþryð, derived from the O...

Æthelweald is an Old English masculine given name, derived from the elements æðele meaning "noble" and weald meaning "powerful, mighty". The name, which can also appear as Æthelwald or Athelwald, reflects the common Angl...

Æthelweard is an Anglo-Saxon masculine name derived from the Old English elements æðele "noble" and weard "guardian", thus meaning "noble guardian". This name reflects traditional Anglo-Saxon naming practices that combin...

Æthelwine is an Anglo-Saxon given name, a variant of Æðelwine. Derived from the Old English elements æðele 'noble' and wine 'friend', it means 'noble friend'. The name belongs to the common Germanic compound-name traditi...

Bada is an Anglo-Saxon masculine given name originating from the Old English period. Its etymology is traced to the Germanic element beadu, meaning "battle", reflecting a common naming tradition among early Germanic peop...

Bealdhild is the Old English cognate of Balthild, derived from the Germanic elements beald and hild, meaning "bold" and "battle" respectively, thus signifying "bold battle". This name is historically associated with Sain...

Beorhtric is an Old English masculine name derived from the elements beorht "bright" and ric "ruler, king", thus meaning "magnificent ruler". It is historically most notable as the name of Beorhtric of Wessex, who reigne...

Beorhtsige is an Old English masculine name composed of the elements beorht ('bright') and sige ('victory'), meaning 'bright victory' or 'victory-bright'. The name belongs to the Anglo-Saxon naming tradition, which often...

Beornræd is an Old English masculine given name, derived from the elements beorn meaning "warrior, man" and ræd meaning "counsel, advice". The name thus signifies "warrior-counsel" or "man of advice," reflecting the Angl...

Botwulf is an Old English masculine given name, composed of the elements According to tradition, Saint Botwulf lived in the 7th century, a period of significant Christianization in Anglo-Saxon England. He is believed to...

Burgheard is an Old English masculine name derived from the elements burg meaning "fortress" and heard meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy." It is a cognate of the Germanic name Burkhard. Historical Figure The name Burghea...

Ceadda is the Old English form of Chad. The name Chad itself is of uncertain origin, possibly based on Old Welsh cat meaning "battle." Ceadda is inseparable from the 7th-century saint Chad of Mercia (also known as Ceadda...

Cenhelm is an Old English masculine name that serves as the earliest recorded form of Kenelm. The name is composed of the Old English elements cene meaning “bold, keen” and helm meaning “helmet,” thus conveying the sense...

Cenric is an Old English given name, dating from the Anglo-Saxon period. It is composed of two elements: cene, meaning "bold" or "keen," and ric, meaning "ruler" or "king." The name thus translates to "bold ruler" or "mi...

Ceolmund is an Old English masculine given name, derived from the elements ceol "keel" (as of a ship) and mund "protection". The name thus combines maritime imagery with a sense of safeguarding, likely reflecting the imp...

EtymologyCerdic (pronounced CHER-ditch) is a semi-legendary name of Anglo-Saxon history, now primarily known as the earlier form of Cedric. Its meaning remains uncertain, but it is not thought to be of Old English origin...

EtymologyCola is an Old English byname meaning "charcoal" (from col), originally used as an epithet for someone with dark features, such as dark hair or complexion. The surname Cola also occurs, deriving from the same ro...

Cuthberht is an Old English form of Cuthbert, derived from the elements cuþ "known, familiar" and beorht "bright". The name was borne by a notable figure of 8th-century Mercia, often identified as Cuthberht, a nobleman w...

Cynebald is an Old English masculine name formed from two Germanic elements: cyne meaning "royal" and beald meaning "bold" or "brave". The name thus carries the meaning of "royal boldness" or "royally brave". Recorded in...

Cyneberht is an Old English masculine given name, composed of the elements cyne "royal" and beorht "bright", giving the meaning "royal brightness". It is derived from Proto-West Germanic *Kuniberht, itself built from *ku...