Meaning & History
Auberon is a name from Arthurian legend and the Carolingian Cycle, best known as the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux. It is derived from a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich, which itself comes from the Old German elements alb 'elf' and rih 'ruler, king'. Thus, Auberon ultimately means 'elf ruler' or 'king of the elves'.
Etymology and History
The name's journey begins with the Germanic name Alberich, which was composed of elements meaning 'elf' and 'ruler'. Alberich appears in various medieval contexts: it was borne by two Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 10th century and by a 12th-century French saint who helped found the Cistercian Order. In Germanic mythology, Alberich is a sorcerer dwarf who guards the treasure of the Nibelungen in the Nibelungenlied, and he also appears in Ortnit as a helper to the hero. From Alberich developed the Old French forms Auberi and later Auberon via a diminutive suffix. The name entered English literature through medieval romances, notably Huon de Bordeaux, where Auberon is the fairy king, later inspiring William Shakespeare's character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The alternative form Oberon became more common in English, but Auberon survives as a variant.
Notable Bearers and Modern Usage
Auberon is rare as a given name outside literature. Notable modern bearers include British author Auberon Waugh (1939–2001), son of novelist Evelyn Waugh, known for his satirical journalism. In recent decades, it has occasionally been chosen by parents seeking a distinctive fantasy-inspired name connected to fairy lore and medieval romance.
- Meaning: Elf ruler, king of the elves
- Origin: Old French diminutive of Auberi, from Germanic Alberich
- Type: First name, masculine
- Usage regions: English-speaking countries, primarily in literature
- Variants: Oberon
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Auberon