Meaning & History
Parnel is a medieval English contracted form of Petronel, itself derived from the Latin name Petronilla, a diminutive of Petronia (the feminine form of the Roman family name Petronius). The root Petronius is thought to come from Latin petro, petronis meaning "yokel", originally a nickname for a rustic person.
History and Decline
Parnel was common in medieval England, but its fate changed dramatically in the later Middle Ages. The name became a slang term for a promiscuous woman, appearing in literature with negative connotations. Because of this association, the name fell out of favor and eventually became obsolete. This mirrors the trend of other names like Mall (a nickname for Mary) that also acquired derogatory meanings in period slang.
Etymology
The chain begins with Petronilla, a Late Latin name connected to Saint Petronilla (an obscure 1st-century Roman saint later believed to be the daughter of Saint Peter). The Petronilla form was adapted into medieval English as Petronel, which then contracted to Parnel and its variant Pernel. Other related forms include Peronel and the French Pétronille, as well as Scandinavian forms like Pernille (Norwegian) and Petronella (Swedish).
Cultural Context
The slang use of Parnel in Middle English literature contributed to its demise. Geoffrey Chaucer does not use the name in The Canterbury Tales, but later texts employ "Parnel" as a stock name for a wanton woman. This linguistic shift rather than any etymological change sealed the name's obscurity.
- Meaning: Diminutive/slang derived from Latin petronis ("yokel")
- Origin: Medieval English contraction of Petronel
- Type: Feminine given name
- Usage regions: Historical England, now unused
- Key fact: Fell out of use due to derogatory slang meaning by the late Middle Ages