8/12/2023 0 Comments Medieval last names list![]() ![]() There were (and still are) a fair number of Mary/Marie/Marias and Magdalens who would be male, and a fair number of Michaels, Lukes and Pauls who would be female. Girls were often named after their fathers, so they often ended up with “boys” names. People were often named for the saint of the day of their birth/baptism regardless of whether the genders matched. Yes, you can name a male character with a female saint name and vice versa. The name of any saint who was canonized prior to the 8th century anywhere in Europe will probably have a fair number of people named after him or her in any Catholic (or formerly Catholic) European country. Irish and Welsh spellings of the names differ significantly from the ones on the Roman calendar, so do little bit of research if you are setting your novel in one of those countries. ![]() The canon lists have a variety of differences for regions, so if your novel takes place in England, you probably won’t have a Polish saint name. Just check the hagiography (saint’s biography) to make sure the saint was canonized prior to the date of your story, and you can safely use it. There’s also something brave and honorable about Douglas thanks to his war-hero namesakes.Another good source for Medieval names: any of the variety of Catholic websites that list saints of the day with biographies. It’s still an interesting choice for Scottish-American parents or those who appreciate the mysteries of a “dark stream”. No longer in vogue, people are beginning to consider this name outdated and a little boring. Douglas has been in free-fall decline since 1990, dropping almost 400 positions on the charts in 20 years. Douglas was still a popular and familiar choice in the 1970s and 80s, but it was becoming clear that his glory days were fast retreating. He was extremely admired during and post-WWII up through the Korean War the man was so respected he could have ran for President if he so desired (he didn’t). Some of the name’s popularity is owed to army General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964), a distinguished leader of the World War II effort in the Pacific, most notably for defending the Philippines and accepting the defeat of the Japanese. ![]() Ahearn Of Celtic origin, the name derives from the Irish word O’Echthighern, which means lord of the horses. It also has origins in Greek and Latin, where it means power. The height of Douglas’s popularity was no doubt during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Abbott The name Abbott is derived from the Old French word abet, which means priest. The name would remain on the Top 100 list for 60 straight years (until 1990). The name slowly gained ground and by 1929, Douglas was a Top 100 favorite. At the turn of the 20th century, Douglas was inside the Top 200 most commonly used boy names, making him a name of moderate popularity. The name dates back to the late 1800s which is as far back as we have data. Ironically, it was mainly used as a feminine personal name in northern England in the 17th and 18th centuries, although today it is widely accepted as a masculine personal name.ĭouglas has had a remarkably successful career on the American male naming charts. Douglas has been used as a given name since the 16th century. The first recorded spelling of this illustrious surname appeared in 1175 as “de Duglas” in Kelso, Scotland. After Robert the Bruce died, Sir James Douglas carried the king’s heart on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land (which is why the family coat of arms features prominently a heart). One of the most notable was Sir James Douglas, heroic knight and trusted deputy of Robert the Bruce (King of the Scots) during Scotland’s First War of Independence in the early 14th century. One historian referred to the Douglas Clan as "the great, turbulent, daring, and too often treacherous house". This powerful family had two main branches: The Black Douglases (Earls of Douglas) and the Red Douglases (Earls of Angus). The clan name was most likely developed from a topographical feature of the lands (a dark, black stream running through the territory now located in South Lanarkshire, Scotland near Glasgow). This distinguished clan name was borne by a long and powerful line of Scottish Earls, originating from the lands of Douglas. Douglas is the anglicized version of the Scottish medieval surname Dùbhghlas, from the Gaelic elements “dubh” meaning ‘dark’ and “glais” meaning ‘water, stream’. ![]()
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