Medieval Names
Medieval names were fewer, and far more repetitive, than you might expect. In 14th-century England, more than a third of all men were called John or William, and the women answered to Alice, Joan, Agnes, Margery and Matilda. That’s why nicknames and surnames flourished: with five Johns in a village, you needed John the Miller and John Atwood. This page collects more than 80 authentic names from the Middle Ages, with what they meant and who used them.
For deeper lists, see medieval girl names, medieval boy names and medieval last names. Warriors and rulers of the period have their own pages of knight names and king names.
Medieval Names: browse all lists
Medieval girl names
Common and noble women’s names found in English and French records from the 11th to the 15th century.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Matilda | “Mighty in battle” | Also Maud; Empress Matilda |
| Alice | “Noble” | Top English name, 1300s |
| Agnes | “Pure, holy” | Very common in England |
| Joan | “God is gracious” | Feminine of John |
| Margery | Medieval form of Margaret | Margery Kempe, mystic |
| Eleanor | Possibly from Aliénor | Eleanor of Aquitaine |
| Isabel | Medieval form of Elizabeth | Popular royal name |
| Cecily | Feminine of Cecil, “blind” | Cecily Neville |
| Emmeline | From Germanic “work” | Norman import |
| Rohesia | Latinized Rose | Common in records |
| Avice | Possibly “refuge in war” | Norman |
| Petronilla | Feminine of Peter | Pernel for short |
| Juliana | Feminine of Julian | Julian of Norwich |
| Isolde | Uncertain, possibly Celtic | Tristan and Isolde |
| Guinevere | “White, fair” | Arthurian queen |
| Beatrix | “She who brings happiness” | Common in the 1200s |
| Sybil | “Prophetess” | Norman |
| Tiffany | From Theophania, “God appears” | Given to girls born on Epiphany |
| Christiana | “Christian” | Common in England |
| Ermengarde | “Whole enclosure” | French nobility |
Medieval boy names
The staples of the medieval roll call, from Anglo-Saxon survivors to Norman favorites.
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| John | “God is gracious” | Most common name by 1400 |
| William | “Resolute protector” | Came with the Conqueror |
| Robert | “Bright fame” | Robert the Bruce |
| Richard | “Brave ruler” | Richard the Lionheart |
| Geoffrey | Possibly “God’s peace” | Geoffrey Chaucer |
| Walter | “Army ruler” | Wat Tyler, rebel of 1381 |
| Hugh | “Mind, heart” | Norman favorite |
| Thomas | “Twin” | Thomas Becket |
| Godric | “God’s ruler” | Saint Godric, hermit |
| Aldous | “Old” | Rare, English |
| Baldwin | “Bold friend” | Crusader kings of Jerusalem |
| Osric | “Divine ruler” | Northumbrian king |
| Wystan | “Battle stone” | Anglo-Saxon saint |
| Anselm | “God’s helmet” | Archbishop of Canterbury |
| Bartholomew | “Son of Talmai” | Nickname Bat |
| Nicholas | “Victory of the people” | Very popular saint |
Anglo-Saxon names (before 1066)
After the Norman Conquest these names largely vanished, which makes them distinctive today. Some survive as classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Aethelflaed | “Noble beauty” | Girl; Lady of the Mercians |
| Aelfgifu | “Elf gift” | Girl |
| Eadgyth | “Prosperous in war” | Girl; source of Edith |
| Hild | “Battle” | Girl; St. Hilda of Whitby |
| Leofwyn | “Dear friend” | Girl |
| Wulfric | “Wolf ruler” | Boy |
| Leofric | “Dear ruler” | Boy; husband of Lady Godiva |
| Godgifu | “Gift of God” | Girl; Lady Godiva |
| Cuthbert | “Famous and bright” | Boy; saint of Lindisfarne |
| Aethelstan | “Noble stone” | Boy |
| Eadric | “Rich ruler” | Boy |
| Aelfric | “Elf ruler” | Boy |
Norse names in medieval Europe
Vikings settled England, Normandy, Ireland and Scotland, and their names stayed. See Viking names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Ragnhild | “Counsel battle” | Girl |
| Thora | “Thor’s struggle” or “of Thor” | Girl |
| Sigrid | “Beautiful victory” | Girl |
| Astrid | “God-beautiful” | Girl |
| Gunnar | “Battle warrior” | Boy |
| Leif | “Heir, descendant” | Boy |
| Sven | “Young man” | Boy |
| Thorkell | “Thor’s cauldron” | Boy |
Medieval pet names and nicknames
Rhyming and shortening produced dozens of familiar forms. Some became surnames, like Hobbs and Dickens.
| Nickname | Full name | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Hob | Robert | Boy |
| Dickon | Richard | Boy |
| Jack | John | Boy |
| Wat | Walter | Boy |
| Hodge | Roger | Boy |
| Perkin | Peter | Boy |
| Tibby | Isabel | Girl |
| Magot | Margaret | Girl |
| Molly | Mary | Girl |
| Nan | Anne | Girl |
| Kit | Christopher | Boy |
| Gib | Gilbert | Boy |
Medieval surnames and how they formed
Surnames grew from four sources: jobs, places, fathers’ names and nicknames. The full list is at medieval last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Smith | Metalworker | Occupation |
| Fletcher | Arrow-maker | Occupation |
| Chandler | Candle-maker | Occupation |
| Wainwright | Wagon-builder | Occupation |
| Atwood | “At the wood” | Place |
| Hill | Lived on a hill | Place |
| Fitzgerald | “Son of Gerald” | Patronymic (Norman) |
| Robertson | “Son of Robert” | Patronymic |
| Armstrong | Strong in the arm | Nickname |
| Russell | “Little red one” | Nickname |
| Brown | Brown-haired or dark | Nickname |
| Beaumont | “Beautiful mountain” | Norman place |
How to choose a medieval name
- For realism, use the common names: Alice, Joan, Agnes, John, William. Rare names like Guinevere are literary, not typical.
- Give characters a surname or byname: John le Taylor, Alice atte Well, Hugh Fitzwalter.
- For babies, the sweet spot is names that are authentic but uncommon today, like Emmeline, Cecily, Aldous or Anselm.
- Mind the Norman divide: before 1066 in England think Aethelflaed and Leofric; after, think Matilda and Geoffrey.
- For a fantasy spin, see fantasy last names and kingdom names.
Frequently asked questions
What were the most common medieval names?
In 14th-century England, John, William, Thomas, Richard and Robert led for men, while Alice, Joan, Agnes, Margery and Matilda led for women.
What are pretty medieval girl names?
Isolde, Emmeline, Cecily, Rohesia, Beatrix, Eleanor and Juliana are pretty and authentic.
Did medieval people have last names?
Not at first. Hereditary surnames spread in England between about 1100 and 1400, beginning with the nobility.
Why is Tiffany a medieval name?
It comes from Theophania, “God appears,” and was given to girls born on the feast of Epiphany in medieval England and France.
What are Anglo-Saxon names?
Names used in England before 1066, such as Aethelflaed, Leofric, Wulfric and Hild, many of which disappeared after the Norman Conquest.