This might be baby naming withdrawal, but I’m falling madly in love with Bradamante. It is the name of the female knight in [name]Matteo[/name] [name]Maria[/name] Boiardo’s [name]Orlando[/name] Innamorato, [name]Ludovico[/name] Ariosto’s [name]Orlando[/name] Furioso and Handel’s Alcina (versions on the Charlemagne legends). The name means wild/untamed + loving/to love, because of her unaffected and genuine love for [name]Ruggiero[/name] (another amazing name!). She was really cool, an empowered woman who didn’t need rescuing, which feels perfect for my baby. She’s basically the same as Britomart in The Faerie [name]Queen[/name] (who is also super cool, but less so the name).
So can I use this for [name]Baby[/name]? As a first or middle? Other names on our list are [name]Ceridwen[/name], Illyria, Hespera, Tinuviel and Belphoebe.
Bradamante is very intriguing! At first I thought it was a boys’ name (don’t even know why, it was very unintelligent and unfortunately was unfamiliar with it before, I really need to catch up on all this classic literature!), but now I can only picture it on a little girl. I would use it as a middle, maybe. It is fascinating and has a very appealing, diverse sound that feels substantial and light too. Ceridwen Bradamante ____ or Tinuviel Bradamante _____ would be very nice. Illyria Bradamante _______ would be AMAZING! What about Illyria Bradamante Lark or Illyria Bradamante Melusine? Though the latter is very long. That said, you already have a FABULOUS short list and I don’t know if you should change anything! Bradamante is very lovely, though, and has a very light brown and maroon feel (which I love) – it would be a great choice!
Edit: Would LOVE the middle names Bradamante Fawn with anything on your list! They ALL sound lovely! Even Belphoebe Bradamante is very nice alliteration, in my opinion. My favourite is probably Hespera Bradamante Fawn. That is adorable!
Why not? I recognized her, and I’m sure others might, too. [name]Even[/name] if they don’t, there’s as easy explanation. If boys can be named [name]Orlando[/name], why can’t girls be Bradamante? She’s lush and literary and unexpected, just like the other choices on your list.
germy: I can see why you thought it was a male name, [name]Brad[/name] is the first syllable after all. Great combo suggestions too! Hespera Bradamante [name]Fawn[/name] would be wonderful.
abby: I’m not really a nickname person, but as my other choices have grown with me, they have developed nicknames. If my love for Bradamante endures, I’m sure a nickname will emerge!
[name]Glad[/name] to know you guys like it. I was thinking of Bradamante [name]Litha[/name] Pareerou…
Bradamante [name]Litha[/name] Pareerou is pretty, but I feel as though [name]Litha[/name] doesn’t fit and the long E sound in it clashes a bit with Pareerou. I have a bit of trouble getting “Bradamante [name]Litha[/name]” out, sorry…but I [name]ADORE[/name] the idea of Bradamante and Pareerou together! [name]How[/name] about:
Bradamante Pareerou [name]Lark[/name]
Bradamante Pareerou Evelake
Bradamante Pareerou [name]Lune[/name] (love this one)
Bradamante [name]Tindra[/name] Pareerou (this one too)
Bradamante [name]Alcyone[/name] [name]Tindra[/name] (doesn’t include Pareerou but I love the feel of this!)
Bradamante Pareerou [name]Nephele[/name]
Bradamante Pareerou [name]Maris[/name]
Bradamante Vivdendel Pareerou
Bradamante [name]Solenne[/name] Pareerou (I really like this, though you’re already using [name]Ceridwen[/name] in [name]Ceridwen[/name] Chione [name]Solenne[/name] on your short list!)
Bradamante Terpsichore Pareerou (using this with Illyria on your short list, right?)
Bradamante Pareerou [name]Charis[/name] (on your short list)
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and Google alerts, I discovered this discussion about my favorite heroine in literature. Bradamante is a kick ass warrior who deserves to be as well known as the legendary characters of [name]Guinevere[/name] and [name]Isolde[/name].
She actually went out and rescued her beloved [name]Ruggiero[/name] who was being held prisoner.
The Bradamante and [name]Ruggiero[/name] romance is a tale of impossible love in that they are warriors on opposing sides of a holy war, so their union has far more obstacles than for most romantic tales.
I also prefer the spelling of Bradamante over the spelling of Bradamant. For some reason when it loses the letter e, it loses some of the attractiveness to me. Perhaps it is because I think the ending pronunciation turns to “ant” rather than “AHNT” or “AHN tay.”
By the way, I also like the Marfisa who is another warrior maiden in [name]Orlando[/name] innamorato and [name]Orlando[/name] furioso.
Whoa, you’re awesome! I never meet people who love the Charlemagne legends, yay! I agree with you on the spelling. Marifisa is a nice name, and she was pretty cool too!
Hm… I feel it would be safer in the middle spot, just because I can see it being shortened to [name]Brad[/name] or being assumed a male name by the people who don’t know the legends, like me. Then again, I’m not a risk taker when it comes to names. You’d have to have the right child in order for them to pull it off. A poor shy little girl would most likely not appreciate such a strong unusual/unique name, but an outgoing, bubbly one might be able to.
I find it interesting. It’s not on trend as far as flowing, liquid, [name]Liliana[/name]/[name]Ariana[/name]/[name]Eliana[/name]/[name]Aaliyah[/name] sort of sounds, lots of strong consonants. It is also, because of that, rather clunky. It’s interesting to me - partly because the backstory is fascinating, and partly - please don’t hit me - I almost never see names that make my fondness for medieval [name]Isolde[/name], Blanchefleur, and [name]Rosamund[/name] look really normal to downright boring.
I must admit, however, I find Bradamante’s first syllable rather harsh and thus it can’t dethrone Belphoebe or other favourites of mine like Belsante/Bellicent/Belisent which, I think, sound more feminine to unfamiliar ears. I don’t mind it enough to say it’s unusable though.
I’ve often thought that the female knight character Brienne in ‘A Song of Ice and [name]Fire[/name]’ is based on Britomart. She also has an ‘unaffected and genuine love’ for [name]Prince[/name] Renly.
So a ‘Br’ name with a ‘R’ name. More than a coincidence There are more of them I’ve spotted too.
As for nicknames, the literary character Bradamante had a nickname and it was “the Maid.” Boiardo and Ariosto patterned Bradamante after [name]Jeanne[/name] d’[name]Arc[/name] who also was called “the Maid.” That might not be something you’d be interested in calling your daughter, but nicknames do not always have to be a diminutive version of the original name.
I would use it as a middle, maybe. It is fascinating and has a very appealing, diverse sound that feels substantial and light too. Ceridwen Bradamante ____ or Tinuviel Bradamante _____ would be very nice. Illyria Bradamante _______ would be AMAZING! What about Illyria Bradamante Lark or Illyria Bradamante Melusine? Though the latter is very long. That said, you already have a FABULOUS short list and I don’t know if you should change anything! Bradamante is very lovely, though, and has a very light brown and maroon feel (which I love) – it would be a great choice! 
There are more of them I’ve spotted too.