Just reading about the UK monarchy (the coronation having sparked both nostalgic attachment and republican queries, shall we say), and I thought it would be fun to share some of the names from its history.
These are the names (mostly from people but some places and tribes/kingdoms) that I’ve noted while reading, many of which you’ll know! I’ll post separate threads for each era. First spans from the 8th century till mid 11th century, just before 1066 Norman invasion (be warned: scribbled down as reading and not in precise chronological order, and advised to read up on their bios before using any ;))
Like any?
Offa
Vortigern
Raedwald
Augustine
Whitby
Boethius
Æthelstan
Æthelred
Alfred
Owain
Eamont
Olaf
Sweyn/Swein
Thorkell
Otto
Chester
Cnute/Canute
Harthacanute
Sigeric
Osbern
Dunstan (not great with nn Duns/Dunce)
Leofric
Edwin
Godwin
Eadred
Eadwig
Edgar
Edward
Harald
Harold
Wulfstan
Wulfthryth
Æthel
Emma
Hilda
Deira
Edith
Wulfhilda
Gunhilda
Gutha
Godiva
Ælfthryth
Ælfryth (Aelfryth)
Æthelflaed
Æthelswith
Herleva
Estrith
I really like [name_u]Augustine[/name_u], Athelred, [name_m]Alfred[/name_m], Eamont, [name_m]Otto[/name_m], [name_m]Chester[/name_m], [name_m]Leofric[/name_m], [name_m]Edwin[/name_m] (), [name_m]Edgar[/name_m], [name_u]Edward[/name_u], Aethel, [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and Aelfryth! Thorkell, Sigeric and Wulfthryth ar intriguing.
Great list - like those ones too! [name_m]Aethelred[/name_m] one of the few you probably couldn’t use bc of how awful and incompetent they were and I mean even by their own standards of the time!
[name_f]My[/name_f] personal favorites:
Boethius (nn Bo!)
[name_m]Athelstan[/name_m]
[name_m]Canute[/name_m] (nn [name_m]Newt[/name_m], perhaps?)
[name_m]Leofric[/name_m]
Wulfstan
Wulfhilda
[name_f]Godiva[/name_f] (it’s chocolate and the [name_m]God[/name_m]- part is a lot, but I love the sound)
Aelfryth
Estrith (this is like a Esther-Edith combo in the best way!)
And the more mainstream [name_u]Augustine[/name_u], [name_m]Otto[/name_m], [name_m]Edwin[/name_m], & [name_f]Edith[/name_f].
I love Whitby! It’s a seaside town as you might know (not sure if you’re a Brit?) and I got it from the Synod of Whitby. I might get cancelled using it bc [name_m]Captain[/name_m] [name_m]Cook[/name_m] was also born or at least learnt to sail there but I love the sounds so much.
Wulfthryth was also known as Wilfrida (and was in short a nun/saint/monastic leader as well as [name_m]King[/name_m] Edgar’s second wife or mistress and mother of [name_f]Edith[/name_f] - I think he dumped her after she gave birth - and she went back to being a nun/saint.)
I always forget just how old some of the super popular classic names are until I see lists like this where [name_f]Emma[/name_f] is next to Wulfthryth and Æthelflaed and get whiplash, lol Wulfhilda, Deira, are Estrith are probably my favorites of the unusual names but I also like [name_u]Edward[/name_u], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], and [name_f]Edith[/name_f].
I had the same reaction - imagining a family now with [name_u]John[/name_u], [name_f]Karen[/name_f], [name_u]Phil[/name_u] &… Wulfryth - [name_f]Emma[/name_f] feels like that name among the th and Ae names.
), [name_m]Edgar[/name_m], [name_u]Edward[/name_u], Aethel, [name_f]Emma[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f] and Aelfryth! Thorkell, Sigeric and Wulfthryth ar intriguing.
Wulfhilda, Deira, are Estrith are probably my favorites of the unusual names but I also like [name_u]Edward[/name_u], [name_f]Emma[/name_f], and [name_f]Edith[/name_f].