Names

Gallo-Roman

The typical naming convention around 500 AD among the Gallo-Romans followed the Roman tradition of the tria nomina, which consisted of three parts:

  1. Praenomen: The first or personal name, used within the family and close friends.

  2. Nomen: The gens or family name, representing the broader family lineage.

  3. Cognomen: An additional name used to distinguish branches or individuals within the same gens. Not always used.

  4. Marcus Flavius

  5. Julia Antonia

  6. Lucius Valerius Gallus

  7. Flavia Verus

  8. Decimus Cassius

  9. Aurelia Marcella

  10. Quintus Aelius

  11. Cornelia Vitalis

  12. Sextus Silvanus

  13. Livia Catullus

  14. Valerius Decius Vindex

  15. Marcella Julius

  16. Titus Tiberius Geminius

  17. Claudia Valerius

  18. Octavia Cato

  19. Julius Priscus

  20. Antonia Maximus

  21. Sextus Vindex

  22. Domitia Aurelius

  23. Gaius Cassius Pollio

Celtic

Celtic names were typically formed without the complex tria nomina system found in Roman names. Instead, Celtic names were generally simpler and varied across different Celtic tribes and regions. Here's how Celtic names were typically formed during this period:

  1. Single Name: Many Celtic individuals had single names, often given at birth or based on significant events, physical characteristics, or virtues. These names were used to identify individuals and were not part of a larger naming structure.

  2. No Family Names: Unlike the Roman system, Celtic names did not commonly include family names (nomen) to identify a broader family lineage. Family connections were often understood through kinship ties and community relationships rather than by sharing a specific family name.

  3. Patronymics and Descriptive Names: In some cases, Celtic names could include patronymics or descriptive elements, which identified a person in relation to their father or based on certain characteristics. For example, "Mac" or "Ap" meaning "son of," or "Dubh" meaning "dark" could be included in a name.

  4. Aeron

  5. Bronach (Descriptive - "Sorrowful")

  6. Cian

  7. Eilwen (Descriptive - "White Brow")

  8. Gwendolen

  9. Lachlan (Patronymic - "Son of Lochlann")

  10. Maelis

  11. Niamh (Descriptive - "Radiant" or "Bright")

  12. Owen (Patronymic - "Son of Eoghan")

  13. Rhiannon

  14. Aedan (Patronymic - "Son of Aodh")

  15. Cadoc

  16. Cyndeyrn (Descriptive - "Chief" or "Leader")

  17. Eithne (Descriptive - "Kernel" or "Nut")

  18. Gwyn

  19. Lughaidh (Patronymic - "Son of Lugh")

  20. Melisent (Descriptive - "Strong Worker")

  21. Nessa (Descriptive - "Young" or "Little")

  22. Padraig (Patronymic - "Son of Patrick")

  23. Tegan (Descriptive - "Pretty" or "Fair")

Germanic

  • Patronyms and Matronyms: Germanic names sometimes included patronymic elements that indicated a person's connection to their father, or matronymic elements indicating a connection to their mother. For example, "-son" in English surnames like "Johnson" or "-dottir" in Icelandic names like "Jónsdóttir" indicate "son of John" or "daughter of Jón," respectively.
  • Clan or Tribe Identifiers: Certain names could also include elements that identified a person as a member of a particular clan or tribe, emphasizing their community and social identity.
  1. Aelfric
  2. Bertram
  3. Dagmar
  4. Ealdgyth
  5. Frida
  6. Gunnar
  7. Hilda
  8. Ingrid
  9. Leofric
  10. Matilda
  11. Osgood
  12. Ragnar
  13. Sigrid
  14. Thora
  15. Ulric
  16. Wulfric
  17. Yngvar
  18. Aldhelm
  19. Brunhild
  20. Dietrich