75 Baby Names Inspired by the Medieval Era

Want a baby name that feels new and special? We recommend looking to the past—as far back as the Middle Ages, even. That’s because there are so many medieval names lost to history that are due for a comeback. In fact, many of them originated as nicknames or variations on some of the most popular names still used today.

The medieval period, also known as the Middle Ages, lasted from about 500 to 1500 AD. It often brings to mind images of legends like King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and many names from the time period are rooted in mythology. Because of this, parents who like fairy tales or fantasy novels might feel especially drawn to medieval baby names.

Ahead, read on for our collection of medieval names that are so legendary even King Arthur would be impressed. 

Medieval Names for Boys

Many medieval baby boy names—like William, Nicholas, or Henry—are still used today. Less common? The nicknames that were used in the Middle Ages, though they may come back around to feel modern and distinct.

Aengus

• Origin: Irish
• Meaning: One strength
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Angus, Aonghus, Aonghas

Hamo

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Home
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Haimo, Heimo, Hamon

Lucian

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Light
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lucius, Luciano, Lucianus

Aimery

• Origin: German
• Meaning: King of work
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aymery, Emory, Emery, Hémery

Piers

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Rock
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pierce, Pier

Aloys

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Famous warrior
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alois, Alloys, Alois

Lorencio

• Origin: Spanish
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Laurentius, Laurence, Larencio

Wolfgang

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Path of the wolf
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Wollfgang, Wolfganng

Arno

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Eagle
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Arnold, Arnaud, Arnoldi, Arnao

Fergus 

• Origin: Scottish, Irish
• Meaning: The strong one
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fearghas, Feargus

More Medieval Names for Boys

• Col: Used as a short form of Nicholas in the Middle Ages, this would be a great choice for parents looking for a one-syllable name that’s sweet and unexpected.
• Amis: Amis et Amiles is a medieval French poem about a legendary friendship and the sacrifices they make for each other. With a name like Amis, your little one is sure to be a friend to all.
• Herry: Herry was a nickname for Henry in medieval times. You could use it to honor a family member or loved one while still giving your baby boy his own unique name.
• Mack: Of Irish and Scottish origins, Mack means “child of the handsome one.” It was your genes that inspired the name choice, obviously.
• Hob: Hob means “bright fame” and was a medieval nickname for Robert. It’s a cool alternative to the more modern Rob or Bob.
• Jurian: Fans of the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) fantasy series might recognize the name, but it’s actually a medieval German variant of George.
• Noll: Noll is overdue for a revival considering it’s a medieval diminutive of Oliver, which is currently ranking among the top 10 baby boy names.
• Ranulf: Several important noblemen in the Middle Ages bore this name, which was introduced to England and Scotland by Norman invaders.  
• Nuno: Still commonly used in Portugal, Nuno was the given name of a famed Portuguese general from the Middle Ages.  
• Benedict: Benedict has been in regular rotation ever since St. Benedict founded the Benedictine order of monks in the early middle ages. These days, however, the name may be more associated with Bridgerton fans or Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch.
• Cassian: Cassian has been used as a boy name since the Middle Ages—thanks, in large part, to several saints from the fourth and fifth century—but it’s now one of the top fastest-rising names in the United States, likely because of ACOTAR. 
• Wilken: A medieval variation on William, some nicknames your little one could use with this given name include Will, Wills, Wilkie, or Ken. 
• Conrad: This German name has been in use since at least the seventh century, and there are now over a hundred recorded variations throughout the world. Some include Corradi or Corrado (Italian), Konrad (Polish, Swedish), and Conrado (Spanish, Portuguese).
• Roland: Roland was first popularized by Charlemagne’s supposedly eight-foot-tall nephew, who was seen as a romantic hero and celebrated in medieval poetry and songs. 
• Otto: This German name means “wealth,” if you’d like to do a little manifesting on behalf of your child.

Medieval Names for Girls

Several of the medieval baby girl names listed below have a romantic, almost magical feel to them. It’s no surprise why so many of your favorite fantasy authors draw inspiration from the time period to name their characters. 

Beatrice

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Voyager
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Beatrix, Beatriz, Bea, Bee, Bia, Trixie

Eda

• Origin: British, Turkish
• Meaning: Wealthy; well-mannered
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ada, Edda Edi, Edy, Ida

Aldith

• Origin: British
• Meaning: Old battle
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ailith

Amelia

• Origin: Latin, Hebrew
• Meaning: Industrious 
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aemilia, Emelia, Amilia, Mia

Etheldred

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Noble strength
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ethelreda, Etheldreda, Etheldritha

Jocosa

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Joking
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Joyce, Jo, Josey, Josce, Josse

Dorcas

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Gazelle
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dorcass, Dorcie, Dorkas

Sigrid

• Origin: Scandinavian
• Meaning: Beautiful victory
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ingrid, Sigge, Sig, Siri, Sigi

Melisende

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Strong in work
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Melisande, Melisent, Millicent

Emmeline

• Origin: French, German
• Meaning: Work
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Emeline, Emiline, Emmaline, Ameline, Emily

More Medieval Names for Girls

• Aalis: Alice was derived from the old French name Aalis, which in itself is a short form of Adelais. All three mean “noble.” 
• Caiside: If you think your daughter might inherit your waves or ringlets, consider this Irish name. It literally means “curly haired.”
• Amice: Pronounced like Alice with an m, this medieval variation of Amy means “loved friend.” 
• Cateline: Cateline is the medieval French form of Catherine and an interesting option for parents who want something beyond Kate or Cathy.
• Hawise: Several noblewomen of the Middle Ages bore this name, which is the English variation of the French name Haueis. Hawis, Haouys, and Hadewidis are other options you could choose.
• Isabeau: While its modern version, Isabel, is more common today, this French name is a pretty choice that would stand out.
• Golda: Goldie is a cute nickname option for Golda, which literally means gold.
• Meggy: Originally derived from the word megh, which means pearl, this medieval name also works as a nickname for Margaret or Megan.
• Lavinia: Lavinia comes with several sweet options for nicknames, including Vinnie, Lav, Liv, Livvie, and Nia.
• Muriel: Is your daughter a water sign? Muriel is a Celtic name that means “shining sea.”
• Abigail: Abigail remains as popular as it was in the Middle Ages. It currently sits at 31 out of the top 1,000 baby girl names in the United States. 
• Amata: Amata means “beloved”—a beautiful way to tell your daughter how you feel about her from day one. 
• Celestine: This charming name means “heavenly” and “celestial” and has a fairy tale feel to it. 
• Una: Una comes from the Irish word uan, which means “lamb.” It also can be a reference to Oonagh, the Queen of the Fairies in Irish mythology.
• Cora: Cora means “maiden” or “daughter,” if you want to be super literal with your little one’s name. Some variations include Kore, Kora, Corah, Coral, Core, Corey, and Korra. 

Gender-Neutral Medieval Baby Names

Some unisex medieval baby names have a playful quality—like Josse, Foy, or Larkin—while others evoke strong or noble feelings. (See: Gideon or Royse.) Whatever direction you’d like to take for your little one’s name, there is likely something in this gender-neutral list that will inspire you. 

Elis

• Origin: Welsh, Swedish
• Meaning: Benevolent
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ellis

Josse

• Origin: French, English
• Meaning: Lord
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Joos, Jost, Joyce, Joss

Brice

• Origin: Scottish, Celtic
• Meaning: Freckled
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bryce

Peregrine

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Traveler
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Peregrin, Perri, Perry

Gideon

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: One who cuts down
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gidieon, Guideon, Gideone

Drew

• Origin: Welsh, Greek
• Meaning: Wise, Strong
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Drue, Dru

Ebbo

• Origin: Germany
• Meaning: Boar
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ebba, Ebbe

Francis

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Frenchman, free person
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Frances

Remy

• Origin: French, Latin
• Meaning: From Rheims, rower
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Remi, Remie

Adiel

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: God’s ornament
• Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gadiel, Yadiel

More Gender-Neutral Medieval Names

• Royse: In the Middle Ages, Royse was a variant of the name Rose. Today it is more commonly used as an alternative spelling of Royce, which means “royal” or “kingly.” 
• Stace: Stace was a short form of Eustace in the Middle Ages but also works as a nickname for the gender-neutral Stacey. 
• Inge: In Sweden and Norway, Inge is historically seen as a masculine name; however, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, and other countries typically use it as a feminine name. 
• Larkin: You can’t go wrong with choosing Larkin for your born fighter—the Irish gender-neutral name means “fierce” or “rough.” 
• Emery: Emery is a good unisex alternative to Emily, Emma, Emil, or Emmet. 
• Wilmot: Have someone named William in the family you’d like to honor? Wilmot was used as both a nickname for boys and a feminine variation of the name. 
• Caro: Caro has a few different meanings. In Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, it means “beloved,” while its German roots use it as a short form of Carol or Caroline and stands for “free man.”
• Tristan: One of the most famous bearers of this name was the legendary Celtic hero whose story served as inspiration for one of the Knights of the Round Table.
• Morgan: This Welsh name, which means “white sea dweller,” also has connections to a Celtic goddess of war, fate, and death named Morrigan. 
• Evren: Fantasy readers might feel drawn to the name Evren, which means “the universe” or “cosmos” and was also a dragon in Turkish mythology.
• Felize: With Felix rising fast among the most popular baby boy names in the United States, this lesser-used unisex alternative is a fun choice.
• Faber: Faber means metal worker or blacksmith and is pronounced fay-brr. 
• Foy: Foy comes from the French word foi, which means “faith.”
• Adrian: While Adrian has most commonly been used as a boy name, it is gaining popularity as a female and unisex option too. Some other variations include Adriann, Adrien, Adrion, Aidrian, and Aydrien. 
• Kay: Kay was King Arthur’s foster brother in Le Morte d’Arthur, but in later years was sometimes used as a short form of Katherine. Whatever inspires you to choose this moniker, it’s a sweet one-syllable name that means “pure.”