eirwen? new name or old?
hey... I just wanted to know if anyone knew how old the name Eirwen is? I'd like to use it for a medieval reenactment group but can't find and information on just how old it is... if you can help me out, I'd really appreciate it..
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Sorry - modern nameEirwen is a modern combination of the Welsh word for snow with the popular female name element (g)wen 'white, fair, blessed'. It came into use in Wales sometime in the 1960s/70s.Medieval Welsh women's names are:Angharad (ang-HAR-ad)
Gwenllian (gwen-HLEE-an)
Gwenhwyfar (gwen-HOY-var)
Gwledyr (goo-LED-eer)
Gwladus (goo-LAD-iss)
Dyddgu (duth-g'ee)
Lleucu (hlay-kee)
Gwerfyl (gwer-vil)
Tudful (tid-vil)
Myfanwy (miv-AN-wee)
Tangwystl (tang-oy-stl)
Lliwelydd (hloo-WEL-ith)
Meddefus (meth-EV-iss)
dd=th (th as in the, NEVER as in think)There are a couple of others but not many. (I did my master's degree on this subject ;))
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How about Meilyn? do you know where this name comes from? I saw it in a book once by Marion Zimmer Bradley and thought it was really pretty... unfortunately... can't find it anywhere else...
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Does Marion Zimmer Bradley....Really strike you as a reliable source for Welsh names?Look, I'm glad you're enthusiastic - but use your common sense.Meilyn looks like a misreading of the Welsh MALE name Meilyr 'prince/chief'. Meilyn wouldn't really be an acceptable feminisation of the name amongst Welsh speakers.
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ok.... look, I tried to overlook the meanness in your msgs cause you were helpful... and I've read other posts and you were friendly in them, so I'm guessing your having a bad day... perhaps you wanted to wait in your response to me... perhaps I'm just so annoying that I should be grateful you answered me at all... but in my defence, the Bradley book I was thinking of had historical references in it... so why should I be critisized for thinking that maybe some of her 'made up' names might be realistic as well? at least I was making an attempt at being 'correct'... and please... don't feel like you 'have' to respond to my post... perhaps I'm having a bad day too.. in which case, I'd rather be able to talk to you than not... just couldn't stand by and be critisized in one hand than helped in another... I promise you, I won't ask about any more names... I got it... read the first message... you've answered me... and sorry to all the others, I know... this is not a name related post, but I didn't see any private way of sending this...
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Yes, a little harsh - I have 'bulletin board fatigue'...I am very tired. Of repeating myself. I shall retire and grow daisies.
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well... no, she didn't... hence my question... if I hadn't questioned it perhaps it would have been a reason to jump down my throat about it... and I didn't say I thought it was welsh, was thinking it might have been more anglo-saxon... basically not knowing where she got it was the whole basis of my question... thanks anyway...
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I think you mean "did", since Marion Zimmer Bradley passed on at least a year ago.
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Alive or dead...She (or rather her work) is still a resource in the present tense.
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thanks... how about Gweneira? I really like the snow aspect of the name... anything scottish? I wanted a scottish personna until I fell in love with the welsh names... would love to see your masters... have been in love with names and words since I was little... think I was the only 12 year old with baby name books just to look up the meanings :) Thanks for all your help :)
Scye
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Nope - Gweneira is modern too.Read the list in my earlier post. As I said, that's about it.I looked through my thesis and could only add:Nest
Hunydd (hinith)
Perwyr (pehr-weer)
Erdudful (ehr-DID-vil)
Iwerydd (ih-WEHR-ith)
Arddun (ar-theen)
Ellyw (eh-hleeoo)And that really is it. Seriously. Don't bother suggesting any more names because if they are not on these two lists they extremely unlikely to be medieval. Most Welsh names used in Wales today are inventions of the last 100 years and were NEVER used in the middle ages.The only alternative is English names used in Wales at that time:Alice
Efa (evva =Eva)
Agnes (annis)
Isabel
Amabel
Elen (Helen/Eleanor)
Joan
Julian/Gillian
Rose
Cristin
Emmot (Emma)
Mariot (Mary)
Margred
Amice (ammis)
Avice (avvis)
Lucy
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thanks...
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You've gotta LOVE those Welsh names! They're so elegant!
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