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ArchivesRe: The names Elizabeth and Izabel
in reply to a message by ami1836
"This should be noted as the two names are substantially different, of different origin, meaning and history."
Except that the two names are absolutely one and the same in Portuguese, Spanish and many other languages which have no other traditional version of Elizabeth. The queen of the UK is known as Isabel II in Spain and Portugal. Isabel is simply a medieval form of Elizabeth and its similarities to Jezebel and the other names you mention are just coincidences.
The evolution from Elizabeth to Isabel is very easy to explain. The initial "E" was dropped (this happens in many medieval names: Alienor > Eleonore > Leonor ; Edward > Eduarte > Duarte) and the final sound "th" was changed overtime to "l". Names are words and they change and evolve with time. Before people knew how to write, they changed even faster.
Many medieval forms of names have little or no similarity to the original Greek, Latin, or Hebrew name, but no-one questions that James comes from Yakov, Ines comes from Hagne, or that Alice comes from Adelheidis.
The name was initially used in honour of the biblical character, who was and is known as St Isabel in many languages. It was one of the most popular names in Christian Europe during the middle ages, a time when people would not give their daughters obscure Phoenician or Hebrerw names. Even in Britian and France the "erudite" form of the name, Elizabeth, only became common in the Late Middle Ages — Isabel / Isabella was the vernacular form in English until then (as shown by the queens and princesses who bore that name and the numerous surnames based on Isabella that still survive).
So Elizabeth and Isabella might have evolved to the point when they became seen as separate names in English that are independent from each other, but they are etymologically and historically the same name, like Margaret and Marjorie, Anne and Hannah, or Jane and Joan.
Except that the two names are absolutely one and the same in Portuguese, Spanish and many other languages which have no other traditional version of Elizabeth. The queen of the UK is known as Isabel II in Spain and Portugal. Isabel is simply a medieval form of Elizabeth and its similarities to Jezebel and the other names you mention are just coincidences.
The evolution from Elizabeth to Isabel is very easy to explain. The initial "E" was dropped (this happens in many medieval names: Alienor > Eleonore > Leonor ; Edward > Eduarte > Duarte) and the final sound "th" was changed overtime to "l". Names are words and they change and evolve with time. Before people knew how to write, they changed even faster.
Many medieval forms of names have little or no similarity to the original Greek, Latin, or Hebrew name, but no-one questions that James comes from Yakov, Ines comes from Hagne, or that Alice comes from Adelheidis.
The name was initially used in honour of the biblical character, who was and is known as St Isabel in many languages. It was one of the most popular names in Christian Europe during the middle ages, a time when people would not give their daughters obscure Phoenician or Hebrerw names. Even in Britian and France the "erudite" form of the name, Elizabeth, only became common in the Late Middle Ages — Isabel / Isabella was the vernacular form in English until then (as shown by the queens and princesses who bore that name and the numerous surnames based on Isabella that still survive).
So Elizabeth and Isabella might have evolved to the point when they became seen as separate names in English that are independent from each other, but they are etymologically and historically the same name, like Margaret and Marjorie, Anne and Hannah, or Jane and Joan.
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