Meaning & History
Derived from the Germanic elements bald "bold, brave" and win "friend". In the Middle Ages this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. It was borne by one of the leaders of the First Crusade, an 11th-century nobleman from Flanders. After the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, he was crowned as the king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Related Names
Popularity
Sources & References
- Ernst Förstemann, Altdeutsches namenbuch (1900), page 242