Baldwin

Gender Masculine
Usage English, Germanic [1]
Pronounced Pron. BAWLD-win(English)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Means "bold friend", derived from the Old German elements bald "bold, brave" and wini "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

VariantBaldewin(Germanic)
DiminutiveBaldo(Germanic)
Other Languages & CulturesBoudewijn, Boele(Dutch) Baudouin(French) Baldo, Baldovino(Italian) Balduíno(Portuguese) Baldo, Balduino(Spanish)
Surname DescendantBaldwin(English)

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   wholesome   strong   refined   strange   serious   nerdy  

Categories

American Horror Story characters, brave, currently out of the US top 1000, friendship, isograms, kings, mascots, nobility, Ogre Battle characters, surnames

Sources & References

  1. Förstemann, Ernst. Altdeutsches Namenbuch. Bonn, 1900, page 242.
Entry updated December 7, 2022