Gender Feminine & Masculine
Usage English (Rare), Literature, Popular Culture
Meaning & History
Medieval form of the Old English name Lēofdæg, literally "beloved day". A Love Day was a day for disputants to come together to try to resolve their differences amicably. Mainly a feminine name, with some male usage. Known textual examples date from the 11th century. It seems to have been most common in Cornwall and Devon, according to the British births, deaths and marriages index. Currently very rare.The novel 'Coming Home' by Rosamunde Pilcher, set in 1930s Cornwall, has a character called Loveday. Loveday Minette is a fictional character in the children's fantasy novel 'The Little White Horse' by Elizabeth Goudge (in the novel's film adaptation, she is known as Loveday de Noir). Also, a character in Poldark.