Anglo-Saxon variation: Herefrið; English form: Herefrith
German pron: HER-freet
The name is composed of the Germanic elements heri (army) and fridu (peace).
It is currently very rare in contemporary German-speaking countries, a notable bearer being German political scientist, Herfried Münkler (b. 1951).
Herefrið is the Anglo-Saxon version, written as Herefrith in Modern English. It was borne by a 9th-century Bishop of Winchester and an Abbott of Lindisfarne recorded in the works of the Venerable Bede.
It’s designated name-day in Austria is November 9th.
The name is the modern English form of the Anglo-Saxon female name, Eahlswiþ, which is composed of the Anglo-Saxon elements, eahl (temple) and swiþ (strong).
The most famous historical bearer is Ealhswith (Elswith), Queen of Wessex and wife of King Alfred the Great (d. 902). She was the mother of Edward the Elder and Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, and is remembered for her wisdom, learning, and piety.
Her name appears in multiple forms across medieval chronicles: Ealhswith, Ealswitha, Aelswith, Aelswitha, Alswith, Elswith, Elswitha, and Elswyth.
The name gained renewed attention through the popular Netflix/BBC historical drama The Last Kingdom (2015–2022) and its sequel film Seven Kings Must Die (2023), based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories series.
Since 2022, at least 11 girls have been bestowed the name Elswyth in England & Wales.
While Ealhswith fell out of use after the Norman Conquest, Elswith or Elswyth has occasionally been revived in historical fiction and modern England as a rare, archaic revival, akin to Edith and Ethel. It fits within the current trend toward names that blend mythic, Old English, and Celtic sounds, offering an even more unique alternative to trending names such as Eloise,Elowen and Ella.
The name is a modern English form of the Anglo-Saxon male name, Wada which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon verb wadan (to go), spawning the modern English verb “to wade.” Several individuals with this as a first name are recorded in the Doomsday Book. It spun off the patronymic surname of the same meaning. It went out of use in Anglo-Norman England but was reintroduced in the 19th-century, possibly used in honor of a family surname.
It is the name of a legendary figure in Germanic folklore, the father of Wayland. The Anglo-Saxon poem, Widsith, makes mention of him and Wade’s Tale is alluded to by Chaucer in Troilus & Criseyde.
In its Old Norse incarnation of Vadi or Vaði, he is made mention of in the Þiðrekssaga and the Poetic Edda.
It is currently the 345th most popular male name in the United States (2022).
Historical Use: England, Medieval France (see French forms)
Modern Usage: English-speaking countries, Spanish-Speaking Countries, Brazil, Philippines
Contrary to popular belief, this is not from a surname, rather, the surname is from the first name. It is a Germanic dithematic name, derived from the Anglo-Saxon Deorwine, composed of the elements deór (wild animal, beast, deer) and wine (friend). Deór had a connotation of brave, compare the modern English words of deer and dire, both of which derive from the same element. It may also derive from the Frankish elements, daroth (spear, lance, javelin) and wini (friend). It was in use in both Medieval France and Anglo-Saxon England. The surname is actually from a patronymic, denoting someone who had a father named Darwin.
A notable bearer is Charles Darwin, English naturalist and writer, best known as the originator of the theory of biological evolution by natural selection (1809-1882). It is also the name of a city in Australia, which is the capital of the Northern Territory.
Darwin has been in and out of the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names since 1881, it peaked at #297 in 1983. As of 2022, it was the 986th most popular male name.
Modern feminine forms include Darva and Darwina.
Darwin and Darvin has also experienced recent popular usage in Latin America.
From the word of the same meaning, it ultimately derives from the Anglo-Saxon lufu (love). As a female given name, it has been in use since the Anglo-Saxon period, starting off as a pre-Christian name and later used as a vernacular form of the Greek female name, Agape, being used in honour of several saints who bore the name and was later used by the Puritans.
It forms the basis of several diathematic Anglo-Saxon female names, such as Loveday and Lovewell.
It appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Female Names between 1880-1893 and peaked at #793 in 1885. It reappeared in 2022, coming in as the 752nd most popular female name.
If you are wondering why it also appears in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names, this is actually a different name, Love (pronounced LOO-veh), is the Swedish form of Louis. Its appearance in the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names also occurs when there was a huge peak in immigration from Sweden to the United States between 1880 and trickling away by 1909.
Anglo-Saxon forms are Lufu (LOO-voo) and Lufa (LOO-vah), a modern English alternative would be Lova which is also a Swedish feminine form of Love.
The name is composed of the Anglo-Saxon words cuþ “famous” and beohrt “bright.” It is notably borne by St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, a 7th-century English saint who is revered as the patron saint of Northumbria. Even after the Protestant Reformation, he remained a popular figure in Northern England, the Cathedral of Durham is where he lies entered.
It is the progenitor of the eponymous English surname.
Osborn and Asbjørn are both composed of the Norse elements áss (god) & bjǫrn (bear), essentially meaning “divine bear.” Osborn is the modern Anglo-Saxon equivalent of Osbeorn, the latter of which was prevalent in Anglo-Saxon England and survived into the Norman period as Osbern, later developing into the common English patronymic surnames of Osbourne & Osbourn. Its Scandinavian equivalents still survive today in the forms of Esben (Danish), Espen (Danish, Norwegian) and still Asbjørn (Norwegian); and Asbjörn & Esbjörn (Swedish).
Osbeorn was borne by the son of Siward of Northumbria (circ. 11th-century CE) and one of the fallen of the Battle of the Seven Sleepers in Scotland. It was also borne by Osbern de Crépon (circ. 11th-century CE), one of the stewards of the Duke of Normandy. There are several other famous Anglophone personages who bear it as a surname and forename.
Asbjørn appeared in the Norwegian Top 100 Male Names between between 1945 & 1967, it peaked at #35 in 1946-7, while Espen appeared in the Top 100 in Norway between 1957-2004, peaking at #8 in 1982.
The designated name-day for Asbjörn is May 10th in Sweden.
General Scandinavian diminutive forms used in all Norse countries are Ebbe, Bjarne & Bjarni.
Short forms in English include Oz(z), Ozzie & Ozzy.
The name is composed of the elements beo meaning “bee” and wulf meaning “wolf.” It is most notably known through the Anglo-Saxon epic poem of the same name. The poem recounts the adventures and exploits of the heroic Beowulf who is able to defeat the evil dragon Grendel and its mother. Though a huge part of English literature, its a shame that this powerful name has never really been in usage since the death of the Anglo-Saxon period. It would make a most interesting appellation, it has the possible nickname options of Bay, Beo and Wolf.
