{"id":1407,"date":"2011-09-24T13:38:35","date_gmt":"2011-09-24T17:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/?p=1407"},"modified":"2011-09-24T13:38:35","modified_gmt":"2011-09-24T17:38:35","slug":"beyond-fred-more-anglo-saxon-names","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rpggm.com\/blog\/2011\/09\/24\/beyond-fred-more-anglo-saxon-names\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond “Fred”: More Anglo-Saxon Names"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>You can’t have a character without a name. Yet, sometimes, creating the name is the hardest thing about making a character. “Beyond ‘Fred'” is a series that lists names from history and other cultures to help you find that perfect character name.<\/p>\n

This time, we’re covering Anglo-Saxon names again<\/a>, they’re just that cool.\u00a0 I’m doing something I haven’t done before in this series, and that’s giving some pronunciation guides, along with the name’s meaning. That’s because Anglo-Saxon names have meanings that are so perfect for fantasy games. My pronunciations may not be exactly perfect, but they’ll work for fantasy games.<\/p>\n

Because of that, I’ve repeated some of my favorite names from the first Anglo-Saxon names post<\/a>, so that you have an idea of how to pronounce them. Of course, if it’s fantasy, you can pronounce these any way you want to \ud83d\ude09 .<\/p>\n

As always, I am more concerned with “flavor” than historical accuracy. So, without further ado….<\/p>\n

Male Names<\/h2>\n

\u00c6\u00f0elbald (A-thel-bald): nobly bright
\n\u00c6lfhere (Alf-he-re. These are short “e”s, as in “red”): elf warrior
\n\u00c6lfred (Alf-red): elf counsel
\n\u00c6lfwine (Alf-win-e): elf friend
\n\u00c6thelwulf (A-thel-w\u00fclf): noble wolf
\nArlys (AR-loos): honorable
\nBaldric (Bald-ric): bold power
\nBanan (BAN-an): slayer
\nBaylor (BAA-oo-lore): horse trainer
\nBeorhtraed (BE-ore-tread. Short “e”, like “bed”): bright counsel
\nBetlic (BET-lick): Splendid
\nBoden (BO-den. With a short “o”, like “pot”): messenger
\nC\u00e6dmon (CAD-mon. With a short “o”, like “pot”): poet
\nC\u00e6na (CHAIN-a): brave, fierce, keen, warlike
\nCanute (KA-noot-e): knot
\nCedric (CHED-rick): renown leader
\nD\u00e6gal (DA-gall): dweller by the dark stream
\nDeogol (DE-o-gol): secret
\nDeorwine (DE-or-win-e): dear friend
\nDrefan (DRE-van): trouble
\nEadmar (E-ad-mar): happy and illustrious
\nEarh (E-are): coward
\nEdwyn (ED-woon): valued
\nFaran (FAR-ann): advances
\nFirman (FIR-man): traveler
\nFrithuric (FRI-thu-rick): peace ruler
\nFyren (FOO-ren): wicked
\nGalan (Gaa-laan): sing
\nGar (GAAR): spear
\nGifre (GIF-re. Short “i”, like “gift”):\u00a0 greedy
\nGim (GIM. Short “i”, like “gift”): gem
\nGodwine (GOD-win-e): God’s friend
\nGrindan (GRIN-dan): sharp
\nHalwende (HALL-wen-de): lonely
\nHengist (HEN-yist): stallion
\nIda (ID-a): rich
\nIrwyn (IRR-woon): sea lover
\nKenric (KEN-rick): fearless leader
\nLandry (LAN-dree): ruler
\nLeodgar (LE-odd-gar): people’s spear
\nLufian (LUV-ee-an): love
\nMagan (MA-gan): competent
\nMerwyn (MER-woon): good friend
\nNyle (NOO-le): desire
\nOsbeorn (OS-beh-arn): divine bear
\nR\u00e6dan (RAW-dan): advisor
\nRaynar (RA-oo-nar): warrior of judgement
\nRaulf (RA-ulf): house wolf
\nRowe (Rah-we): red-haired
\nSar (SAR): pain
\nScead (SKE-ad): shade
\nScur (SKOOR): storm
\nSeleferth (SELL-e-ferrth): hall life
\nSelwyn (SEL-woon): fitting friend
\nSherard (SER-ard): glorious valor. I’m guessing this is actually “Serard”, since I’ve never seen an “sh” sound in true Anglo-Saxon. It’s usually a modern interpretation
\nSigefried (SIG-e-fri-ed): conquering peace
\nTemman (TEM-man): tame
\n\u00deunor (THOO-nar): thunder
\nThurgis (THOOR-yis): Thor’s hostage
\nWassa (WAS-sa): satyr(?)–uncertain about the exact meaning of this
\nWilfrith (WIL-frith): resolute peace (my actual guess would be “stern friend”)
\nWinfrith (WIN-frith): friend of peace
\nWulfric (W\u00dcL-frick): wolf ruler<\/p>\n

Female Names<\/h2>\n

\u00c6\u00f0el\u00fery\u00f0 (A-thel-throoth):\u00a0 noble threatener
\n\u00c6lfgifu (ALF-gi-voo): elf gift
\n\u00c6lfl\u00e6d (ALF-lad): elf beauty
\n\u00c6ryn (AR-oon): elf-like
\nArdith (AR-dith): good war
\nBemia (BEH-mih-a): battle maiden
\nBysen (BOO-sen): unique
\nCate (KA-te): innocent
\nCendra (KEN-dra): knowledgeable, understands
\nCwen (KE-wen): queen
\nCyneburga (KOO-ne-burr-ga): pledge of kindred
\nDarel (DAR-el): little beloved
\nEadhild (E-ad-hild. The first “e” is a short e): rich battle maid
\nEadlin (E-ad-lin): princess
\nEdita (E-dit-a): joyful
\nEldrita (ELD-rit-a): prudent advisor
\nErna (ER-na): reserved, shy
\nFaina (FA-in-a): joyful
\nFrithuswith (FRI-thoos-with. Both “i”s are short): peace strength
\nGisa (GI-sa): hostage
\nHre\u00f0a (HRE-tha. The “hr” is an unvoiced r. Say ‘H’, then ‘r’ very quickly): an Anglo-Saxon goddess
\nHrothwyn (HROTH-woon. The “hr” is an unvoiced r. Say ‘H’, then ‘r’ very quickly): famous joy
\nLeola (LE-ola. The “o” is short, like in “pot”): deer, swift (as a deer)
\nMa\u00e9da (Ma-ee-da):\u00a0 maiden
\nMildryth (MILLED-rooth): mild pledge
\nMuriel (Muh-ri-el): myrrh, perfumed
\nOra (AH-rah): money
\nOrfa (AH-fah): courageous
\nRowena (RAW-en-a): white skirt
\nSynne (SOON-ne): gift of the sun
\nWilona (WILL-ahn-a): hoped for
\nYmma (OOM-ma): work<\/p>\n

[Image courtesy of micronova<\/a> via Flickr Creative Commons<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Sources<\/h3>\n