Germanic given names

Thanks to its long written history and the richness of its cultural and linguistic groups, Europe has probably spawned the most extensive list of given names in the world. A website like Behind the Name already lists some 14,500 first names, mostly used in European languages, and thousands of names are still missing.

Here is a list of pre-Christian Germanic names :

1) Ancient Germanic names

Frankish names

Male names

Adalard, Adalbert, Adalhaid, Adalolf, Ageric, Agilfride, Agiulf, Alberic, Amand, Andica, Angilbert (or Engilbert), Ansegisel, Ansovald, Aregisel, Arnegisel, Arnold, Arnulf, Audovald, Austregisel, Badegisel, Balderic (or Baldrick), Baudry, Berengar (or Berenger), Bernhard (or Bernard), Bero, Berthefried, Bertram, Burchard, Carloman (or Karlmann), Chararic, Charibert, Childebert, Childebrand, Childeric, Chilperic, Chlodomer, Chramnesind, Clodio (or Chlodion), Cloud, Clovis (or Chlodwig), Conrad, Corbus, Dagobert, Dagaric, Drogo (or Drogon), Durand, Eberhard (or Evrard), Eberulf, Ebregisel, Emmon, Engelbert, Egide, Eracle, Erard, Erenfried, Euric, Farabert, Floribert, Fulcaire, Gararic, Garivald, Gerbert, Gerold, Giselbert (or Gilbert), Godomar, Gondulph, Grimald (or Grimoald), Griffon, Guido (or Wido), Gundobad, Gundovald, Gunthar, Guntram, Hartgard, Hartmut, Hartnid, Heribert, Hildebald, Hubert, Imnachar, Ingelram (later Enguerrand), Ingomer, Ingund, Lambert, Leudast, Leuthard, Lothar, Magnachar, Magneric, Malaric, Marachar, Marcomir, Meginhard, Merovech, Monulph, Munderic, Nevelung, Nibelung, Nithard, Notger, Odilon, Odo (Eudes), Otbert, Otto (or Otton), Otker, Pippin (or Pepin), Priarios, Ragnachar, Ramnulf, Rathar, Rathier, Ratold, Reginar (or Reginard), Remacle, Ricbodo, Ricchar (or Richer), Ricfried, Rigunth, Samson, Sichar, Siegfried (or Sigefroy), Sigeric, Sigibert, Sigismund, Sunnegisil, Sunno, Tassilo, Theodard, Theodebert, Theodemir, Theodon, Theodoric (later Dietrich/Thierry/Theodore), Theodwin, Theudebald, Theuderic, Unroch, Wala, Waleran, Walcaud, Waltgaud, Wazo, Werinbert, Willichar, Wolbodo, Wulfhard, Zwentibold.

Female names

Adaltrude, Adallind(a), Adelhaid, Adda, Albofleda, Alpaide (or Alpais), Aregund, Aude, Audofleda, Audovera, Austrechild, Atula (or Athalia or Adele) Baldechildis, Basina, Bave, Berchildis, Begga, Beretrude, Bertha (or Berthe), Berthefled, Berthefried, Berthegund, Bertoane, Bertrada, Bilichildis, Blesinde, Brunhild(a), Fastrada, Chlodeswinthe, Chlodosind, Chlothsinda, Chrodechildis, Chrodtrude, Clotild(e), Chunsina, Cunegonde (or Kunegund or Cunegundis or Cunegund) , Deuteria, Ealswid, Ellinrat, Engelberge (or Ingelburga), Engeltrude, Ermenberga, Ermengarde, Ermentrudis, Faileuba, Fastrada, Fredegunde, Galswinth, Gersvinda, Gisela, Gundrada (or Gundradis), Gomatrudis, Goiswinth, Gundrade, Guntheuc, Gunza, Hamesindis, Hatilde, Hildeburg, Hildegarde, Hiltrude, Himiltrud, Ingeltrud, Ingitrude, Ingoberg, Ingunde, Irmgard (or Irmingard), Itta, Lanthechilde, Leubast, Leubovera, Liutgarde (or Luitgarde), Magnatrude, Marcatrude, Marcovefa, Madelgarde (or Madelgarda), Merofled, Merwig, Nantechildis, Radegund, Ragnachilde, Regintrude, Regnetrudis, Rigunth, Rosamund, Rotrud (or Hruothraud), Ruodhaid, Ruothild(e), Rothaide, Rotrude, Swanahilde, Teutberga, Theoderada (or Theodrada), Theodelinda, Theodrade, Theudechild, Theudelinde, Ultrogotha, Veneranda, Vuldretrada, Vulfegundis, Wisigard.

Burgundian (Nibelung) names

Male names

Godegisel, Gundahar/Gundicar, Gundioc/Gunderic, Gundobad, Gundomar, Gunnar (Gunther), Högni (Hagen)

Female names

Brynhildr (Brünhild), Guðrún (Gudrun),

Gothic names

Male names

Alaric, Amalaric, Athanagild, Athanaric, Hermangild, Leuvigild, Odoacre, Theoderic, Thorismund, Vulfoliac

Female names

Amalasuntha, Amalaberge, Audoflède, Evochilde, Xyza.


Anglo-Saxon names

Male names

Aart, Abeodan, Ablendan, Abrecan, Acwellen, Aelfgifu, Aelfwine, Aelred, Aesc, Aedelbert, Aedelfrid, Aedelmaer, Aedelred, Aedelstan, Aethelbald, Agiefan, Cynefrid, Eadwig, Ethelbert, Ethelred, Ethelwulf, Fraomar, Hilderinc, Hrothgard, Hrothgar, Leofric, Leofwine, Sigeberht, Wine, Wybert

Female names

Aedelflaed/Aethelflaed, Aedelpryd, Aedre, Aefentid, Aefre, Cyneburga, Eadburga, Ealdgyd, Eoforhild, Etheswitha, Etheldreda, Ethelinda, Frideswide, Garmangahis, Hild, Hilda, Ida.

Longer listing of Anglo-saxon names here



Old Norse (Viking) names

Male names

Abbe/Abbi, Abjörn/Ábiörn, Ádiarf/Adiærf, Aðalbert (Athalbert, Adalbert), Aðalbrandr (Athalbrandr, Adalbrandr), Aðalbrikt, Aðalmærki, Aðalmæki, Aðalráðr, Aðalríkr, Aðalsteinn, Aðalvaldr, Aðgils/Aðísl, Áfastr, Afvaldr, Ágautr, Ágeirr, Aggi/Agi, Agmundr/Ögmundr, Agnarr, Agni/Agne/Aghen, Águti, Agviðr, Ailmær, Áki/Ake, Ákimann, Álarr, Albóðr, Albrikt, Aldi, Aldúlfr/Adúlfr, Aldviðr, Áleifr/Óláfr/Álæifr, Alfarr, Alfarinn, Alfgautr/Algautr, Álfgeirr/Alfgeirr, Alfgrímr, Alfketill/Alfkæll, Alflakr, Álfljótr, Álfr, Álfráðr, Alfríkr, Álfrimr, Alfvaldr, Alfvarðr, Álfvarinn, Alfvin/Ölfun, Algísl, Áli/Alli, Alibrandr, Almárr, Almgautr, Álmgeirr/Almgeirr, Almóðr, Alrekr/Alríkr, Alvér/Ölvér/Ölvir, Alvini, Ambi, Ámundi/Ámundr, Án/Ánn, Andríðr, Andsvarr/Ansvarr/Ansurr/Assurr/Össurr/Özurr, Andvéttr, Anki, Anundr/Anvindr/Önundr/Anundi, Ari, Arinbjörn/Arinbiörn/Arnbjörn/Arnbiörn, Ármóðr, Arn, Arnaldr, Arnbjörn/Arnbiörn/Arinbiörn, Arnfastr, Arnfiðr, Arngeirr, Arngrímr, Arnhaldr, Arnhallr, Arnhvatr, Árni, Arnniútr, Arnketill/Arnkell, Arnlaugr, Arnljótr, Arnmóðr, Arnmundr, Arnoddr, Arnórr/Arnþórr/Arndórr, Arnríðr, Arnrøðr, Arnsteinn, Arnulfr/Örnulfr, Arnviðr, Arnþjófr, Arta, Ásbjörn, Ásbrandr, Ásdiarfr, Ásfarð, Ásfastr, Ásfrøðr/Ásfriðr/Ásfríðr/Asroðr, Ásgautr, Ásgeirr, Ásgísl, Ásgrímr, Ási, Áskell/Ásketill, Askr, Ásl/Ösl, Áslákr/Ásleikr, Ásleifr, Ásli/Atli, Ásmarr, Ásmóðr, Ásmundr, Ásniútr, Ásólfr/Ásúlfr, Ásráðr/Ástráðr, Ásríðr/Ásrøðr, Assar, Ásti, Ástráðr, Ásvaldr/Ásvaldi, Ásvarðr, Ásviðr, Atfari, Atli, Atsurr/Özurr/Azurr, Auðbjörn, Auðfinnr, Auðgeirr, Auðgísl, Auðgrímr, Auðhvatr/Auðvatr, Auði/Øthi/Ødhe, Auðin/Auðun/Othin/Øthin/Ødhin, Auðketill, Auðmaðr/Auðmann, Auðmundr/Ødhmund, Auðólfr/Auðúlfr/Øthulf/Ødholf, Auðr, Auðríkr/Auríkr, Auðsteinn, Auðunn/Auðvini, Auðvaldr/Ødhvald, Auðviðr/Ødhvidh, Aumundr, Aunn, Austmaðr, Auti, Autir, Ávaldi/Ávaldr, Ávangr, Ávarr, Áviðr, Ævarr, Bæglir, Bæilir, Baggi, ...

More male Old Norse names here.

Female names

More female Old Norse names here.

Here is a list of common Frankish names in the Low Middle Ages (11th to 15th century), common in genealogy. They are in their French form. Over half of these names have hardly been used since the 16th century.

2) Late Medieval Germanic names

French names

Male names

Adalbert, Albert, Ameil, Anselme, Arnaud, Arnold (or Arnould), Arnulf, Baudouin, Bernard, Bertrand, Englebert, Erard, Ernest, Ernut, Erwin, Eubert, Eude, Evrard, Frederic, Gerard, Geoffroy, Gilles, Giselbert, Gobert, Godefroid, Guillaume, Guy, Henri, Huart, Hubert, Hubin, Humbert, Josse, Lambert, Léonard, Libert, Louis, Oger, Olivier, Ottar(d), Otton (or Othon), Oury, Raes, Raoul, Rasse, Rasson, Raymond, Reginar, Renard, Renaud, Renier, Richard, Rigaud, Robert, Roger, Roland, Rudolf, Soiffart, Thibaut, Thierry, Waléran, Walter, Warnier, Wauthier (later Gauthier),

Female names

Adèle, Adelhaid (later Adélaïde), Adélaïs, Aldegonde, Bertha, Bertheline, Ermengarde, Ermesinde, Gertrude, Juwette, Hedwide (or Hadwide), Helwide (or Halwide), Mahaut, Mathilde, Mechtilde, Odile, Otheline, Renewis, Sibille, Walburge.


Analysis

What is interesting is the softening of the names since the High Middle Ages (5th to 10th century) in the first post.

The oldest names (Merovingians and older) typically end in -ic, -mir, -ar, or -wig for men, and -a, -inde (-indis, -inthe), -child(e), or -gunde (-gundis, -gonde) for women.

Around the 8th and 9th centuries (Carolingian era), male names start ending in -bert, -ard, -bald, -old, -gisel, or -fried. Female names end in -hilde, -trude, -berga/burga, and -aid(e).

The names in -bert, -ard and -aide remain in the Low Middles Ages but with some softening (e.g. "Eberhard" becomes "Evard"). Other names undergo a more radical change and lose their antiquitated and harsh ending. It is the case of "Theoderic" that becomes "Thibaut" in French (Dietrich in German), "Aymeric" becomes "Amaury", or "Cholowig" becomes Louis (Ludwig in German).

We could extrapolate that Norse names are the oldest form, followed by the old Frankish one, then Medieval, then modern, going from harshest to softest. Here is an example :

Ragnarr => Reginar => Reginald => Renald => Renauld => Renaud (Ronald in English or Ronaldo/Renaldo in Italian, Spanish or Portuguese)

For women, Latin, Greek and Biblical names become popular much more quickly, so that only a few Germanic names have survived to this day, like "Adelhaid" that has become "Adelaïde". The most popular female French names between the 12th and 15th centuries were Isabelle (or Isabeau), Catherine, Anne, Marie, Jeanne, Agnès, Elisabeth, Marguerite, none of which are of Germanic origin. They are still popular nowadays (some amongst the most popular ever).