ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2599 http://www.s-gabriel.org/2599 ************************************ From: Sara L Friedemann 13 Nov 2002 Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel! You wanted to know if would be an appropriate name for a Frenchman living near Orleans between 1450 and 1550. Here is the information we have found. The name was spelled in various ways in different parts of France during your period: [1,2,3,4,5,6] Loys Paris 1423, 1438; Brittany 1452; Sully 1470-1500, Provins 1587 Louis Bruges 1508; Brittany c1530; Roubaix & Nechin 1601 Louys Brittany c1530 France in your period was not the home to a single language, but rather many different dialects were spoken in different places, which would result in variations in spellings. The examples with the 'u' all come from the extreme north and northwest of the French speaking world. seems a more likely spelling for Orleans, which is southeast of Paris, quite close to Sully. Based on this, we recommend as a suitable name for your period and place; is less likely, but possible. The pronunciation of in your period depended on many things, including dialect and context. By 1450 or so, the final <-s> in this name was often silent, though an educated speaker would be more likely to pronounce it. Therefore, we believe the most common pronunciation of would be either \loo-ee\ or \loh-ee\, where the \oh\ is pronounced like the in . By your period, surnames in France were seldomly used literally; a surname such as "the smith" would typically indicate that the bearer's father's surname was , not that the bearer himself was a smith. We find recorded in Paris in 1423 and 1438. [1] Combining the article and the noun to form is reasonable by your period, making an excellent name. [7] We hope that this letter has been useful to you and that you won't hesitate to write us again if any part was unclear or if you have further questions. Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval Benicoeur, Galiana de Baiona, Talan Gwynek, Laurensa de Chambord, and Adelaide de Beaumont. For the Academy, -Argantgui filia Catmaili, 13Nov02 -- References: [1] Friedemann, Sara L. (aka Aryanhwy merch Catmael), "French Names from Paris, 1423 & 1438" (WWW: privately published, 2002) http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/paris1423.html [2] Luana de Grood, "Flemish Names from Bruges, 1400-1600", (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1996) http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs/bruges/. [3] Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, "Given Names from Brittany, 1384-1600" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 2001) http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/latebreton/. [4] Friedemann, Sara L. (aka Aryanhwy merch Catmael), "Names from a 1587 Tax Roll from Provins" (WWW: privately published, 2002) http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/provins1587.html [5] Friedemann, Sara L. (aka Aryanhwy merch Catmael), "French Names from 1601" (WWW: privately published, 2002) http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french1601.html [6] Pierre Courcelle, Nouveaux Documents Ine/dits de Sully-sur-Loire (1364-1500) (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale & Librairie C. Klinckseick, 1978). [7] In [6] pp. 72-73 we find , , and , all in 1480. --