Anglo-Saxon Names

by Ælfwyn æt Gyrwum
(Jodi McMaster, jmcmaste@accd.edu, © 1997, last updated 11 Nov 1997)


Men's Names
Women's Names
Anglo-Saxon Links


This list was compiled from the names of persons identified as a member of the group generally referred to as Anglo-Saxon (Angles, Saxons, Jutes, etc.) in Bede's A History of the English Church and People (translated by Leo Sherley-Price, Penguin Classics, 1982), completed in 731 A.D. Though Bede names them by subtribes, Dorothy Whitelock cites evidence that even by his time most members of this Germanic group thought of themselves as Angelcynn, the English people. I omitted names where it was unclear whether the individual named was a member of this group by birth, such as when a bishop was appointed to an Anglo-Saxon diocese.

Spelling conventions were not consistent in this translation (nor in period); I changed the spelling to conform to the conventions usually found in secondary sources. The names in brackets indicate the most commonly found spelling in Bede's Latin original. These were supplied by Brian Scott, known in the SCA as Talan Gwynek, to whom I am indebted for assistance and comment.

Men's Names

Ælle [Aelli]
Ælfwine [Aelfuini]: Be careful with spelling this name; the name Ælfwyn appears as a woman's name
                             in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
.
Æðelbert [Aedilberct]
Æðelfrid [Aedilfrid]
Æðelhun [Aedilhum]
Æðelred [Aedilred]
Æðelwald [Aediluald]
Æðelwalh [Aedilualch]
Alchfrid
Aldfrid
Aldhelm
Alduini
Aldwulf [Alduulf]
Alric
Andhun
Anna
Berðun [Bercthun]
Bertwald [Berctuald]
Cædmon: Although probably not OE in origin adopted into OE use.
Cælin
Cearl
Ceolwulf [Ceoluulf]
Coenred
Coenwalh [Coenualch]
Cuichelm
Cuðbert [Cudberct]
Cynegels [Cynigils]
Cynefrid [Cynifrid]
Eadbald
Eadbert [Eadberct]
Eadfrid
Eadric [Edric]
Eadwyn [Aeduini]
Eafa
Eanfrid
Earconbert [Earconberct]
Earpwald [Eorpuald]
Egbert [Ecgberct]
Egfrid [Ecgfrid]
Egric [Ecgric]
Eni
Hengist
Hereric
Hlothere
[Hlotheri]
Horsa
Hunwald [Hunuald]
Immin
Irminric
Octa
Oeric
Offa
Osfrid
Osred
Osric
Oswald [Osuald]
Oswy [Osuiu]
Oswyn [Osuini]
Peada
Penda
Rægenhere [Rægenheri]
Redwald [Reduald]
Ricbert [Ricberct]
Sabert [Saberct] (nickname Saba)
Sebbi
Sigbert [Sigberct]
Sighard
Sighere [Sigheri]
Swefred [Suefred]
Swidhelm
Thrydwulf [Thryduulf]
Tondbert [Tondberct]
Tondhere [Tondheri]
Wictred [Uictred]
Wilfrid [Uilfrid]
Wini [Uini]
Wuffa [Uuffa]
Wuscfrea [Uuscfrea]
Wulfhere [Uulfheri]
Yffi

Women's Names

Acha [Achae]
Ælffled [Aelbfled]
Æðelberga [Aedilberg] (nickname Tata [Tatae])
Æðeldreda or Æðelðryd [Aedilthryd]
Æðelhild [Aedilhild]
Breguswið [Bregusuid]
Coenberg [Quoenburg]
Cyneburg [Cyniburg]
Cynwise [Cynuise]
Eabæ
Eanfled
Earcongota [Earcongotæ]
Edyð [Eadgyd]
Hilda [Hild]
Hereswið [Heresuid]
Osðryd
Tortgyð [Torctgyd]
Sexburg

For more info on Anglos-Saxons from the Internet, check out the following sites:


Questions? E-mail Jodi McMaster. (known in the SCA as Ælfwyn æt Gyrwum)