WWW Names Pages for Medievalists to Avoid

People compile names lists for lots of reasons, mostly for reasons having nothing to do with medieval re-creation. Baby name lists, genealogical databases, character naming guides for gamers -- they all have their uses, but choosing a medieval name isn't one of them. We've reviewed some of the most popular name lists on the web and listed those that you should avoid.

Choosing a Society Name: Hints for Newcomers, by Dietmar Reinhart von Straubing and Malachias von Morgenstern

Some guidelines for novices, including hints on how to avoid common mistakes.

The Tale of Tangwystyl; or It's Your Name and You Can Change If You Want To, by Heather Rose Jones

We've heard from lots of people who chose their names when they were new to the Society and ended up with names that they know aren't very medieval. They'd prefer to have more authentic names, but are afraid that getting everyone to use the new name will be impossible. This article proves that it isn't very difficult at all, even for someone with a Society-wide reputation.

A Brief Introduction to Medieval Bynames, by Talan Gwynek and Arval Benicoeur

A general discussion of the types of surnames used in medieval European languages, illustrated with English examples, but also including a bibliography of sources useful for choosing medieval bynames.

The Latinization of Names in the Middle Ages, by Nicolaa de Bracton

Many -- and perhaps most -- of our personae would have written their names in Latin at least some of the time.

Some heraldic and onomastic books found for free online, by Wenyeva atte grene

An annotated list of name and heraldry books available in whole or part.

The Medieval Names Archive is published by Ursula Georges. It was historically published by the Academy of Saint Gabriel.
Copyright on individual articles belongs to their authors.
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/general.shtml