13th & 14th Century Scottish Names

The Given Names

by Symon Freser of Lovat (Bryan J. Maloney, bjm10@cornell.edu)

Go to the introduction
Go to the surnames
Go to the appendix

Given Names, in order of frequency in the text

Total of 111 names. Ed. There was originally one example of Gaudifer on the list, but further research showed that this name was not historical. It was the name of a character in a romance, mentioned in an aside by the author.

Name: Ihon, Ihone, Iohn, Iohne
Modern: Ian, John
Frequency: 15

Name: Vil3ame, Vil3ame, Vil3hame, Villiame, Wil3am, Wil3ame, Will3ame, William, Williame, Wyl3ame(1)
Modern: William
Frequency: 13

Name: Roger
Modern: Roger
Frequency: 7

Name: Thom, Thomaß, Thomas
Modern: Tom, Thomas
Frequency: 7

Name: Gawter, Valter , Walter
Modern: Walter
Frequency: 5

Name: Gib, Gilbert
Modern: Gil, Gilbert
Frequency: 5

Name: Alexander, Alexandir, Alysandir
Modern: Alexander
Frequency: 4

Name: Dauid, Davy
Modern: David, Dave
Frequency: 4

Name: Eduard, Eduuard, Edward
Modern: Edward
Frequency: 3

Name: Neill, Nele, Neyll
Modern: Neal, Nigel
Frequency: 3

Name: Richard, Richarde, Rychard
Modern: Richard
Frequency: 3

Name: Sym, Symon(2)
Modern: Simon
Frequency: 3

Name: Alane
Modern: Alan
Frequency: 2

Name: Amer, Amery, Aymer
Modern:
Frequency: 2

Name: Androu
Modern: Andrew
Frequency: 2

Name: Gylmyne
Modern:
Frequency: 2

Name: Henry(3)
Modern: Harry (not Harold), Henry
Frequency: 2

Name: Iames, Iamys(4)
Modern: James
Frequency: 2

Name: Ingerame, Ingram, Yngerame
Modern: Ingram, Ingraham
Frequency: 2

Name: Moriß
Modern: Morris, Maurice
Frequency: 2

Name: Philip, Philippe
Modern: Philip
Frequency: 2

Name: Ralf, Rauf, Raulf
Modern: Ralph
Frequency: 2

Name: Robert
Modern: Robert
Frequency: 2

Name: Adam, Adame
Modern: Adam
Frequency: 1

Name: Anguß
Modern: Angus
Frequency: 1

Name: Archbald, Archibald
Modern: Archibald
Frequency: 1

Name: Blar
Modern: Blair
Frequency: 1
 Editor's Note: This name is listed here in error. In the original text, Blar is a surname. The full name is Schyr Bryce als the Blar.

Name: Colyne
Modern: Colin
Frequency: 1

Name: Cristal, Cristall, Cristole, Crystall, Crystoll
Modern: Christopher
Frequency: 1

Name: Donald
Modern: Donald
Frequency: 1

Name: Dowglaß
Modern: Douglas
Frequency: 1

Name: Edmund
Modern:
Frequency: 1

Name: Ewmond(5)
Modern:
Frequency: 1

Name: Ferguß
Modern: Fergus
Frequency: 1

Name: Gelis, Gylys
Modern: Giles
Frequency: 1

Name: Hew
Modern: Hugh
Frequency: 1

Name: Lowrens
Modern: Laurence
Frequency: 1

Name: Mermadak
Modern: Marmaduke
Frequency: 1
 Editor's Note: The Mermadak mentioned in the poem is an Englishman. All the medieval examples we've found of this name are from Yorkshire.

Name: Periß, Peris(6)
Modern: Piers
Frequency: 1

Name: Ranald
Modern: Ronald
Frequency: 1

Notes

  1. One of the men named "William" was identified as a farmer rather than a knight or peer.
  2. While "Sym" is generally accepted as a diminutive of "Symon", the two men mentioned specifically as "Sym" were identified as a craftsman and a "burgeß" (townsman).
  3. Pronounced Harry--it's a Saxon spelling of the Norman Henri, in which the "n" was not pronounced.
  4. Either spelling pronounced with two syllables, according to the scansion.
  5. The possessor of this name was identified as being from Gascony, in France
  6. The possessor of this name was identified as being from Gascony, in France

Introduction
List of Surnames
Appendix Concerning William Wallace