Archaic Scots Names

This is a post that I received a few years ago. I don't know if the e-mail addresses are still good, but I still think it's an extremely useful source of info, so I'm including it here. Credit the nice man if you use his research! =)

Names in Barbour's Bruce

A collection of 13th and 14th century names.

I have culled out the personal names of historical figures mentioned in John Barbour's Scottish National epic The Bruce: The Book of the most excellent and noble prince, Rober de Broyss, King of Scots. This work was completed in A.D. 1375. My specific source is the Early English Text Society edition, published in 1870 from a manuscript dated to A.D. 1487. I used the EETS edition's index of proper names as a guide to hunt the text.

Bruce, like all 'historical' epics (Barbour, himself, called it a 'Romance': "Lordingis, quha likis for till her,/The Romanys now begynnys her."), concentrates on the acts of the movers and shakers. Thus, this list gives a fairly good cross-section of names popular among the nobility and gentry of late 13th-century/early 14th-century England and Scotland (Robert the Bruce died in the 1320s). However, it would not be as good an indicator of Highland Scottish practices, nor necessarily of the lower classes. In addition, very, very few women's names appear. Nevertheless, Barbour's Bruce is a primary source, from a specifically verifiable period.

I have not bothered to attempt to deduce which names might be more common than others and simply produced a list of names. I have listed names that appear to be variations of each other together, separated by a comma. Modern readers of English appear to have a great deal of trouble with some spelling conventions. Specifically, the use of "I", and "V" to denote the modern letters "J" and "U". When this has occurred, I have put somewhat modernized spellings in parentheses.

There are several letters in Middle English that are no longer used by modern English. Two are important for our purposes. The "yogh" looks like a bold-face, subscripted "3". It was to be pronounced like a voiced version of the German "ch" found in "nach". I have transliterated this as "gh". The other letter is "wyn", which is a semivowel that has been transformed into "u" or "w" in modern usage. This is either rendered "u", "w", or "uu", depending on how the name was indexed in the EETS version.

The EETS edition already rendered "thorn" and "edh" as "th," so I'm not sure which would have been which.

I give "Christian" or "given" names first. The names are listed in alphabetical order, with variations given after each name. When several variants appear, the names are listed by the first to appear alphabetically. Thus, "Walter", appears under "Gawter". This isn't very convenient if you're looking for a modern name, but illustrating cute medieval variations of modern names was not my purpose. I have also not bothered to give the "modern versions" of the medieval names. If you want a modern name, just go buy a "name your baby" book. I presume that the names would be pronounced in appropriately "Middle English" fashion from the spellings. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with exactly how Barbour's dialect would be pronounced.

I then list "surnames," again in alphabetical order with variations upon a single name grouped together. I listed the names as they appeared to be used in Bruce.

It was not unusual for Barbour to use more than one spelling of a name to refer to the same person. Therefore, I would surmise that the practice of insisting upon a single spelling for a specific name has little place in SCA "period." Upon reading the book, it is also quite obvious that it was very possible to have to people with effectively identical names. For example, "Robert Bruce", the king-to-be of Scotland, had relatives named "Robert Bruce."

It should be noted that I did not list mythical or classical names that were invoked for literary allusions or effects. I tried to restrict this list to names of the supposed participants of the events of Barbour's Bruce.

--Bryan Maloney/Symon Freser.

Women's Names	Surnames	Men's Names
Esobell, Ysabell, Isabell	of Abyrnethy	Adam
Iohane (Johane)	of Adeill, of Adell, of Athol, of Atholl	Alan
Mary	of Ardrossan	Alexander
Margaret, Mergaret	de Argente, of Argentine, the Argentine	Amer, Amery, Aymer
	of Argile, of Argyle	Andrew, Androu
	Arthyn	Angouss, Angus, Anguss
	the Balleol	Archbald
	Bell	Blair, Blar
	de Berclay, Berclay, Breklay	Christopher, Cristal, Cristole, Crystall, Crystol
	Besat, Bisset, Byset	Colin, Colyne
	Blair, Blar	David, Davy
	de Bohun, Bomwe	Donald
	the Boroundoun	Edmound, Edmund
	Boyde	Eduard, Eduuard, Edward
	of Brechin, of Brechine	Ewmond
	of Bretane	Fergus, Ferguss
	Brice, Bryss	Gawter, Valter, Walter
	Broiss, Broyss, Bruce, the Bruce, Bruss, Brwce, Brwiss, Brwyss, Bryse	Geiles ,Gelis, Giles, Gylys
	de Calion, de Callow, de Calyeoun	Gib, Gilbert
	Cambell, Cammel	Gylmyne
	of Cantire	Henry (pronounced "Harry" -- it's a Saxon spelling of the Norman "Henri", in which the "n" was not pronounced)
	of Carnavirnane	Iames (James) (pronounced with two syllables, according to the scansion)
	Carrickfergus, Cragfergus	Ingerame, Ingraham, Ingram, Yngerame
	Catcart	Iohn (John), Iohne (Johne)
	of Clar, of Clare	Lowrens
	of Cobhame	Marmaduke, Mermadak
	Comyn, Cumyn, Cwmyn, Cwmyne	Maurice
	Conyngame, Cunningham, Cwnyngame	Neill, Nele, Neyle, Neylle, Neyll
	Crab	Philip
	of Crauford	Nigel
	Culross	Ralph, Rauf, Rawff
	Dicson	Ranald
	Douglas, of Douglas, Douglass, Dougless, Dowglas, Dowglass, of Dowglass	Richard
	of Down	Robert
	of Ercildoun	Roger
	of Erskyn	Simon, Sym, Symon
	de Feniss	Thom, Thomas
	Fitzthomas, Fyss-thomas	Vilghame, Vissman, Wilgham, William, Willyame, Wiseman, Wylghame
	Flemyng
	the Forster
	Francass, Francoiss, Francouss
	Fraseyr, Frasir, Freser, Fresir, Fresale
	de Fyniss
	Gilbertstoun
	of Gordoun, of Gordoune
	Gray
	of Hainault, of Hennaut
	Harcla
	the Hastyngis
	Herdclay
	of Herth
	of Iohne (of Johne)
	Keith, Keth, Keyth
	de la Hay
	of Lamberton, of Lambyrtoun
	of the Ledouss, of the Ledowss
	the Lile, de Lisle
	Logan, Logane
	of Logy
	Lumbard
	Mac Indrosser, Makyne-drosser
	Macnab, Maknab
	Macnaughtan, Maknauchtan
	Makartane
	Makdowall
	Makfulchiane
	Makgullane
	Makmartane
	Maknakill
	Makyernokis
	Maleherbe, Mayle-Erll
	Marthokys
	Mawndwilis
	Mawpass
	Mowbray
	de Nevell, the Nevell
	O'Dempsy, Odymsy
	Persy
	Randell, Randolph
	Ross
	de Saint Iohn (de Saint John), of Saint Iohne (of Saint Johne)
	Sancler, de Sancler, Sinclair
	Seton, Setoun, Seytoun
	de Soulis
	of Spaldyne, of Spaldyng
	Steward, Stewart
	de Thweng
	de Umfraville, Vmphrewell (Umphrawell), the Wmfrawill
	de Valence, the Wallang
	Webitoune, Webtoun

I thought those playing realistic style games, especially ones based in Scotland, might like this article. Hope it's of use, be well.

James A Renn
james@isaac.stonemarche.org

Let me know what you think about what I've written -- I'm always interested in communicating! ;-)

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