French Arthurian Names
The stories of King Arthur acquired their chivalric polish not in England, but in the sophisticated courts of medieval France. The French couldn't get enough of Arthur and his knights, and when the original English stories ran dry, they wrote their own. The stories they wrote were fantastic, but the names they made up were even more spectacular—a mixture of original French names and English, Welsh, Irish, Biblical, Latin, and Greek names, with the occasional German or Arabic name thrown in, all heavily altered to fit the courtly French of the time. Guinevere becomes Genoivre, Gawaine becomes Gauvain, Arthur becomes Artui; some names are changed even more dramatically, as Cain becomes Quaïns and Arimathea becomes Barismachie. With the exception of place names, these names have nothing to do with the naming practices of the time. They were as made-up as Galadriel, Drizzt, or Obi-Wan. To compare them with real French names of the time, take a look at the 12th- and 13th-century names listed here and here.
There are several times more men's names than women's names. There are several times more place names than women's names. Evidently, the Arthurian universe was 80% male, 15% female, and 5% horse—which sheds new light on why nine out of ten Arthurian romances begin with someone faffing off with someone else's woman. Many women who appear in the romances aren't even named; they are the Lady/Damsel of <Castle Name> or the Lady of <Attractive Feature>, which cuts down even farther on the list of women's names. Where did these names come from? These names were drawn from the Index of Proper Names in French Arthurian Verse Romance, by G. D. West. This rare book has an only slightly less rare companion, the Index of Proper Names in French Arthurian Prose Romance, which isn't touched upon here. Both indexes list not only characters' names, but the stories behind the names, so if you want to learn more, check your local academic library. Men's Names A-C • Women's Names • Place Names • Other Names Men's Names
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Name |
Variants | Meaning |
| Alemandine | ||
| Alienor | Alyenor | |
| Amice | Possibly "amity" | |
| Amie | Possibly "beloved" | |
| Andelise | ||
| Andri(e)uete | Androëte | |
| Anne | Anne | |
| Arondele | ||
| Audain | Alde | |
| Beatris | Autandre | Beatrice |
| Benuz | Venuz? | |
| Berte | Bertain | |
| Biauté | -s, -z, Belté, -s, -z, Bia(l)té(s), Biautei, -ez | |
| Biblis | Bliblis | Byblis |
| Blancemal | Blanchemal | |
| Blancemor(n)e | Brangemore | Brangemuer? |
| Blanchandin(n)e | ||
| Blanche | white | |
| Blancheflor | Blanceflo(u)r, Blancheflours | white flower |
| Blanchepart | ||
| Blonde Esmeree | ||
| Brangepart | Brangespart, Branguespart | |
| Brengain | Brangain, Brangien, Brengien, Brenguien, Brengve(i)n, Brigvain | |
| Bride | Brigid | |
| Brimeholz | ||
| Bruneheut | Brunehout, Brunchor | |
| Canacé | Canace | |
| Chrestine | Estrestine | Christine |
| Cilla | Scylla | |
| Claire | Claire | |
Place Names
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Name |
Variants | Modern Location |
| Saint Aaron | church | |
| Abanie | Albania | |
| Acluz | Dumbarton, Scotland | |
| Acre | Acre, Palestine | |
| Alemai(n)gne | Alemaine, Alemeigne, Alemeine, Alemoigne | Germany |
| Aliene | ? | |
| Alixandre | Alexandria, Egypt | |
| Alvergne | Auvergne, France | |
| Angiers | Angers, France? | |
| Anjo | Angau | Anjou, France |
| Annuec | Alnwick, Northumberland, England | |
| Antioc(h)e | Andioce, Antioiche, Antyoce, Entioche | Antioch |
| Antipodés | kingdom | |
| Antiufäis | castle | |
| Aquinparcorentin | Carantin | Quimper-Corentin (Finistère), Brittany, France? |
| Argone | Argonne | |
| le Bois/la Foriest d'Argone | The forest of Argonne | |
| Arimacïa | Abaromacie, Arimathye, Arymathie, Arymathye, Barimacie, Barismachie, Beremathye | Arimathea |
| Aroie | Ayrshire, Scotland | |
| Arondel | Arundel, Sussex, England | |
| Ar(r)abe | Arabia | |
| Ar(r)agon | Aragon, Spain | |
| Arragouce | Argyle, Scotland | |
| Arras | Arras (Pas-de-Calais), France | |
| li Astres Maleïs | location of a battle | |
| la Haute Forest d'Ateine | forest | |
| At(t)henes | Athens | |
| l'Atre Perel(l)ox | Li Aitres Perilleus, l'Atre Perilleus, -ox | cemetery |
| Aube | Albe | The River Aube |
| Auçoir(r)e | Auxerre (Yonne) | |
| Aufrique | Afriche | Africa |
| Aumarie | Almeria, Spain | |
| Autecoine | A river near Campadoine | |
| Avalon(s) | Avalun, Avarun, Valon | Avalon |
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Babiloin(n)e |
Babilo(y)ne, Babyloine, Babyloyne | Babylon |
| la Bacloche | Plains (possibly Buclow, Chester, England) | |
| Bade(s) | Bace | Bath, England |
| Baieiues | Bayeux, Normandy | |
| Bangort | Bangor, Wales | |
| Baradigan | Caradigan | city |
| Barbarie | country; "Barbary" | |
| Barbeflué | Barbeflued | Barfleur, Normandy |
| Barlet | Barletta, Italy | |
| Barut | Beirut, Syria | |
| Bauborc | -rs | Bamburgh, Northumberland, England |
| Baudas | Baghdad, Iraq | |
| Becleus | castle | |
| le Bel Brullet | castle | |
| Bel Encumbre | Bellencombre (Seine-Inférieure) | |
| Benewic | Benuïc, Beruïch | Berwick-upon-Tweed, England |
| Bergoi(n)gne | Borgoigne | Burgundy |
| Berri | Berry, France | |
| Besençun | Besançon (Doubs) | |
| Bethanie | Bethany | |
| Bethleem | Belïant | Bethlehem |
| Biaumont | Beaumont-sur-Oise | |
| Biauvez | Biavais | Beauvais (Oise) |
| Bit(h)ine | Bithynia | |
| Blaives | Blaye-sur-Gironde | |
| la Blanche Cité | la Blance Cité | "The white city," possibly Caerwent, Monmouthshire, England |
| la Blanche Forest | The White Forest | |
| la Blanche Lande | la Lande Blanche | The White Land, a district in Brittany |
| la Blanc(h)e Montai(n)gne | The White Mountain, a kingdom which was probably in Scotland | |
| Blanches Mores | castle | |
| Boece | Bœtia | |
| le Bofoi(s) | le Boffoi, le Bouffoi, le Boufois | Le château du Bouffay, Nantes |
| Boloan | Bodloan | Ballon, France |
| Boloigne | Buluingne | Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais), France |
| Bonivent | Bonivant | Benevento, Italy |
| Boug(ue)rie | Boguerie, Buguerie | Bulgaria |
| Bouron | Beron | Boron, Burgundy |
| Brandigan | -z | castle |
| Brandis | Brandiz | Brindisi, Apulia, Italy |
| Branlant | Bralant, Branclant, Branslant, Brelant, Brenlant | castle |
| Brefeni | Breffny, Ireland | |
| Bretai(n)gne | Bertaigne, Bertaine, Bertainne, Bretagne, Bretaine, Breteigne, Breteingne, Bretanie | Britain or Brittany |
| Broc(h)elïande | Brechelïande | A magic forest |
| Bruge | Bruges, Belgium | |
| Butost | royal residence | |
| Cabrahan | Cabrach, Aberdeenshire | |
| Cala(r)bre | Qualarbre | Calabria, Italy |
| Calfle | castle | |
| Camaalot | Chamaalot, Gamalaot, Kamaalot, Kamelot | Camelot |
| Cambre | Tambre | river |
| Campadoine | castle | |
| Cantorbire | Cantorbere, Quantorbire, Quentorbire | Canterbury, England |
| Capadoce | Cappadocia | |
| Capitoile | The Vatican | |
| Caradigan(t) | Caradighan, Carradigant, Garadigain, Garadigam, Garadigan(t), Garandigan, Karadigan(t), Karradigant, Quaradigan, Quarradigant | Cardigan, Wales |
| Carahés | Carahéz, Caharés, Caraés, Carahuez, Carhais, Charöés, Escarahés, Garahés, Karahés, Karahéz, Karahués, Karehés | Carhaix |
| Cardif | Cardiff, Wales | |
| Cardue(i)l | Cardeil, Cardoe(i)l, Cardoil, Carduil, Charduel, Kardoel, Quaraduel | Carlisle, Cumberland |
| Carfanaon | Capernaum, Galilee, Israel | |
| Carlion | Callion, Carloon, Carlyon, Charlion, Cuerlion, Karlion, Karlyon | Caerlyon-on-Usk, Monmouthshire |
| Carnant | Carnevent, Carvain, Karvain | royal residence |
| Carse | Tarse | Tarsus |
| Carta(i)ge | Carthage | |
| Castel de la Forest Grande | "Castle of the Big forest" | |
| Castel de la Roce | castle | |
| Castel de Naombrelande | "Castle of Northumberland" | |
| Castel del Cor | castle | |
| Castel du Port | Castiel du Port | castle |
| Castel Pao(u)rous | -eus, Peureus | castle |
| Castele | Castiele, Chastele | Castille, Spain |
| Castiaus Celui Desore | li chastiaux de Lindesore | castle |
| Castiaus de la Roce Bise | castle | |
| Castiel de l'Angarde | castle | |
| Castiel de la Cloie | castle | |
| Castiel Perilleus | castle | |
| Catenouse | possibly Caithness, Scotland | |
| Cauvaire | Cauvere, Esqualvere | Calvary |
| Celidoine | ||
| Cesaire | Cesare, Ceseire | Caesarea, Palestine |
| Cestre | Chester, England | |
| Cetoisse | ? | |
| Chalvoie | possibly Galway or Galloway | |
| Chanpai(n)gne | Canpaingne, Champaigne | Champaigne, France |
| Chartres | Cartre, Chartain | Chartres, France |
| Chaste(a)z a Dis Puceles | "The Castle of Ten Damsels" | |
| Chastel as Pucles | Castel, -iaus, as Puc(i)eles, Castel, -iaus as/des Puceles | "The Castle of Maidens," possibly Edinburgh Castle |
| Chastel de Dobliers | Boviers, Castel de Dobliers | castle |
| Chastel, -iaux, de l'Angarde | Castel de la Garde, Chastel, -iaz, de la Garde | castle |
| Chastel de la Mervoille | castle | |
| Chastel de Pesme-Aventure | castle | |
| Chastel, -eaz, des Molins | castle | |
| Chastel des Ormiaus | -iax, Castel des Ormiaus | castle |
| Chastel Fort | castle | |
| Chastel Orgue(i)lleus | [insert variants later] | castle; possibly Bamburgh, Northumberland |
| Chastel, -iaux, Perilleus | -oux | castle |
| Chinon | Chinum | Chinon (Indre-et-Loire) |
| Chipre | A town in Italy | |
| Cirencestre | Cirencester, Gloucestershire | |
| Cistiaus | Cîteaux | |
| Cité Perdue | "The lost (damned) city" | |
| Clamorgan | royal residence | |
| Claradeure | location of a hermitage | |
Other Names
| l'Arc Qui Ne Faut | bow | |
| Arondiel | horse | |
| le Bel Joëor | horse | |
| le Blanc Joeor | horse | |
| Boënet | Beneioz, Bonec, Bonoëc | a magical horn |
| li Boncu | a tribe | |
| le Vair de Brevelet | Bröelet, Brüellet | horse |
| Bucifaus | Bucifax | Bucephalus |
| Chenelius | a tribe of cannibals | |
| Chevrefoil | Chievrefueill | title of a lay by Marie de France |
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