This page is a directory of educational material regarding names, naming practices and related subjects. The articles here should be of interest to submitters as well as heralds of all levels in the SCA.
These articles commonly make use of a special notation to represent characters outside the typical English alphabet and US-ASCII encoding. This notation is called Da’ud Notation [PDF], after its developer, Da’ud ibn Auda.
Disclaimer
Use of these articles does not guarantee registration. A submission using only period elements documented from these articles might be returned for any of the following reasons:
- It conflicts with a protected name.
- Its individual elements are period, but the construction of the name is not. For instance, a combination of Arabic and Irish name elements would not be registered.
- We discover an error in the article(s) on which it is based. The authors of these articles are careful and knowledgeable, but we cannot completely rule out the possibility of typos or other errors. See Standard Source Errata for known issues with some of these sources.
General Advice
- What is an SCA Name?
- A Brief Introduction to the History of Names
- Name Sources for which Laurel Does Not Require Photocopies
- Name Sources to Avoid
- Name Research Without Books
- Naming Construction and Patterns
- Using FamilySearch Historical Records
- Mining FamilySearch Historical Records for Name Articles
by Jeanne Marie Lacroix - Standard Source “Errata”
by Jeanne Marie Lacroix
Name Article Archives
- Some Name Resources
Collected resources from Pelican Sovereign of Arms - Medieval Names Archive
The Academy of Saint Gabriel collection of articles on medieval and renaissance names - Academy of Saint Gabriel
a private heraldic consultation service, assisting members of the SCA in finding historically authentic medieval names and coats of arms for use in SCA activities - Name Resources: Criteria
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Documentation
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Header Forms in Documentation
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Familysearch (IGI)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: SENA Appendixes
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Household Names
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Household Designators
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Order Names and Heraldic Titles
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Articles by Mari ingen Briain meic Donnchada
- Articles by Juliana de Luna
- Articles by Effric Neyn Ken3ocht Mcherrald (Sharon Krossa)
- Articles by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn (Heather Rose Jones)
- Articles by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sara Uckelman)
Name Sources by Culture/Type
- Women’s Names from (Mostly) 16th Century Inscriptions at Tirupati (India)
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Some Sources for pre-1600 Indian Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Mongolian Naming Practices
by Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy - Introduction to Pre-16th Century Chinese Onomastics [PDF]
by Ii Katsumori - Name Resources: Asian
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Middle Mongol Grammar for SCA Names
by Ursula Georges - Korean names from the 13th and 14th century (Goryeo) [PDF]
by Herveus d’Ormonde
- Common Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the 6th and 7th Centuries
by Bardas Xiphias - Personal Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the Later Byzantine Era
by Bardas Xiphias - Greek Feminine Names from Thera
by Elisabetta Tommasso di Carduci - Name Resources: Roman
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Latin
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Early Croatian Given Names
by Walraven van Nijmegen - Common Czech Names of the 15th &16th Centuries
by Walraven van Nijmege - Hungarian Names 101
by Walraven van Nijmege - Hungarian Feminine Names
by Walraven van Nijmege - Hungarian Personal Names of the 16th Century
by Walraven van Nijmege - Name Resources: Eastern European
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Eastern European (Baltic)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Hungarian
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Polish
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- The First Thousand Years of British Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Names of Women of the Brythonic North in the 5-7th Centuries
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Given Names from Early 13th Century England
by Talan Gwynek - An Index to the 1296 Lay Subsidy Rolls for Rutland, England
by Karen Larsdatter - Yorkshire Given Names from 1379
by Talan Gwynek - Names from 15th Century York
by Karen Larsdatter - An Index to the 1523 Subsidy Roll for York and Ainsty, England
by Karen Larsdatter - Late Sixteenth Century English Given Names
by Talan Gwynek - A Survey of the History of English Place-Names
by Scolastica la souriete - English Names found in Brass Enscriptions
by Julian Goodwyn - Feminine Given Names in A Dictionary of English Surnames
by Talan Gwynek - “Misplaced” Names found in A Dictionary of English Surnames
by Jeanne Marie Lacroix - 12th & 13th Century English Textile Surnames
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - 14th Century Worcestershire Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - 16th Century Gloucestershire Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - English Given Names from 16th and Early 17th C Marriage Records
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Feminine names from 14th C Exeter
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Feminine names from Devon, 1238
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Index of Names in the 1292 Subsidy Roll of London
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Cam, Glouchestershire, Marriage Registers 1569-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Charlton Kings, Glouchestershire Marriage Registers 1538-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Frocester, Glouchestershire Marriage Registers 1559-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Maisemore, Glouchestershire Registers 1538-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Minchinhampton, Glouchestershire Marriage Registers 1566-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Oldbury-on-Hill, Glouchestershire Marriage Registers
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Quedgeley, Glouchestershire Marriage Registers 1559-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in Rangeworthy Bishops, Glouchestershire, Registers 1575-1600
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in the Berkeley Hundred Court Rolls
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from 13th Century Northumberland
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Name Resources: Middle English (1066-1500)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Anglo-Saxon (Old English)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Late Period English
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: English Men’s Names
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: English
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Early Medieval Breton Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - An Index to the Given Names in the 1292 Census of Paris
by Colm Dubh - An Index to the Occupational By-Names in the 1292 Census of Paris
by Colm Dubh - Occitan Townspeople in the 14th Century
by Juliana de Luna - Given Names from Brittany, 1384-1600
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Late Period Feminine Names from the South of France
by Talan Gwynek - Feminine Names from Aosta, 1337 and 1351
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Feminine Names from Périgueux, 1339-1340
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - French Names from Chastenay, 1448-1457
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - French Names from Paris, 1421, 1423, & 1438
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names found in a French Marriage Register, 1595
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from 13th- and 14th-Century Latin Records from Gascony
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from a 1587 Tax Roll from Provins
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from Artois, 1601
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from Choisy, France, 1475-1478
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Occitan names from Saint Flour, France, 1380-1385
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Names from Lallaing 1384 – 1600
by Domhnall na Moicheirghe - Documenting a French Name
by Brunissende Dragonette - Name Resources: National French Library
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: French Placenames
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: French
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: French Occitan/Provencal
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- German Given Names 1200-1250
by Talan Gwynek - Some Early Middle High German Bynames
by Talan Gwynek - German Names from Kocise, 1307 – 1505
by Guntram von Wolkenstein - 15th-Century German Women’s Names
by Talan Gwynek - Medieval German Given Names from Silesia
by Talan Gwynek - Late Period German Masculine Given Names
by Talan Gwynek - German Names from Nürnberg, 1497
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Name Resources: German
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Arabic Naming Practices and Period Names List
by Da’ud ibn Auda - Andalusian Names: Arabs in Spain
by Juliana de Luna - Moorish Place-names in Portugal
by Pedro de Alcazar - Jewish Names in the World of Medieval Islam
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jewish Women’s Names in an Arab Context: Names from the Geniza of Cairo
by Juliana de Luna
- Some Masculine Ogham Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - 100 Most Popular Men’s Names in Early Medieval Ireland
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Fourteenth to Sixteenth Century Irish Names and Naming Practices
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Manx Names in the Early 16th Century
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Names Found in Anglicized Irish Documents
Mari ingen Briain meic Donnchada - Name Resources: Gaelic and Anglicized Irish
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Irish Gaelic
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Masculine Names from Thirteenth Century Pisa
by Juliana de Luna - 15th Century Italian Men’s Names
By Talan Gwynek - A sample of Jewish names in Milan 1540-1570
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jews in Rome during the 1550’s
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Feminine Names from 15-Century Bologna (Italy)
by Gianna Maddalena Alberti
- Names of Rabbis in Pirkei Avot
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jewish Naming Convention in Angevin England
by Eleazar ha-Levi - Jews in Catalonia: 1250 to 1400
by Juliana de Luna - A sample of Jewish names in Valencia 1293-1485
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - A sample of Jewish names in Milan 1540-1570
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jews in Rome during the 1550’s
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jewish Names in the World of Medieval Islam
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Jewish Women’s Names in an Arab Context: Names from the Geniza of Cairo
by Juliana de Luna
- 10th Century Frisian Masculine Names
by Talan Gwynek - Dutch Womens’ Names to 1100
by Walraven van Nijmege - Flemish Feminine Names 1259 – 1530
by Guntram von Wolkenstein - 15th Century Dutch Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - 15th Century Dutch Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Dutch Given Names from 1573
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Dutch Names 1358-1361
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Dutch Names 1393-96
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Name Resources: Alternative Titles in Dutch
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Gender Neutral Names from the Netherlands
offsite blog by Lady Ava van Allecmere - A Handful of Nuns in Flanders
by Lady Ava van Allecmere - Amsterdam Marriage Banns 1565
by Lady Ava van Allecmere - Female Poorters in Leiden, 1450-14589 [PDF]
by Lady Ava van Allecmere
- Name Resources: Marital Bynames
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Patronymic Bynames
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Matronymic Bynames (Northern)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Matronymic Bynames (Southern)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Double Given Names
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Culturally Mixed Names
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Languages
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Regional Naming Groups
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Alys’s Simple Guide to Household Names
by Alys Mackyntoich - Gender-Neutral Resources
by Clare Drake - The Unisex Names Project
compiled by Rúnfríðr Keiliselgr
- Medieval Secular Order Names
by Juliana de Luna - Registering an Order Name in the SCA
by Ursula Georges - Alys’s Simple Order Name Checklist
by Alys Mackyntoich - Alys’s Simple Guide to Naming Awards and Orders
(For People Who Are Not Book Heralds)
by Alys Mackyntoich
- A Simple Guide to Imperial Roman Names
by Ursula Georges - Vindolanda Tablets Online (Names)
- Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania
- Russian Names Database
by Paul Wickenden of Thanet - Locative Bynames in Medieval Russia
by Paul Wickenden of Thanet - A guide to some Estonian naming patterns
compiled by ffride wlffsdotter - A (very brief) guide to some Livonian naming patterns
compiled by ffw ffride wlffsdotter - A guide to some Lithuanian naming patterns
compiled by ffw ffride wlffsdotter - A guide to some 15-16th century Latvian naming patterns
compiled by ffw ffride wlffsdotter
- A Very Brief History of the Scandinavian Languages
by Talan Gwynek - Using Scandinavian diplomatria for fun and profit [PDF]
by Birgitta Lulli - Finnish Names Article
by Rouva Gertrud - Swedish Feminine Names from 1300
by Lindorm Eriksson - Name Resources: Old Norse
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Scandinavian
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Danish
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Iron Age Finnic Personal Names [PDF]
by Birittha Wf
- A List of Feminine Personal Names Found in Scottish Records
by Talan Gwynek - 12th Century Scottish Women’s Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - A Simple Guide to Constructing 12th Century Scottish Gaelic Names
by Effric neyn Kenyeoch vicralte - Names from 13th Century Scottish Parliamentary Records
by Alys Mackyntoich - Name Resources: Scots and Gaelic
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Mac/Mc
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Romance Languages of the Mediæval Iberian Peninsula
by Pedro de Alcazar - Andalusian Names: Arabs in Spain
by Juliana de Luna - Catalan Names in Latin Contexts: the late 12th century
by Juliana de Luna - Jews in Catalonia: 1250 to 1400
by Juliana de Luna - A sample of Jewish names in Valencia 1293-1485
by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi - Spanish Names from the Late 15th Century
by Juliana de Luna - 16th-century Spanish Names
by Elsbeth Anne Roth - Early Portuguese Names
by Juliana de Luna - Moorish Place-names in Portugal
by Pedro de Alcazar - Portuguese Names 1350-1450
by Juliana de Luna - Portuguese Names from the 16th Century
by Juliana de Luna - Basque Feminine Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Name Resources: Spanish
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux - Name Resources: Iberian (Spanish, Portugeuse, and Arabic)
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux
- Concerning the Name “Eilonwy”
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Cornish (and Other) Personal Names from the 10th Century Bodmin Manumissions
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - 10th Century Cornish Women’s Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - A Simple Guide to Constructing 13th-Century Welsh Names
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - A Simple Guide to Constructing 16th-Century Welsh Names (in English Contexts)
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Women’s Names in the First Half of 16th Century Wales
by Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn - Late Sixteenth Century Welsh Names
by Talan Gwynek - Some 16th & 17th C Welsh Masculine Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael - Name Resources: Welsh
by Juliana de Luna and Lillia de Vaux