It can be a challenge finding the inspiration to come up with a unique baby name, but if you have an interest in historical names, you need look no further than the Middle Ages and medieval names.
The Medieval Times dinner theater isn’t just a fun spot to bring your crew for family night; the Middle Ages — spanning from the years 500 to 1500 — began with the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of the Ottoman Empire and the Renaissance.
If you’re looking for a classic or unique name for your baby, consider one of these medieval names for your little knight in training.
Medieval names: Picks for girls inspired by the Middle Ages
Gender-neutral medieval baby names
Nameberry is a website dedicated to baby names, founded by Cool Names for Babies author Pamela Redmond. The site helps parents choose the perfect name for their baby and indicates that interest in gender-neutral names has increased in recent years.
“Parents may choose nonbinary names to offer their child freedom from gender stereotypes or conventional gender identity. These truly gender-neutral names give children space to explore gender and mold their name to fit their identity,” Sophie Kihm wrote on the site. “Other parents are choosing these nonbinary baby names for their modern style rather than strict gender parity.”
If you’re looking for gender-neutral medieval names, consider one of these noble options.
Aquila
Meaning “eagle,” the name Aquila can be used for both boys and girls. This biblical name could also be a baby name inspired by the cosmos, as the Aquila constellation represents the bird that carried the thunderbolts of Zeus in Greek-Roman mythology.
Florian
If your little one is born with a shock of blond hair, the name Florian might be the perfect baby name choice, as it means “yellow, blond.” It is also the name of a patron saint in both Poland and Austria, which were common baby name inspirations in the Middle Ages.
Peregrine
Peregrine is a name that can be used for both boys and girls, meaning, in Latin, “traveler” or “pilgrim.” It is also an anglicized version of the Italian patron saint San Pellegrino.
Clement
The name Clement has French and Latin roots and means “merciful” and “compassionate.” While the name Clement can be gender neutral, it is more common in the girl version, Clementine.
Guardia
From the medieval phrase “dioguardi,” the name Guardia means “may God watch over you” and was a fitting name for a beloved baby boy or girl. Man Americans may be familiar with the surname LaGuardia, as it is the name of the New York City airport named after Fiorello LaGuardia, who served as mayor of the city in the 1930s and ’40s.
Gervaise
The name Gervaise, of French origin, is a gender-neutral name meaning “skilled with a spear” — another baby name that sees its origin in the patron saint of Gervais and is more commonly used as a surname. While Survivor contestant Gervase Peterson and comedian Ricky Gervais are both male, the name also works well as a first name for a baby girl.
Quentin
Latin for the number 5, the gender-neutral name Quentin was often given to the fifth child in a family. Quentin Tarantino commonly comes to mind as the most popular male celebrity with this name, while Australian politician Quentin Bryce represents the female version of the name.
Palmer
Meaning “pilgrim,” the name Palmer is of English origin and has its roots in Christianity when Christians would carry palms with them on their journey to the Holy Land.
