Hans Faber
- Nov 25, 2023

A Collection of Frisian Forenames of the First Millennium

Despite the fact that some Frisian forenames still find their way into modern name-giving, like Doutzen, Femke, Finn, Jildou, Jitske, Sjoerd, Gemma, Dirk, etc., on the whole, authentic Frisian names are losing ground. It’s a shame because the name-giving culture of Frisia is actually very rich. In this post, we present a random collection of 153 Frisian forenames that might inspire upcoming parents to explore the richness of Frisian name-giving for more than 2,000 years.

The collection presented in this post consists of the names of Frisians we encountered when reading about the early history of Frisia. It covers a span of a thousand years, namely from the first century AD until and including the tenth century AD. Sadly, we mainly found forenames of men and not as much of women (only 13). This is inevitable when considering the 'professions' associated with the forenames we came across: kings, bishops, abbots, saints, black- and goldsmiths, Roman imperial bodyguards, and many counts, warriors, raiders and (mercenary) soldiers. But we also found the occasional merchant, asega 'legal expert', slave, serf, farmer, rune writer, master of coin, abbess, and bard. If a woman's name is documented she is mostly 'the wife, mother, daughter or sister of'.

For most of history, Anonymous was a woman Virginia Woolf

A girl has no name Arya Stark, Game of Thrones

We divided the collection into two, namely the forenames from the Roman Period, ca. AD 1-325, which is a small corpus, and the Early Middle Ages (together with part of the Migration Period), ca. AD 450-1000. The oldest name of a Frisian is probably that of farmer and former legionair in the Roman army Criptorix. He is mentioned in the year AD 28. King Finn son of Folcwald is commonly situated around the year 450, and Folcwald is therefore the oldest name of the early-medieval era i.e. Migration Period.

Instructive to know is that during the Roman Period, the Frisians, known as Frisii or Fresones, were probably a Celtic people. During the fourth century, most of the coastal lands of the Netherlands where the Frisian tribes dwelled were virtually depopulated. In the course of the fifth century AD, the lands were repopulated with peoples of Germanic origins coming from the east and north into Frisia, notably Saxons. These immigrants came to be known as Frisians too. Therefore, the first collection of names is (probably) Celtic, and the second collection is definitively Germanic.

When more information in one of our blogposts can be found about a certain historic person, a hyperlink is attached to his/her name.

1. Roman Period (AD 1-300)

Bassus (m) Roman imperial bodyguard in Rome; Caturix (m) slave; Criptorix (m) farmer in province Noord Holland; Frissiaus (m) Roman mercenary soldier; Hilarus (m) Roman imperial bodyguard in Rome; Hnaudifridi (m) also named Notfrid and Nothfried, Frisian chieftain and Roman soldier in Britannia; Malorix (m) a king of Frisii; Mandus (m) Roman mercenary soldier; Mausaeus (m) Roman mercenary soldier; Sextus Valerius Genialis (m) Roman mercenary soldier in Britannia; Verritus (m) a king of Frisii.

2. Early Middle Ages (AD 400-1000)

A – B

Abba (m) also Alfbad, count; Adolf (m); Adujislu (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚪᛞᚢᛡIᛋᛚᚢ; Aib (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚪᛁᛒ; Albóð (m) Frisian merchant living in Sweden; Aladram (m) brother of count Hatto; Alberik I & II (m) also Alfrik, bishops of Utrecht, Alberik II brother Frederick of Utrecht; Aldburga (f); Aldgisl (m) also Aldgilles, king; Aldo (m); Alétha (f) also Aleth, wife of raider Corsuldus and lover of Coarchion; Alguskaþi (m) also Lguskaþi, actually a Wurst-Saxon but early fifth century thus little distinction with Frisian, name preserved in runic writing ᛚXᚢᛋᚲᚫᚦI; Altfried (m) son of Hriathrud, abbot; Arnulf of Ghent (m) count; Ating (m) priest; Atte (m) see Wrssing, count; Audulf (m) also Audulfus and Audulfo, local ruler or king; Æbbe (m) warrior fighting for King Ælfred the Great of the West Saxons; Æðelhere (m) warrior fighting for King Ælfred the Great of the West Saxons; Æhæ (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚫᚻᚫ; Æniwulufu (m) also Aniwulufu, name preserved in runic writing ᚫᚾᛁᚹᚢᛚᚢᚠᚢ, possibly blacksmith; Æpa (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚫᛈᚪ; Bernlef (m) blind bard; Betto (m).

C – F

Coarchion (m), brother of Corsold, raider in Brittany; Corsold (m), also Corsoldus, Corseul, Corseult, Corsult, Corsolt, Corsoult, Cursoul, Corseu, Courseu, and Corseulle, brother of Coarchion, raider and ruler in Brittany; Dirk I, II and III (m) also Tidericus, Ditericus, and Diederik, counts; Þorbjǫrn (m) Frisian rune writer living in Sweden; Þorkell (m) Frisian merchant living in Sweden; Edo (m); Eisolf (m); Elburga (f) also Atelburga and Adelburg(a), ancestor of St. Ludger; Erulf (m) also Herulf and Erulfus; Eurin (m) also Eurin, the sacrificed by St. Wulfram; Evorbald (m); Evurhard (m); Finn (m) son of Folcwald, king; Folcker (m) also Fol(c)kerus and Folker, Saxon ruler probably Frisian from mother's side; Folcwald (m) also Folcwalda, Folcwalding, Folkwaldan and Foldepald, father of Finn, perhaps king; Folkhard (m); Folkric (m); Frederick of Utrecht (m) also Friderici, Frethericus and Frederik, brother of Alberik II, saint, bishop of Utrecht; Frideburg (f) weatlhy Frisian woman living in Sweden and mother of Katla; Fris (m), soldier in Frankish army, saint in France.

G – H

Gardulf (m) also Gardulfus, brother of Gerulf the Elder, count, Garhelm (m); Gárulf (m) possibly Frisian, warrior in the retinue of King Finn; Gebo (m); Geldis (m); Geldolf (m); Geldulf (m); Gemberht (m) also Gebbo, first Frisian pupil of St. Boniface; Gerbraht (m); Gerfried (m) son of Reginthrud, abbot; Gerhart de Fresia (m); Gerulf the Elder (m) also Gerdulf and Gerdulfus, count and brother of Gardulf and father of Gerulf II; Gerulf II (m) son of Gerulf the Elder, count; Gerulf III (m); Gerwali (m) also Gerwalda; Gozewijn (m) son of Hartbert of Bierum; Habuku (f) also Habuke, name preserved in runic writing ᚻᚪᛒᚢᚳᚢ; Hada (m) also Hadda, name preserved in runic writing ᚻᚪᛞᚪ, possibly blacksmith; Hardbraht (m); Hartbert of Bierum (m) also Heribert, father of Gozewijn, bishop of Utrecht; Hatto (m) also Hatto, count; Hebi (m) also Hebus, knight in Rome; Heribald (m); Heriburg (f) sister of St. Ludger; abbess; Herwicde Fresia (m); Hiaro (m) soldier in the Frankish army in Italy; Hiddo (m) also Hiddonis and Hidda; Hildigrim (m) also Hildegrim, brother of St. Ludger, bishop; Hildulf (m); Hoffo (m); Hriathrud (f) sister of St. Ludger; Hunger (m) also Hungerus Frisus, Hungerus Frisius, Hunagrus, Hungarius, saint, bishop of Utrecht; Huno (m).

I – P

Ilderado (m) soldier in the Frankish army in Italy; Ingomarus (m) also Ingomar, the sacrificed saved by St. Wulfram; Husilef (m); Jisuhidu (f) also Gisehilde and Gisihild(e), name preserved in runic writing ᛡIᛋᚢᚻIᛞᚢ; Katla (f) also Catla, living in Sweden and daughter of the wealthy Frisian woman Frideburg; Leomot (m) soldier in the Frankish army in Italy; Liafburg (f) mother of St. Ludger; Ludger (m) also Liudger, saint. Marclef (m); Meinsuit (f) noble woman and acquaintance of Bernlef; Nothgrim (m); Nothrad (m); Oatbald (m); Odlef (m); Oka (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚩᚳᚪ; Osbruht (m); Oslef (m); Osnath (m); Ovo (m) the sacrificed saved by St. Wulfram; Poppo (m) also Bubo, king.

R – S

Radbaud (m) possible of Frisian decent and offspring of King Radbod, bishop of Utrecht; Radbod (m) also Redbad, Rathbold, Rathbodus, Rachordus, Radbodus, Redbodus, Redbald, Radboud, Radbaud, Radbaut, Rabbodus, Rebbolt, Rambault, Rembauz, Robuet, Rabel, Rabeu, Rapoto, Reinbaldr, Rabeu, Richoldus, Ritzert, Ritsaert, king; Radbodo (m) also Ruotboto, count; Radfrid (m) also Radfridi, Radifridus, Ratfridum and Radfried, son of Walfrid of Bedderwald, saint; Radnath (m); Radulf (m) also Rothulf, Hrothalf; Redbald (m): Redger (m); Rednath (m) master of coin; Redulf (m); Reginthrud (f) sister of St. Ludger; Reingerd (m); Ricbald (m), deacon; Ricfried (m) bishop of Utrecht; Rothulf (m) also Radulf and Radulfus; Saxbraht (m) serf; Saxger (m); Saxmund (m) asega legal expert; Skanomodu (m) name preserved in runic writing ᛋᛣᚪᚾᛟᛗᛟᛞᚢ, possibly blacksmith; Slóði (m) also slodi, by-name meaning lazy-one, Frisian merchant living in Sweden; Sinath (m).

T – Z

Tatto (m); Tiebo (m); Theudesinda (f) also Theudesinde, Thiadsvind and Theolinda, princes and daughter of King Redbad; Theudoald (m) possible grandson of King Radbod; Thiaddag (m); Thiadgrim (m) father of St. Ludger; Thiadwold (m); Thietmer (m); Tuda (m) also Tudda, name preserved in runic writing ᛏᚢᛞᚪ. Ubba the Fisian (m) also Ubbi fríski, Ubba dux Fresciorum and Ubbo Fresicus, legendary son of Ragnar Loðbrók, raider and Viking leader of the Great Heathen Army; Umæ (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚢᛗᚨ; Unilrad (m); Uræ (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚢᚱᚫ; Walfrid of Bedderwald (m) also Walfridi, Walifridus, Walfried, Waldefrid, Wilfrid and Wolfryt, father of Radfrid, saint; Waldger (m) also Waltger, Waldgerus, Walcherus, Walkerus and Walker, count; Weladu (m) also Wayland, Wēland, Welund, Weyland, Völundr, Vølund, Vǫlundr, Velent, Wieland, Wiolant, name preserved in runic writing ᚹᛖᛚᚪᛞᚢ, blacksmith; Wibald (m); Wimœd (m) name preserved in runic writing ᚹIᛗᛟᛥ; Wlemar (m) also Wlemarus, asega legal expert; Wrssing (m) also UUrssing, Wursing, Atte and Ado, grandfather of St. Ludger, count; Wulfbold (m); Wulfheard (m) fighting for King Ælfred the Great of the West Saxons; Wulfnoth (m).

Creating your own unique name

In our blogpost How to recognize the Frisians by name, we have already advised always consulting a native of Friesland if you want to experiment with creating new Frisian name combinations. Nevertheless, if you feel confident enough, you can use this 'name-generator' developed by H.F.J. Veenstra (Fan van Friesland website). The rule is to take two words of the list and combine them to a name. For example: liaf (kind, loving) + burg (protection) = Liafburg. Try it yourself, but do not say we did not warn you!

A – E

ad, high ancestry; adal, noble; agi(l), sword, able; elf, elf; ald, adult; alf, elf; amel effort in battle; and, combative; ans, god, good; arne, eagle; ask, spear, ash wood; badu, battle; bald(e), brave; ban, jurisdiction; barn, bear; baug, bow; be(h)rt, shining, radiate; bern, boar; blika, lightening; blom, flower, beautiful; boai, boy, hero; bod(e), commandment, decree; bold, brave; brant, flaming sword; brecht, shining, radiating; brich, protection; brothar, spearhead of an army; brun, brown, bear; brunjo, breastplate; bur, neighbour, land man; burg, borough, protection; daad, deed, work; dag, day; dank, spirit, thought; degin, hero; diet, people, folk; diure, precious; drude, sorceress; ed, noble descent; ee, law; eer, honour, fame; ein, alone; erl, freeman, noble man; es(k), spear of ash wood; ethel, noble; ever, boar.

F – G

falka, shining with many colours; ferdh, mind, spirit; folk, people, folk; forma, first, prominent; frama, prominent, brave; fred, peace; frithu, peace; frid(u), peace; frod(e), wise; frou, distinguished woman; funs, chancing; gade, counterpart; gadû, spear head; gal, lively, spirited; gand, sorcery staff; gard, tree branch; gard, enclosed area/space; gaut, belonging to the Goths; geb, generous; gebhan, giving, welcoming; geld, value, settling; ge(a)r, spear; gerd, enclosed area/space; gisal, child of distinguished parents; gisil, small spear; go(e)d, good; gond, battle; grad, greedy, hungry; grau(w), grey; grep, grip; grim, mask, angry; gund, battle.

H – M

habuk, hawk; hade, battle; hadu, battle; haga, hedge, enclosed space; hail, hail; hal, hero, warrior; hand, hand; har, army; hard, strong, brave; hart, strong, brave; heil, hail, happy; heim, homestead; held, battle; helm, helmet, protection; her(e), army; hild, battle; hoio, high, elevated; hold, rule; hraban, raven; hrava, raven; hred, fame; hrefn, raven; hremn, raven; hrod, fame; hroth, fame; hug, mind; huld, faithful, loyal; hun, young bear, brown; id, potency; irmin, great, powerful; ijser(n), iron weapon; iv, bow of yew wood; iwa, bow of yew wood; koen, skilled; kun(i), genus; laki, magician; land, land; lef, offspring, son; lewa, merciful; lewi, merciful; liaf, kind, loving; lind, shield of bass wood, snake; liud, people, folk; liuf, heir; lod, famous; loga, flame; madal, assembly site; magan, making; man, man; mar, renown; mark, border land; mathla, site of justice; megin, force, power; mei, making; mer, famous; mo(e)d, spirit, state of mind; moar, dark, swamp; mom, thought; mund, custodian.

N – Z

nand, brave, ruling; nard, very strong or courageous; nid, anger, fury; od(el), inheritance; ol, inheritance; old, mature; olf, wolf; ort, head of a weapon; ra(a)d, council, advice; ragin, council, decision; rand, shield edge; raven, raven; red, council; regi(n), council; ridan, ride; rik, rich, powerful; rod, fame; rom, fame; sake, legal dispute; sal, homestead, dark; sand, the one; sas, belonging to the Saxons; sig(i), victory; sigitet, joy of victory; sind, journey, way; skalk, servant of God; smede, blacksmith; smido, blacksmith; staf, stick, support; sten, stone, weapon; swan, swan; swind, strong; swith, largely; thiad, people, folk; trudh, strength; traut, loved; trud, strength; ulf, wolf; volk, people of war; wal, battlefield; wald, ruling; walha, foreign; war, goods; ward(in), protector; wel, will; wer(in), defend; wert(h), worthy; wich, battle; wid(ha), wide; widu, wood; wif, woman; wig, battle; wih, holy; wil(ja), wish, will; win, friend; wis, wise; wisu, good; wold, ruling; wulf, wolf.

Suggested music

Sesame Street, The Names Song (2014)

R.E.M., I Took Your Name (1991)

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