Tuesday, January 24, 2012

random medieval Welsh names

d100 MALE WELSH NAME
01-02 Adaf, Ada, Adam
03-04 Blethin, Blethint
05-06 Cadugan
07-08 Candalo, Candalou
09-10 David, Deykin
11-12 Dehewint
13-14 Edenevet
15-16 Edenowen, Edenewen, Edeneweyn
17-18 Ener
19-20 Eynon
21-22 Gogan
23-24 Griffid, Gryffid, Gryffyd
25-26 Griffri, Griffry, Gryffri, Gryffry
27-28 Gronou, Groneu
29-30 Gurgenu, Gurgeneu
31-32 Heylin, Heilin, Heylyn
33-34 Hova, Howel
35-36 Iarward, Iarword, Ioreword
37-38 Idnerth, Idenerth
39-40 Ieuaf, Ieuan
41-42 Iockin, Iockyn
43-44 Iohannes
45-46 Ithel
47-48 Ivor
49-50 Kedivor
51-52 Kenuric, Kenneric
53-54 Kevenard
55-56 Leget
57-58 Lewelin, Lewelyn
59-60 Lowarch
61-62 Madin, Madyn
63-64 Madoc, Madok
65-66 Meiler, Meyler
67-68 Mereduth
69-70 Meuric, Meurik, Meuryk
71-72 Moridic, Morydic
73-74 Morvran
75-76 Phelip
77-78 Reys, Reis, Res
79-80 Ririd, Ryryd, Rerid, Ryrid
81-82 Robert
83-84 Seysild
85-86 Tegwaret, Thomas
87-88 Trahaern
89-90 Tuder
91-92 Wasdewy
93-94 Wilim, Gwilim
95-96 Win, Wyn, Gwin, Gwyn
97-98 Wion, Wyon, Gwion, Gwyon
99-00 Yagov, Yago, Iago, Iagov

d30 FEMALE WELSH NAMES
1 Alicia
2 Angharat
3 Dudgech, Dugech, Tudgech
4 Eduduwel, Erdiduwol
5 Elena
6 Enith, Enid
7 Eva
8 Ewerich
9 Generys, Generis
10 Genithles
11 Gwen, Wen
12 Gwerith
13 Hunith
14 Lewke, Leweke, Leuke
15 Mabilia
16 Maderun
17 Margareta, Marured
18 Mary
19 Mevanou
20 Milisandia
21 Morud, Morwid, Morwith
22 Morvel
23 Nest
24 Perweur
25 Tangwistel
26 Wentlian, Wentlyan, Wentliana, Wentlyana
27 Wervel, Wervill, Wervela, Wervilla
28 Wir
29 Wladus, Wladusa
30 Wledyr, Wledir, Wladur

Obviously some results are of the 'roll then pick' variety.

Surnames can be constructed in the usual medieval ways.  The "son of" term is either ap or ab, with the Latin filius also sometimes employed. So Mereduth, son of Phelip would be Mereduth ap Phelip, Mereduth ab Phelip or Mereduth filius Phelip.  "Daughter of" is verch or filia. "Wife of" is also used, either wreic or uxor, but I'd be surprised as heck to see a PC named after her husband.  Sometimes the possessive suffix -i is appended to the second name, such as Mereduth ap Phelipi.  Place-based surnames either use de or no marker.  E.g. Eva from Cardiff is either Eva de Cardiff or Eva Cardiff.

Please do not ask me how to pronounce any of these names.

8 comments:

  1. Welsh for Dummies:

    a is always pronounced as in ham or dam, never as in may or flame.

    e alone is short as in get, let, and bet.

    eu and ei are both the long a of may and flame

    ew is sort of between "eh-oo" and "ow-oo"

    i and o are all over the map, just like English i and o. You have to actually hear the word to know what's "right"

    u is pronounced "ee"

    When w is a vowel, it's "ooo", like in Adventure Time.

    y in a one-syllable word, or in the last syllable of a polysyllabic word is like the y in happy; otherwise, it's a schwa.

    There's some dipthongs that'll screw you up, but I don't see any on a quick glance through.

    C is the Welsh K. Ch is the glottal in Loch
    F is the Welsh V. Ff is the welsh F.
    Ll is sort of lispy "thl". L is as in long
    S is "ss". Si is "Sh"
    Wy is "oo-ee". W is as in work
    Th is the soft sound of think or three. For the harder sound of these or there, you want Dd.

    Most of those names have been helpfully anglicized, so you won't need the full pronounciation guide with all the dipthongs and old English consonants.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, hell. I did see one dipthong up there. - ae is the dipthong you hear in eye

      Delete
    2. Ll is sort of lispy "thl"

      Weeeeell, not really -- or at least not in the south, where I learned the language -- but the actual sound doesn't appear in English and is rather difficult to describe in writing. So "thl" will do, and is what the BBC uses most of the time, so is good enough for the Colonials. ;)

      Delete
    3. Yes, I should acknowledge that my pronunciation is northern, and there is a difference. But the BBC is always right, and it agrees with me, so nyah.

      Delete
  2. Thank you for the lesson, sir. I still intend to continue to pronounce Myrddin to rhyme with burden, but perhaps I will do better on some other stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Jeff, I took a quick and crude hack at making a Welsh random name generator for you using the given names. Check it out at http://www.heromachine.com/test/welshinator.html

    I don't have the "de" or "son of" designations in there but they can be relatively easily added. Currently the middle name is just another selection from the First Name lists, but I could easily swap that out for the child of designations.

    I also wasn't sure about surnames, if they were what we think of as surnames or if they'd be a selection from the First Name list (if the user chooses "child of") and/or a separate Place Name list. If the latter, I'd need such a list of place names with which to populate it.

    No worries if you'd rather pass, it only took a few minutes to whip up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice!

    Surnames of the son/daugther/wife of type would generate a second name from the male list, with a small chance that an "i" would be stuck on at the end.

    A list of place names will take a little more work.

    ReplyDelete