"Medieval" technically encompasses an entire century of European history: the fifth to fifteenth. So many different names were used across this era, and Britain alone had a huge variety of lingual influences.
But by the twelfth century England was united; the Normans ruled and had also conquered parts of Wales. Although evidence is sparse, and there were wide regional differences, it isn't surprising that at this time we begin to see a bit more uniformity in naming emerge.
With a pool so small it is difficult to define any of the names used at this time as "popular," but we can see certain names being used again and again for many different people. John was most certainly the most common masculine name, followed by William. Alice, Agnes and Matilda appear most prevalently for women.
Here are the favourite choices for medieval parents from the twelfth to fourteenth century:
| Adam Alan Alexander Andrew Arnold Bartholomew Benedict Clement David Denis Edmund Edward Ellis Eustace Everard Fulco Geoffrey George |
Gerard Gervase Gilbert Giles Gregory Godfrey Guy Henry Hugh Humphrey James John Jordan Laurence Luke Martin Matthew Maurice |
Michael Nicholas Peter Philip Ralph Randolph Reginald Reynold Richard Robert Roger Simon Solomon Stephen Thomas Warin Walter William |
Agatha Agnes Alice Aline Amabel Amice Annabel Anne Avice Beatrice Cecily Christian(a) Christina Clarice Constance Denise Douce Edith |
Eleanor Elizabeth Ellen Emma Eve Evita Felice Gillian Godeleva Gunnilda Gunnora Hawise Helen Helewise Idony Isabel(la) Isolde Joan |
Julian(a) Katherine Lettice Lucy Mabel Margaret Margery Marion Mary Matilda Millicent Osanna Petronilla Rose Sarah Susan Sybil Wymarc |
