Appendix:Latin forms of English given names
Latin was the main written language of Europe throughout the Middle Ages, despite the fact that most people used some other language in their daily life. Records surviving from this era remain of interest to many but some, such as church registers, remain untranslated, therefore a knowledge of the Latin form of common English names remains invaluable for genealogists.
Many Latin names appear almost identical to their English equivalent (often simply ending with -us/-um for masculine names, or -a/-am for feminine names) but others are quite different and not visibly correlated. Below is a list of Latin names that do and do not closely resemble their English equivalents.
List of Latin forms of names and their English equivalents
[edit]Names beginning with "I" or "J", followed by a vowel, may be spelled with either letter.
Some names have the same form in English/Latin.
Latin forms | English equivalents and doublets |
---|---|
Abraham | Abraham, Ibrahim, Abram Audrina Audrinus |
Adelmarus | Elmer |
Adrianus | Adrian |
Ædani | Keegan |
Ædanus, Aidanus | Aidan |
Ægidius | Giles, Gilles |
Ælisabetha | Elizabeth, Isabel, Isabella, Isabelle |
Æmilia | Emily |
Æmilius | Emile, Emil |
Æstas | Summer, Sommer |
Adam, Adamus | Adam |
Adela | Adele |
Alanus | Alan |
Albanus | Alban |
Albertus | Albert |
Albinus | Albin |
Alcuinus | Alcuin |
Alexandra | Alexandra |
Alexander | Alexander |
Alexius | Alexis (male), Alex (male), Alexei |
Alfredus, Alfridus | Alfred, Avery |
Alicia | Alice |
Aloysius | Aloys |
Alphonsus | Alphonse, Alphonso |
Aluinus, Alvinus | Alvin, Elvin |
Amabilia | Mabel |
Amadeus | Amadeus |
Amanda | Amanda |
Amata | Amy, Aimee |
Ambrosius | Ambrose, Emrys |
Americus | Emery, Emeric, Henry, Harry |
Amor (masculine), Amorina (feminine) | Love |
Anatolius | Anatole |
Andreas | Andrew, André |
Anna | Ann, Anne, Hannah |
Anscharius | Oscar |
Anselmus | Anselm |
Antonius | Anthony, Antoine, Antonio, Tony |
Aprilis | April |
Archibaldus | Archibald |
Arduinus, Ardvinus | Hardwin |
Armandus | Herman, Armand |
Arnaldus, Arnoldus | Arnold |
Arnulfus | Arnulf |
Arthurus, Arturus, Artorius | Arthur |
Augustinus | Augustine, Augustin, Austin |
Báca | Pearl |
Baldovinus, Balduinus, Baldvinus | Baldwin |
Barbara | Barbara, Barbie |
Barnabas | Barnaby |
Bartholomæus | Bartholomew, Bart |
Basilius | Basil |
Beatrix | Beatrice |
Bella | Belle, Bella |
Bellus | Beau |
Benedictus | Benedict, Bennet |
Beniaminus | Benjamin |
Bernardus | Bernard |
Berylia | Beryl |
Bethania | Bethany, Bethanie |
Blanca | Blanche, Bianca |
Blasius | Blase, Blaise |
Bonifatius | Boniface |
Brendanus | Brendan; sometimes used for Brandon though the name is actually unrelated and only sounds phonetically similar |
Brianus | Brian |
Brigitta | Bridget, Brigitte (French) |
Brittania | Brittany |
Cæcilia | Cecilia, Cicely, Sheila (Celtic) |
Cæcilius | Cecil |
Cælestis | Celeste |
Cæsar | Caesar, Cesar |
Caietanus | Cajetan, Gaetan |
Candace | Candace |
Canicus | Kenneth |
Canutus | Canute, Knud |
Cara | Sherry, Cheri |
Caritas | Charity |
Carola | Carol, Carole, Karla, Carla, Charlotte (French) |
Carolina | Carolina, Carolyn, Charlene |
Carolus | Charles, Carl, Karl |
Casimirus | Casimir |
Castrum | Chester |
Catharina | Catherine, Katherine, Katrina |
Chloe | Chloe |
Christina | Christine |
Christianus | Christian |
Christophorus | Christopher |
Cinerella | Cinderella |
Clara | Clare, Claire (French) |
Claudia | Claudette, Claudia |
Claudius | Claude |
Clemens | Clement |
Clementina | Clementine |
Coemgenus | Kevin |
Colandus | Colin |
Colomanus | Coleman |
Comes | Earl |
Conradus | Conrad, Kurt |
Constans | Constant |
Constantia | Constance |
Constantinus | Constantine |
Corvus (masculine), Corvina (feminine) | Raven |
Crispinus | Crispin |
Cunegundis, Cunegunda | Cunegunda |
Cyrillus | Cyril |
Damianus | Damian, Damien, Damon |
Daniel | Daniel, Dan |
Daniela | Daniela, Danielle, Daniella |
Dantes, Durans | Dante |
David | David, Dave |
Debora, Apicula | Deborah, Debora, Debby |
Demetrius | Demetrius |
Dilanus | Dylan |
Dionysia | Denise |
Dionysius | Dennis, Dion |
Diurnata | Journey |
Dolores | Dolores |
Domina | Donna |
Dominicus | Dominic, Dominick |
Donaldus, Donivaldus, Dubnovaldus | Donald |
Dorothea | Dorothy |
Draco | Drake |
Dux | Duke |
Edmundus | Edmund, Edmond |
Eduardus, Edvardus | Edward, Edouard (French) |
Eleonora | Eleanor, Elinor |
Elias | Elijah, Elliot |
Elisabeth | Elizabeth, Elisabeth, Isabel, Isabella,Isabelle |
Eloisa | Heloise |
Erica | Heather |
Ericus | Eric |
Ernestus | Ernest |
Eugenius | Eugene, Owen, Ewan |
Eustachus | Eustace |
Eva | Eve |
Everardus | Everett |
Fabianus | Fabian |
Faustinus | Faustin |
Felicia | Felicia |
Felicitas | Felicity |
Felix | Felix |
Ferdinandus | Ferdinand |
Fides | Faith |
Flavina | Blondie |
Florentia | Florence |
Florianus | Florian |
Francisca | Frances, Fran, Françoise (French) |
Franciscus | Francis, Frank, François (French), Franz (German) |
Fridericus | Frederick, Fred |
Galeata | Kennedy |
Galfridus, Gaufridus, Godefridus, Godfredus, Godfridus, Goffridus | Geoffrey, Jeffrey, Gottfried |
Gabriel | Gabriel, Gabe |
Gasparus | Jasper, Casper |
Gavinus | Gavin, Gawain |
Gaudentia | Joy, Joyce, Gaudence |
Genovefa, Genoveva | Genevieve |
Georgia | Georgia |
Georgius | George |
Geraldus | Gerald |
Gerardus | Gerard |
Germanus | Germain |
Gertrudis | Gertrude |
Gervasius | Jarvis, Gervase |
Gilbertus | Wilbert, Wilbur, Gilbert |
Gloria | Gloria, Glory, Glorie |
Gothina | Jocelyn, Joselin |
Gratia | Grace |
Gratianus | Gratian |
Gregorius | Gregory |
Gulielmus, Guglielmus, Willelmus, Wilelmus, Uiliemus, Vilelmus | William, Guillaume (French), Wilhelm (German) |
Gustavus | Gustave, Gustav |
Hacuinus | Hacon, Hagan |
Hadrianus | Adrian |
Harmonia | Harmony |
Haraldus, Haroldus | Harold |
Harrius | Harry |
Hector | Hector |
Hedvigus, Heduigus | Hedwig |
Helena | Helen, Eileen |
Henricus | Henry, Harry |
Henrica | Henrietta, Harriet |
Herbertus, Heribertus | Herbert |
Hermanus | Herman |
Hieronymus | Jerome |
Hilaria | Hilary, Hillary |
Hilarius | Hilary, Hillary |
Homerus | Homer |
Honoria | Honor |
Horatius | Horace, Horatio |
Houardus, Hovardus | Howard |
Hubertus | Hubert |
Hugo | Hugh |
Humbertus | Humbert |
Hyacintha | Hyacinth, Jacinth |
Iasmina, Jasmina, Gelsomina | Jasmine |
Iason | Jason |
Ignatius | Ignatius, Ignace, Inigo (Spanish) |
Ioel | Joel |
Iolantha | Yolanda |
Iosephina | Josephine |
Iosephus | Joseph |
Irvinus | Irwin, Irvin, Irvine |
Isaacus | Isaac |
Isai | Jesse |
Isidorus | Isidore |
Iustitia | Justice |
Jacoba | Jacqueline, Jackie |
Jacobi | Jackson, Jameson |
Jacobus | Jacob, James, Jack, Jacques (French) |
Jacomus | James |
Jeremias | Jeremy |
Jesaias | Isaiah |
Johanna, Joanna | Joan, Jane, Janet (English), Jeanne (French), Jean (Scots), Siobhan, Sinead (Irish) |
Johannes, Joannes | John, Jack (English), Jean (French), Johann, Hans (German), Ivan (Russian), Sean (Irish), Ian (Welsh) |
Johannis | Johnson |
Jonas | Jonah |
Jordanus | Jordan |
Josue, Josua | Joshua |
Julia | Gillian, Jill, Julianna, Julie |
Julius | Jules, Julian |
Justina | Justine |
Justinus | Justin |
Ladislaus | Vladislav |
Landus | Lance, Lancelot |
Laura | Laura, Lauren, Lauretta, Lorraine |
Laurentius | Laurence, Lawrence |
Lazarus | Lazarus, Eleazar, Lazare (French) |
Leo | Leon, Leo |
Leona | Leona |
Leonardus | Leonard |
Leopoldus | Leopold |
Lilia | Lily |
Linda, Lenta | Linda |
Livius | Livy, Liv |
Lotharingia, Lothringia | Lorraine |
Lútherius | Luther |
Lucas, Lucius | Luke |
Lucia | Lucy, Lucille (French) |
Ludovica | Louisa, Louise (French) |
Ludovicus | Lewis, Louis, Clovis, Ludwig (German) |
Macio | Mason |
Magdalena | Magdalen, Madeleine (French) |
Malachias | Malachi |
Marcellus | Marcel |
Marcus | Mark, Marc |
Mardocheus | Mordecai |
Margaríta | Margaret |
Maria | Mary, Marie (French) |
Marianna | Marian, Marianne |
Martinus | Martin |
Mathilda | Matilda, Maude |
Mathildae | Madison |
Matthæus | Matthew, Mathieu (French) |
Mauritius | Maurice, Morris |
Maximus | Maxime, Max |
Maximilianus | Maximilian, Max |
Melvinus | Melvin |
Michæas | Micah |
Michæl, Michælis, Michahel | Michael, Mike, Michel, Mitchell |
Michæla | Michaela, Michelle |
Milcolumbus | Malcolm |
Miles | Miles, Milo |
Mildritha | Mildred |
Misericordia, Merces | Mercy, Mercedes |
Montacutus | Montague, Monty |
Moses, Moyses | Moses |
Napoleo | Napoleon |
Natalia | Natalie |
Natalis | Noel |
Nicola | Nicole |
Nicolaus | Nicholas, Nick, Niko, Nicolas (Spanish) |
Nigellus | Nigel |
Norbertus | Norbert |
Normannus | Norman |
Olaus | Olaf |
Oliverius | Oliver |
Onuphrius | Humphrey |
Otho | Otto |
Palmarius | Palmer |
Pancratius | Pancras |
Papaver, Papaverina | Poppy |
Paschalis | Pascal |
Patricius | Patrick (English), Patrice (French), Padraig (Gaelic) |
Paula | Paula, Paulette |
Paulus | Paul |
Persius | Percy |
Petrus | Peter, Piers, Pierre (French) |
Philippus | Philip, Phillip |
Pompeius | Pompey, Pompeo (Italian), Pompée (French) |
Primarosa | Primrose |
Principia | Kennedy |
Prudentia | Prudence |
Quintinus | Quentin |
Quintus | Quincy, Quincey |
Radius | Kiran |
Raimundus | Raymond |
Raphæl | Raphael |
Regina | Regina |
Remigius | Remi, Remy |
Renata | Renee, Renée |
Renatus | Rene |
Rex | Roy, Leroy |
Ricardus | Richard |
Robertinus (masculine), Robertina (feminine) | Robin |
Robertus | Robert |
Rochus | Rocky |
Rodericus | Roderick, Rory, Rodrigo (Spanish) |
Rogerius | Roger, Rodger |
Rolandus | Roland, Orlando |
Romæus | Romeo |
Romanus | Roman |
Ronaldus | Ronald |
Rosa | Rose |
Rosamaria | Rosemary, Rosamarie |
Rossalinda, Rossalenta, Rosalina | Rosalind, Rosalina, Rosaline |
Rubina | Ruby |
Rudolphus | Rudolph, Ralph |
Rufus, Russus | Russ, Russell, Rowan |
Rupertus | Rupert |
Salome | Salome |
Salomo | Solomon |
Sara | Sarah |
Sartor (masculine), Sartrix (feminine) | Taylor |
Saulus | Saul |
Scotus | Scott |
Sebastianus | Sebastian |
Sergius | Serge, Sergio |
Serrator | Sawyer |
Servatius | Servatius |
Shervinus, Sheruinus | Sherwin |
Sidonius | Sidney |
Sigismundus | Sigmund, Sigismund |
Simona | Simone |
Simonis | Simon |
Smaragda | Esmeralda |
Stella | Estelle |
Spes | Hope |
Stanislaus | Stanley, Stanislav |
Stephania | Stephanie |
Stephanus | Stephen, Steven, Steve, Etienne (French) |
Stuartus, Steuardus | Stewart, Stuart |
Suenius | Swain, Sven (Scandinavian) |
Susanna | Susan, Suzanne (French) |
Sybilla | Sybil |
Sylvester | Sylvester, Silvester |
Tancredus | Tancred |
Terentius | Terence |
Thaddeaus | Thaddeus |
Theobaldus | Theobald |
Theodoricus | Derek, Dietrich (German) |
Theodorus | Theodore, Tudor |
Theresia | Theresa, Teresa, Therese (French) |
Thomas | Thomas, Tom |
Timotheus | Timothy |
Tobias | Tobias, Toby, Tobiah |
Torrens | Trent |
Tullius | Tully |
Tristanus | Tristan |
Gualterius, Valterius | Walter |
Uardus, Vardus | Ward |
Uarinus, Varinus | Warren |
Uarnerus, Varnerus | Warner |
Ulricus | Ulric, Ulrich |
Valentinus | Valentine |
Valeria | Valerie |
Vallicus | Wallace, Wallis |
Vergilius | Vergil |
Veritas | Verity, Truth |
Verno | Vernon |
Victor | Victor |
Victoria | Victory, Victoria |
Vincentius, Vincens | Vincent |
Viola | Violet |
Virgilius | Virgil |
Vitus | Guy, Vito |
Viviana | Viviana, Vivian, Vivienne (French) |
Vivianus | Vivian |
Xavierius | Xavier |
Zacharias | Zachary |