Appendix:Latin forms of English given names
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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 |
| Ansgarus | 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 |
| 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 |
| Ualterius, 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 |