Moses appears in the French form Moyes (Moise) as early as 1273, and
still earlier as Moss. Of the patriarchs the favourites were perhaps
Jacob and Joseph, the name Jessop from the latter having been
influenced by Ital. Giuseppe. Benjamin has sometimes given Benson and
Bennett, but these are generally for Benedict (Chapter IV). The
Judges are poorly represented, except Samson, a name which has
obviously coalesced with the derivatives of Samuel. David had, of
course, an immense vogue, especially in Wales (for some of its
derivatives see Chapter VI), and Solomon was also popular, the modern
Salmon not always being a Jewish name.
But almost the favourite Old Testament name was Elijah, Elias, which,
usually through its Old French form Elie, whence Ely, is the parent of
Ellis, Elliot, and many other names in El-, some of which, however,
have to be shared with Ellen and Alice (Chapter X). Job was also
popular, and is easily recognized in Jobson, Jobling, etc., but less
easily in Chubb (Chapter III) and Jupp. The intermediate form was the
obsolete Joppe. Among the prophetic writers Daniel was an easy
winner, Dann, Dance (Chapter I), Dannatt, Dancock, etc. Balaam is an
imitative spelling of the local Baylham.
In considering these Old Testament names it must be remembered that
the people did not possess the Bible in the vernacular. The teaching
of the parish priests made them familiar with selected episodes, from
which they naturally took the names which appeared to contain the
greatest element of holiness or of warlike renown. It is probable
that the mystery plays were not without influence; for the personal
name was not always a fixed quantity, and many of the names mentioned
in the preceding paragraph may have been acquired rather on the
medieval stage than at the font.
This would apply with still more force to names taken from the legends
of saints and martyrs on which the miracle plays were based. We even
find the names Saint, Martyr and Postill, the regular aphetic form of
apostle (Chapter III), just as we find King and Pope. Camden,
speaking of the freedom with which English names are formed, quotes a
Dutchman, who--
"When he heard of English men called God and Devil, said, that the
English borrowed names from all things whatsoever, good or bad."
The medieval name Godde may of course be for Good, Anglo-Sax. Goda,
but Ledieu is common enough in France. The name seems to be obsolete,
unless it is disguised as Goad. The occurrence in medieval rolls of
Diabolus and le Diable shows that Deville need not always be for de
Eyville. There was probably much competition for this important part,
and the name would not be always felt as uncomplimentary. Among
German surnames we find not only Teufel, but also the compounds
Manteufel and Teufelskind.
NEW TESTAMENT NAMES
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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