The Bs of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Male names:

Belfante (I) means “fair child.”

Benasuto (T). This name, which I can’t find the etymology of, was also Venetian.

Berlinghiero (T) is a form of Ancient Germanic name Berengar, from roots bern (bear) and ger (spear).

Bindo (T, I) was particularly popular in Florence (Firenze). The etymology is unknown.

Blasio (T) is a form of Blaise, ultimately from Latin name Blasius and in turn Latin word blaesus (lisping). This was also a Venetian name. The feminine form is Blasia.

Bonanno (I) means “good year.”

Brancaleone (I) either means “lion’s paw,” from roots branca (paw, claw) and leone (lion), or “he who captures a lion,” from roots brancare (to seize, to grasp) and leone.

Buonamico (I) means “good friend.”

Buonfiglio (I) means “good child.”

Female names:

Baccia (T) is the feminine form of Baccio, a diminutive of names starting with B and ending in -accio/-accia.

Bellaflore (I) means “beautiful flower.”

Bellavita (I) means “beautiful life.”

Benetta (T) is the feminine form of Benetto, a diminutive of Benedetto (blessed). This was also a Venetian name.

Benevenuto (T) is the feminine form of Benevenuto.

Bonafemina (I) means “good woman.”

Bonizella (T, I)

Brisca (T)

Brunisenda (I) derives from Brunissenda, the Medieval French form of an Ancient Germanic name with the roots brun (“brown” or “protection, armour”) and swinth (strong).

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2 thoughts on “The Bs of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

  1. “He who captures a lion”. Can’t help wondering what it would look like if there were names with new, modern meanings, with definitions like “he who goes viral” or “he with small (carbon) footprint”. It won’t happen, but is fun to think about.

  2. Pingback: A to Z reflections 2021 | Onomastics Outside the Box

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