The Ses of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Male names:

Salvi (I) derives from the Roman surname Salvius and the Latin word salvus (safe).

Saraceno, Saracen (I) derives from the word Saracen; i.e., an Arab Muslim.

Scarlatto (I) means “scarlet.” The feminine form is Scarlata.

Sclavo (I) means “slave.”

Sigbald (I) derives from Old High German roots sigu (victory) and bald (bold). This name is also Medieval French.

Sixt (I) derives from the Latin name Sixtus, which in turn comes from Greek Xystos (polished, scraped). Because the first Pope to take the name Sixtus was the sixth, it came to be associated with the Latin word sextus (sixth).

Soave (I) may be taken from the Italian word soave (soft, sweet, gentle, delicate) or Suebi, a Germanic tribe.

Sordamor (I)

Female names:

Salomia (I) is a form of Salomé, which derives from the Hebrew word shalom (peace).

Sancta (I) means “holy, consecrated, pious, divine, sacred, just.”

Santesa (I)

Sapienza (I) means “knowledge, wisdom.”

Savia (I) comes from the Latin word sabius (intelligent, rational).

Setembrina (I) means September.

Sforza (I) means “to force, to strain.”

Smeralda (I) means “emerald.” The male form is Smeraldo.

Solavita (I) means “life alone.”

Spania (I) means Spain.

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The Rs of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Female names:

Richelda (I) derives from Ancient Germanic name Richild, derived from Germanic root rîcja (mighty, strong, powerful), Gothic reiks (king, ruler), Celtic rîg or rix (ruler, king), and Old Norse hildr (battle).

Romengarda (T)

Rosuccia (I) is a diminutive of Rosa (rose).

Rugiada (I)

Male names:

Rambaldo (T) derives from Ancient Germanic name Ragimbald, composed of roots ragin (advice) and bald (bold). This name was also Venetian.

Rinieri (I) derives from Ancient Germanic name Raganhar, composed of roots ragin (advice) and hari (army).

Rizardo (T) is a form of Richard, which means “brave ruler” and derives from Ancient Germanic roots ric (ruler, mighty) and hard (hardy, brave). This name was also Venetian.

Robaldo (I) derives from Ancient Germanic name Rotbald, composed of Germanic root hrôthi (fame) and Old High German bald (bold, brave).

Ruggieri (I) is a form of Roger, which means “famous spear.”

Rustico (I) means “rustic, rural.” This is the name of the male protagonist in the most famously dirty story of The Decameron. I can practically recite that story by heart.

The Ps of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Female names:

Pace (I) means “peace.” It’s pronounced PAH-chey, not like the English word “pace.”

Pacifica (I) means “peacemaker.”

Pasca (I) derives from the Latin word Pascha, Passover. The Jewish holiday often falls out near Easter, and many Indo–European languages’ word for Easter derives from that Latin root. Traditionally, the name was given to girls born or baptised on or near Easter. This is also a Medieval Cornish name.

Pasquina (I) similarly derives from Pasqua, the Italian name for Easter.

Patientia (I) means “suffering, patience.”

Pleneria (I) means “plenary.”

Pomellina (I) means “little fruit” and “little apple.”

Primavera (I) means “spring.”

Pulisena (T) is a form of Latin name Polyxena (many guests, very hospitable), derived from original Greek name Polyxene and roots polys (many) and xenos (guest, foreigner). The modern Italian form is Polissena.

Male names:

Palmerio (I) means “pilgrim,” from Latin word palma (palm tree). Pilgrims often returned from Israel with palm fronds to prove they’d visited. The feminine form is Palmeria.

Pangratio (I) looks like it means “all grace” or “all thanks.”

Placentius (I) means “satisfying, pleasing, giving pleasure.” This is also Medieval Spanish.

Polo (I) is most likely a form of Paolo, the Italian form of Paul (small).

Priamo (I) is a form of Greek name Priamos, the ill-fated King of Troy. It possibly means “redeemed.”

Preietto, Proietto (I) are forms of Latin name Praejectus, which comes from the word praejacio (to throw).

The Os of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Male names:

Odart (I) derives from Old High German root ot and Old Saxon od (riches, wealth), and Old High German hart and Old Saxon hard (strong, hard). This name is also Medieval French, Medieval Scottish, and archaic Estonian.

Odelschalk (I) derives from Old High German root uodal (homestead, heritage) and Old Saxon skalk and Old High German scalh, scalc (servant). This name is also Medieval German.

Oderisi (I) derives from Latin name Oderisius, which is of uncertain etymology.

Odrich (I) derives from Old High German root ot and Old Saxon od (riches, wealth), and Old High German rih (ruler). This name is also Medieval French.

Offredo, Offrido (I) is a form of the Ancient Germanic name Autfrid, derived from Germanic root auda (property, wealth) and Old High German fridu (peace), or Ancient Germanic name Hohfrid, derived from Old High German roots hoh (high) and fridu. It may also have been a nickname for names ending in -offredo; e.g., Loffredo, Goffredo, Roffredo.

Omobono (I) means “good man.”

Female names:

Obedienta (I) means “obedient.”

Odierna (I) is a form of Odierne, which is turn is an Old French form of an Ancient Germanic name possibly derived from roots od (riches, fortune, wealth) and gern (desiring, eager; gairns in Gothic). The Medieval French form, Hodierna, was possibly chosen because of the Latin word hodierna (existing now, present, of today).

Onesta (I) comes from the adjective onesta (sincere, honest) or the noun onestà (honesty).

Oradina (I)

Orelia (T) is a form of Aurelia (golden, gilded).

Ostilia (I)

The Ns of Medieval Tuscan and Italian names

Female names:

Nencia (I)

Nente (I)

Nera (I) is the feminine form of Nero, a Roman surname probably of Sabine origin and meaning “vigourous, strong.”

Nicolosa, Niccolosa (I) is a feminine form of Nicholas (victory of the people).

Nofra (I) is a feminine form of Nofri, a short form of Onfredo (Humphrey). It means “peaceful warrior.”

Nonnina (I)

Male names:

Nantelm (I) derives from Proto–Germanic root nanþ (daring, brave) and Old High German and Old Saxon helm (helmet). This name is also Medieval French. The feminine form is Nantelma.

Neri (T) was a diminutive of Ranieri, derived from Ancient Germanic name Raganhar. Its roots are ragin (advice) and hari (army). This name was very fashionable.

Nicoloso (I) is a form of Nicholas.

Nicone (I) is a form of the Greek and Russian name Nikon (victory).