How Medieval People Named Their Animals is Explored in New Book
By Jill Dando News
The relationship between medieval people and their pets is the topic of the latest book by the University of Leicester’s Dr Ben Parsons.
Introducing Medieval Animal Names explores what names medieval people gave to the animals with which they lived and worked.
Dr Parsons’s research explores the general assumption that there was a clear distinction between humans and animals within medieval culture, thereby reinforcing the supremacy of human beings.
Because of this, medieval animals are typically believed to have carried different names from humans.
Hence hunting hounds and war-horses had poetic names emphasising their power, such as Kilbuck and Manley.
There are also records of wolves and whales being given monstrous and fearsome names, such as the man-eating Coutaut (meaning Cut-tail) or ship-wreckers Cethegrande and Lyngbakr.
However, there is evidence of a blurring of lines between human and animal naming conventions.
Popular names for cats in the medieval period included Raoul and Gibbe (from Gilbert), whilst dog names included Colle and Hog, variants of Nicholas and Roger.
A common name for a goose was Tyb but work-horses were more likely to be called Scot or Gyll. Malle (Molly) and Wilkin (Willy) were the most popular medieval names for sheep.
Some of these names have left marks on our language today.
For example, the term ‘hobbyhorse’ and the common horse name, ‘Dobbin’ can be traced back to the name Hobbe (meaning Robby). Parsons also suggests that the word ‘robin’, a pet form of Robert, overtook the earlier ‘redbrest’ to describe the bird. It is also thought that ‘magpie’ derives from Magge (Maggy).
Dr Ben Parsons, Associate Professor in Late Medieval and Early Modern Literature at the University of Leicester said:
“Although they might seem trivial or negligible, the names medieval people chose for their animals provide an important key for unlocking their perceptions of the natural world.
“The names carry a whole range of judgements about animals, showing us what qualities they valued in their pets, steeds and livestock, and how much identity or personhood they were willing to assign to them.”
Introducing Medieval Animal Names is set to be published in June 2025 by the University of Wales Press.
More information about Introducing Medieval Animal Names can be found here.
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