Origin

Old English names

Old English names whisper of hedgerows and hearths — plain-spoken, earthy, and beautifully enduring. They age well because they were never trying to be fashionable: names like Edward, Edith, Alfred, Mildred, and Wilfrid come directly from the Anglo-Saxon period, with meanings rooted in concrete things (wealth, battle, peace, gentleness, will, helmet) rather than abstract virtues. Many fell out of use after the Norman Conquest and have only returned in the last fifty years, often with a vintage shine they didn't have in their first run. The full Old English-origin library is below.