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The forms of Gothic names found in works of history are generally based on those found in the

Greek and Latin sources. By comparing these forms to the known Gothic vocabulary and to

other Germanic names, however, it is possible to reconstruct something like their original Gothicforms.

Thus historians talk of Theodoric the Great, Odovacar, Alaric or Uraias but the Goths wouldhave said 'Thiudareiks', 'Audawakrs'. 'Alhareiks' and 'Wraihja'. Many Gothic names, like early

Germanic names generally, are made of two nymic elements being combined - these tables give

a list of some of the more common Gothic nymic elements, with their Modern and Old Englishequivalents.

Initial Nymic Elements

Gothic English Old EnglishAhta- terrible

Airmana- lofty(?) Eormen-

Alh- temple Ealh-Amala- effort/toil(?)

Anda- spirit/courage

Ans- god Os-

Athala- noble Aethel-Athana- year(?)

Auda- wealth Ead-

Badwa- battle Beado-

Baltha- bold Bald-Daga- day Daeg-

Filu- much

Frithu- peace Freothu-Gaisu- spear Gar-

Gawi- country

Goda- good God-Guda- God

Guntha- battle Guth-

Harja- army Here-

Hauha- high Heah-

Hildi- war Hilde-Huna- Hun(?) Hun-

Liuda- people Leod-Mahta- mighty Meaht-

Nantha- brave Noth-

Ragina- counsel

Reda- counsel Raed-Reika- ruler/king Ric-

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Sigisa- victory Sige-

Sunya- true

Swintha- strong Swith-Thauris- daring

Thiuda- people Theod-

Thrasa- confidenceWaihti- fighting Wiht-Wandila- Vandal

Wili- will Wil-

Winitha- WendWulfa- wolf Wulf-

Terminal Nymic Elements (Masculine)

Gothic English Old English-badws war -baed(?)

-bairhts bright -berht-balths bold -bald-friths peaceful -frith

-funs ready/eager -fus

-gairns desiring -georn

-gais spear -gar-gauya citizen(?)

-harjis army -here

-liufs dear -leof-mers famous -maer

-munths protector -mund

-nanths daring -noth-reths counsel -red-reiks ruler/king -ric

-swinths strong -swith

-wakrs watchful -wacor-wulfs wolf -wulf

Terminal Nymic Elements (Feminine)

Gothic English Old English

-gunth(i)s battle -gyth-hild(i)s war -hild

-swintha strong -swithIt is possible to create a Gothic name by combining two of these traditional elements -

Gaisumunths = 'spear-protector', or Harjareiks = 'army ruler'. Many of these duonymic names

had 'meanings' which were nonsensical or even contradictory, such as Frithugais (peace spear) or

Frithubadws (peace war). It seems that 'Frithu-' was simply a traditional element for the

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beginning of a name and '-gais' was simply a traditional element for the ending of a name and the

'meaning' of the two elements in combination simply did not matter.

Eventually the names themselves would have become traditional and no-one would have thought

of their meanings any more than modern people think about the Latin, Greek or Hebrew

meanings of many of their names.

Some Gothic names seem to be contractions or abbreviations of longer, more traditional

forms. 'Gaina' may be a contraction of 'Gaisananths' for example. Similarly, 'Wamba' may be acontraction of 'Wandilbairhts', or it may mean 'belly' (as in the English 'womb') and be a

nickname for a fat man or a man with a large appetite.

Other Gothic names were diminutives, created by the addition of the suffixes '-ila' or '-

ika'. 'Attila' (Little Father - 'atta'+'-ila') is one of the more famous of these names, as is 'Wulfila'

(Little Wolf) the original Gothic form of the name of the apostle to the Goths, Ulphilas.

Finally, shorter Gothic names were also common and these were formed by adding the finalelements '-a' or '-ja' to the initial nymic elements listed above or to other Gothic words. SoUraias' real name may have been 'Wraihja' from the vern 'wreihan' - to protect, while Leuva

could have been 'Liuba' from the noun 'liufs' - dear one.