Contents

Introduction
Abbreviations, Definitions and Signs
Naming a Child
Women's Given Names
Men's Given Names
Locatives
Adjectival Locative Bynames
Prepositions, Articles and Other Words
Bibliography
End Notes

Introduction

These names are found in Domenico Bortolan's Vocabolario del Dialetto Antico Vicentino (Dal Secolo XIV a tutto il Secolo XVI), Vocabulary of the Old Vicentine Dialect (from the 14th Century to the 16th Century). Dates and spellings in this vocabulary were found in period, public documents, rare family chronicles, and literature. Bortolan's Vocabolario is not exhaustive.

The Vicentine dialect and close the Padovano dialect are different than Italian so I have included Bortolan's modern Italian spellings only as a comparison.

Vicenza is approximately 40 miles west of Venice and 24 miles Northwest of Padova.

Abbreviations, definitions and signs

ant. - name found in antiquity, usually Roman.

dim. - diminutive

f. - feminine

fam. - family

Fr. - French

Ger. - German

Gr. - Greek

Hu. - Hungarian

locative - place name

m. - masculine

spell. - spelling

Sw. - Swiss

Venetan - modern term for dialects of the Veneto region that is not Venetian.

Veneto - modern name of the Italian region with Venice as the capital.

[..] - additions by article author

* - locatives within the Vicentine province

Naming a child in Renaissance Vicenza and the Veneto

Names given to children in thirteenth century Vicenza and elsewhere in Italy centered on the child. They could be names of affection or good wishes, also congratulatory, or theophoric.

The popularity of this way of naming changed over the centuries and by the fifteenth century two practices were highly popular. The first method was giving to the child the name of a recently deceased relative. That practice was called remaking the dead so that the relative would be remembered. The second was naming the child after a saint: early church fathers, evangelists, apostles and newer saints. Both practices gave the child an ally in Heaven.

Families from the Veneto usually named their daughters after female saints rather than following the practices of the Tuscans who feminized male saints' names or a given name followed by a saint's name. In Vicenza and the Veneto, not all parents followed the popular way of naming. Daughters were not really part of the patrilineal line so parents were freer to give their daughters names from legends, romances, or myths if they chose to but this was uncommon. Ancient or pagan given names were rare. One Veronese family gave ancient names to their sons. other text 3 2 more text

Women's Given Names

Vicentine Type Modern Italian Date

Agnola


Angela

1560

Anzola


Angela

1590

Betta


Elisabetta

1590

Domenega


Domenica

1409, 1447, 1450, 1472, 1493, 1503, 1512, 1522

Doviga


Ludovica

1560

Eufomia


Eufemia

1503

Fomia


Euphemia

1412

Franciscina

dim.

Franceschina

1412

Gnesetta

dim.

Agnesina

1590

Gniese


Agnese

1590

Imperaise 2


Imperatrice

1560

Isabetta

dim.

Elisabetta

1590

Ixabeta

dim.

Elisabetta

1512

Loretta

dim.

Lauretta

1560, 1590

Lutia

ant.

Lucia

1590

Magdalena


Maddalena

1489

Malgareta


Margherita

1560, 1561

Margareta


Margherita

1561

Momina

dim.

Giacomina

1560

Piera


Pierina

1529

Presidia 3


Prassede

1473

Viga


Lodovica

1560, 1590

Men's Given Names

Note: In three names the letter Y occurs. Two of the names were found in family chronicles, the third comes from a public document. I attribute these name spellings to the dialect's connection with its Latin origin. Modern Italian, like literary Florentine from which it comes, does not use the letter Y unless it is a foreign word.

Vicentine Type Modern Italian Date

Adan


Adamo

1560

Agnolo


Angelo

1495, 1562, 1563, 1590

Agustin

dim.

Agostino

1412

Albrigo


Alberico

1412

Alexandro

ant.

Alessandro

1529

Ambroso


Ambrogio

1412

Ambroxo


Ambrogio

1503

Antuogno

ant.

Antonio

1560

Baptista


Battista

1450

Bartholameo, Brotholamio


Bortolameo [sic]

1375, 1376

Bastian


Sebastiano

1503, 1560

Cecco


Francesco

1560

Cenzon


Vincenzo

1560

Ceseron

ant.

Cicerone

1560

Checo


Francesco

1529, 1535, 1590

Chimento


Clemente

1412, 1499

Climento


Clemente

1415

Corà


Corrado

1412

Cristofano


Cristoforo

1503, 1590

Domenego


Domenico

1450, 1503, 1529, 1560

Dominico

Domenico

1493

Fedrigo


Federico

1489, 1549

Felipo


Filippo

1503

Felixe


Felice [m & f]

1412, 1433, 1450, 1463, 1498, 1503, 1548

Ferigo


Federico

1412

Fioriano


Floriano

1503

Fostin

dim.

Faustino

1412

Freo


Manfredo

1519

Galiazzo


Galeazzo

1400-1524

Giachemo


Giacomo

1560

Giuorio


Giorgio

1560

Gostin

dim.

Agostino

1560

Grigolo


Gregorio

1450

Gugielmo


Guglielmo

1503

Guielmo


Guglielmo

1366, 1529

Guio


Guido

1376

Hetor

ant.

Ettore

1590

Hieronymo


Girolamo

1412, 1590 Spell. found in Cronica Monza (fam.)

Hyronimo


Girolamo

1479 Spell. found in Cronica Repeta (fam.)

Iacobo


Giacomo

1450

Iacometto

dim.

Giacometto

1562

Iacomo, Iachomo


Giacomo

1425, 1450, 1458, 1493, 1495, 1503, 1529

Ieronimo


Girolamo

1463, 1503

Ioachino

dim.

Gioacchino

1387

Ioanne


Giovanni

1545

Ioanni


Giovanni

1450

Iohanni


Giovanni

1509

Iseppo


Giuseppe

1511, 1560, 1562, 1590

Iuliano


Giuliano

1535

Iulio

ant.

Giulio

1487, 1503, 1509, 1512

Ixepo


Giuseppe

1503

Laurentio


Lorenzo

1415, 1450, 1463

Lionzo


Leonzio

1415, 1463, 1490, 1503

Lissandro

ant.

Alessandro

1590

Lodovigo


Lodovico

1509, 1548

Ludovigo


Lodovico

1509

Lunardo


Leonardo

1472, 1509, 1512

Manfreo


Manfredo

1473

Marcuro

ant.

Mercurio

1560

Marzelo


Marcello

1529

Mathio


Matteo

1503

Maximian


Massimiliano

1400-1524, 1444-1532

Menego


Dominico

1560

Merigo


Almerico

1590

Michaele


Michele

1463

Michiele


Michele

1450, 1503

Michile


Michele

1415, 1503

Ovilio

ant.

Ovidio

1590

Paulo


Paolo

1509

Perin

dim.

Pierino

1450

Pero


Pietro

1387, 1412, 1447

Piaton

ant.

Platone

1560, 1590

Piero


Pietro

1376, 1433, 1450, 1453, 1463, 1489, 1499, 1503, 1509, 1560, 1562-3

Piro


Pietro

1412, 1450

Polinaro


Apollinare

1412

Polo


Paolo

1362, 1412, 1503, 1564

Quilico


Quirico

1382

Restuotele

ant.

Aristotile

1560

Reynaldo


Rinaldo

1381 Spell. found in public documents

Rigo


Enrico

1385

Ruffiello


Raffaele

1560

Salvestro


Silvestro

1473, 1512

Simion

Simione

1415

Slazaro


Lazzaro

1560

Stevano


Stefano

1499, 1503

Stivano


Stefano

1412, 1450, 1512

Stotile

ant.

Aristotile

1590

Svetrulio

ant.

Vitruvio

1560

Tadio


Taddeo

1503

Thomaxo


Tommaso

1560

Tomaxo


Tommaso

1499, 1400-1524

Tuogno


Antonio

1560

Verzilio

ant.

Virgilio

1560

Vido

ant.

Vito

1400-1524

Vizenzo


Vincenzo

1503, 1529

Zamaria


Giammaria

1529

Zambattista


Giambattista

1590

Zampiero


Giampietro

1412, 1503

Zanantonio


Giannantonio

1503

Zanetto

dim.

Giovannino

1560

Zanjorio


Giangiorgio

1412

Zazeron

ant.

Cicerone

1560

Zilio

ant.

Virgilio

1590

Zorzi -o


Giorgio

1473-74, 1503

Zuam


Giovanni

1450, 1503

Zuampiro


Giampietro

1525

Zuane, Zuhano


Giovanni

1368, 1387, 1454, 1457, 1493, 1535, 1540, 1564, 1590

Zuanmaria


Giammaria

1503

Zuhane


Giovanni

1450, 1563

Zuliano


Giuliano

1375, 1503

Locatives

Vicentine Modern Italian Date

Allemania (Germany)

Alemagna

1444-1532

Axolo (city)

Asolo

1444-1532

Berega (city)

Berica

1412

Bressa (city)

Brescia

1592

Fiorenza, Fiorenze (city)

Firenze

1493, 1560; 1400-1524

Franza, Infranza (France)

Francia

1479, 1509, 1560

Gagietta (city)

Gaeta

1400-1524

Lamagna (Germany)

Alemagna

1560

Mantoa (city)

Mantova

1493

Marostega* (city)

Marostica

1412

Moncelexe (city)

Monselice

1400-1524

Montegio* (city)

Montechio

1450

Ongaria (Hungary)

Ungheria

1444-1532

Orglan* (city)

Orgiano

1412

Padoa, Pava (city)

Padova

1450, 1560, 1561, 1587, 1590

Pedimonte* (city)

Pedemonte

1548

Perosa (city)

Perugia

1463

Polexene (city)

Polesine

1400-1524

Potentia (city)

Potenza

1560

Sena (city)

Siena

1412

Spania (Spain)

Spagna

1400-1524

Tresseno* (city)

Trissino

1387

Trevixo (city)

Treviso

1400-1524

Vegnesia, Vegniesia (city)

Venezia

1560

Venesia, Venetia, Venexia (city)

Venezia

1458, 1560, 1564, 1572, 1574, 1579, 1512, 1590

Veniexia (city)

Venezia

1415, 1463

Vincencia, Vicentia* (city)

Vicenza

1382, 1453

Vizenza* (city)

Vicenza

1368, 1371, 1414, 1454, 1472, 1521

Zonzan* (city)

Sossano

1412

Adjectival locative bynames

Vicentine Gender Modern Italian Date

Bressan

m.

Bresciano

1433

Brexana

f.

Bresciano

1444-1532

Cuman

m.

di Como [sic]

1433

Fiorentinesco

m.

Fiorentino

1590

Franzesa (Fr.)

f.

Francese

1545

Franzoso (Fr.)

m.

Francese

1509, 1560, 1590

Franzovo (Fr.)

m.

Francese

1509

Franzuoso (Fr.)

m.

Francese

1560

Griego (Gr.)

m.

Greco

1590

Mediolanense

m. & f.

Milanese

1509

Ongaro (Hu.)

m.

Ungherese

1444-1532

Padoan

m.

Padovano

1433, 1464, 1495

Paduano

m.

Padovano

1516

Pavan

m.

Padovano

1560, 1590

Poiexe

m.

Pugliese

1415

Sguizsaro (Sw.)

m.

Svizzero

1590

Sguizsero (Sw.)

m.

Svizzero

1400-1524

Spagnaruolo

m.

Spagnuolo

1560

Toesco (Ger.)

m.

Tedesco

1590

Thoesco (Ger.)

m.

Tedesco

1560

Todesco (Ger.)

m.

Tedesco

1409, 1412, 1509, 1548, 1564

Todisco (Ger.)

m.

Tedesco

1511

Toisco (Ger.)

m.

Tedesco

1560

Trivisan

m.

Trevigiano

1464, 1400-1524

Trivixan

m.

Trevigiano

1464, 1400-1524

Ungaro (Hu.)

m.

Ugherese

1400-1524, 1506

Veneciana

f.

Veneziana

1412

Veronense

m. & f.

Veronese

1506

Veronexe

m.

Veronese

1385, 1412

Veronexo

m.

Veronese

1385, 1412

Vexentin -o

m.

Vicentino

1362, 1368, 1370, 1384, 1412, 1415,

1463-64

Vexentina

f.

Vicentino

1400-1524

Vinitiano

vinixiano [sic]

m.

Veneziano

1400-1524

Zenoixi

pl.

Genovesi

1400-1524

Prepositions, articles and other words

Vicentine English Modern Italian Gender Date

da 4,5

from

da

n/a

1610 [ann. 1560.]

de

of

di

n/a

1368 - 1590

el

the

il

m.

1368, 1375, 1376, 1409, 1412, 1414, 1415, 1425, 1433, 1447, 1454, 1463, 1464, 1493, 1499, 1512, 1516, 1529

la 6,7,8

the

la

f.

1610 [ann. 1560.]

dicto

called

detto

m.

1412, 1415, 1450, 1463, 1464, 1495, 1506, 1509, 1529, 1512

dicta

called

detta

f.

1362, 1375, 1376, 1382, 1387, 1415, 1433, 1447, 1516, 1548

dita

called

detta

f.

1458, 1474, 1503

dito

called

detto

m.

1463-4, 1503, 1517, 1529, 1560-63, 1565

ditta

called

detta

f.

1409, 1454, 1463, 1503, 1561, 1565

fia

daughter

figlia

f

1415, 1464

fio

son

figlio

m

1560

fiola

daughter

figliuola

f

1412,1472, 1503

fiolo

son

figliuolo

m

1376, 1381, 1412, 1415, 1450, 1463, 1473, 1480, 1493, 1503, 1506, 1509, 1522, 1535, 1562, 1563, 1587

mugier

wife

moglie

f

1450, 1400-1524

mugliere

wife

moglie

f

1480, 1482-1567

relita

widow

vedova

f

1569

vedoa

widow

vedova

f

1560

Bibliography

Bortolan, D. Domenico. Vocabolario del Dialetto Antico Vicentino (Dal Secolo XIV a tutto il Secolo XVI), 1893. Electronic. URL: http://archive.org/details/vocabolariodeldi00bortuoft

Brunelli, Michele. General Grammar Book of the Venetan Language and its Varieties. English version of the 4th edition of "Manual Gramatical de la Léngua Vèneta e le só Varianti ", Basan / Bassano Del Grappa, publisher, electronic issued in 2007 on the web.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/76087705/mgx_veneto_en

Brunelli, Michele. Private correspondence, 2013.

De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario Dei Nomi Italiani, Mondadori, 1997. Print.

Florio, John. Florio's 1611 Italian/English Dictionary: Queen Anna's New World of Words. My PDF copy sent to me by Greg Lindahl. Florio's 1598 and 1611 (searchable) dictionaries may be found online at http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/florio/

Grubb, James S., Provincial Families of the Renaissance: Private and Public Life in the Veneto, 1996, Johns Hopkins University Press. Print.

Grubb, James S., Private correspondence, 2013.

Hoare, Alfred, M.A., An Italian Dictionary, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 1925. Print

Lepschy, Giulio. Mother Tongue and Other Reflections on the Italian Language. University of Toronto Press, 2002. Print.

Maganza, Giovanni Battista. La prima quarta parte de le Rime di Magagnò, Menon, e Begotto. In lingua rustica padouana. Con molte additioni di nuouo aggiuntoui; corrette, & ristampate. Et col primo canto di m. Lodouico Ariosto nuouamente tradotto La prima parte de le rime di Magagno, Menon, e Begotto, in lingua rustica padouana... Appresso Giorgio Bizzardo, 1610 [ann.1560]. Electronic. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_ONd_k6qNaGgC

This source is period but may not be the same edition that Bortolan used.

---- La prima [-quarta] parte de le Rime di Magagnò, Menon, e Begotto. In lingua rustica padouana. Con molte additioni di nuouo aggiuntoui; corrette, & ristampate. Et col primo canto di m. Lodouico Ariosto nuouamente tradotto La seconda parte de le rime di Magagno, Menon, e Begotto in lingua rustica padouana . Appresso Giorgio Bizzardo, 1610 [ann.1560]. Electronic.

http://books.google.com/books?id=9pn8MMBOhlkC&hl=&source=gbs_api

This source is period but may not be the same edition that Bortolan used.

--- La prima quarta parte de le Rime di Magagnò, Menon, e Begotto. In lingua rustica padouana. Con molte additioni di nuouo aggiuntoui; corrette, & ristampate. Et col primo canto di m. Lodouico Ariosto nuouamente tradotto La terza parte de le rime de Magagno, Menon, e Begotto. Appresso Giorgio Bizzardo, 1610 [ann.1560]. Electronic. https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_XrHJjxIjJ_sC

This source is period but may not be the same edition that Bortolan used.

(There are other period, editions of the Maganza books by other publishers online.)

Nazari, Giulio. Dizionario Vicentino-Italiano e regole di grammatica..., Metodo premiato dal IX Congresso Pedadogico. Orderzo 1876, Tipografico Bianchi. Electronic.

http://books.google.com/books?id=14UCAAAAQAAJ

Pagliarino, Battista [1415 - 1506], Croniche di Vicenza [Not published until 1663, in Italian.] Historae Urbium Et Regonum Italiae Rariores XLVII. A Forni, Editore. Ristampa fotomeccanica 1981. Electronic. http://books.google.com/books?id=NjwJAQAAIAAJ

Pellegrini, Giovan B., Toponomastica Italiana, U. Hoepli, Ed., 1990. Print.

Queirazza, Giuliano G., et. al., Dizionario di toponomastica. Storia e significato dei nomi geografici italiani. UTET LIbreria, Torino, 2006. Print.

Endnotes

1 Grubb, J. Provincial Families of the Renaissance , etc. The Veronese Pindemonte family gave names of ancient persons to males. Index, s.n. Pindemonte: Demosthenes, Hector, Pliny, Seneca, Tullius.

2 Ibid., 46. "Little Ursula Arnaldi was given the additional name of Imperatrice in 1438 because of a recent imperial passage through the city." In the Vocabolario this was not a name but a word meaning empress.

3 Traditional, 2nd century saint Praxedes.

4 In an email from Prof. Grubb, 9/27/2013, he stated that both <da> and <de> were used with toponyms. "Vicentine orthography was inconsistent in the fifthteenth century, especially in vernacular documents."

5 The preposition <da> throughout Maganza, Giovanni Battista. " La seconda quarta parte de le Rime di Magagnò, Menon, e Begotto. In lingua rustica padouana." With a locative see PDF p.71, "...in lengua da pauan" e.g. in the tongue of Padova. Aslo Terza Parte PDF p. 121, "da Paua", e.g. from Padova.

6 In modern Venetan dialects, feminine proper names always use the article 'ła' before each given name element unless it is in the vocative case (addressing a woman). M. Brunelli, General Grammar Book. The same use of 'la' is found in the Vocabolario sources.

7 The feminine article <la> is not in Bortolan's vocabulary but appears in his source, " La prima quarta parte de le Rime di Magagnò, Menon, e Begotto. In lingua rustica padouana", Parte Prima, Menon section, et passim, PDF p.96: la Franceschina, la Catharina, la Malgaretta, la Betta. Padovano was very close to the Vicentino dialect.

8 G. Lepschy's Mother Tongue and Other Reflections on the Italian Language devotes a chapter to the anonymous, sixteenth century Venetian dialectal play, La Veniexiana. One of two main characters, Valiera, mentions her sister <la Laurina, mia suor> [in modern Italian], the Laurina my sister. A suggested date of the play is 1536. Lepschy notes that Valiera and Anzola, the sick widow, were probably real persons. The Archive in Venice shows a Valiera Valier who married Giacomo Semiecolo in 1535, had a sister Laura. Anzola Valier, the widow of Marco Barbarigo, died in 1535, p. 97.