Epic (and Not-So-Epic) Names from Le Morte D’Arthur

By Danièle Cybulskie

Looking for a name for your avatar? Look no further! Everyone knows Lancelot and Gawain, but here are some lesser-known names from one of my favourite books: Thomas Mallory’s Le Morte D’Arthur.

Epic Names

1. Breunys Saunze Pyté (Without Pity)

2. Balyne le Saveage (The Savage)

3. Sagramour le Desyrus (The Desirous)

4. Sextore of Lybye

5. Ironsyde

6. Playne de Amoris (Full of Love)

7. Playne de Fors (Full of Strength)

8. Perys de Forest Savage (of the Savage Forest)

9. Degrave Saunze Vylony (Without Villainy)

10. Hebes le Renowné (The Renowned)

Not-So-Epic Names

These names are considerably less epic, either because of what they mean, or because of how we’d pronounce them in modern English.

1. Arnold le Bruse

2. Sorluse of the Foreyste

3. Gylberte the Bastarde

4. Nanowne le Petyte (The Small)

5. Hellyas le Grose (The Fat)

6. Kayhidius

7. Uwayne les Avoutres (of Adultery – a bastard)

8. Fyze de Vaysshoure (Son of the Cowherd)

9. Bellyaunce le Orgulus (the Arrogant)

10. Garnysh of the Mownte

Names for the Ladies

Here are some lesser-known ladies’ names from Mallory. Some of these ladies are good, some are bad.

1. Anglydes

2. Lyle of Avilion (of Avalon)

3. Byeaue Vyvaunte (Good Living)

4. Alys le Beall Pylgryme (The Beautiful Pilgrim)

5. Isode le Blaunche Maynes (of the White Hands)

6. Lady of the Rule

7. Aunowre de Foreyste Perelous (of the Perilous Forest)

8. Elayne le Blanke (The White)

9. Lyonett, Damesell Saveage (Lady Savage)

10. Nynyve, Lady of the Lake

(Translations are in part from the Norton Le Morte Darthur, and part my own.)

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Top Image: Aubrey Beardsley – Le Morte d’Arthur