Franks and Normans in the Mediterranean: A Comparative Examination of Naming Patterns

This paper examines comparatively the naming patterns of the Normans of southern Italy and the Latins of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem—two regions that were targets of Western Latin conquest and migration. Based on the premise that naming preferences reveal cultural, social, and religious attitudes, recent studies of the anthroponymic patterns of medieval European and Mediterranean regions aim at exploring the cultural ties, influences, and barriers between different religious and social groups, and the interaction between immigration/colonization and naming patterns. This study asks whether the evidence from the name-giving practices of the settlers bears out the similarities or the differences between these immigrant groups, and aims to contribute indirectly to the question of the groups' internal identity. The comparative analysis reveals the uniqueness of each group and adds a perspective to the question of the cultural identity of these groups, which has not hitherto been examined in a comparative and quantitative manner.