[Facts] Re: Germanic "berts"
in reply to a message by beliefs
In fact, the Germanic name elements are freely combining ignoring a consistent meaning. So don't take that "bright raven" too literally. Also black birds can be shiny, having somewhat reflecting feathers.
The meaning of bert is primary the visual appearance, related to that is, e.g., the modern English word birch, the tree is named for its white bark. The meaning of bert (older: bercht) is well established. The same holds for ram, older hraban "raven". There are no alternate sources for both name elements, and there are no close-by name elements with which they can mix ("contamination" in more technical language).
Camembert is interesting, anylysed as "Camp Maimbert" (field of Maimbert), Maimbert is obviously a personal name and derived from Megin-Bert.
P.S. Looking for reliable sources: Here's one in German:
Dräger, Kathrin, Bertram, in: Digitales Familiennamenwörterbuch Deutschlands,
URL: http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/434/1
The meaning of bert is primary the visual appearance, related to that is, e.g., the modern English word birch, the tree is named for its white bark. The meaning of bert (older: bercht) is well established. The same holds for ram, older hraban "raven". There are no alternate sources for both name elements, and there are no close-by name elements with which they can mix ("contamination" in more technical language).
Camembert is interesting, anylysed as "Camp Maimbert" (field of Maimbert), Maimbert is obviously a personal name and derived from Megin-Bert.
P.S. Looking for reliable sources: Here's one in German:
Dräger, Kathrin, Bertram, in: Digitales Familiennamenwörterbuch Deutschlands,
URL: http://www.namenforschung.net/id/name/434/1
This message was edited yesterday, 7:21 AM