Brian
  m.
  
  Of uncertain origin, possibly related to Proto-Brythonic *brigonos 'high, noble'.
  
  
  
  The name of a 10th-11th C high king of Ireland.
 
  
  
- England
 
- 
- Latin
 
- ● 1185x1186 Brien' (acc) PR-XXXVI p. 15;
 1189 Brianus (nom) GASurv p. 165;
 1194 Brianus (nom) RotCur-vol1 p. 6;
 1222 Brianus (nom) StPaulDom p. 41,
 briani (gen) ibid. p. 39;
 1530 Brianno (dat) LIWill-III p. 32;
 1530/31 Briano (dat) ibid. p. 94,
 Brianus (nom) ibid. p. 95;
 1558 Bryanni (gen) Reg-KirkElla p. 1,
 Bryanus (nom) ibid. p. 1
 
- Early Modern English
 
- ● 1530 Brian LIWill-III p. 22,
 Bryan ibid. p. 5,
 bryan PP-HenV p. 19;
 1556/57 Bryan PRThirsk p. 1;
 1567 Bryant BEmar-vol2 p. 95;
 1582 Brian StAnthonlin p. 29;
 1583 Bryann HAmar-vol9 p. 68;
 1588/9 Brian StMary-Ke p. iv;
 1590 Bryan BEmar-vol1 p. 14
 
 
- France
 
- 
- Latin
 
- ● 1258 Briani (gen) ArrestReg-volI I, Pentecost,
 Brianum (acc) ibid. I, Pentecost,
 Brianus (nom) ibid. I, Pentecost
 
 
- Ireland
 
- 
- Latin
 
- ● fin12thC Brian (nom) MunDocIr III, p. 24
 
 
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Brian". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2016, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2016/3/name/Brian.