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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources
☙

Godiva f. Old English god 'god, deity' + Old English gifu 'gift'.

The legend of the ride of Godiva, wife of Leofric earl of Mercia in the 11th C, first recorded in the 13th C, helped the name retain popularity after the Norman Conquest.

England
Latin
● 1189 Godeva (nom) GASurv p. 178, Godiva (nom) ibid. p. 127; 1222 Godive (gen) StPaulDom p. 38
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Godiva". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2016, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2016/3/name/Godiva.