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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources
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Sibyl f. Ancient Greek Σίβυλλα 'sibyl'.

The name of a 12th C queen of Jerusalem, a 12th C queen consort of Scotland, a 13th C queen consort of Armenia, and a 13th C queen of Sicily.

The English diminutive Sib and the vernacular form Sibil are witnessed in 1379 in the relational bynames Sibsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 29), Sibsoñwif' (WRYPT1 p. 294), and Sibilsoñ (WRYPT1 p. 313).

England
Latin
● 1189 Sibile (gen) GASurv p. 197, Sibilia (nom) ibid. p. 195; 1256 Sibilla (nom) EARNb p. 6, Sibillam (acc) ibid. p. 4, Sibillæ (gen) ibid. p. 6; 1279–80 Sibilla (nom) WaHR-SK p. 45, Sibille (gen) ibid. p. 50; 1296 Sibille (gen) RCS-1 p. 95a; 1340xc1450 Sibilia (nom) CovGuild-1 p. 9, Sibilla (nom) ibid. p. 86; 1379 Sibilla (nom) WRYPT1 p. 3; 1381 Sibilia (nom) Suffolk1381 p. 68, Sibilla (nom) ibid. p. 118; 1436 Sibillæ (dat) WillsInv LX; 1555 Sybilla (nom) StMartF p. 58; 1558 Sibilla (nom) Reg-KirkElla p. 1
◑ 1379 Sibota (nom) WRYPT1 p. 5
Early Modern English
● 1529 Sible CovGuild-2 p. 86; 1530 Sibbell LIWill-III p. 20; 1539 Sibbly DEmar-vol1 p. 77; 1543 Sibble StAnthonlin p. 4; 1545 Sibbill BEmar-vol1 p. 3; 1546 Sibble StAnthonlin p. 5; 1548/9 Sybill RegIng p. 3; 1550 Sibble StAnthonlin p. 8; 1551 Syblyth BarnstapleBap p. 7; 1552 Syblyth ibid. p. 7; 1553 Sibylye ibid. p. 8; 1554 Sibble StAnthonlin p. 10, Siblyth BarnstapleBap p. 8; 1558 Sibill bruton-vol1 p. 109; 1560 Sibell SOmar-vol9 p. 2; 1561 Sibble StAnthonlin p. 14, Syble BEmar-vol2 p. 128; 1562 Sibell bruton-vol1 p. 32; 1565 Sibill ibid. p. 111, Sible StAnthonlin p. 17; 1566 Sybell BEmar-vol2 p. 128; 1567 Sybbell RegBisham p. 2; 1568 Sible StAnthonlin p. 19, Sybbell RegBisham p. 2; 1576 Sybbell BEmar-vol1 p. 10; 1578 Sybell WAmar-1 p. 98; 1580 Sebell COmar-vol5 p. 6; 1582 Sibble BEmar-vol2 p. 130; 1583 Sibell bruton-vol1 p. 45; 1583/4 Sybell RegBisham p. 4; 1585 Sibly DEmar-vol2 p. 11, Sybil ibid. p. 11; 1587 Sibbly DEmar-vol1 p. 85; 1588/9 Sibbell BEmar-vol1 p. 13; 1588 Sibell StAnthonlin p. 33, Sibill bruton-vol1 p. 48, Sybilla DEmar-vol2 p. 15; 1589 Sibell BUmar-vol2 p. 117, Sibill bruton-vol1 p. 48, Sybel DEmar-vol2 p. 18; 1591 Sibbly DEmar-vol1 p. 86; 1592 Sibbell BEmar-vol1 p. 15, Sibill StAnthonlin p. 35, bruton-vol1 p. 51; 1593 Sybbell RegBisham p. 5; 1594 Sibbell ibid. p. 5, Sibill bruton-vol1 p. 10, Sible StAnthonlin p. 37; 1596 Sibill bruton-vol1 p. 55, Sybell COmar-vol2 p. 72; 1597 Sibley DEmar-vol2 p. 37
◑ 1559 Sybeye BarnstapleBap p. 10; 1573 Sybbie BEmar-vol2 p. 129
France
Latin
● 1119 Sibilla (nom) CartNDSaintes VI, Sibille (dat) ibid. VI; 1131 Sibille (dat) ibid. XXII; 1138x1162 Sibilla (abl) clairvaux-12thc 67; 1147 Sibilla (abl) ibid. 19; 1147x1162 Sibilla (nom) ibid. 49, Sibille (gen) ibid. 49; 1163–64 Sibilla (nom) ibid. 106; 1164 Sibilla (nom) ibid. 120; 1168 Sibilla (nom) ibid. 134; 1231 Sybilla (abl) NDParisII 2-LXXXVIII; 1258 Sibillam (acc) ArrestReg-volI XV, Pentecost; 1310/11 Sibilla (nom) GasReg-A p. 100; 1579 Sibilla (nom) FlorLyon p. 40, Sibillam (acc) ibid. p. 40
Middle French
● 1579 Sibille FlorLyon p. 40
Germany
Early New High German
● 1497 Sibilla Nurn1497 392
Italy
Latin
● 1156 Sibilia (nom) Livi p. 40; 1265x1339 Sibella (nom) BBC-Berg 386, Sibilia (nom) ibid. 27; 1522x1532 Sibilia (nom) DSF p. 56, 8
Scotland
Latin
● c1120 Sibilla (nom) ESC XXXVI
Switzerland
Latin
● 1220 Sibilla (nom) CartHaut 36; 14thCx1478 Sybilla (nom) Ob-SPVn (118), Sybille (gen) ibid. (119)
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Sibyl". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2017, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2017/1/name/Sibyl.