Athelstan
/ˈæθəlstən/noun
A masculine given name derived from Old English, famously borne by Æthelstan, king of England from 924 to 939.
Did you know?King Æthelstan is often regarded as the first king to rule a politically unified England, making his name—“noble stone”—remarkably fitting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*aþalą
“Noble lineage, inherited status, or ancestral property”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*stainaz
“Stone or rock”
Old English
Old English
Æþelstān
“Noble stone; a compound personal name”
10th Century
Old English
Æthelstan
“The name of King Æthelstan of Wessex and England”
Middle English
English
Athelstan
“A personal name preserved in historical and genealogical use”
Modern English
English
Athelstan
“A masculine given name and historical royal name”