Gawain
/ɡəˈweɪn/noun
A legendary knight of King Arthur's court.
Did you know?The name Gawain is first known from medieval Welsh as Gwalchmei, and scholars have long debated whether its first element may be related to a word for a hawk, giving the knight a possible bird-of-prey shadow at the root of his identity.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Welsh
Welsh
Gwalchmei
“The original Arthurian name, likely referring to the legendary hero in Welsh tradition.”
12th Century
Latin
Gualguanus
“Latinized form used by medieval writers recording Arthurian legends.”
12th-13th Century
Anglo-Norman
Gawain
“The familiar continental romance form of the knight's name.”
Middle English
English
Gawain
“The Arthurian knight's name as established in English romance literature.”
Modern English
English
Gawain
“The standard modern form of the legendary knight's name.”