Gunnfinna

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Wandering soldier.”

Pronunciation: (goon-FIN-na)

Nicknames: Finna, Finn

Detail: From the Old Norse gunnr “battle, fight” and finnr “wanderer”

Gwyar

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: “Blood; flow, fluidity.”

Pronunciation: (GOO-yar)

Nicknames: Yari, Gw

Gwyar literally means “blood” in old Welsh, but its more general meaning is “flow” or “fluidity.”

As an element, gwyar is the source of change, motion, growth, and decay. Its image in nature is running water.

Druid Revival lore contains a set of three elements that first appears in Iolo Morganwg’s writings. Whether it’s an invention of Iolo’s or a surviving scrap of some older teaching is anyone’s guess, but the three elements have been part of Druid Revival teaching ever since his time. Their names are Nwyfre, Gwyar, and Calas.

Giovanna

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “God is gracious.”

Pronunciation: (joh-VAHN-nah); (jee-oh-VAHN-nah)

Nicknames: Gio, Gia, Gianna, Gi, Gigi, Giovi, Giova, Jo, Jojo, Vanna

Detail: Feminine form of Giovanni, which is the Italian variation of John.

George; Georgia

Gender: Masculine; Feminine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Earth worker.”

Pronunciation: (JORJ); (JOR-juh)

Nicknames: Georgie, Gia, Gee

Detail: This state was named in honor of King George II of England.

Grusha

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Russian

Meaning: “Wild horse.”

Pronunciation: (GROO-shah)

Nicknames: Gru, Rush

Detail: Pet form of Russian Agrafena, meaning “wild horse.”

Gaston

Absorbed in Robinson Crusoe by Collinson

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Wrathful.”

Pronunciation: (gas-TONH)

Nicknames: Stone, Gato, Tony

Detail: Gaston serves up a bit of trouble as the main antagonist of Disney’s film Beauty and the Beast.

Female Variation:

• Gastonia

Gomeisa

Malicia by Yves Thos

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: “Bleary-eyed one.”

Pronunciation: (goh-MEY-sa); (goh-MEY-za); (goh-MAHY-za)

Nicknames: Gom, Goma, Gomy, May, Meisa, Misa

Detail: Gomeisa is the second brightest star in Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog.

Gawain

Beheading of the Green Knight, Cotton Nero

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: “White hawk of battle.”

Pronunciation: (GOW-wihn)

Detail: Gawain is King Arthur‘s nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. He is one of a select few of the Round Table members to be referred to as the greatest knight. And he is quite a chivalrous knight, most notably in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Ghislaine

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: “Vow; hostage.”

Pronunciation: (gees-LANE); (JEES-lane)

Nicknames: Ghis, Gea, Ghisli

Gunnora

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Norse

Meaning: “Wary in battle.”

Pronunciation: (goon-NOR-ah)

Nicknames: Gunn, Gunna, Gunni, Nora

Detail: Norman latinized variant of the Old Norse name Gunnvor. It is composed of the elements gunnr meaning “war” and vor “cautious, wary”. The name remained in use in England until the 14th century.

Godric

Gender: Masculine

Origin: English

Meaning: “Power of God.”

Pronunciation: (GAWD-rick) 

Detail: Derived from Old English god combined with ric “power, rule”.

Godric Gryffindor is one of the four founders of Hogwarts. The symbol for Gryffindor is the lion.

Gondoline

Scottish Lion by Kevin Dyer

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Anglo-Saxon

Meaning: “Brave.”

Nicknames: Gondi, Dolly

Detail: In the Harry Potter series Gondoline Oliphant is famous for her studies of the life and habits of trolls.

Groa

Photo: Signe Vilstrup; Model: Charlotte Fogh Høyer

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Icelandic

Meaning: “Grow.”

Pronunciation: (GROH-ah)

Nicknames: Gro

Detail: A Scandinavian goddess of healing

Geir

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Icelandic

Meaning: “Spear.”

Pronunciation: (GEY-r)

Gretel

Soup (1865) William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Pearl.”

Nicknames: Greta, Gret, Gretty, Grey

Detail:   In the Brother Grimm’s fairytale, Gretel and her brother Hansel are captured by a witch after stumbling across her gingerbread house in the forest. The witch intends to eat the children but they trick her and are able to make their escape.

Griselda

The Young Shepherdess (1885) William-Adolphe Bouguereau

Gender: Feminine

Origin: German

Meaning: “Dark battle; stone; grey warrior maiden.”

Pronunciation: (grih-ZEL-dah) Griselda

Nicknames: Zelda, Gris, Grisi, Grey, Grizzly, Grace, Elda

Detail: In medieval European lore, Griselda was the wife of nobleman who tolerated any annoyance or grief he caused her. She is known in several literary works, including the Canterbury Tales and the Decameron, as “Patient Griselda.”

In the Clerk’s Tale in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Lord Walter, an Italian Nobleman takes the Shepherd girl Griselda as his wife.

Griselda Marchbanks personally examines Harry Potter in his O.W.L.s.

Variations:

• Gricelda
• Gricely
• Griselde
• Grisella
• Griselle
• Griselly
• Grishelda
• Grishilde
• Grisleys
• Grizelda
• Gryselde
• Gryzelde
• Selda
• Zelda