Where does “Alfred” come from?
Alfred derives from Old English Ælfræd, composed of Old English ælf from Proto-Germanic albiz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European albʰós, meaning white or bright.
Alfred (English): Alfred the Great, early king of England
Definitions
- Alfred the Great, early king of England
Ancestry of “Alfred”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Alfred | — |
| 2 | Old English | Ælfræd | — |
| 3 | Old English | ræd | advice; decision; plan |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *rād | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rēdaz | advice, counsel |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | Hréh₁dʰos | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | Hreh₁dʰ- | to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂reh₁- | to think, reason; to arrange |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂er- | to fit, to fix, to put together |