Alphons (Latinized Alphonsus, Adelphonsus, or Adefonsus) is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. In the later medieval period it became a standard name in the Hispanic and Portuguese royal families.[1]

Alphons
GenderMale
Origin
Word/nameGermanic languages
Meaning"Noble brave"
Popularitysee popular names

It is derived from a Gothic name, or a conflation of several Gothic names; from *Aþalfuns, composed of the elements aþal "noble" and funs "eager, brave, ready", and perhaps influenced by names such as *Alafuns, *Adefuns and *Hildefuns. It is recorded as Adefonsus in the 9th and 10th century,[2] and as Adelfonsus, Adelphonsus in the 10th to 11th. The reduced form Alfonso is recorded in the late 9th century, and the Portuguese form Afonso from the early 11th[3][4] and Anfós in Catalan from the 12th century until the 15th.[5]

Variants of the name include: Alonso (Spanish), Alfonso (Spanish and Italian), Alfons (Dutch, German, Catalan, Polish, Croatian and Scandinavian), Afonso (Portuguese and Galician), Alphonse, Alfonse (French and English), etc.

Middle Ages edit

Iberian royal families edit

Asturias/Leon/Castile/Spain
Aragon & Naples

Other edit

Early modern period edit

Modern period edit

Iberian/Sicilian nobility edit

Alfons edit

Alphonse edit

Alfonso edit

Alfonse edit

Alphonso edit

  • Alphonso Davies, Canadian soccer player born in Ghana, who grew up in Edmonton

As a surname edit

Alphonse, Alphonso, Alfonso is occasionally seen as a surname derived from the given name, the latter descending from Asturias and Cantabria.[6]

Pseudonym edit

  • Bill Alfonso, ring name of William Matthew Sierra, former professional wrestling referee & manager

Stage name edit

Fictional characters edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Alphonso" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. I (9th ed.). 1878. pp. 615–619.
  2. ^ In the genitive, Adefonsi.
  3. ^ José Pedro Machado, Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa
  4. ^ E. Förstemann, Altdeutsches Namenbuch (1856:133, 145).
  5. ^ Diccionari d'Història de Catalunya; 62nd ed.; Barcelona; 1998; ISBN 84-297-3521-6; p. 25.
  6. ^ "Heraldica del apellido Alfonso".