Medard (first name)

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Medard is a male name.

Origin and meaning

The name is the short form of Medardus , a saint from the 6th century. Medardus, on the other hand, is probably the Latin - French form of Machthard . The name Medardus was very popular in the Middle Ages .

name day

The Medieval Church has set the name day to June 8th , as the first hay harvest is brought in at this time. In the Middle Ages, June 8 was also the anniversary of the Flood, hence the popular belief that it rains for 40 days when it rains on Saint Medardus.

Well-known namesake

Nowadays that name has almost disappeared. Well-known carriers in recent times are:

There are few references in the literature. In Johann Karl Wezel's "Belphegor" (1776) as well as in ETA Hoffmann's novel The Elixirs of the Devil (1815) a Medardus appears, one time as a pastor, the other time as a monk. The title character in Arthur Schnitzler's drama The Young Medardus (1910) also bears the name .

see also