Dubh Essa (also spelled Dub Essa, Dubhessa, Dubhesa, Dubheasa, Dubh Easa, Duibhessa, Duibheasa) was a medieval Gaelic feminine given name, fairly common in 13th- and 14th-century Ireland.[1]

Dubh Essa
Pronunciationapproximately "Do-vess-a"[1]
GenderFemale
Origin
Meaningdark beauty of the waterfall
Other names
Related namesDub Essa, Dubh Easa, Dubheasa, Dubheasa, Dubhesa, Dubhessa, Duibheasa, Duibhessa, Duvessa,

While the name may be a compound of Gaelic dubh "dark" (probably referring to hair color, hence "black-haired") and eas "waterfall, cascade, rapid" (genitive easa), its meaning is sometimes interpreted as "black nurse" (Latin: nutrix nigra).[2]

Dubh Essa has also been anglicized as Duvessa (e.g., in M. J. Molloy's 1964 comedy The Wooing of Duvessa).

Bearers

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References

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  1. ^ a b Mittleman, Josh (2 February 1999), Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 1446, retrieved 13 December 2012
  2. ^ Yonge, Charlotte M. (1884). History of Christian Names, p. 254, at Google Books. p. 254.
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