Note 3 — Chapter I

This list shows us what were the names most in favour at the time. Eight nuns bore the name of Ælfgyfu, six of Ælflæd, four of Eadgyth (Edith), four of Eadgyfu, three of Wulflæd; besides these there were two, each bearing the names of Æthelgyfu, Ælfgyth, Ælfhild, Byrhflæd, Wulfthryth, Wulfrun. It is worthy of note that none of these, and only one of the remaining seventeen nuns, namely, Godgyfu, had a scriptural or Christian name. The old names common among their heathen ancestors still survived, no less than ten being compounded of the word Ælf, the modern Elf, or mountain spirit.