BALDWIN

(male) From an Old French name of Germanic (Frankish) origin, derived from bald ‘bold, brave’ + wine ‘friend’. This was adopted by the Normans and introduced by them to Britain. In the Middle Ages it was a comparatively common name, which gave rise to a surname. It was borne by the Norman crusader Baldwin of Boulogne, who in 1100 was elected first king of Jerusalem, and by four further crusader kings of Jerusalem. It continued to be used by some families in England into the 17th century, but in modern times it normally represents a transferred use of the surname rather than a direct revival of the Norman given name.