Malone

Malone is a family name. From the Irish "Mael Eòin", the name means a servant or a disciple of Saint John.

People with the surname

Liam

Liam is a short form of the Irish name "Uilliam", itself a derivative of the Frankish name "Willahelm".

Liam has been one of the most popular names for boys in the United States since 2010.

Etymology

The original name was a merging of two Old German elements: vila ("will" or "resolution"); and helma ("helmet"). The juxtaposition of these two elements effectively means "helmet of will" or "Guardian".

When the Frankish Empire was divided into two parts, the name developed differently in each region. In the French half, Willahelm developed first into "Guilielm", and then into "Guillaume", whereas in the German half, the root form developed into "Wilhelm". This latter form was further developed by the English into the familiar modern form "William".

Origin

Although the names Willahelm and Guillaume were well known in England prior to 1066, through Saxon dealings with Guillaume, Duc de Normandie, it was viewed as a "foreign" name. The Norman Conquest had a dramatic effect on English names. Many, if not most Saxon names, such as Ethelred, died out under the massive influx of French ones. Since the Royal Court now rang with names such as Alain, Guy, Aeginald and William, they were quickly adopted by the English, the Welsh, and eventually the Irish.