Fairy Terminology
Fays - One
of the earliest words used to name the Fairy.
The fay was a term
loosely used in those times. It could mean enchanters and enchantresses
"extra-natural" powers, monsters or demons having features or dalliances
with Fay, and even people (mostly children) that wouldn't conform to "normal
behavior". Most fay were believed to have be supernatural beings, some
mortal, some not, while some were also believed to be demi-gods. Two beings
that were commonly referred to as Fay, and well known throughout early
literature are The Lady of The Lake and Margan Le'Fay.
Fair Family/Fair
Folk - Welsh origination and one of the most popular terms.
Farisees/Pharisees
- Uncommon name, originated in Suffolk, England.
Fary - Another
English origination, this one from Northumberland.
Fees - Older
name originating in Upper Brittany.
Feriers/Ferishers
- another uncommon name originating in Suffolk, England.
Frairies
- Possibly the cause of the name Fairies, originated in Suffolk and Norfolk
England.
Good Neighbors
- Scots/Irish origination.
Good People
- Purely Irish in origination.
The Green Children
- The name you'll see used for Fairies in early English literature.
Greencoaties
- Rumored to be Lincolnshire Fen version
Greenies
- England again! The Lancashire version.
The Grey Neighbors
- Originated in Shetland.
Henkies -
Shetland AND the Orkneys.
Li'l Fellas
- Manx origination.
Nunnehi -
Native American name for their version of fairies...otherwise known as
the Moon Eyed People.
The Old People
- Cornish origination.
People of Peace
- Purely Irish.
Pigsies/Piskies
- England yet again...Pixies was later derived from this usage.
Sith/Si/Sidhe
-
Gaelic
Sleigh Beggey
- Translates from Manx to "The Little People"
The Small People
of Cornwall - Guess where this came from?
Still-Folk
- The Highlanders version.
Themselves/They/Them
that's in it - Manx, being superstitious folks, tried to "talk around"
saying Fairies.
Verry Volk
- England yet again!
Wee Folk
- Our Scottish and Irish kin used this colorful and fairly common terminology.
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