Gender: Masculine
Origin: French
Meaning: “wood; wide.”
Eng (GIE); Fre (GEE)
The name is derived from the early Germanic name Wido which is possibly derived from the Germanic element, widu, either meaning, “wood” or “wide.”
The name was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest, but after the infamy of 16th-century Guy Fawkes the name went out fashion. It was, however, always a very common name among French-Americans, especially among the French Acadians of Louisiana.
The Italian form is Guido, which has been a fairly common name among Italian-Americans but is now associated with a controversial term describing a middle class Italian-American from the East Coast of the United States. This was especially brought to attention after the 2009 reality tv show, Jersey Shore. However, it is uncertain if the term used to describe a particular class of people within the Italian community is related to the given name or to a different etymological source.
The name was borne by a Sicilian saint and martyr.
The designated name-day in France is June 12.
Other forms of the name include:
- Guiu (Catalan)
- Vid (Croatian/Hungarian/Slovene)
- Vít (Czech/Slovak)
- Vitus (Danish/Dutch/German/Hungarian)
- Gwijde (Dutch)
- Guy (English/French)
- Guidon (French)
- Gui (French)
- Wide (Frisian)
- Guido (German/Italian)
- Veit (German)
- Wido/Wito (German)
- Cino (Italian)
- Guidarello (Italian)
- Guidino (Italian)
- Guidolino (Italian)
- Guidone/Guittone (Italian)
- Guidotto (Italian)
- Guiduccio (Italian)
- Guittoncino (Italian)
- Gvidas/Gvidonas (Lithuanian)
- Gwido (Polish)
- Wit (Polish)
- Guidas (Romansch)
- Guidi (Slovene)
- Gvido/Gvidon (Slovene)
- Vito (Spanish)
French masculine diminutives include: Guitou, Guiton, GuiGui & Guy-Guy
Feminine offshoots include:
- Vita (Danish)
- Guyenne (French)
- Guyette (French)
- Guyonne (French)
- Vida (Hungarian/Slovene)
- Guida (Italian/Romansch)
- Guidetta (Italian)
- Gvida (Slovene)
- Gvidica (Slovene)
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