Goblin - Name

Name

English goblin was borrowed from Old French gobelin, rendered as Medieval Latin gobelinus, of uncertain origin. It may be related to German kobold or to Medieval Latin cabalus, itself from Greek kobalos "rogue" or "knave". Alternatively, it may be a diminutive of the proper name Gobel. The suffix -ing meaning "the people or kin of"; therefore, the people or kin of Gobel.

Alternative spellings include gobblin, gobeline, gobling, and goblyn.

The name goblin is possibly a variant or corruption of the word Nibelung. As is common practice in Norman French translation, the first and last letters of a word are substituted. Therefore, the first and last letters of Nibelung or its variant Nybling are substituted to give us the modern English (via Norman French) goblin. Nibelung or Nybling becomes Gibelunn or Gyblinn (i.e. Gobelin or Goblin).

Another possible origin for the word goblin might be the Welsh coblynau or coblyn, a type of knocker or mine-sprite.