Pippin or Pepin is a

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

and

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

. It is a masculine given name of

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...

origin with uncertain meaning. The name was borne by various members of the

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid c ...

family that ruled the

Austrasia Austrasia was the northeastern kingdom within the core of the Francia, Frankish Empire during the Early Middle Ages, centring on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers. It included the original Frankish-ruled territories within what had ...

n Empire in the Middle Ages, in what is now France and the western parts of Germany; most notably

Pepin the Short the Short (; ; ; – 24 September 768), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian dynasty, Carolingian to become king. Pepin was the son of the Frankish prince Charles Martel and his wife Rotrude of H ...

, the first Carolingian king of the Franks and father of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

. Other variations of the name include Pipin, Pépin (French), Pippen, Pepijn (Dutch), Peppino or Pepino (Italian), and Pepe (Spanish).

Origin

Wider use of the first name Pepin and its derivatives stem from the Carolingian kings. There are various explanations of the meaning of the name: * Derived from the Frankish word ''bib'' meaning "to tremble" (compare modern Dutch ''bibberen'', meaning to tremble or shiver), thus it could mean "awe-inspiring". * Dutch sources suggest that the name Pepijn is an infantile

corruption Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...

of Wilbert or Wilbrecht meaning ''will'' and ''bright'', where Wilbert gets shortened into Wilbo which morphed into Pippo and finally into Pepin. * Late-formed examples of the English surname may alternatively be from Old French ''pepin or pipin'' ‘seed of a fruit’, and thus a metonymic occupational name for a gardener or grower of fruit trees. * In Spanish and Italian the names Pepe, Pepin and Peppino are a shortening or nickname for José, Jusepe or Giuseppe, which all are names for

Joseph Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

. The Frankish name probably comes from a different stem as the historical figures in these languages are called Pipino, not Peppe or Peppino.

People

Carolingians

Pepin of Landen Pepin I (also Peppin, Pipin, or Pippin) of Landen (c. 580 – 27 February 640), also called the Elder or the Old, was the Mayor of the palace of Austrasia under the Merovingian King Dagobert I from 623 to 629. He was also the Mayor for Sige ...

(c. 580–640), nicknamed ''the Elder'', sometimes listed as a saint *

Pepin of Herstal Pepin II (c. 635 – 16 December 714), commonly known as Pepin of Herstal, was a Franks, Frankish statesman and military leader who was the de facto ruler of Francia as the Mayor of the Palace from 680 until his death. He took the title Duke ...

(c. 635–714), nicknamed ''the Middle'' *

or Pippin the Younger (c. 714–768), father of Charlemagne *

Pepin the Hunchback Pepin (or Pippin) the Hunchback (, ; 768/769 – 811) was a Franks, Frankish prince. He was the eldest son of Charlemagne and noblewoman Himiltrude. He developed a kyphosis, humped back after birth, leading early medieval historians to give him ...

(c. 769 – 811), first son of Charlemagne *

Pepin of Italy Pepin or Pippin (born Carloman), (777 – 8 July 810) was King of Italy from 781 until his death in 810. He was the third son of Charlemagne (and his second with Queen Hildegard). Upon his baptism in 781, Carloman was renamed Pepin, where he wa ...

(777–810), second son of Charlemagne, born Carloman and later named Pepin *

Pepin I of Aquitaine Pepin I or Pepin I of Aquitaine (French: ''Pépin''; 797 – 13 December 838) was King of Aquitaine and Duke of Maine. Pepin was the second son of Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye. When his father assigned t ...

(797–838), grandson of Charlemagne, son of Louis the Pious *

Pepin II of Aquitaine Pepin II, called the Younger (823 – after 864 in Senlis, Oise, Senlis), was King of Aquitaine from 838 as the successor upon the death of his father, Pepin I of Aquitaine, Pepin I. Pepin II was eldest son of Pepin I and Ingeltrude, daughter ...

(823–864), son of Pepin I of Aquitaine *

Pepin I, Count of Vermandois Pepin I (; c. 817–850) was Count of Vermandois, lord of Senlis, Péronne and Saint Quentin. He was son of King Bernard of Italy (a grandson of Charlemagne) and his wife, Cunigunda of Laon. He supported Emperor Lothar after the death of Empe ...

(817–850), grandson of Pepin of Italy * Pepin II, Count of Vermandois (845–893), great-grandson of Pepin of Italy

Other people

* Clermont Pépin (1926–2006), Canadian pianist, composer and teacher *

Ercilia Pepín Ercilia Pepín (December 7, 1886 – June 14, 1939) was a teacher, feminist, and equal rights activist in the Dominican Republic. She dedicated herself to the welfare and preservation of the Dominican Republic, Dominican nation through education. ...

(1886-1939), teacher, feminist, and equal rights activist in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

. *

Jacques Pépin Jacques Pépin (; born December 18, 1935) is a French chef, author, culinary educator, television personality, and artist. After having been the personal chef of French President Charles de Gaulle, he moved to the US in 1959 and after working i ...

(born 1935), French chef, television personality and writer * Paula Nenette Pepin (1908–1990), French composer, pianist and lyricist * Shiloh Pepin (1999–2009), sirenomelia patient * Théophile Pépin (1826–1904), French mathematician * Victor Pépin (1780–1845), American circus performer and owner * Dan Pippin (1926–1965), American basketball player * Donald Pippin (Broadway director) (1926–2022), American theatrical musical director and conductor * Donald Pippin (opera director) (1926–2021), American pianist, founder of Pocket Opera * Horace Pippin (1888–1946), self-taught African-American painter * Robert B. Pippin (born 1948), American philosopher * Pepín (footballer, born 1931), Spanish footballer, real name José Casas * Ludwig Lachner (1910–2003), German footballer and manager nicknamed "Pipin" *

Pippin Drysdale Pippin Drysdale (born 18 May 1943) is an Australian ceramic artist and art teacher. She is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the Australian landscape in the field of ceramics. Her works are known for their intensity of colour and linear m ...

(born 1943), Australian ceramicist and art instructor, Australia's highest earning ceramic artist * Pepín (footballer, born 1996), Equatoguinean footballer, real name José Machin

Characters

* a character in the novel ''

Moby-Dick ''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 Epic (genre), epic novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is centered on the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the maniacal quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler ...

'' by Herman Melville * the nickname of

Peregrin Took Peregrin Took, commonly known simply as Pippin, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel ''The Lord of the Rings''. He is closely tied with his friend and cousin, Merry Brandybuck, and the two are together during most of ...

in J.R.R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'' * the protagonist of the novel '' The Short Reign of Pippin IV'' by John Steinbeck * the yellow dog in a picture book series by K. V. Johansen * the little boy in the BBC children's programme '' Pogles' Wood'' * the dog in the BBC children's programme '' Come Outside'' * '' Pippin'', an American musical based on

* a mercenary soldier member of the Band of the Hawk in ''

Berserk (manga) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. Set in a medieval Europe–inspired dark fantasy world, the story centers on the characters of Guts, a lone swordsman, and Griffith, the leader of a mercenary ba ...

References