| Béḃinn | |
| Pronunciation: | in Irish ˈbʲeːvʲiːn̠ʲ/ (southern) or in Irish pronounced as /ˈbʲeːvʲɪn̠ʲ/ (northern) |
| Gender: | Female |
| Meaning: | melodious woman |
| Language: | Irish |
| Alternative Spelling: | Bé Binn |
| Variant Forms: | Béfionn |
| Related Names: | Bé Bind |
Béḃinn or Bé Binn, in modern orthography Béibhinn,[1] is an early Irish personal and mythological name. In some sources Béḃinn is a goddess associated with birth and the sister of the river-goddess, Boann. Béḃinn is also described as being an underworld goddess in both Irish and Welsh mythology, inhabiting either the Irish underworld Mag Mell or the Welsh Annwn, although it is unknown which is the original source.[2]
The name Béḃinn is said to be a combination between medieval forms of the Irish Gaelic word for "woman", "bean" (pronounced "bahn"), and the adjective "melodious", "binn", literally translating to "melodious woman". Other versions of the name, such as Béfionn, instead pair "woman" with "fair". Variant forms include Bé Bind, Bé Find, Bé Binn, Bebhinn, Bébhinn, Bébhínn, Bébhionn, Béibhionn, Béḃind, Béfind, Béfionn and Befionna. While it has also been Anglicized as Vivionn and Vivian, it is unrelated to the French or English names.[2] In eighteenth-century Scottish writer James Macpherson's epic Ossian poems, the name appears as Vevina.[3] [4]
In the Irish Annals, the name appears as,[1]
| Two words | One word | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| lenition noted | Be Bhinn, Bé Bhind | Bébhinn, Bebhinn, Beuynn, Bevin | |
| not noted | Be Binn, Be Bind | Bébinn, Bebinn, Bebind |
Béḃinn is alternately described as either the wife of Áed, a god, or Idath, a mortal man. She is mentioned in multiple sources as the mother of Connacht hero Fráech, the main character in the Táin Bó Fraích.[2] In the Fenian Cycle of Irish tales, Béḃinn is "a beautiful giantess of aristocratic bearing" who seeks protection from the Fianna when an ugly giant pursues her. In other sources a Béḃinn is mentioned as a daughter of Elcmar.[2]
The epithet Bé Find ("Fair Woman") is applied to the heroine Étaín by Midir in Tochmarc Étaíne (English: The Wooing of Étaín). The text includes a poem attributed to Midir, known as "A Bé Find in ragha lium". However, this poem may be an older composition unrelated to the Étaín story that was appended at a later time.[6]
The name Béḃinn and its variants is quite common in records from early Irish history, and was borne by historical as well as mythical figures, including a number of queens and abbesses. It was also the name High King Brian Boru's mother and one of his daughters.[2]