Rosomil, Rosmunda, Rosamunda

[llama_nom]

Gerhard Köbler, following Holthausen, derives the names Rosomil,
Rosmunda, Rosamunda from a root *rus- found in English 'rust' (perhaps
also found in Rosomoni), related ultimately to Go. 'rauþs' "red",
'ga-riudi' "decency". But Wilhelm Mannhardt reconstructs Rosamunda as
Hrosamunda (Germanische Mythen: Forschungen, p. 287), connecting this
with certain "Beinamen Wôdans": Hrôdso, Hrôso, Rôso--"der Ruhmträger".
(Where are these attested?) Roods or Herodis is said to be the name
given to the Wild Huntsman in a story from Hannover (1935-6:
Handwoerterbuch des deutschen Aberglaubens, Vo. VII, p. 776). Looking
at other possibilities, I see that Köbler has a Proto-Germanic
adjective 'hrôzaz' "nhd. rührig, sich rührend, hurtig; ne. busy,
quick; RB.: ae., mnl., as" (e.g. OE 'hrór' "capable of motion,
vigorous, strong", a credible naming element, given the female names
with the second element -swinþ-, -þrúþ-). This adjective is related to
the verb 'hrôzjan-' "nhd. rühren; ne. stir (V.); RB.: an., ae.,
afries., anfrk., as., ahd." There is also the Old Norse verb 'hrósa'
"to praise". I don't know if this is related to any of the above, but
semantically it too seems a reasonable naming element given naming
elements such as Hrôþi-.

Any thoughts?

LN

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