G2G: Are Baudouin and Baldwin the Same Name

Question

As I go through medieval times I see different sources using different forms of this name for the same person.  Are they the same and is there a convention for how they are entered?

Comments

Baudouin is French for Baldwin.

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So is there a convention as to how WikiTree displays this name?  

The top of the profile I cited has Baudouin (Rethel) de Rethel (abt. 1058 - 1131).

The profile has Baudouin (Baldwin II) "King of Jerusalem" de Rethel formerly Rethel.

How do I search this person to see if he is already in my database?

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I am afraid I do not understand what you mean by "my database". Is this something on your computer?

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I maintain a tree on Ancestry which I sync with Family Tree Maker on my computer.  The database I was referencing is the underlying GEDCOM that is shared.

As my tree grows in size and I follow different lines back in time, the likelihood that I already have some in the early generations increases. I have found  some sources may use the French version of this name and some the English. I've been entering names as I found them initially and now I'm trying to standardize them.  I'm just trying to get a sense of how others handle the same name being spelled differently.  I am coming to the conclusion I should adopt a convention with both names, like the cited profile, i.e., Baudouin (Baldwin II). 

Thanks for weighing in.

Answer 1

I don't think there is any single convention you can follow. Some people like to use the language of the country where the person was from, but languages and countries change. For what it is worth Baudouin is a modern French spelling. Medieval French would have been closer to Baldwin which would be closer to the name in most other relevant languages.

Comments

Good observation.  Thanks for weighing in.