What an interesting post! I had forgotten about the medieval practice of men being named after their father so as to indicate the locale of one’s ancestors. Usually, as I recall, they would add the town, resulting in something like “Oliver the Fourth of Gothenberg,” to further identify the person. Last names were rare to almost non-existent, if my recollection is correct.
I can relate to the lawyers’ (usually them) names with an initial letter of the first name, some odd—but pretentious-sounding middle name and then the last name. Whenever I would see one beginning with C. I would bet that it was for “Charlie.”
Or names from where they lived. George Burns’ real name was Nathan Birnbaum. Meaning Nathan who lives near the pear tree.