)
The name Saxo might sound a bit odd. In fact, it is a Latinized form of an attested Norse Germanic name Saxi (Saksi, Sachso), that is more than likely related to the Saxons and their name. At the time of Saxo Grammaticus’ life, it was a common name used in Denmark.
The actual surname of this historian is, however, unknown - Grammaticus is simply a “nickname” that he earned later in his life. It means “
the Learned ”. Whether or not this nickname was in use during his life is likewise unknown - the name
Grammaticus appears first in the abovementioned Jutland Chronicle, written well after his death, and the later Zealand Chronicle (