Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Flowers, Please

The holidays are over; winter can be over now too, thanks. ;)
I was thinking the other day about names with "flower" meanings, specifically Greek -antha/anthe names, but I wonder if other languages have a fun selection as well....
(unless otherwise noted, all names are feminine)
[Anglicized spellings/pronunciations given for the ancient Greek names]

  • Acalanthis (ak-ah-LAN-this, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "thorn-flower"
  • Aika (ah-ee-kah, Japanese)--"indigo flower" or "love flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Amaranthis (am-ah-RAN-this, [ancient] Greek)--poss. "ditch flower" [specifically, usually catchfly or basil]. Masculine form was Amaranthus
  • Anthemion (an-THEM-ee-on, [ancient] Greek)--"little flower" [unisex; spelled/pronounced the same for both genders in English, but not in Greek]
  • Arianthes (ar-ee-AN-theez, ehr-ee-AN-theez, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "best flower" [masculine]. Another form was Arianthus [also masculine]. 
  • Ayaka (ah-yah-kah, Japanese)--"color flower"
  • Bellaflor (BEL-lah-flohr, [medieval] Italian)--from Latin, "beautiful flower". Other forms included Fiorabella and Belleflos
  • Blanchefleur (blawn-sheh-fleur, [medieval] French)--"white flower"
  • Bláthnat (BLAH-nat, Irish)--"little flower". Variants include Bláithín (BLAH-een) and Bláithnaid (BLAH-nad). 
  • Blodwen (BLAHD-wen, Welsh)--"white flower"
  • Bryanthis (brye-AN-this, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "full flower". Masculine form was Bryanthus
  • Calanthe (kah-LAN-thee, English)--from Greek, "beautiful flower" [an orchid genus]
  • Calfuray (kal-foo-RYE, Spanish, Mapuche)--from Mapudungan, "violet flower"
  • Callistanthe (kal-lis-TAN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"most beautiful flower"
  • Charianthe (kar-ee-AN-thee, kehr-ee-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "graceful flower". Masculine form was Charianthus
  • Chrysanthe (kris-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"golden flower". Other forms included Chrysanthis and Chrysanthus [masculine]. 
  • Cleanthes (klee-AN-theez, [ancient] Greek)--"glory flower" [masculine]. Other forms include Cleanthus [ancient, masculine], Cleanthis [klee-AN-this, ancient, feminine], Kleanthis [kleh-AHN-theez, modern, masculine], and Kleanthi [kleh-AHN-thee, modern, unisex]
  • Cyminanthe (kim-in-AN-thee, sim-in-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "cumin flower"
  • Diantha (dee-AHN-thah, Dutch; dee-AN-thah, dye-AN-thah, English)--from Greek "divine flower" [from another flower genus, Dianthus]
  • Edanthe (eh-DAN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--poss. "delightful flower"
  • Evanthe (ev-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"good flower". Other forms include Evantha [ancient], Evanthus [ancient, masculine], Evanthis [ev-AN-this, ancient, feminine], and Evanthis [ev-AHN-theez, modern, masculine]. 
  • Finscoth (FEEN-skuh, Irish [mythology])--prob. "vine flower" or "white flower"
  • Fioralba (fee-or-AHL-bah, Italian, Albanian)--"dawn flower"
  • Fiorella (fee-oh-REL-lah, Italian)--"little flower". Another form is Fioretta
  • Florimel (FLOH-rim-el, [literary] English)--from Latin "honey flower"
  • Fumika (foo-mee-kah, Japanese)--"history flower" or "wealth flower"
  • Fuyuka (foo-yoo-kah, Japanese)--"winter flower"
  • Golnar (gohl-NAHR, Persian)--"pomegranate flower"
  • Golnaz (gohl-NAHZ, Persian)--"pride flower"
  • Glycanthis (glye-KAN-this, [ancient] Greek)--"sweet flower"
  • Haruka (hah-roo-kah, Japanese)--"spring flower" [other translations possible, some unisex/masculine, depending on characters]
  • Helianthe (hee-lee-AN-thee, English; heh-lee-AHN-theh, Dutch)--"sun flower" [from another flower genus, Helianthus]
  • Hiroka (hee-roh-kah, Japanese)--"wise flower" or "wealth flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Honoka (hoh-noh-kah, Japanese)--"harmony flower"
  • Ianthe (eye-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"violet flower"
  • Iolanthe (eye-oh-LAN-thee, [literary] English)--prob. from Greek "violet flower"
  • Melantho (mel-AN-thoh, [ancient] Greek)--"dark flower". Other forms include Melanthe [ancient], Melanthus [ancient, masculine], Melanthis [mel-AN-this, ancient, feminine], and Melanthis [mel-AHN-theez, modern, masculine]
  • Melianthus (mel-ee-AN-thus, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "honey flower" [masculine]
  • Mika (mee-kah, Japanese)--"beautiful flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Millaray (mee-yah-RYE, Spanish; meel-lah-RYE, Mapuche)--from Mapudungan, "golden flower"
  • Neantho (nee-AN-thoh, [ancient] Greek)--prob. "new flower". Other forms included Neanthis and Neanthes [masculine]. 
  • Nicanthe (nik-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"victory flower"
  • Nonoka (noh-noh-kah, Japanese)--"field flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Oenanthe (ee-NAN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--"vine-flower" or "wine flower" [specifically usually grape, sometimes dropwort]. Other forms included Oenanthis and Oenanthes [masculine].
  • Philantho (fil-AN-thoh, [ancient] Greek)--"beloved flower". Masculine form was Philanthus
  • Polyanthis (pahl-ee-AN-this, [ancient] Greek)--"many flowers". Masculine form was Polyanthus
  • Prianthe (pree-AN-thee, [ancient] Greek)--poss. "oak flower" or "ridge flower". Another form was Prianthis.
  • Pualani (poo-ah-lah-nee, Hawaiian)--"heavenly flower"
  • Puanani (poo-ah-nah-nee, Hawaiian)--"beautiful flower"
  • Reika (ray-kah, Japanese)--"beautiful flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Rika (ree-kah, Japanese)--"pear flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Rodanthi (roh-DAHN-thee, Greek)--"rose flower". Another [ancient] form was Rhodanthis
  • Ruka (roo-kah, Japanese)--"lapis flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Setsuka (set-soo-kah, Japanese)--"snow flower"
  • Sonoka (soh-noh-kah, Japanese)--"garden flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Timantha (tim-AN-thah, [ancient] Greek)--"prized flower". Other forms included Timanthis and Timanthes [masculine]. 
  • Tomoka (toh-moh-kah, Japanese)--"wise flower" or "companion flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]
  • Yuka (yoo-kah, Japanese)--"fond flower" or "reason flower" [other translations possible, depending on characters]

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