Magnolia

Magnolia

Latin · “From the genus name Magnolia, the flowering tree named by the botanist Charles Plumier in honour of the French botanist Pierre Magnol (1638–1715). The word Magnolia is thus a Latinised form of the French surname Magnol, from the Occitan magno, related to the Latin magnus, "great." As a feminine given name, Magnolia is a floral name in the tradition of Violet, Lily, and Rose, used primarily in the American South, where the magnolia is the state flower of both Mississippi and Louisiana.”

Luce

“From the Latin lux (genitive lucis) meaning "light". In Italian the name functions as both a feminine given name and a word meaning light itself, giving it an unusual directness of meaning. It shares its root with Lucius, Lucy, and Lucia, all part of the ancient Roman naming tradition that honored light as a primal virtue.”

Luigi

“The Italian form of Louis, from the Old High German Hlodwig composed of hlod meaning "fame, glory" and wig meaning "war" — thus "famous in battle". The name passed into Latin as Ludovicus, into French as Louis, and into Italian as Luigi. It was borne by eighteen kings of France and by Saint Luigi Gonzaga, the Italian Jesuit patron of youth.”

Francis

“From the Latin Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman" or "free man," derived from Francus, the Latin name for the Franks — a Germanic tribe whose name derives from a root meaning "free." The name was adopted throughout Europe following the fame of Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), the Italian friar famous for his love of poverty and nature. Frances is the standard feminine form.”

Silvana

“The Italian and Spanish feminine form of Silvanus, from the Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of the forest and countryside, protector of fields and woodland boundaries, a rural deity associated with the wild spaces that bordered human cultivation. The feminine form Silvana carries the forest's ancient associations of mystery and natural power.”

Lauren

“Derived from the Latin Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum" — a city near Rome whose name was associated with the laurel tree (laurus), itself a symbol of victory and honour in ancient Rome. Lauren emerged as a feminine English form in the 20th century, partly through the influence of actress Lauren Bacall, whose stage name helped popularise it.”

Electa

“Electa is a Latin feminine name from the past participle of "eligere" meaning "to choose, to elect". It thus means "the chosen one" or "the elect" — a name with strong theological connotations in Christian naming tradition, referring to those chosen by God for salvation. It was used in Puritan naming culture in 17th and 18th-century New England, and the name Electa appears in a brief epistle in the New Testament.”