- Origin: Greek Ἰάνθη
- Meaning: “violet flower.”
- Gender: feminine
- Eng pron: (i-AN-thee); Grk pron: (ee-AHN-thay)
The name comes directly from the Greek ἴον (ion) meaning “violet” and ἄνθος (anthos). It is borne in Greek mythology by an Oceanid nymph who was responsible for violet flowers and purple tinged clouds. It is also the name of Cretan woman in Greek mythology who marries Iphis after she is turned into a man by Aphrodite.
It was in vogue in 19th-century England, being the nickname for Lady Charlotte Harley, by Lord Byron to whom the poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage is dedicated. It was also used by Percey Bysshe Shelley’s poem, Queen Mab, in which it is the name of a character. Shelley later named his daughter Ianthe. It is also the name of a character in John William Polidori’s 1819 short story, The Vampyre. It was the pen-name of American writer and poet, Emma Catherine Embury (1806-1863).
In recent literature, it is the name of a character in the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas.
Other forms/Usages
- Ianthé (French)
- Janthe (German, Late Latin)
- Ianta Ианта (Russian)
Sources