Message: "Question about Acacia..."

[Facts] Question about Acacia...

by Calanthe

3/15/2007, 5:56 PM

This may sound stupid of me, but... This database says the name Acacia derives from Greek ακη (ake), meaning "thorn, point." I assumed Acacius would derive from the same origin because the two names are so similar, but the given meaning for Acacius is "innocent, not evil." Are these two names really not related?

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#Acacia

This message was edited 3/15/2007, 5:57 PM

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- Auriel

3/16/2007, 5:56 AM

In greek the Acacia tree is called Akakia and everyone thinks that it means 'good/harmless' and has nothing to do with thorns, so whatever the origin, that's what is believed today. Personally i think the connotation is more than a little ironic.

- Anneza

3/15/2007, 10:53 PM

Acacius: think first of cacophony = bad noise. OK? Then think of amoral = totally without moral standards. Now, that negative a- plus the cac- meaning "bad" gives you "Not bad" (which sounds like "quite good", so translating it as "Not evil" actually clarifies the meaning).

And an acacia is a very thorny tree! Ask any barefoot African child (or adult).

- Mike C

3/15/2007, 9:14 PM

It's possible that Akakia *could* have been an ancient Greek name related to Akakios, but it's not attested (that is to say I can't find proof it was actually used in ancient times).

The entry for Acacia states that it is an *English* from the name of the tree, *ultimately* from Greek. This is a very rare name.

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