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ArchivesThe meaning of Carmen
I have now come across several baby name books and websites that say the meaning of the name Carmen is "red" or "crimson." However, other places say that it comes from the Latin word for song. Is the crimson meaning right, or not, and where did it start?
Thank you very much,
~Ilana~
Thank you very much,
~Ilana~
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Replies
Thanks!
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There is an English word "carmine", the origin of which the online etymology dictionary explains as follows:
1712, from Fr. carmin, from M.L. carminium, from Arabic qirmiz "crimson," from Skt. krimiga "insect-produced," from krmi "worm, insect." The dye comes from crushed cochineal insects. Influenced in L. by minium "red lead."
It is certainly possible that some parent somewhere has named a daughter Carmen while thinking of the meaning of "carmine", or a word from another language such as the ones Helena mentions. But the overwhelming majority of women named Carmen undoubtedly can be traced back to the Spanish name which has the derivation as explained on this site.
1712, from Fr. carmin, from M.L. carminium, from Arabic qirmiz "crimson," from Skt. krimiga "insect-produced," from krmi "worm, insect." The dye comes from crushed cochineal insects. Influenced in L. by minium "red lead."
It is certainly possible that some parent somewhere has named a daughter Carmen while thinking of the meaning of "carmine", or a word from another language such as the ones Helena mentions. But the overwhelming majority of women named Carmen undoubtedly can be traced back to the Spanish name which has the derivation as explained on this site.
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