Meaning & History
Refers to the comedic servant character of Italian Commedia dell'arte. It is derived (via Old French) from Old English Herla, a character often identified with Woden.Historically it is a masculine concept, with Columbina being its feminine counterpart. However, in recent times it has seen feminine usage, most likely due to the villain Harley Quinn in various Batman stories (the character's real name being Harleen Frances Quinzel).