Comments (Meaning / History Only)
In Ancient Greek, ἴον ìon referred to the sweet violet (Viola odorata), was a synonym for κρίνον krínon which meant “lily”, and could be used to refer to flowers in general. In Modern Greek, the word for violet is βιολέτα violéta, a borrowing from Italian, or μενεξές menexés from Turkish.
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I don't know where this is coming from, but Ione does not mean "violet," in Greek. The word for violet in Greek is βιολέτα. It is also not the name of a flower. While there are plants that include that name, such as the Ione Manzanita, all were named after people or places named Ione.
Rather, Ione's origin is from the name of one of the Nereids, the 50 daughters of Nereus, The Old Man of the Sea. The daughters were sea-nymphs and goddesses representing the various properties of the ocean (e.g. foam, sand, rocks, brine). The Nereids would also come to the aid of sailors and fishermen in distress. Reference of the Nereid Ione is found in a book from 2nd century AD called "The Library" by Apollodorus. This book is an encyclopedia of Greek myth. (https://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus1.html)
The name Ione's popularity in English and American culture can be traced directly to novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton's heroine in the 1834 book, "The Last Days of Pompeii." Published in America and England, the book was easily the most popular historical romance novel of the age. The title was so popular, it spawned opera, music, art, sculpture, and later movies and television series, even up into the 2000's. It's hard to say where Bulwer-Lytton got the name Ione, but it very well could be from the previously mentioned book. Bulwer-Lytton was known to be quite studious and to put a tremendous amount of research into his historical romances. Note, his hero from that title, Glaucus, was named after a Greek mythological figure, as well.
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Rather, Ione's origin is from the name of one of the Nereids, the 50 daughters of Nereus, The Old Man of the Sea. The daughters were sea-nymphs and goddesses representing the various properties of the ocean (e.g. foam, sand, rocks, brine). The Nereids would also come to the aid of sailors and fishermen in distress. Reference of the Nereid Ione is found in a book from 2nd century AD called "The Library" by Apollodorus. This book is an encyclopedia of Greek myth. (https://www.theoi.com/Text/Apollodorus1.html)
The name Ione's popularity in English and American culture can be traced directly to novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton's heroine in the 1834 book, "The Last Days of Pompeii." Published in America and England, the book was easily the most popular historical romance novel of the age. The title was so popular, it spawned opera, music, art, sculpture, and later movies and television series, even up into the 2000's. It's hard to say where Bulwer-Lytton got the name Ione, but it very well could be from the previously mentioned book. Bulwer-Lytton was known to be quite studious and to put a tremendous amount of research into his historical romances. Note, his hero from that title, Glaucus, was named after a Greek mythological figure, as well.
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A violet is a type of purple flower.
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If the given name Ione comes from Ionia or Ionian, then the following applies:
Taken from Wikipedia.org:
"The etymology of the word is uncertain of proof. Both Frisk and Beekes isolate an unknown root, *Ia-, pronounced *ya-. There are, however, some theories:
From an unknown early name of an eastern Mediterranean island population represented by Ha-nebu, an ancient Egyption name for the people living there.
From ancient Egyptian 'iwn "pillar, tree trunk" extended into 'iwnt "bow" (of wood?) and 'Iwntyw "bowmen, barbarians." This derivation is analogous on the one hand to the possible derivation of Dorians and on the other fits the Egyptian concept of "nine bows" with reference to the Sea Peoples.
From an Indo-European onomatopoeic root *wi- or *woi- expressing a shout uttered by persons running to the assistance of others; according to Pokorny, *Iawones would mean "Verehren des Apollo", "devotees of Apollo", based on the cry iç paiôn uttered in his worship."
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Taken from Wikipedia.org:
"The etymology of the word is uncertain of proof. Both Frisk and Beekes isolate an unknown root, *Ia-, pronounced *ya-. There are, however, some theories:
From an unknown early name of an eastern Mediterranean island population represented by Ha-nebu, an ancient Egyption name for the people living there.
From ancient Egyptian 'iwn "pillar, tree trunk" extended into 'iwnt "bow" (of wood?) and 'Iwntyw "bowmen, barbarians." This derivation is analogous on the one hand to the possible derivation of Dorians and on the other fits the Egyptian concept of "nine bows" with reference to the Sea Peoples.
From an Indo-European onomatopoeic root *wi- or *woi- expressing a shout uttered by persons running to the assistance of others; according to Pokorny, *Iawones would mean "Verehren des Apollo", "devotees of Apollo", based on the cry iç paiôn uttered in his worship."
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Ione, the name, does indeed mean "Violet". It's listed as this in a baby name book.
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Ione is one of the Nereids, the 50 daughters of Nereus (the old man of the sea). In the Greek, it would be pronounced eye-oh-nee. Dropping the third syllable is an English alteration.
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Ione in Greek does not mean violet. The Greek word for violet is iodes. Iodes however is not a name.
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