Submitted Name Revision History

The meaning and origin of the first element of this Germanic name is very uncertain - at least five possible meanings exist. We know that it comes from #varin#, but we don't know where #varin# itself comes from. It may very well refer to the Varini or Varni, an obscure Germanic tribe whose name has an equally uncertain meaning. It is generally thought that both #varin# and the name of the Varini probably comes from Gothic #varjan# "to defend." Other possible meanings are: Old High German #warôn# "to save, to preserve", Old High German #war# "house, domain", Gothic #vars# "cautious, sober, watchful" and Gothic #vair# "man." The second element of this name is derived from #gardan# "to hedge in, to enclose, to fence in" or from Gothic #gards# "house, garden, (court)yard."