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 Gothic #gairu# (#gêr# in Old High German) "spear", or from #garva# (#garo# in Old High German, and #gearu# in Anglo-Saxon) "ready, prepared."