FLORENCE  

Gender: F
Origin: Latin
Meaning: "flourishing, prosperous"

Connection to the lovely Italian city (after which Florence Nightingale was named) got lost in Florence's last flowering as a name -- but the association to the place seems to be helping it stir back to style life, along with cousin Flora

Variations:
Florry, Florina, Florentine, Florella, Florentyna, Floss, Florentina, Flossie, Florynce, Floris, Florian, Florine, Florrie, Florance, Florinda, Flossey, Florice, Florrance, Flossy, Florie, Flo

International Variations:
Florentia (German) Blathnaid (Irish) Fiorentina, Fiorenza (Italian) Floriana, Florinia, Florencita, Florencia (Spanish)

People who like Florence also like:

Matilda

Florence is being discussed in our message boards:

• Unexpected, soft, and pretty girl names?
• Urgent help needed with twin names!
• big family game!
• Best of British - some Telegraph birth announcements
• Names in Your Child's Class/Daycare/Playgroup

Read Nameberry blog posts about Florence:

• OLD LADY NAMES: Ready for the Next Wave?
• HEROINE NAMES: Worthy Women with Notable Names, Part I-Trailblazers
• WHO ARE THE MOST POPULAR ENGLISH GIRLS?
• BRITISH BABY NAMES
• TEN GREAT NAMES YOU’RE NOT USING