Arethusa

ah-REH-thoo-sah

Greek

"quick water"

Arethusa Origin and Meaning

The name Arethusa is a girl's name meaning "quick water".

In Greek mythology, Arethusa is a nymph who is transformed into a fresh water fountain. The name is also used for a type of orchid and featured in Bleak House by Charles Dickens.

The name Arethusa in Pop Culture

• Arethusa daughter of the king in Beaumont and Fletcher's play Philaster (1611)
• Arethusa Laura and Kitty ("Beauty; Sentiment and Comedy"), Harold Skimpole's daughters in Bleak House (1853) by Charles Dickens
• Arethusa by Percy Bysshe Shelley quoted by Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) as her favourite poem in Roman Holiday (1953)