Hyacinth

HY-ah-sinth

Flower name, from Greek

"blue larkspur; precious stone"

Hyacinth Origin and Meaning

The name Hyacinth is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "blue larkspur; precious stone".

Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly exotic flower name.

In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a Spartan youth accidentally killed by Apollo, from whose blood sprang a beautiful and fragrant flower, and it is also the name of several saints; Hyacinth became exclusively female in the nineteenth century. To the ancients, Hyacinth was, in addition to being a bluebell-like blossom, the name of a precious stone.

Hyacinth Bridgerton is the youngest child of the fictional Bridgerton family, named in alphabetical order from A-H. There is a character named Hyacinth Robinson in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima and Hyacinth Bucket is the social-climbing character on the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, with sisters named Daisy, Rose, and Violet. To underscore her pretentiousness, Hyacinth Bucket insisted that her last name be pronounced as "bouquet".

You might also consider the Spanish version, Jacinta.

• 1307 Nameberry 2019