Flora is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from flos meaning "flower" (genitive floris). In Roman mythology, Flora was the goddess of flowers, spring, and fertility, often depicted with blooming blossoms and associated with the west wind, Zephyr. The name has been used as a personal name since the Renaissance, first appearing in France. It is widely used in many languages, including Albanian, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian. In Scotland, Flora has occasionally been adopted as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala, an Irish name meaning "white shoulder" from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and gúala "shoulder". Fionnghuala is a variant of Fionnuala, who in Irish legend was one of the children of Lir transformed into swans for 900 years. Etymology The Latin word flōs (stem flōr-) gave rise to Flora as the name of the Roman goddess of flowers. The term later extended to denote the plant life of a region or time, and by the 17th century it also referred to a botanical catalog. The technical use of "flora" in biology is a metonymic extension of the goddess's name. Notable Bearers Notable historical figures named Flora include the Scottish freedom fighter Flora MacDonald (1722–1790), who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after the Jacobite rising. In ancient Rome, the goddess Flora was honored with the Floralia festival. Other bearers include the British nurse and suffragist Flora Drummond (1878–1949) and the Italian composer Flora Menardi (born 1963). Cultural Significance Flora remains a classic name across Europe and the Americas, symbolizing nature and feminine grace. It was particularly popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and has seen a modest revival. In many cultures, names meaning "flower" are common: the English variant Flower, Italian Fiore, Portuguese Flor and Florinda, Dutch Floor, and French Flore. Diminutives include Flo, Floretta, Florrie, Florry, Floy, and Floella. In other cultures, it appears as Hungarian Flóra, Romanian Floarea and Florica, and Welsh Fflur. The concept of "flora" as the collection of plant life in an area also carries into English as a common noun. Meaning: Flower (referring to the Roman goddess of flowers and spring) Origin: Latin Type: First name (feminine) Usage: Albanian, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian