Columbine

Columbine is an English feminine given name derived from the name of the columbine flower. The flower name comes from Latin columbina, meaning 'dove-like', due to the flower's resemblance to a cluster of doves. The name also overlaps with an English form of Colombina, a stock character from the Italian commedia dell'arte theatre tradition. Colombina is a servant girl and the lover of Arlecchino (Harlequin).

Etymology and Folk Connections

The ultimate root is the Late Latin name Columba, meaning 'dove'. The dove has long been a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity, giving the name Columba a religious cachet that led to its use by several early saints, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum), who founded the monastery on Iona and helped convert Scotland. The female name Colomba is another cognate in Italian. The French form is Colombe, and the Italian diminutive Colombina directly evolved into the theatrical character and later into the flower name.

Modern Connotations

In the 20th century, the name took on a somber association due to the 1999 mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, USA — the school is named for the area, which in turn probably was named for the flower. Consequently, the word "Columbine" in American English can refer to the event itself or to incidents of school shootings (e.g., "a columbine scenario"). This usage has shadowed the name's former cheerful, pastoral image. Nonetheless, as a given name, Columbine remains rare but survives, especially in artistic communities drawn to its floral and theater-historical roots.

• Meaning: Flower name; also connected to the commedia dell'arte character Colombina, meaning 'little dove'.
• Origin: English adoption of the flower name and Italian theatre figure.
• Type: Feminine given name.
• Usage Regions: Mainly English-speaking countries.