Florine

Florine is a feminine French given name, also used as a surname. It is the French feminine form of Florinus, a Latin name that was itself a derivative of Florus. The ultimate root is the Roman cognomen Florus, which is derived from the Latin word flos meaning "flower" (genitive floris).

Etymology and History

The name Florus was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred alongside Laurus in Illyricum. Later, the name Florinus was given to a 9th-century Swiss saint and became the basis for the feminine Florine. In French, the suffix -ine commonly creates feminine forms of masculine names, as seen here with Florinus becoming Florine.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals named Florine include Florine of Burgundy (1083–1097), a French crusader who participated in the First Crusade. Other bearers are Florine Stettheimer (1871–1944), an American artist and poet, and Florine De Leymarie (born 1981), a French Alpine skier. Historical figures also include Florine Langweil (1861–1958), a French art collector and businesswoman. As a surname, it is held by Hans Florine (born 1964), an American rock climber, and Nicolas Florine (1891–1972), the engineer who built the first tandem rotor helicopter. The name also appears in the place name Sainte-Florine, a commune in the Haute-Loire region of south-central France.

Related Forms

The Spanish equivalent of Florine is Florina, derived from the Latin root as well.

• Meaning: “flower” (from Latin flos)
• Origin: French, ultimately Latin (Florus)
• Type: Feminine given name
• Usage regions: France, also used in other Francophone areas