Meaning & History
Meint is a Dutch masculine given name, derived as a variant of Meine, a Frisian short form of names that begin with the Old German element megin, meaning "power, strength". This element traces back to Proto-Germanic *mageną, with similar semantics.
The name Meint is primarily used in the Netherlands, reflecting the historical influence of Frisian naming traditions in Dutch culture. Like its root, Meine, Meint was originally a nickname or shortened form of compound names that began with the element "megin-", such as Meinard or Meinolf. Over time, these short forms became established as independent names in their own right.
Notable bearers include Meint Klas, a 16th-century Dutch Freedomist preacher who held Arminian views during the Reformation. The name remains in use in the Netherlands today.
Related names include the Frisian forms Minke (originally a feminine short form) and Meino, as well as the Old Norse Magni and Norwegian Magne, which share the same root element. A feminine variant of Meint is Meintje.
- Meaning: Variant of Meine; derived from the Old German element megin, meaning "power, strength"
- Origin: Dutch, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *mageną
- Type: Diminutive of longer Germanic names
- Usage regions: Netherlands (Frisian