Meaning & History
Linette is a variant of Lynette, a name with rich literary and Arthurian roots. It ultimately traces back through Lynet and Lunete to the Welsh name Eluned.
Etymology and Historical Context
The chain begins with the Welsh Eluned, which was adapted as Lunete by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem, Lunete is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain. This name was later used by Sir Thomas Malory in his 15th-century work Le Morte d'Arthur as Lynet, a woman who enlists the help of Sir Gareth to rescue her sister Lyonesse. In Malory's version, Lynet eventually marries Gareth's brother Gaheris.
Alfred Tennyson later revived and modified the name as Lynette in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married, a more romantic outcome than Malory's account. In modern usage, Lynette and its variants like Linette are sometimes considered diminutive forms of Lynn.
Related Names
Variants of Linette include Lynette, Lynnette, Linnet, and Linnette. The Welsh form Luned and other Arthurian forms like Linet also appear in various literary traditions.
- Meaning: Variant of Lynette, ultimately derived from Welsh Eluned
- Origin: Welsh via Arthurian literature
- Type: First name
- Usage: English