 Cynthia, a 1917 portrait by William Strang. | |
| Pronunciation | English: /ˈsɪnθiːə/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Origin | |
| Word/name | Greek |
| Meaning | “From Mount Cynthus” |
| Other names | |
| Related names | Cindy, Cyn, Cyndi, Cyndy, Cindi, Cinthia, Cintia, Cinta, Cinzia, Cyndia, Cynthya, Cinny, Cinthya. |
Cynthia is a feminine given name of Greek origin: Κυνθία, Kynthía, "from Mount Cynthus" on Delos island. The name has been in use in the Anglosphere since the 17th century.[1] There are various spellings for this name, and it can be abbreviated to Cindy, Cyndi, Cyndy, Cinny, or occasionally to Thea, Tia, or Thia.[2] [3]
Cynthia was originally an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, who according to legend was born on Mount Cynthus on Delos. Selene, the Greek personification of the moon, and the Roman Diana were also sometimes called "Cynthia".[4] In Ancient Roman literature 'Cynthia' is the name of Propertius' love.
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006). Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Oxford University Press. p. 66. ISBN 0-19-861060-2.
- ^ "Cynthia". Nameberry.com.
- ^ Sandel, Abby (27 April 2009). "Name of the Day: Cynthia". appellation.net. Appellation Mountain(blog). Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ Pannen, p. 96.