Valentin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A masculine first name of Latin origin, borne in French, German, Russian and several other European languages
2. A male personal name derived from the Latin word for strong, commonly used across many European cultures
3. A traditional masculine forename of Latin roots that appears in many European languages and countries

Etymology: "Valentin" comes from the Latin "Valentinus," a Roman personal name formed from "valens," meaning strong, healthy, or vigorous. "Valens" is the present participle of "valere," "to be strong," which also gave English words such as "valiant" and "value." The name spread through the saints. Several early Christian martyrs bore it, and the most famous was a Roman priest whose feast became associated with romantic love long after his death. Because the name was carried by holy men, it became popular across Catholic Europe, where it was adopted in forms such as French "Valentin," German "Valentin," and Russian "Valentin." English took the name in a French-influenced form, "Valentine," which is still used as a given name today. In English, the name is now more often associated with the greeting card holiday than with its meaning of strength.