Florence

Florence derives from the Latin name Florentia, itself built on the root flos (genitive floris), meaning flower or bloom. The name was borne by an early Christian martyr and became widely associated with the Italian city of Florence, which shares the same Latin origin. Its modern popularity in the English-speaking world owes much to Florence Nightingale, the celebrated nineteenth-century nursing reformer whose parents named her after her Italian birthplace. Related forms include Florencia, Fiorenza, and the shortened variant Flora.