Florence

Florence derives from the Latin name Florentia, itself formed from florens, meaning blooming or flourishing, related to the root flos meaning flower. The name was borne by an early Christian martyr and became widely used across medieval Europe. Its most celebrated modern bearer is Florence Nightingale, the nineteenth-century British nursing pioneer, whose fame revived the name's popularity in the English-speaking world. Related forms include Flora, Florencia, Fiorenza, and the masculine Florentius.