Florina

This name comes from the Latin root “flōs > Flōrĭānus,” meaning “flower, blossom, (figuratively) innocence, virginity.” This name is linked to “flōrĕo / flōrens” (bloom, be in flower (figuratively) flourish, shine, prosper, be overjoyed). The term “flora” was used since the 13th- century in the sense of “virginity.” Flōra in Roman mythology was the goddess of flowers, gardens, and spring and the guardian of the flora, an equivalent of the Greek Chlori. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime. Her festival, the Floralia, was held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, drinking, and flowers.