Ethna as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ethna

What is the meaning of the name Ethna ?

The baby name Ethna is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced ETH-nuh (/ˈɛθnə/),EN-ya (/ˈɛn.jə/).

Ethna is Irish in Origin.

Ethna is an Anglicized Irish feminine name derived from Éithne (also spelled Eithne), whose Old Irish root denotes a kernel, grain, or seed. In contemporary English it is usually pronounced ETH-na; the Irish form Eithne tends to be rendered EN-ya in Ireland. The name occurs throughout early Irish literature and hagiography, borne by multiple saints, including the mother of St Columba, and by legendary queens such as Eithne Tháebfhota.

The Ethna spelling became common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a practical English rendering during the Gaelic cultural revival. Variants and related forms include Éithne/Eithne (Irish), Ethna (Anglicized), Enya (a phonetic modern form popularized by the singer), and, historically in Ireland, Edna as an English substitute. Note that Aithne, meaning recognition or knowledge, is a separate Gaelic name. Today Ethna reads vintage yet distinctively Irish, used chiefly in Ireland and the Irish diaspora.