Hermia
Meaning of Hermia
Hermia is a feminine given name of classical Greek provenance, etymologically derived from the ancient name Hermēs, to which the feminine suffix –ia has been appended, thereby signifying “of or pertaining to” the mythological herald of the Olympian pantheon; its enduring cultural resonance owes much to its Shakespearean appearance, wherein in A Midsummer Night’s Dream the character Hermia is portrayed as an Athenian noblewoman whose steadfast resolve and romantic entanglements articulate Elizabethan notions of agency and societal constraint. In the Anglophone world its phonetic realization—HER-mee-uh—remains consistent, and in the United States the name recorded modest yet measurable usage between 1904 and 1918, during which time it occupied approximate annual ranks ranging from 349 to 590, data that attest to its restrained popularity in the early twentieth century. Today, Hermia’s mythic and literary associations continue to confer an aura of classical erudition and Elizabethan elegance upon its bearers, aligning with the preferences of parents who seek a designation at once historically grounded and imbued with timeless literary prestige.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as HER-mee-uh (/ˈhɜr.mi.ə/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
