Agnes
/ˈæɡ.nəs/noun
A feminine given name.
Did you know?Agnes comes through Latin from Greek hagnē, a word linked to ritual purity, and it became especially powerful in Christian tradition through Saint Agnes, a martyr whose name was read as a symbol of spotless devotion.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hagnē (ἁγνή)
“pure, chaste, sacred”
Late Latin
Latin
Agnes
“a female personal name borrowed from Greek tradition”
Early Christian Era
Latin/Greek
Sancta Agnes
“Saint Agnes, a revered virgin martyr”
Old French
Old French
Agnes
“a feminine given name”
Middle English
English
Agnes
“a woman’s given name”
Modern English
English
Agnes
“a feminine given name”
Explore more surprising origins