This page is historical. Follow this link for the current version.
Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Minerva f. Etruscan Menrva from Proto-Indo-European *men-es-wah₂, derived from Proto-Indo-European *men- 'to think'.

The name of the Roman goddess of wisdom.

The name came into use in Italy in the 16th C.

Italy
Latin
1527 Minerva (abl) Rome1527 p. 83
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Minerva". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2015, no. 3. http://dmnes.org/2015/3/name/Minerva.