Origin: |
Gaia is the name of the personified Greek goddess of the earth — the great mother of all creation, from whom all other gods were descended. Her name literally means "earth" in Greek, and was also written as Ge or Gaea. Her cult is an ancient one, harking back to the Bronze Age. Her worship appears to have been universal among the Greeks. She had temples or altars in many places across Greece, but in many sites her worship was superseded in the Classical Age by later gods. Her characteristic function remained as witness to oaths because she was regarded as the one who knew all that is done on earth. Gaia herself was regarded as an oracular divinity, thought of as the original holder of the oracular shrine at Delphi, as well as one of the divinities who presided over marriage as the "all-nourishing mother." Gaia is also the feminine form of the Roman praenomen (personal name) Gaius. It was, in fact, so common that in the Roman marriage ceremony, when the bride reached the bridegroom's house and was asked for her name, she would say "Gaia." Once she entered the house, she would say the ritual words Ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia — "Where you are Gaius, I am Gaia." Some of this was attached to Queen Tanaquil (who became known as Gaia Cecilia) wife of Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king in Rome's legendary history. She was regarded as an ideal Roman matron, known as a skillful artisan and for her prophetic abilities. As Gaia Cecilia, a statue was dedicated to her in the temple of Semo Sancus. The Romans themselves linked it to the Latin gaudere "to rejoice," but this is likely folk etymology. Its true origin was likely Etruscan — the original form of the name was probably the Oscan Gavius — and therefore its etymology is lost. It could plausibly be derived from the Greek Gaia. |
Famous Bearers: |
Contemporary: * Gaia Servadio (born 1938) is an Italian writer.. Literature and Other Media: * Gaea, character in the novel series The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan. |
Variants: |
Gaea (Latin), Gaja (Polish) |
Pronunciation: |
GĪ-ə [key] |
Possible diminutives: |
Gi |
Sibling Names: |
Livia Aurora Roxana Juno Ginevra Leda |
Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Monia for requesting this name.