At a Glance
- Meaning
- Occupational name for a perfume/spice seller, or a habitational name from Balsham, Cambridgeshire
- Origin
- German/English (surname)
- Gender
- Unisex
- Pronunciation
- BAWL-suhm
Balsam is a German/English (surname) unisex name meaning “occupational name for a perfume/spice seller, or a habitational name from Balsham, Cambridgeshire”. It appears in 2 of our baby name lists.
Meaning & Origin of Balsam
Meaning: Occupational name for a perfume/spice seller, or a habitational name from Balsham, Cambridgeshire.
Origin: German/English (surname).
A common claim: Balsam means 'perfume,' from Hebrew bosem, referencing the fragrant balsam resin/plant. Actually: The common word 'balsam' (the resin) does trace via Greek and Latin to a Semitic root, but as a surname, Wiktionary derives Balsam from a German occupational name for a perfume or spice seller, or an English place name (Balsham, Cambridgeshire) — not directly from that Hebrew word.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Balsam
BAWL-suhmIPA /ˈbɔːl.səm/
Popularity of Balsam
Balsam doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.
Lists That Include Balsam
- 200+ Botanical Baby Names for Nature-Loving Parents
- 175+ Herb and Garden Plant Baby Names for Earthy Parents
Similar Names
Sycamore · Ginger · Spruce · Cinnamon · Hickory · Oleander
