At a Glance: Name: Borage – Meaning: The flowering herb Borago officinalis; its deeper word root is uncertain, with candidates including a Latin word for rough or shaggy, referring to the plant's fuzzy leaves – Origin: Latin (via Old French), ultimate root disputed – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: BOR-ij
Borage is a Latin (via Old French), ultimate root disputed girl's name meaning “The flowering herb Borago officinalis; its deeper word root is uncertain, with candidates including a Latin word for rough or shaggy, referring to the plant's fuzzy leaves”. It appears in 3 of our baby name lists.
Meaning & Origin of Borage
Meaning: The flowering herb Borago officinalis; its deeper word root is uncertain, with candidates including a Latin word for rough or shaggy, referring to the plant's fuzzy leaves.
Origin: Latin (via Old French), ultimate root disputed.
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'courage' (framed as a 'courage herb') Actually: This is a folk etymology from old herbal lore (borage wine was believed to inspire courage), not the word's actual root, which traces to Old French/Medieval Latin 'borrago' and is unrelated to any Latin word for courage or heart.
How to Pronounce Borage
Phonetic: BOR-ij IPA: /ˈbɔːrɪdʒ/
Popularity of Borage
Borage 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 Borage
- 200+ Botanical Baby Names for Nature-Loving Parents
- 175+ Herb and Garden Plant Baby Names for Earthy Parents
- 175+ Wildflower Baby Names for Girls as Free-Spirited as They Sound
Similar Names
Cicely · Tansy · Elder · Vervain · Bay · Caraway
