At a Glance
- Meaning
- Little silver — a diminutive of plata ('silver'), reflecting early Spanish colonists' dismissive view of the metal
- Origin
- Spanish
- Gender
- Unisex
- Pronunciation
- PLAT-ih-num
Platinum is a Spanish unisex name meaning “little silver — a diminutive of plata ('silver'), reflecting early Spanish colonists' dismissive view of the metal”. It appears in our list of 175+ Color-Inspired Baby Names From Azure to Indigo.
Meaning & Origin of Platinum
Meaning: Little silver — a diminutive of plata ('silver'), reflecting early Spanish colonists' dismissive view of the metal.
Origin: Spanish.
A common claim: often associated with top-tier or premium status (as in a 'platinum record') Actually: that premium connotation is a modern usage shift; the word literally means 'little silver' and was originally a dismissive term, since Spanish colonists considered the metal inferior to silver.
How to Pronounce Platinum
PLAT-ih-numIPA /ˈplætɪnəm/
Popularity of Platinum
Platinum 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 Platinum
Similar Names
Selene · Gwyneth · Sienna · Alva · Hazel · Elara
