what is the origin of the name?

The origin of names can be traced back to the dawn of civilization. Ancient cultures used different methods to determine and record the names of people, places, and things. From biblical names to family surnames to nicknames reflecting physical traits or personalities, humans have demonstrated a unique ability for devising and adopting new appellations for themselves and their surroundings.

The most common approach for forming a name is taking inspiration from nature. Throughout history, many cultures have relied upon local flora and fauna to influence what they called the land or their people. In Greek culture, for example, cities were often named after gods and goddesses or legendary figures like Hercules. Meanwhile, in Rome, towns were often literally named after animals that inhabited them. This could mean a place like Epirus was originally called Abira which comes from Apis—the Latin word for an oxen—in reference to its history of bovine herding. Similarly, figures in Roman mythology were frequently given animal-based names such as Bello Capello ("beautiful haired") or Vergilia ("virgin-born").

In other cases, humans coming into contact with one another often exchanged names—either as tokens of friendship or as way of honoring their leaders or heroes. Roman dignitaries who had completed military campaigns or won elections in foreign lands might have their surnames altered slightly to reflect their newfound titles as governors or senators (e.g., Julius Caesar). Similarly early Christian missionaries took it upon themselves to give baptized children Biblical-based names such as Paul, Matthew and John when they brought Christianity to places like Europe and Africa during the Middle Ages.