Polycarp

POL-ee-carp

Greek

"fruitful"

Polycarp Origin and Meaning

The name Polycarp is a boy's name meaning "fruitful".

Polycarp derives from the Greek elements polys ("much") and karpos ("fruit"), altogether meaning "fruitful". It's a great meaning, worn by a second-century Bishop of Smyrna who is said to have been a disciple of St John the Apostle, and is invoked against dysentery and earache. Unfortunately, his name just doesn't fit at all comfortably with modern anglophone name tastes: it's hard to get past the fishy ending.