Warne

VAHR-nuh; WORN

German, English

"one who watches over, defends and protects; one who cautions; army; park-keeper; alder-tree"

Warne Origin and Meaning

The name Warne is a boy's name meaning "one who watches over, defends and protects; one who cautions; army; park-keeper; alder-tree".

Robust and strong in sound and more often used as a surname, Warne has a variety of meanings depending on what root you follow.

From its German roots, it likely comes from warnan meaning "to watch other, defend, protect" or more literally "alert". It may also be interpreted as a noun of warnan meaning "one who cautions, warns."

As an English name, it could be a short form of Warner, a variation of the Germanic Werner meaning "guard, army", however, it might equally be adapted from Warren, with the second distinctive syllable dropped due to local dialects. Alternatively, other sources suggest it might originate from the Cornish gwernen meaning "marshland" or "alder-tree".

Borne by celebrated cricket player Shane Warne, it may sound too much like the words "worn" or "warn" to catch on in English speaker countries.