Saturnine

sa-tuer-NEEN; sat-uh-NINE

French form of Saturnina, Latin, English word name

"Saturn; dark and gloomy"

Saturnine Origin and Meaning

The name Saturnine is a girl's name meaning "Saturn; dark and gloomy".

On one hand, Saturnine is a bright and golden French name, ultimately derived from the Roman God Saturn, associating it with agriculture, renewal, time, and abundance, along with the planet. On the other, it is an English word name, referring to a person, a place, or an occasion that is dark, sombre, and gloomy.

As such, while the name has never ranked highly in English speaking countries, it did see a spike in popularity in the early 20th century in France.

While the word association could make it an interesting choice for someone looking for a name to fit a character in a Gothic story or for someone wanting something dark and moody for themselves, as a name, it has mythological and celestial connections.