Where does “Robin” come from?
Robin (Middle English) comes from Old French Robert, from Frankish berht, from Proto-Germanic berhtaz, from Proto-Germanic hrabnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ker- — army.
Ancestry of “Robin”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | Robert | a Germanic (Old Frankish) borrowing |
| 2 | Frankish | berht | bright |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | berhtaz | bright, shining |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hrabnaz | raven |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorh₂- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |