Iantha

Iantha is a feminine given name that serves as a variant of Ianthe. Both names ultimately derive from the Greek elements ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower", giving the combined sense of "violet flower".

In Greek mythology, Ianthe was the name of an ocean nymph, one of the many daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. The mythic association places the name within the classical tradition of floral and nature-inspired appellations that were common in ancient Greek naming practices.

The variant Iantha represents a minor orthographic divergence from Ianthe, shifting the ending from -the to -tha while preserving the overall sound and origin. Such variants often emerge through transliteration differences or as stylistic alternatives in later centuries, particularly during the Renaissance revival of classical names or in 19th-century literary neologisms.

Though the name Iantha is rare, its cognate shapes appear across cultures: in the botanical genus Ionopsis (violet orchid), the Greek root reappears, though the genus is unrelated to the name directly. Today, Iantha might occasionally be chosen by parents seeking a distinctive yet classic-sounding name rooted in nature and ancient myth.

• Meaning: Violet flower
• Origin: Greek
• Type: Variant of Ianthe
• Usage: English-speaking countries (rare)