indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Meaning & History
From an old Breton name of uncertain meaning. According to Albert Deshayes, the first element is equivalent to Modern Breton meur "great" and the second element, an aspirated form of man, is cognate with Latin manus "hand, strength, power over"; alternatively, the first element may be Breton mor "sea", while the second element may mean "wise, sage" from the Indo-European root *men "to think" (or "mind, understanding, reason"). This was the name of a Breton chieftain who led a revolt against the Franks after Charlemagne's death in 814; he was killed in battle in 818.
From the early 1600s onwards, when every given name "had to" be linked with a Catholic saint, until fairly recently Morvan was used as a quasi-equivalent of Maurice.In recent times this name was borne by Breton patriot Morvan Marchal (1900-1963), who designed the national flag of Brittany in 1923, as well as journalists Morvan Lebesque (1911-1970) and Morvan Duhamel (1928-).
From the early 1600s onwards, when every given name "had to" be linked with a Catholic saint, until fairly recently Morvan was used as a quasi-equivalent of Maurice.In recent times this name was borne by Breton patriot Morvan Marchal (1900-1963), who designed the national flag of Brittany in 1923, as well as journalists Morvan Lebesque (1911-1970) and Morvan Duhamel (1928-).