Date
Meaning & History
The first element of this name is derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "many, much". The second element is derived from either Italian nesso meaning "connection, link, nexus" or from Greek νῆσος (nesos) meaning "island". In case the latter applies, then it must be said that this name is neither derived from nor inspired by Polynesia, the group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. This is because the name Polinesso comes from Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem Orlando furioso from 1516, while the name Polynesia was first used for the group of islands in 1756.Polinesso also appears in George Frideric Handel's opera seria Ariodante (1735), which was based on canto V of Ariosto's epic poem.