Meaning & History
Perhaps originally a Christianized variant of Venus, now either an English vernacular form of Venetia ('Many of the girls who were called Venice had actually been named Venetia') or else directly from the English name of the city in Italy. The name was revived in the 19th century significantly when Florence was beginning to become fashionable; 'by this time any connection with Venus was no doubt forgotten, and literary references to the name always link it to the place name.'