Online Etymology Dictionary

seafarer (n.): 1510s, from sea + agent noun from fare (n.). The Anglo-Saxon poem known by this name since at least 1842 was untitled in original MS.
-ene: hydrocarbon suffix, from Greek name-forming element -ene. It has no real meaning in itself; in chemistry terminology probably abstracted from methylene (1834). Put in systematic use by Hofmann (1865).
San Francisco: city in California, U.S., named in Spanish for St. Francis of Assisi; the name first recorded in reference to this region 1590s, reinforced by long association of the area with the Franciscan order.
ideograph (n.): "character or symbol which suggests an object without expressing its name," 1841, from ideo-, here as a comb. form of idea, + -graph "instrument for recording; something written." Related: Ideographic (1822); ideographical.
polka dot (n.): 1874, from polka (n.) + dot (n.). Named for the dance, for no reason except its popularity, which led to many contemporary products and fashions taking the name. Related: Polka-dotted (1873).
polyvalent (adj.): 1881, from poly- + -valent, from Latin valentem, present participle of valere "be worth" (see valiant). Coined by German chemist Emil Erlenmeyer (1825-1909), who also designed the flask that bears his name.
Pompeii: Roman town buried by volcanic eruption 79 C.E., excavated beginning in 1755; the name is from Oscan pompe "five," in reference to its five districts. Related: Pompeian.
playboy (n.): 1829, "wealthy bon vivant," from play (v.) + boy. Fem. equivalent playgirl first recorded 1934. As the name of a U.S. based magazine for men, from December 1953.
Perspex: 1935, trade name in Britain for what in the U.S. is called Plexiglas or Lucite, irregularly formed from Latin perspect-, past participle stem of perspicere "look through, look closely at" (see perspective).
Nostradamus: "a prophet, seer, a fortune-teller," 1660s, from Latinized name of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), French physician and astrologer, who published a collection of predictions in 1555.
curling (n.): game played with stones on ice, 1610s, from present participle of curl (v.). "The name appears to describe the motion given to the stone" [OED]. A description of a similar game is attested from Flanders c. 1600.
reliant (adj.): 1856; see rely + -ant. Because it means "dependent (on)" it would seem an odd name for an automobile, but Chrysler (Plymouth) nonetheless chose it as one in 1981.
hangman (n.): public executioner, mid-14c. (mid-13c. as a surname), from hang (v.) + man (n.). As the name of a spelling game, by 1951. Hangestere "female executioner" is found mid-15c.
stonemason (n.): 1733, from stone (n.) + mason. Another name for the profession was hard-hewer (15c.). Stone-cutter is from 1530s; Old English had stanwyrhta "stone-wright."
iguanodon (n.): dinosaur name, 1825, hybrid from iguana + Latinized stem of Greek odonys "tooth" (on model of mastodon). So called because the fossil teeth and bones were thought to resemble (except in size) those of the tropical lizard.
Toyota: Japanese automaker, begun 1930s as a division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, named for the family name of the founder. There seems to be no one accepted explanation for the change from -d- to -t-.
Brandenburg: region in northeastern Germany, traditionally said to be ultimately from Slavic, but perhaps German and meaning literally "burned fortress," or else from a Celtic proper name.
Malcolm: masc. proper name, from Old Irish Máel Coluim "servant of (St.) Columba," from máel "servant," etymologically "bald, shorn, hornless," from PIE base *mai- "to cut" (see maim).
Ludwig: masc. proper name, from Old High German hlud(o)wig, literally "famous in war," from Proto-Germanic *hluda- "heard of, famous" (see loud) + *wiga "war." Compare Louis.
Lumiere: in reference to the early color photography process, from the names of French brothers Auguste (1862-1954) and Louis (1864-1948) Lumière, photographers. The name is literally "light, lamp."
noble (n.): "man of rank," c. 1300, from noble (adj.). The same noun sense also is in Old French and Latin. Late 14c. as the name of an English coin first issued in reign of Edward III.
polonium (n.): radioactive element, 1898, discovered by Marie Curie (nee Skłodowska), 1867-1934, and her husband, and named for her native country, Poland (Modern Latin Polonia). With element-name ending -ium.
ruthenium (n.): metallic element, 1845, named by Russian chemist Karl Klauss, from a name proposed earlier (1828) in reference to a metal extracted from ores from the Ural Mountains of Russia (see Ruthenian). With metallic element ending -ium.
Micah: masc. proper name, sixth of the Old Testament prophets, from Hebrew Mikhah, short for Mikhayah, literally "who is like the Lord?" First element identical to that in Michael, for second element, see Jah.
tab (v.): "designate, label, name," 1924, earlier "affix a tab to" 1872 (implied in tabbed), perhaps an alteration of tag (v.2). Related: Tabbing. Also see tab (n.1).
plug-ugly (n.): "ruffian," 1856, originally in Baltimore, Maryland, from plug (n.), American English slang name for the stovepipe hats then popular among young men, + ugly.
Meg: fem. proper name; before the late 20c. rise in popularity of Megan it typically was a pet form of Margaret, and was "used dial. to indicate a hoyden, coarse woman, etc." [OED]
Melvin: masc. proper name, from Old English Mælwine, literally "friend of the council," from mæl "council," from Proto-Germanic *mathla- (see blackmail) + wine "friend" (related to winnan "to strive, struggle, fight;" see win (v.)).
Melchizedek: name of a priest-king in the Old Testament, from Hebrew Malki-tzedeq, literally "king of righteousness," from melekh "king;" second element related to tzadaq "he was righteous," tzaddiq "just, righteous."
Mother Hubbard: Old Mother Hubbard, nursery rhyme, was printed 1805, written by Sarah Catherine Martin (1768-1826) but based on earlier material of unknown origin (the name is attested from 1591).
Robin: masc. proper name, from Old French Robin, diminutive of Robert (q.v.). Robin Goodfellow "sportive elf of the English countryside," is first attested 1530s, popular 16-17c.; Robin Hood is at least from late 14c.
Paraguay: country is named for the river, which is said to be from Guarani para "water" + guay "born." Said to have been the name of a local chieftain who treated with the first Spanish explorers.
palladium (n.2): metallic element, coined 1803 by discoverer William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828), from Pallas, name of an asteroid discovered the previous year (by German astronomer Olbers) and named for the goddess (see Pallas).
bluff (n.2): 1844 as an alternative name for poker; from bluff (v.). As "an act of bluffing" by 1864. Blind man's bluff formerly was called hoodman-blind (1560s).
photostat (n.): 1909, a type of copying machine (trademark Commercial Camera Company, Providence, R.I.) whose name became a generic noun and verb (1914) for "photocopy;" from photo- + stat.
gaze (n.): 1540s, "thing stared at;" 1560s as "long look," from gaze (v.). Gaze-hound (1560s) was an old name for a dog that follows prey by sight, not scent.
burner (n.): late 13c., also as a surname, Brenner, "person who makes bricks," agent noun from burn (v.)). As a name for a part of a lamp where the flame is applied, from 1790. Of gas-cooking stoves, by 1885.
buttinski (n.): a jocular name for one who cuts into a line, etc., 1902, American English, from verbal phrase butt in (see butt (v.)) + surname ending based on Eastern European names.
-idae: word-forming element used to coin family names in zoology (by being suffixed to the name of the genus whence that of the family is derived), from Latin -idae, plural of noun suffix -ides (see -id).
Cepheid (n.): type of variable star, 1904, from Delta Cephi, the name of the first such star identified, which is in the dim northern constellation Cephus, named for Greek Kepheus, a mythical king. With -id.
Clarisse: fem. proper name, often a diminutive of Clara and its relatives. Also, "a nun of the order of St. Clare" (1790s); the Franciscan order also known as the Poor Clares (c. 1600).
Clementine (adj.): 1705, in reference to various popes who took the name Clement (see clement (adj.)), especially of the edition of the Vulgate issued due to Pope Clement V (1309-14).
Pomerania (n.): region and former province of Prussia on the Baltic coast of modern Poland (German Pommern, Polish Pomorze), Medieval Latin, from Pomerani, name of a Slavic tribe there, from Polish po morze "by the sea."
Pythia (n.): "priestess of Apollo at Delphi," 1842, from Greek pythia (hiereia) "(Priestess) of Pythian Apollo, from a variant form of Pythios, an epithet of Apollo, from Pytho, older name of the region of Delphi (see python).
redbird (n.): mid-13c., a name for sundry red or partly red birds, including the common bullfinch and the scarlet tanager, but in U.S. especially the cardinal, from red (adj.1) + bird (n.).
Reims: city in northeastern France, named for the Remi, a Gaulish people whose name is said to mean "dominant ones." The former French spelling was with an Rh-.
Sarajevo: capital of Bosnia, founded 15c. and named in Turkish as Bosna-Saray, "Palace on the (River) Bosna," from saray (see caravanserai); the modern name is a Slavic adjectival form of saray.
Rouen: city in northern France, Roman Rotomagus, in which the second element is Gaulish magos "field, market," and the first is roto "wheel," perhaps reflecting the Gaulish love of chariot-racing, or else it is a personal name.
Radnor: place in eastern Wales, the name is Old English, literally "at the red bank," from Old English read (dative singular readan; see red (n.1) + ofer "bank, slope."
raglan (n.): type of overcoat, 1863, named for British general Lord Raglan (1788-1855), commander of British forces in the Crimean War. The name is from a place in Wales.