| Hervé is a French masculine given name of Breton origin, from the name of the 6th-century Breton Saint Hervé. The common latinization of the name is Herveus (also Haerveus), an early (8th-century) latinization was Charivius. Anglicized forms are Harvey and Hervey.
Its Old Breton form was Huiarnviu (cf. Old Welsh Haarnbiu ), composed of the elements hoiarn ("iron", modern Breton houarn, c.f. Welsh haearn) and viu ("bright", "blazing", modern Breton bev). Its common Celtic form would have been *isarno-biuos or *-ue(s)uos.
Recorded Middle Breton forms of the name include Ehuarn, Ehouarn, Houarn.
The name of the 6th-century saint is recorded in numerous variants, including forms such as:
Houarniault, Houarneau; as the name of a legendary Breton bard, the name occurs in varians such as Hyvarnion, Huaruoé, Hoarvian. |
