Modestina

Modestina is a feminine given name of Latin origin. The name derives from modesta or modestus, meaning modest, restrained, or proper. It is formed with the feminine suffix -ina and shares roots with related names such as Modesta in Spanish and Italian, and Modestine in French.

Historically, Modestina has appeared in European records, particularly in Catholic contexts where virtue names were common. In Italian and Iberian genealogies, the form Modestina can be found in parish registers and liturgical manuscripts from the medieval to early modern periods. The name has tended to occur more in historical documents than in contemporary usage.

Today, Modestina is rarely used as a given name in modern times and is primarily encountered in historical or genealogical contexts. It is sometimes employed in fiction to evoke classical or virtuous associations, rather than as a common, regularly used name.

Variants and related forms include Modesta, used in Spanish and Italian contexts; Modestine in French; and other regional diminutives or adaptations. The name is typically associated with the virtue of modesty in naming traditions and is sometimes encountered in onomastic studies as an example of Latin-derived feminine forms.

See also: Modesta, Modestina in historical records, and related virtue-name practices in European naming traditions.