Etymology of Argentina

Cover of the first edition of the poem *La Argentina* by Martín del Barco Centenera, 1602

Argentina (an Italian adjective meaning "silvery") is ultimately derived from the Latin argentum "silver" and the feminine of the adjectival suffix -inus. The first use of the name "Argentina" can be traced back to the first voyages made by the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors to the Río de la Plata (meaning "River of Silver") in the first years of the 16th century.

There is an occurrence of "Argentina" being used as the name of a woman, in Wiltshire, in 1424 - the wife of John Bulford, of Mere Wiltshire, England. ^[1]

^ Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; England; National Archives: first entry on the image, and the second line, name of the wife of: John Bulford; John's name appears at the start of the record: http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no654/bCP40no654dorses/IMG_1059.htm

[1] Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; England; National Archives: first entry on the image, and the second line, name of the wife of: John Bulford; John's name appears at the start of the record: http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no654/bCP40no654dorses/IMG_1059.htm

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