From Old Frisianfāmne(“girl”), from Proto-Germanic*faimnjō(“shepherdess”), often incorrectly assumed to be borrowed from Latin femina (false friend). Cognates include West Frisian faam, Old Saxon fêmia(“young woman”), Old English fǽmne(“young woman”), Old Norse feima(“shy girl”), Icelandic feiminn(“shy”), feimni(“shyness”).