Masculine

ooievaarsbek

Meaning

a geranium, cranesbill; any plant of the genus Geranium

crane’s-bill

true geranium

pelargonium

Geranium

geranio perenne

Geranium

Geranium robertianum

malva-rosa

geranio malva

geranio rosa

From ooievaar (“stork”) + -s- + bek (“animal's mouth, beak, bill”). The name refers to the fruit capsule of many species of this genus, which somewhat resembles a stork's bill in shape (see picture). Compare reigersbek (“erodium, storksbill”), which has similar elongated fruits and is similarly named after a bird with an elongated beak. The genus name Geranium is similarly derived from the Ancient Greek γεράνιον (geránion), a derivate of the word γέρανος (géranos) meaning "crane", another long-billed bird.