Save Type Surname (from nickname) Usage English Pronounced Pron. POW-ər [key·IPA] Meaning & History From Middle English povre meaning "poor", via Old French from Latin pauper. It could have been a nickname for someone who had no money or a miser. Related NamesDetails VariantPowersSame SpellingPower (1) Categories nicknames, word names Entry updated December 14, 2019