The Origin of the Name Carob and Its Names in Different Languages
Since carob is a tree that has been known in the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years, it is called by different names in every language and even in different regions of the same country. It is called "carob" and "carob" in Turkish, "carob" in English, "algarroba" in Spanish, "garrofa" in Catalan and "carruba" in Italian. Most of these names go back to the Arabic word "kharrūb". The scientific name Ceratonia siliqua is derived from the Greek words "horn" and Latin "pod".
In this article, we discuss the names of carob in Turkish, the name chain from Arabic to European languages, the meaning of the scientific name and why the terms used in trade should be known correctly.
One Tree, Many Names
How many different names a plant has also gives an idea of how long it has lived with humans. Carob is a rich example in this respect. The tree is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East and has become widely naturalized in the western Mediterranean. Since its fruit has been used for centuries as animal feed, sweetener, food and trade goods during periods of famine, it has a local name on almost every coast of the Mediterranean.
When looking at these names, two main sources come to the fore. The first is the Arabic word "kharrūb"; "carob" in English, "caroube" in French, "carruba" in Italian, "algarroba" in Spanish, "alfarroba" in Portuguese and "carob" in Turkish are fed from this root. The second is the appearance of the fruit: the curved, long and hard-shelled pod has been likened to a horn in many languages. "carob" in Turkish and "keratonia" of Greek origin are the equivalent of this analogy in two different languages.
A third group of names also originated from religious narratives. The name "Johannisbrot" in German or "St. John's bread" in English is associated with the widespread belief that John the Baptist ate carob in the desert. Since we have discussed this topic in detail in our article devoted to religious traditions, we will only touch on the noun aspect here.
"Carob": The Logic of the Name in Turkish
The name "carob" in Turkish is a clear analogy to the shape of the fruit. The ripe carob pod is dark brown, slightly curved and tapering towards the tip; this appearance resembles a carob. The fact that the name of the tree in Turkish means "carob" is also noted in English sources.
There is an interesting parallel here: The scientific name "Ceratonia" is also derived from the Greek word meaning "horn". In other words, the Turkish folk name and the scientific name of Greek origin are based on the same analogy independently of each other. The fact that people speaking different languages look at the same fruit and see the same thing shows the observational nature of naming.
The name "carob" is the most commonly used name in standard Turkish and official records today. This name is generally preferred on the labels of food products, agricultural statistics and commercial documents. However, in many regions on the Mediterranean coast, a second name continues to live among the people: carob.
Carob and Carob: Local Name of Arabic Origin
The name "carob", which is widely used for carob in Anatolia, is of Arabic origin. In Arabic, the form "ẖarnūb" is recorded for carob in addition to the form "ẖarrūb". The name "carob" in Turkish is very close to this second form in terms of sound structure.
The transformation of the "b" sound at the end of a word into "p" is a common sound phenomenon in Turkish; such as "kitab" becoming "book". The fact that the spelling "carob" is still seen in some records also bears the traces of this transition. As a matter of fact, the name of the product is mentioned as "Alanya Carob / Alanya Carob" in the mahreç sign registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office for carob grown in Alanya. This registration is important in terms of showing that the local name is also alive in an official document today.
The name carob is used not only to describe the tree or fruit, but also to describe products made from the fruit. Expressions such as "carob molasses" and "carob sherbet" are frequently heard among the people. It is emphasized in the press and local publications that carob is known as "carob" in Anatolia.
- Carob: Standard Turkish name; It comes from the resemblance of the fruit to carob.
- Carob: Local name of Arabic origin; It is common on the Mediterranean coast.
- Harnub: A spelling of the same name closer to Arabic.
Carob, Caroube, Carruba: From Arabic to European Languages
The journey of the word "carob" in English can be traced quite clearly in dictionaries. According to the etymology given by Dictionary.com, the word entered the English language around 1540-1550. The chain goes like this: Arabic "kharrūb" (pod, carob) → Medieval Latin "carrūbium" → Middle French "carobe" → English "carob". Encyclopedic sources state that the word is also related to the Persian forms "khirnub" and the Hebrew forms "haruv" in this journey.
In French, the tree is called "caroubier" and the fruit is called "caroube"; In Italian, the tree is called "carrubo" and the fruit is called "carruba". In Maltese, the name of the tree is "ħarruba", and in Malta the tree is referred to as "siġra tal-ħarrub". Since the Maltese language is a language of Arabic origin, the name here is one of the closest European names to the Arabic form.
In Greek, there are two different groups of names. On the one hand, there are "charoupia" (tree) and "charoupi" (fruit), which reflect the Arabic root, and on the other hand, "xylokeratia" and "xylokerato", which are based on the meaning of "horn". Thus, Greek creates an interesting example that carries both the Arabic root and the analogy of the horn at the same time.
Algarroba, Alfarroba, Garrofa: Names in the Iberian Peninsula
In Spanish, the tree is called "algarrobo", the fruit is called "algarroba"; In Portuguese, the tree is called "alfarrobeira" and the fruit is called "alfarroba". The syllable "al-" at the beginning of these names is remarkable. "al-", which is the suffix of certainty in Arabic, has become a permanent part of the word in many words that have passed from Arabic to Spanish and Portuguese. The name of carob in Iberian languages is one of these examples.
In Catalan, the tree is called "garrofer" and the fruit is called "garrofa". The Catalan name is a different sound adaptation of the Arabic root. Since the coasts of Valencia and Catalonia are historical centers of carob cultivation, the word "garrofa" has a strong place in the local culture of these regions.
An important caveat should be made here. In Latin America, the name "algarrobo" is also used for other trees. According to encyclopedic sources, these trees belong to a subfamily (Mimosoideae) different from carob. Spanish settlers named them carob because the pods of these trees also contain a sweet sap. Therefore, when the word "algarrobo" is mentioned in a Spanish source, it should be checked whether the text refers to Mediterranean carob or a different species in South America.
| Language | Tree | Fruit |
|---|---|---|
| English | Carob tree | Carob, carob |
| Arabic | — | ẖarrūb, ẖarnūb |
| English | Carob tree | Carob, locust bean |
| French | Caroubier | Caroube |
| Italian | Carrubo | Carruba |
| Spanish | Algarrobo | Algarroba |
| Catalan | Garrofer | Garrofa |
| Portuguese | Alfarrobeira | Alfarroba |
| German | Johannisbrotbaum | Johannisbrot |
| Dutch | Johannesbroodboom | Johannesbrood |
| Greek | Charoupia, xylokeratia | Charoupi, xylokerato |
| Maltese | Siġra tal-ħarrub | Ħarruba |
Ceratonia siliqua: Meaning of the Scientific Name
The scientific name of carob is Ceratonia siliqua L. The letter "L." at the end of the name indicates the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who registered the species under this name in 1753.
The genus name, "Ceratonia", comes from the Greek root "keras" (horn). According to the French National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), the name is based on the Greek word meaning "small horn" and describes the curved pods of the tree. The word "keratōnía", which was used for the carob tree in ancient Greek, is from the same root.
The species name "siliqua" means "pod, shell" in Latin. This word emphasizes that carob belongs to the legume family and its fruit is a pod. Thus, the scientific name can be roughly summarized as "horn-shaped pod-producing tree".
The importance of the scientific name is that it eliminates the confusion created by local names that vary from language to language. The writing of "Ceratonia siliqua" in a research or technical specification clearly indicates that the product in question is Mediterranean carob. Especially considering the "algarrobo" confusion mentioned above, it is a good practice to use the scientific name in international trade.
Faith-Based Names: St. John's Bread and Johannisbrot
Some names of carob in Western languages are based on a direct belief. The names "St. John's bread" in English, "Johannisbrot" in German and "Johannesbrood" in Dutch are based on the common interpretation that the "locusts" that John the Baptist fed on in the desert were actually carob pods.
Another name in English, "locust bean" (locust bean), and "locust tree", which is used for the tree, are also related to the same interpretation. The fact that the gum obtained from carob seeds in industry is referred to as "locust bean gum" in English is the current version of this historical name.
These names reflect a belief; whether the interpretation is historically correct or not is a separate matter of discussion. Sources also convey this issue not as definite information, but as a common belief.
Kinship with Carat: A Measure from the Same Root
The name of carob was not limited to the plant, but also the source of the name of a unit of measurement. The word "karat", which is used for precious stones and gold carat, passed from the Greek word "keration" (small horn; carob seed) to European languages through the Arabic "qīrāṭ". The word "carat" in Turkish is also from this family.
The historical relationship of carat to carob seeds and how variable the core weights actually are is broad enough to be the subject of a separate article. To this subject What is Carob Seed? We mentioned it in our article. It is enough to note here that the words "ceratonia", "keration", "qīrāṭ", "carat" and "carat" are different branches of the same "horn" root.
Name Confusion in Trading: Using the Right Term
In the international trade of carob products, the part of the product from which it is obtained is as important as the name of the product. Different products from the same fruit are referred to by different terms in different languages. Confusing these terms can lead to misunderstandings in the quotation and ordering processes.
| English | English trade term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Carob fruit | Carob pod | Whole pods |
| Carob kibble | Carob kibble | Seeded, broken fruit flesh |
| Carob flour / powder | Carob powder / carob flour | Ground form of fruit flesh |
| Carob seeds | Carob seed / locust bean | Raw material for gamut production |
| Carob gamut | Locust bean gum (E410) | Thickener obtained from the endosperm of the nucleus |
| Carob molasses | Carob molasses / carob syrup | Condensed form of fruit pulp |
For example, the expression "carob flour" can be used loosely in some texts to describe the powder obtained from the fruit flesh and the products obtained from the kernel in some texts. For this reason, in B2B procurement, in addition to the product name, the part size and technical specifications of the product should be clearly stated. The difference between carob flour and kernel-based products What is Carob Flour Powder? We explained it in detail in our article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is carob the same as carob?
Yes. Carob is the local name of carob of Arabic origin. It is used for the same tree and fruit.
Where does the word carob come from?
According to dictionaries, it passed into English from the Arabic word "kharrūb" through medieval Latin and French; its first use in English dates back to the mid-16th century.
What does Ceratonia siliqua mean?
"Ceratonia" comes from the Greek word for "horn" and "siliqua" for "pod" from the Latin. The name describes the fruit's horn-like pod structure.
Does algarroba always mean carob in Spanish?
In Spain, usually yes. However, in Latin America, the name "algarrobo" is also used for trees other than carob; therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the context.
Recognize Carob by Its Correct Name with Carob Türkiye
The changing names of carob from language to language show how deep-rooted this tree is in Mediterranean cultures. This fruit, known as "carob" in Alanya, "garrofa" in Valencia, "ħarruba" in Malta, and "carob" in London, is still a valuable raw material traded among many countries today.
At Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, crumbs, flour/powder, kernels and extracts. Our products and technical information Our Products page, for general information about carob What is Carob? You can read our article. For your wholesale and export requests Contact Now You can contact us on our page.
Domestic resources
Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, "Alanya Carob / Alanya Carob" Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, Registration No: 1705, 2025. ci.
turkpatent. gov. en/ Files/ GeographicalSigns/ 7bbe4a8b- 399… İdil Açıkalın, "Health from carob", Sabah (Good Morning), 6 October 2024. morning.
com. en/ Authors/ good morning/ idil- stingy/ 2024/ 10/ 06/ Kec... KÜRE Encyclopedia, "Alanya Carob / Alanya Carob". kureencyclopedia.
com/ en/ detail/ alanya- Carob- alanya- huh... Foreign sources
Dictionary.com, "Carob" (word origin). dictionary.
com/ browse/ carob Pl@ntUse, "Ceratonia siliqua" (names and uses). uses.
plantnet- project. org/ fr/ Ceratonia_siliqua Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN), "Carob tree". mnhn.
fr/ en/ carob- tree Wikipedia, "Carob" (Etymology section). en.
wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Carob Fuson, C. & Yee, S., "Carob: From Pod to Pantry", Plants & People (USC Scalar), 2022. scalar.
USC. edu/ works/ plants- and- people/ carob- from- pod- to- … Falzon, A., "November Flower of the Month: Carob Tree (MT: Siġra tal-Ħarrub) Ceratonia siliqua", Friends of the Earth Malta, 2021. foemalta.
Scientific Resourcesorg/ blog/ carobtree/
