 The Catalan philologist Joan Coromines says that "Meritxell" is a diminutive of "merig", from the Latin "meridiem" (midday in English).Merig is a name used by shepherds to denote a pasture with lot of sun.In the late 12th century, on January 6, a wild rose in bloom was found by villagers from Meritxell going to Mass in Canillo.