The genus name Fragaria derives from fragum (“strawberry”) and -aria, a suffix used to create feminine nouns and plant names. The Latin name is thought in turn to derive from a Proto-Indo-European language root meaning “berry”, either *dʰreh₂ǵ- or *sróh₂gs.[4] The genus name is sometimes mistakenly derived from fragro (“to be fragrant, to reek”).

Just one example of how this predates English by millennia