means A prickly wild plant with spiny leaves and a usually purple, tufted flower head, famous as the national emblem of Scotland.

from From Old English 'thistel,' a word with deep Germanic roots — cousins survive in Dutch 'distel' and German 'Distel.' The older meaning likely circled around the idea of something that pricks or pierces, fitting for a plant that defends itself. Scotland's affection for it comes from a legend (probably more story than history) that a barefoot Norse raider stepped on a thistle in the dark and his yelp betrayed the attack — though no one can pin that tale to a real night or battle.