Re: How did the periwinkle mollusc receive its name?

 The origin is uncertian,there is two possibilities the first a perhaps an 
alteration of a  Middle 16th century Old English word pinewincle meaning 
mussel shell or a Latin 12th Century word, which I think is probably the 
right one as most Scientific names were Latin , Pervincire meaning to wind 
around describing the whorled conical shell of the mollusc.
Reference Encarta World English Dictionary.