Hi,
Somone can correct me if I'm wrong, but it comes from salvus which means saved. I think it was refering to medicinal healing properties, not spiritual, of the plant.
I thought the link below would interest you.
Remy

Here is a link that might be useful: Mary's Gardens

thanks for your response...

I am familiar with that site, a wealth of interesting things there. I've used some of it for this project.

The word "sage" has its origins in Old French ("sauge" and "saige"), the first for the plant and the second for the one who is wise, perceptive, and discerning.

From the Old French, Sauge (the plant) goes back to its object the Salvia plant in Latin and has a root meaning of safety and soundness. Saige (the person) has its roots in Latin sapiens, wise, originally from sapere, to know, taste

The modern word "salvia" shares the same roots in Latin with "salvation" and "sage" the plant.

thanks Rich...

excellent info.

According to the book by John Sutton, the Latin name Salvia was first used by Pliny the Elder and is directly derived from the verb salvere, to heal. Those who wrote about its medicinal properties include Theophrastus (372-287bc), Pliny the Elder (ad23-79) and the Sicilian Dioscorides who wrote De Materia Medica in about AD64. In this he lists over 500 plants and their uses.