'blithe' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'blīþe,' where 'blīþe' meant 'joyous, kind, cheerful.'

'blīþe' transformed into the Middle English word 'blithe,' and eventually became the modern English word 'blithe.'

Initially, it meant 'joyous or kind,' but over time it evolved to include a sense of 'carefree or heedless.'