'giver' originates from Middle English, formed by adding the agent-forming suffix '-er' to the verb 'give'.

'give' comes from Old English 'giefan'/'gifan', which in turn derives from Proto-Germanic '*gebaną'; the agent suffix '-er' (from Old English '-ere') produced 'giver' in Middle English and the modern English word 'giver' evolved from that.

Initially it meant 'one who gives' and this core meaning has remained essentially the same into modern usage.