Ancient Greek male names. TOP Greek male names

Good afternoon, dear readers! In this article we will look at the Greek male names, which are common in the Russian-speaking space, and their meanings, as well as names that are especially popular in Greece itself.

It is also possible that this article will help you choose a beautiful Greek name for a boy, who knows! So let's begin...

Popular Greek male names

Greek names came to us along with Christianity. Many of them were paired, some (Evgeniy - Evgeniya, for example) are still in use today. And there are also those that are almost never found. So, if the name Anastasius (paired with Anastasia) can be heard, it is only in monasteries.

Most names have Ancient Greek origin, which means they are closely related to the culture and history of Greece. Let's start with those names that are related to ancient Greek mythology.

Male names and myths of Ancient Greece

Name Dmitriy or Demetrius (Δημήτριος) associated with the ancient Greek goddess of fertility Demeter (Δημήτηρ) and translated as “dedicated to Demeter.”

Denis (Διόνυσος) was originally a shortened form of the name Dionysius. It comes from the name Διόνυσος. Dictionaries indicate two meanings: the first, in fact, is the name of Dionysus himself, greek god winemaking, and the second is a synonym for the word Διονυσιακός, which means “belonging to Dionysus.”

Another name supposedly associated with mythology is Artemy (Αρτέμιος). Today, its colloquial form is more common - Artyom. According to one version, the name means “ dedicated to Artemis» ( Artemis - Ἄρτεμις- goddess of hunting and female chastity). According to another, more probable one, it comes from the ancient Greek word ἀρτεμής - “healthy, unharmed.”

The word νίκη - “victory” is found in many names: Nikolai (Νικόλαος)- νίκη + λαός - “people”, Nikita (Νικήτας)-- from the Greek νικητής - “winner”, Nicephorus (Νικηφόρος)- from the ancient Greek νικηφόρος - “victorious” and others. And also Nika (Νίκη)- Name ancient greek goddess victory.

Male names and place names

There are also names that come from the name of a locality.

For example, Anatoly (Ανατόλιος) derived from ανατολικός, which means “eastern” (ανατολή - “east”, “sunrise”). Anatolia is one of the names of Asia Minor.

Name Arkady derived from the word Ἀρκάς (form genitive case- Ἀρκάδος), which translates as “resident of Arcadia.” Arcadia (Αρκαδία) is a region in Greece on the Peloponnese peninsula. IN ancient times Cattle breeding was developed there, hence figurative meaning named Arkady - “shepherd”. The name of this area is presumably associated with the name of the son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto, whose name was Arkad (Arkas - Ἀρκάς).

Residents of Arcadia national costumes. Each of them is Arkas. Photo www.arcadiaportal.gr/

“Talking” names

Among the Greek names there are many that mean some positive quality - wisdom, strength, nobility.

Alexander (Αλέξανδρος)- perhaps the most common name. It was formed from two ancient Greek words: ἀλέξω - “to protect” and ἀνδρός - the genitive form of ἀνήρ - “man”. So this name is translated as “protector of men.” The name has a similar meaning Alexey (Αλέξιος) from ἀλέξω - “to protect”, “to repel”, “to prevent”.

A name with a similar meaning - Andrey (Ανδρεας). It comes from the Greek word ανδρείος - “brave, courageous.”

Here are two more “manly” names: Leonidas (Λεωνίδας)- means “like a lion”: λέων - “lion”, είδος - “similar”, “kind” and Peter (Πέτρος)- translated from ancient Greek as “rock, stone.”

A good example of “speaking names” is Evgeniy (Ευγένιος). It is derived from the ancient Greek word εὐγενής - “noble”, “noble” (εὖ - “good” and γένος - “kind”). A name of similar meaning is Gennady (Γεννάδιος). It goes back to the ancient Greek word γεννάδας - “of noble birth.”

Kirill (Κύριλλος) comes from the word Κύρος “power”, “authority”, which was derived from the ancient Greek κύριος - “lord”.

Another “noble” name - Vasily (Βασίλειος). It goes back to the ancient Greek word βασίλιος (βασίλειος) - “royal, royal” from βασιλεύς - “king, ruler”.

Name George (Γεώργιος) derived from the ancient Greek word γεωργός - “farmer”. The names Yuri and Egor are its derivatives; in the 1930s they were recognized as independent names. Another derivative is the word “to deceive” - “to deceive”. This word has a curious etymology: on St. George, in the fall, transactions and tax collection were carried out, peasants could move from one owner to another. Literally it meant “to deceive on Yuryev (Yegoryev) day.”

Don't confuse it with the name Gregory (Γρηγόριος)- from γρηγορέύω - to stay awake, to be vigilant, to hurry, as well as γρήγορος - fast, nimble, alive.

Here's an unexpected example. What do most Russians associate the name Kuzma or Kuzya with? With a cartoon about a brownie. 🙂 But it’s not that simple. The original form of this name is Kozma (Kozma - Κοσμάς) and it comes from the Greek word κόσμος - “cosmos, universe, order”. And it’s also interesting that in Russian there is a word “(under) Kuzmit”. Its meaning is almost the opposite - to intrigue, deceive, let down.

Name Fedor (Theodore - Θεόδωρος) means "God's gift" from θεός - "God" and δῶρον - "gift". This name is not the only one in which the word θεός occurs. For example, popular in last years Name Timofey (Τιμώθεος)- translated as “honoring God” - τιμώ - “honor” and θεός - “god”.

By the way, Fedot is also a Greek name - Θεοδότης , that is, given to God.

Male names most popular in Greece itself

At one time, a study was conducted on 60 thousand Greek male names, and it gave an interesting result. As it turned out, almost half of the country’s male population (47%) are bearers of only six names!

The most common name is Γεώργιος (Yorgos, George), 11.1 percent of men wear it.

Ιωάννης - Yannis, John 8.55%
Κωνσταντίνος – Konstantinos 7.97%
Δημήτρης - Dimitris, Dmitry 7.65%
Νικόλαος - Nikolaos, Nikolai 6.93%
Παναγιώτης – Panagiotis 4.71%

All the rest make up a motley picture of more than five hundred names of the of different origins. Another 30 names from the most common:

Βασίλης - Vasilis 3.60
Χρήστος - Christ 3.56
Αθανάσιος – Athanasios 2.43
Μιχαήλ — Michael 2.27
Ευάγγελος — Evangelos 1.98
Σπύρος - Spyros (Spyridon) 1.98
Αντώνης - Antonis 1.87
Αναστάσιος – Anastasios 1.64
Θεόδωρος – Theodoros 1.57
Ανδρέας — Andreas 1.54
Χαράλαμπος - Charalambos 1.54
Αλέξανδρος – Alexandros 1.45
Εμμανουήλ - Emmanuel 1.37
Ηλίας - Ilias 1.34
Σταύρος — Stavros 1.02

Πέτρος - Petros 0.94
Σωτήριος - Sotiris 0.92
Στυλιανός — Stylianos 0.88
Ελευθέριος - Eleftherios 0.78
Απόστολος - Apostolos 0.75
Φώτιος — Photios 0.68
Διονύσιος - Dionysios 0.65
Γρηγόριος - Grigorios 0.64
Άγγελος — Angelos 0.62
Στέφανος — Stefanos 0.59
Ευστάθιος - Eustathios 0.59
Παύλος - Pavlos 0.56
Παρασκευάς - Paraskevas 0.56
Αριστείδης - Aristidis 0.56
Λεωνίδας — Leonidas 0.50

Ancient Greek names

Of the five hundred most common names in Greece, 120 are ancient Greek. If we talk about the share of such names in the total mass, then they are no more than 5 percent. Most common names Αριστείδης (Aristides) And Λεωνίδας (Leonidas), they are in the list in 35th and 36th places, respectively.

Below are the 50 most popular ancient names out of these 120. I am writing the Greek pronunciation, you already know the adapted version or you can come up with it yourself.)

Αριστείδης - Aristidis
Λεωνίδας — Leonidas
Περικλής - Periklis
Δημοσθένης - Dimosthenis
Μιλτιάδης - Miltiadis
Αχιλλέας - Achilleas
Θεμιστοκλής - Themistoklis
Ηρακλής - Iraklis (Hercules)
Σωκράτης - Socrates
Αριστοτέλης - Aristotelis
Επαμεινώνδας - Epaminondas
Ξενοφών - Xenophon
Οδυσσέας - Odysseas
Σοφοκλής - Sophocles
Ορέστης - Orestis
Αριστομένης - Aristomenis
Μενέλαος - Menelaos
Τηλέμαχος - Tilemakhos
Αλκιβιάδης — Alkibiadis
Κίμων - Kimon
Θρασύβουλος — Thrasivoulos
Αγησίλαος – Agisilaos
Αρης - Aris
Νέστωρ - Nestor
Πάρις - Paris

Όμηρος - Omiros (Homer)
Κλεάνθης - Cleanthis
Φωκίων — Phokion
Ευριπίδης - Euripidis
Πλάτων — Plato
Νεοκλής – Neoklis
Φαίδων - Phaedon
Φοίβος - Thebos (Phoebus)
Πλούταρχος - Plutarchos
Σόλων - Solon
Ιπποκράτης - Hippocrates (Hippocrates)
Διομήδης - Diomidis
Αγαμέμνων - Agamemnon
Πολυδεύκης - Polydeucis
Λυκούργος - Lykourgos
Ιάσων - Jason
Κλεομένης - Kleomenis
Κλέων - Cleon
Μίνως - Minos
Αγαθοκλής - Agathoclis
Εκτωρ - Ektor (Hector)
Αρίσταρχος - Aristarchos
Ορφέας - Orpheas
Μύρων — Miron
Νικηφόρος - Nikiforos

In addition to the usual Greek names, there are many borrowed names - from Europe, the Middle East and even Russia.

For example, there is a name Βλαδίμηρος - in my opinion, it’s clear where Vladimir came from.)

There are European names, rewritten in the Greek way. Rare name Βύρων (Viron)- a derivative of Lord Byron, the Greeks called him that way. The most common of these names

Αλβέρτος - Albert,
Βαλέριος - Valery,
Βίκτωρ - Victor,
Γουλιέλμος - Wilhelm,
Δομένικος - Dominic,
Εδουάρδος - Edward,
Ερρίκος - Eric, Heinrich.

Of course, not all names are described here. But on this we do not say goodbye to this topic, we are waiting for more Greek female names which you will learn about in the next article.

Most of male and female names that exist in the world, has Greek roots. Some of them have become so popular in their countries that they are already considered national. Therefore, it will not be difficult for a boy to choose.

Origin and meaning of names

Newborn Greeks are usually named according to tradition. The eldest son in a family almost always bears the name of his paternal grandfather. The next boy born to a married couple is named exactly the same as the mother's parent. Giving a father's name to a son is an ill omen. Compliance with traditions among true Greeks is a sacred duty. But despite this, many young couples deviate from them and name their children as they wish.

All Greek, as for girls, are divided into two groups. The first category includes names ancient period related to mythology. They sound like this: Odysseas, Sophocles, Socrates and others. The second group includes the names included in the Orthodox calendar: Vasilios, Georgios.

Each Greek name has its own characteristics. It reflects one or another personality trait of a person, and, as a rule, with positive side. For example, the ancient Greek male name Leonidas (Leonidas) means “like a lion,” and Prokopios (Procopius) translates as “advanced.” In Greece, it is believed that by choosing a name for a child, parents determine his destiny.

The most common male names

Greek names Orthodox calendar are of national origin, as well as Hebrew and Latin. However, children in this country are most often named according to family tradition, just like grandfather, father, mother, etc.

By far the most popular Greek names for boys are the following ten:

Georgios. Translated from ancient Greek it means “farmer”. In the church and historical context - also George.
Dimitrios. Comes from the ancient Greek name Demetrios - “dedicated to Demeter.” Also pronounced as Demetrius.
Konstantinos. The name is of Latin origin and means “permanent”. In historical context it reads as Constantius.
Ioannis. Comes from the Hebrew language. Translated from Hebrew it means “the mercy of the Lord.”
Nikolaos, or Nikolai, translated from ancient Greek as “conqueror of nations.” Comes from the name of the goddess of victory Nike.
Christ is the “anointed one.”
Panagiotis - translated from Greek as “all holy”.
Vasilios. The name has national ancient Greek roots and means “king”.
Athanasios (Athanasius in a church context), from ancient Greek - “immortal”.
Evangelos. Comes from the ancient Greek name Evangelion and means “good news, gospel.”

Fashion for names in Greece exists as well as in any other country, but those presented above remain popular at different times.

In the 20th century, Western European names Eduardos, Robertos and others became popular in this country. Modern Greek parents are increasingly retreating from family traditions and name their children that way.

The rarest Greek names for boys

Every year names appear less and less here ancient origin, associated with the existence of gods and mythology. Although, according to some parents, they are the ones who can give their child charisma and strong will.

The rarest and most beautiful Greek names for boys:

Aristotle - translated as "excellence aimed at a specific goal."
Archimedes. The name has ancient Greek roots and means “owner of thoughts.”
Demokritos - translated as “having the right to judge others.”
Zeno. This ancient Greek name comes from Zeus himself and means belonging to this supreme deity.
Space - "personifying beauty."
Macedon - "high".
Pleton - translated as “wealth”.
Eros - symbolizes love.

These are not all Greek names for boys that parents rarely use when naming their babies. But those presented above are still less common than others.

Modern male names of Greek origin

Greek names have taken root in almost all European languages. They may have their own pronunciation, but their roots remain the same. In Russian, Greek names for boys are also very common. Alexander, Alexey, Sergey are names that have long been considered native, Slavic. But in reality they have completely different roots.

The list of Greek names is very large. So much so that every second person on the planet bears this name.

Top 5 Greek origins in Russia

The Russian personal calendar contains big number names with Greek roots. Parents are happy to call their children them, without even thinking about their foreign origin, they fit so well into the Slavic flavor.

Today the most popular male names Greek origin are the following five:

Artem.
Alexander.
Dmitriy.
Nikita.
Kirill.

In almost every family, a boy born within the last 10 years bears one of these names.

Many names that seem originally Russian are actually Greek: Stepan, Timofey, Fedor, Makar, Vasily, Alexey. The list of famous Greek male names can be continued for a long time. People like Greek names because they mean positive characteristics of a person: wisdom, kindness, reliability, courage, masculinity. But these are precisely the qualities that society expects from a man.

History of the origin of Greek male names

How did male names of Greek origin come to us? Partly through mythology, but mainly from religion. The Greeks had a tremendous influence on world culture and everyday life

With the spread of Christianity, ancient Greek words entered our everyday life and became intertwined with it so closely that it is difficult to immediately determine where the word is Slavic origin, and where is the Greek.

The Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles were distributed to Greek. Russian Orthodox Church At one time it was called the “Greek Catholic” or “Greek Rite Church.” The Greek names themselves (before they came to us) came from ancient Greek and Latin.

Interesting information: among the Greeks, when a woman gets married, she takes not only her surname, but also her husband’s patronymic.

List of beautiful boy names

All of them are beautiful, just some are unusual to the ear, but others are especially sonorous:

Aristarchus means " best leader" Life credo: "Hurry - you will make people laugh";
Arkady. The name comes from the name of the region of Arcadia (the territory of Greece);
Artemy is interpreted as "healthy";
Arseny - “mature”, “courageous”, which are the most valuable qualities for a man;
Georgy - “farmer”;
Evsey is translated as “pious,” that is, highly moral, resistant to temptation;
Elisha is one of the variants of the name Odysseus ("angry"). Yes, the translation is formidable, but it sounds beautiful and such a person has a good character: he is reliable, smart, fair;
Leonid is the "son of a lion" both in translation and in personal qualities;
Rodion was formed from the ancient Greek Herodium ("hero", "heroic");
Sevastyan - "highly esteemed";
Felix is translated from Greek as "prosperous". This is the case when appearances are deceptive: people may consider Felix careless, but in fact he is firm in his intentions, sets goals for himself and goes towards them;
Philip - “horse lover”. For the Greeks, the horse represents courage and power.

Rare male names of Greek origin

We will consider rare names that are found in 10 or fewer newborns per month in the registry office statistics:

Gerasim - “respected”;
Demyan - “submissive”;
Demid is interpreted as “the care of God”;
Eustachius means “fertile”;
Heraclius consists of two words: "Hera" (the name of the goddess) and "kleos" ("glory");
Orestes - "mountain";
Plato translated from Greek means “broad-shouldered”;
Prokhor means “choir manager”;
Pankrat - “all-powerful”;
Trofim is translated as “breadwinner”.

Their rarity may be due to their outdated sound. However, each name meaning is quite pleasant.

Modern popular names and their meanings

Despite the tendency to call children difficult rare names, the usual ones don’t give up their positions either.

Modern Greek names are as follows:

Artem. He stands firmly on his own, knows exactly what he wants from life, and is extremely hardworking. Respects authorities, but does not subservient to them;
Alexander. Strives to do everything "excellent" the first time. Rarely allows himself to show emotions in public. Will not engage in idle chatter, but will competently support a substantive conversation;
Anton is a solid, independent and at the same time quite shy person;
It is not for nothing that Alexey is translated as “defender”; he fully corresponds to this characteristic;
Andrey is the life of the party, and therefore a well-connected person. Representative creative profession;
Victor means "winner". An adventurer, but by no means frivolous, because he has developed sense responsibility;
Vasily is distinguished by limitless patience and balance. Strong intuitive, but bases judgments on logic and facts;
Gregory - from the Greek “awake”. Sensitive nature and capable “techie”. A faithful family man who values home comfort;
Denis is an active and curious boy. Growing up, he becomes neat and diligent;
Eugene is a born diplomat: non-conflict, knows how to negotiate and find a compromise;
Egor is a Russian variation of the Greek name George ("cultivator of the earth");
Nikolai is translated as “people's winner.” Nothing can set him off, he is extremely resilient;
Nikita. The key character trait is charm, this attracts many people to him.

An interesting fact: there are Greek names that are on everyone's lips, but over the past year their popularity has plummeted. For example, such names include Anatoly, Valentin, Gennady, Valery.

Ancient and forgotten names

Some names have become obsolete due to the desire to name children in European terms, and some for historical reasons or because of their interpretation, for example:

Nicodemus is translated as “the conquering people.” It has never been popular with the population because it sounds unfriendly;
Agathon - “kind”. Used only in the lower classes;
Anfim means "flower", which by modern standards does not sound very masculine;
Agap, Agapit. Translation from Greek is “beloved”, now the word is forgotten;
Anastasy - “resurrected”, turned into the female name Anastasia;
Efim - “who foretells good.” This was the name of the clergy, but was not used by the people;
Evdokim - “honorable”. This name was given when becoming a monk;
Luke means "light." It has fallen out of use because it is associated with the word "cunning" (insincerity, cunning);
Macarius - “blessed”, but also translated as “blessed”, which in modern society understood as “strange”, “eccentric”;
Potap means “wanderer”. Lost popularity due to its old-fashioned sound.

Have you noticed that pop stars often take such names as their pseudonyms? The words are rare, that is, they add uniqueness to the speaker; At the same time, they are sonorous and well remembered.

How to choose a Greek name for a boy

Believers follow the custom of naming in honor of a saint based on their date of birth or adjacent numbers. Name options for a boy church calendar there are many, several names of revered elders and martyrs. For example, a son was born on January 31st. We open the calendar and see that on this day Kirill, Dmitry, Emelyan are venerated. There will be other options, not Greek.

You can also start from the desired meaning, a certain image that is significant for parents. For example, a woman who has not been able to get pregnant for a long time may name her son Fedot (“ given by God", "gifted") or Chariton ("grace").

It happens that parents want to name their son after a character from myths Ancient Greece so that he is as respected and significant. For example, Zeno (“belonging to Zeus”), Zinovy (“the power of Zeus”), Isidore (“the gift of Isis”), Taras (the son of Poseidon in mythology), Tikhon (in honor of the goddess of luck Tyukhe).

The name should sound consistent with the patronymic. Say it out loud and cut off incompatible, absurd, difficult-to-pronounce pairs: for example, Nestor Alexandrovich is less harmonious than Pyotr Alexandrovich. But combinations sound harmonious where the first name and patronymic begin with the same letter (Vasily Vitalievich) or the same consonant is repeated (Kuzma Mikhailovich).

When choosing a name, remember that a person will have to wear it all his life. How cute does that sound to little boy, but it will create discomfort and will not cause the best associations for an adult man.

Most modern names have national roots. By origin they are divided into the following categories:
1. Antique: Adonis, Vangelis, Deidalos.
2. Church: Anastasius, Zeno, Isidore.
Many names are associated with the mythology of Ancient Greece: Dionysius, Artemy, Hector.
Often there are names that in ancient times designated the area: Arkady, Anatoly.
Remained widespread Orthodox names, since the Greeks belong to religious people. Among them there are ancient Hebrew and latin names: Ananias, Lucas, Matthias.

Many peoples have borrowed names with Greek roots. They spread to Italy, Russia, Ukraine, England, Spain. Not every parent knows what the origin of the chosen option is. This phenomenon has become two-sided. In the last century, the number of foreign names in the Greek name book has increased. Boys are often called Jonas, Myron, Thaddeus, due to the influence European culture to the country.

Every Greek has a colloquial and official name. According to Greek law, both forms are recorded in the passport. Option for Everyday life a man chooses on his own. According to spelling rules, names are accented.

What do they pay attention to when choosing?

The Greeks honor family customs, therefore they are guided by them in the naming process. According to the rules, you cannot name a boy after his father if he is alive. The first son is named after his paternal grandfather, and the second son is named after his maternal grandfather. The third boy in the family is named in memory of his father's grandfather's brother. If the remaining children are born boys, the parents name them as they wish. This tradition has led to the fact that there are many namesakes in Greek families.

Modern parents choose a name based on personality characteristics. Antique names reflect the dignity of a man, his moral and intellectual qualities. Most Greek names are melodious and beautiful, which influences the choice.

A complete list of all options for boys and their meanings

The boy's name reflects the quality of a real man. The Greeks do this so that in the future their children will have such character traits. Therefore, the issue of naming is approached with special care.

Modern

Greek names are considered harmonious and beautiful, so they have become popular in many countries. Antiquity and myths gave modern Greece unusual names, among which are the following:

IN European countries Many names of Greek origin have taken root. Their transformed forms have appeared in almost every language. Among the popular European names that come from Greece are the following:

In recent years, such names have become popular among the population of Russia and Ukraine. Some of them are recorded in the church calendar, so they are readily used by believing families.

The ancient world did not know the calendar, and the people of that time knew nothing about guardian angels and intercessors. But this does not mean at all that they did not believe in heavenly patrons. Newborn boys and girls were entrusted to the care of the gods living on Olympus. On the other hand, like our Slavic pagan ancestors, the ancient Greeks endowed their children with nicknames that reflected actual or desired qualities. For example, Aoid - “singing”, or Aniketos, which means “invincible”.

As in many ancient cultures, ancient Greek names glorify the forces of nature or compare a person with a flower, plant, or animal. Examples can be given: Astreya (Star), Iolanta (purple flower), Leonidas (son of Leo). Some names smoothly “migrated” to our time, taking root in modern Greek culture and among us, those Slavs who came under the influence of Christianity of the Eastern rite.

It should be said that the ancient Romans borrowed their Pantheon from the Greeks, giving their gods their names. Therefore in Western Europe and in Slavic lands, where the Catholic religion is widespread, there are ancient Greek names derived from the same ones only with a Latin name. For example, Marsilius (god of war), Diana (goddess of the moon and hunting).

Old-new names

Do you love culture but would not like to break ties with Christianity? Then we can advise you on the names that have become part of the Orthodox calendar. And then your child can be named sonorously and beautifully. His name will be rooted in the distant past. He can celebrate birthdays and will be protected by a heavenly patron.

And this is not surprising. After all, the first apostles, among whom were Greeks, bore ancient Greek male names. Let us remember, for example, Philippos. Beautiful name this apostle means "lover of horses." The girl, named Helen, will grow up to be as beautiful as the ancient Greek wife of King Menelaus, kidnapped by Paris. What does Ἑλένη (Helene) mean? "Light-bearing", "torch". The male equivalent of this ancient Greek name is Gelen. In addition to Helena, Philip and the already mentioned Leonidas, from ancient world A dozen more names were transferred to the modern one: Vasily, Dmitry, Hippolytus, Zeno, Eirene (later turned into Irina) and others.

For fans of the Olympic cult

Why not, in fact, name the child beautiful and original name, giving him as patrons not some holy saints and apostles, but one of the gods? Moreover, there are so many of them in the Greek Pantheon. Now among the cultural elite of the world there is a fashion for ancient Greek female names, as well as for male ones. Let's remember, for example, Eros Ramazzotti or Penelope Cruz. U famous singer the name of the god of love, companion of Aphrodite.

The girlfriend of the young wizard Harry Potter from J. Rowling's book is also clearly patronized by Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maya, the patron of artisans, merchants, thieves and wanderers. Hermione is also mentioned in Homer's poem "The Illiad": she is the daughter beautiful Elena and Menelaus.

There are also many names whose bearers are “dedicated” to some Olympian (“art”, “sun”), Nika (“victory”), Iris (“rainbow”). However, be careful. Names ancient greek gods beautiful, but the inhabitants of Olympus themselves were never famous for their soft and flexible disposition. This is where they differ from christian god love. Together with positive qualities a child may also inherit his patron’s negative traits: vindictiveness, deceit, jealousy.

For connoisseurs of the culture of Ancient Greece

Anyone who is in love with the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides, in the comedies of Aristophanes, who reads Homer, will easily find beautiful and sonorous names. From them you can choose those that will not break the language of the Russian-speaking environment. For example, Aeneas means “praised”, “approved”. Not a bad name Phoenix, which means “purple” - a color that only aristocrats were allowed to wear. The boy Odysseus will inherit from his famous namesake, glorified by Homer, courage, ingenuity and a passion for travel.

In the myths and works of that civilization you can also find very beautiful ancient Greek names for women. For example, Electra - which means “bright”, “shining”. Or the muse of astronomy Urania - her name means “heavenly”. You can call the girl simply Muse or dedicate her to one of them, for example, Thalia or Calliope. In the myths of Ancient Greece there are many beautiful nymphs, whose beauty captivated even the gods: Maya, Adrastea, Daphne, etc.

Love saves the world

Ancient Greek names that begin or end with the fragment “philo” fit very well on the tongue and caress the ear. This prefix means "Love". It can be applied not only to a passion for horses, like Philip, but also to singing - Philomena. The Greeks greatly valued this quality - the ability to love. They also wanted everyone around them to appreciate their son or daughter. Therefore, the names Philo, Theophilus, Philemon (“tender”) and others like them were common in the same way as with us with the prefix “glory” and “peace”.

The Greeks were a very pious people. During the Hellenistic period, names appeared that signified the patronage of God, without specifying which one. Timothy is “one who honors God.” Theodora - "His gift." There are also names indicating the king of the gods - Zeus. Zinovia is life from Jupiter the Thunderer, and Zeophany is his manifestation on earth. Zeno means “initiated,” “belonging to Zeus.”

Nicknames

These ancient Greek names are the most numerous. By conducting a scientific analysis of them, one can understand what qualities were valued in this civilization. After all, parents gave the name Atreus (“fearless”) or Aella (“fast as a whirlwind”) to a baby who had not yet stood on his feet. One thing is clear: like everyone else in the world, they wanted their sons to grow up brave (Adrastos), strong (Menander), persistent (Menelaus), defenders of the weak (Alexey, Alexander), brave (Alkinoi).

Oddly enough, in women the Greeks valued not so much beauty as the qualities of a housewife who looked after the hearth. Therefore, parents called the newborn protector (Alexa), spinner (Klaso), calming (Amalzeya), good (Agatha) and simply housewife(Despoin). Motherhood and the ability to give birth to children were also valued (Metrophanes).

Warrior State

The ancient Greek names of boys indicate that their parents would like them to become owners of large livestock. Archippos means “having horses,” and Archilaos means “slave owner.” Athamus and Eustachis were promised a rich harvest in life.

Men's names give reason to believe that the Greeks often fought, and all young men had to take part in campaigns. Wanting to protect their offspring from death, mothers named them Amon (“hidden from danger”), Andreas (“good warrior”), Ambrosios (“immortal”) and Azarias (“having help from God”). At the same time, the boy could also be named Apollonaios, which means “destroyer.”

names symbolizing the forces of nature

This is the most ancient group, originating from a totemic society. Men were hunters, and therefore they needed accuracy, dexterity and strength in the fight against the beast. To provide their sons with these qualities necessary for life, parents named them Zopyros ("flaming", "striving"), Gregorios ("cautious"), Achilleus ("hurt-inflicting"), Andronikos ("conqueror of people") and Gerazimos (" lived to old age"). And so that the son returned home safely, safe and sound, he was called by the name Nestor.

Ancient people spiritualized the forces of nature. Aeolus was patronized by the winds, Anatolayos by the east and the dawn, Alcmene by the moon, Kyros by the sun, and Castor by the beaver. There are many names in which the word “lion” is present: Panteleon, Leonidas, and so on. Another totemic symbol was the horse: so Hippocrates means “horse strength.” Parents gave their sons under the protection of the mountains (Origen), the ocean (Okinos) and even the night (Orpheus).

Hermits Gynaeceum

The society of Ancient Greece was deeply sexist. No one questioned the supremacy of men. Women were deprived of all political and civil rights and, having married, they passed from the father's house to the husband's house as the property of the latter. The whole life of the so-called “decent woman” was spent in the gynecium - female half Houses. Only hetaeras appeared freely on city streets.

Naturally, mothers wished their daughters happiness. The way they understood it: to marry an accommodating spouse, give him more children and not die from childbirth. Therefore, ancient Greek names for girls fully reflected the aspirations of their mothers. Amaranthos means “not disappearing”, Althea means “quick healing”, Agepe and Agapaios means “impossible to stop loving”. And Zozima is simply a “survivor”. Arcadia wanted to live among peaceful bucolics. Glyceria is the “sweetest” (of course, it was meant to be a joy for the husband). And Aspasia meant “welcoming.”

names symbolizing the elements, flowers and animals

At the same time, parents dedicated their newborn daughters to the forces of nature. Arethus - the water element, Anemone - the wind in general, and Zephyr - the western trade wind, Iris - the rainbow. The animals after which the girls were named are very graceful and beautiful. For example, Holcyon is a small kingfisher bird, Dorsia is a gazelle, and Dapna is a laurel. There are a lot of names that mean flowers (Anzeia, Anthusa): purple (Iolanthe), golden (Chryseid), dark (Melantha). But, naturally, such a quality as beauty has always been valued among women. The name Aglaya corresponds to her.

Choose wisely

If you want to name your child ancient name, you need to think carefully and analyze the ancient Greek names and their meanings. After all, it may turn out that beautiful name Apollonia hides the unseemly meaning of “destroying”. But the word “kind” in Hellenic does not sound very pleasant - Akakaios. You also need to remember that now Glaucus is not a name at all, but a position. The names of the ancient Greeks were sometimes very tricky - Agazangelos, for example. So don't break your tongue.