Other Greek names. Greek male names and their meaning
Male names Greek origin used in many countries. This is their main feature. Although the Greeks borrowed names from other languages different nations, But modern people attracts precisely the way representatives of one of the greatest countries antiquity.
By what principle did the Greeks name their children?
According to tradition, the first newborn in the family received the name of the paternal grandfather, the second - the maternal one. The third child could be called anything, but general rule was not to use the father's name. Over time, this tradition led to the fact that great amount people have the same Greek names. The Greeks rarely give modern male names according to these rules precisely because of the sameness, which they want to get rid of if possible. Greek names are divided into two categories. The first is the classic, antique types of names that are of primordial national origin. The second is those names that are only partially related to the Greeks and are included in the Orthodox calendar. They are mainly categorized as Greek names all over the world. Also interesting feature is the fact that absolutely all of them have some kind of flattering meaning for the wearer.
Greek male names. Full list
IN this list the names presented are those that are in the Orthodox calendar and do not, for the most part, relate to ancient history.
Values (A-D)
Below is the meaning of the names. There are quite a lot of Greek male names, so only a brief description is given.
Agathon- good, good. The reserved bearer of this name rarely worries about the opinions of people that do not interest him. Tries not to participate in conflicts. A good family man, capable of making the woman he loves happy, loves children and his own home.
Angel- distinguished by justice and honesty. Extremely hardworking, one might even say fanatical. In relationships he is unstable until he finds his one and only.
Arius- very touchy, but unforgiving and very easy-going. Good A good family man.
Arkhip- clean, fastidious. Extremely patient in family relationships.
Akakiy- indecisive, touchy and jealous. However, he is incredibly kind.
Andrey- cunning, dreamy. He doesn’t like to stand out, but he gradually achieves exactly what he wants.
Aristarch- family a kind person, loving children and your own home.
Afanasy- pleasant, modest and non-conflicting.
Alexander- defender. He is distinguished by leadership qualities, but is very susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
Andrian- patient, attentive, easily wounded.
Arkady- sociable, obligatory and prefers a confident, stable future.
Alexei- diligent, individual, good family man.
Anikita- cheerful and sociable, but inattentive and frivolous.
Arseny- taciturn, not a careerist, brave and persistent.
Ambrose- impressionable, has an analytical mind, unambitious.
Anisim- stubborn, cannot stand loneliness, patient, economical.
Artem- calm, unobtrusive, flexible.
Anatoly- calm, can find mutual language with any person.
Appolinary- strong-willed, possesses leadership qualities, wonderful father.
Artemy- persistent, stubborn, likes to argue, strict.
Boyan- stubborn, persistent, proud, authoritative.
Basil- gallant, conscientious, very kind to friends.
Vissarion- stubborn, inquisitive, modest.
Galaktion- serious, sad, honest and faithful.
Gennady- knows how to adapt to circumstances, rushes towards his goal, stopping at nothing.
Georgiy- squeamish, good listener, knows how to keep secrets.
Herald- intelligent, loves to help others, excellent memory.
Gerasim- executive and obligatory
Gordey- modest, peaceful, optimistic.
Gordon- purposeful, reserved, independent.
Gregory- cheerful, vulnerable, sensitive.
Values (D - K)
Greek names men's are very diverse, despite the fact that some of them are very similar to each other.
Demid- good-natured, careful in family relationships, loves children.
Demyan- demanding, proud and selfish. He is brave and does not tolerate cowards.
Denis- sociable, obligatory and neat.
Dmitriy- brave, charming, but cruel.
Dorofey- persistent, cheerful, friendly.
Eugene- savvy, hardworking, good family man.
Evgraf- mobile and restless, he has excellent intuition.
Evdokim- kind, flexible and emotional.
Evsey- soft, kind, sympathetic and responsible.
Egor- stubborn, distrustful, but diligent and hardworking.
Emelyan- calm, freedom-loving, resourceful.
Ermolai- public, respected, kind, sympathetic.
Erofey- modest, quiet and compliant.
Efim- sensitive and hardworking.
Efimy- sensitive, boastful and arrogant.
Georges- firm, persistent, courageous.
Zinovy- patient, calm, kind.
Jerome- inquisitive, smart, smart and curious.
Ilian- inquisitive, observant, savvy and resourceful.
Hilarion- spiritualized, vulnerable, shy and indecisive.
Ionos- emotional, stubborn, hardworking.
Hippolytus- sociable, efficient, irritable.
Irakli- efficient, vulnerable and emotional.
Isidore- irritable, sociable, very hardworking.
Kirill- excellent memory, selfish, ambitious.
Kondrat- self-confident, balanced, optimistic.
Xannth- efficient, active, has excellent intuition.
Kuzma- restless, persistent, independent.
As you can see from this list, beautiful male Greek names are found even in modern times, not to mention antiquity
Values (L - R)
Nowadays, some Greek male names are found so often that few people remember where they originally came from and what meanings they had.
a lion- calm, persistent and conscientious.
Leon- calm, talented, has developed intuition.
Leonid- proud, adapts well to circumstances.
Leonty- unsociable, greedy and cruel.
Luke- principled, stubborn, impulsive.
Makar- kind, efficient, sociable.
Methodius- unpredictable, friendly and attentive.
Miron- kind, flexible and hardworking.
Michael- sociable, has a logical mind.
Modest- selfish, brave and relaxed.
Nestor- emotional, decisive, hardworking.
Nikanor- phlegmatic, proud, resourceful.
Nikita- selfish, purposeful, persistent and stubborn.
Nikifor- cheerful and energetic, impatient and irritable.
Nikolay- strong, active, practical, hardworking.
Nikon- choleric, independent, proud.
Nifont- proud, ambitious and selfish.
Oles- serious, reasonable, inquisitive.
Onesimus- self-sufficient, talented, cheerful.
Orestes- flexible, persistent, fair.
Pamphilus- sociable, cheerful and non-offensive.
Pankrat- truthful, fair, uncompromising.
Paramon- serious, thorough, reasonable.
Peter- inquisitive, determined, excellent family man.
Pimen- kind, flexible, inquisitive.
Plato- independent, hardworking, multifaceted.
Porfiry- economical, calm, has leadership qualities.
Prokofy- strong-willed, strong, has leadership qualities.
Prokhor- unsociable, jealous, hardworking.
Radium- stubborn, brave, hardworking.
Rodion- independent, balanced, resilient.
Values (M - Z)
Greek names, especially for men, can suit absolutely any child, as they cover all areas of human activity.
Sevastyan- stubborn, flexible, touchy.
Socrates- unbalanced, fair, disgusting.
Spartacus- fearless, cunning, irritable.
Stakrat- cocky, stubborn, vulnerable.
Stephen- unobtrusive, attentive, partial to alcohol.
Stoyan- brave, strong, fair.
Thais- calm, inquisitive, stubborn.
Taras- mobile, stubborn, smart.
Tigran- inquisitive, emotional, hardworking.
Tigris- capricious, stubborn, persistent.
Timon- organized, reserved, reserved.
Timofey- sensitive, receptive, inquisitive.
Tikhon- healthy, obedient, well-mannered.
Tryphon- stubborn, patient, balanced.
Trofim- capricious, restless, disobedient.
Theodosius- good-natured, touchy, absent-minded.
Philemon- impulsive, restless, kind.
Philip- absent-minded, jealous, greedy.
Khariton- stubborn, fair, honest.
Christian- has excellent memory and intuition.
Christopher- stubborn, smart, inquisitive.
Yuri- calm, reserved, cunning.
Yukhim- stubborn, inquisitive, obligatory.
Yakim- honest, fair, has authority.
Jason- intelligent, has self-esteem.
Ancient Greek (antique) names
Common ancient Greek male names, the list of which is given below, are not so common nowadays, although they are also incredibly charismatic and beautiful.
Agamemnon- incredibly determined.
Argyros- translated as “silver”.
Ariston- represents superiority over others.
Aristotle- also translated as superiority, but aimed at a specific goal.
Aristophanes- the same superiority, or rather the process of its emergence.
Archimedes- stands for “owner of thoughts.”
Asclepius- means “bestower of prosperity.”
Demokritos- one who has the right to judge others.
Daemon- strange as it may seem, it simply means “people”.
Zeno- comes from the name of Zeus and means commitment to this supreme deity.
Irenaeus- means “peace, peacefulness.”
Irinarch- this name should be understood as “peaceful leader.”
Karpos- has two meanings: “fruit and profit.”
Space- is the personification of beauty.
Creon- translated as “ruling”.
Xenon- means “strange, foreigner.”
Xenophon- means “strange voice”.
Macedon- translated as “high”.
Mentor- means “spirit”.
Olympos- means “abode of the gods.”
Pantaleon- can be understood as “lion”.
Pluto- translated as “wealth.”
Polykarpos- implied as “fruitfulness”.
Timon- means “honor”.
Philo- translated as “loving.”
Hector- means “protecting”.
Heracles- the name comes from the name of the goddess Hera and means her praise.
Hermes- literally means “from the earth.”
Erebos- means "darkness".
Eros- translated as “love”.
As you can see, the Greek names of male gods were also praised, and boys were named in honor of the inhabitants of Olympus.
Multiple names
The Greeks, as well as many other peoples, had multi-component names in use, in which one was given at birth, and the second could be a kind of nickname recognized by a large number of people around him. Sometimes these were laudatory nicknames that were given for some deeds that glorified this person. However, in some cases, if he had committed a very serious crime, but continued to live, the Greek was given an offensive name with which he was forced to live until the end of his days. As practice proves, this was worse than some types of punishment.
Results
Based on the above, it can be understood that Greek names, especially for men, were incredibly diverse and gave their bearer different traits. This remains the case to this day. Despite the fact that in our time few people remember that this or that name has roots in ancient antiquity, in fact, the culture of the inhabitants of Hellas gave a lot to the vast majority of countries and nationalities existing today.
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 to 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? "Lightbringer", "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 are 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 myths 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.
Hades - God is the ruler of the kingdom of the dead.
Antey- hero of myths, giant, son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave its son strength, thanks to which no one could control him.
Apollo- God sunlight. The Greeks depicted him as a beautiful young man.
Ares- god of treacherous war, son of Zeus and Hera
Asclepius- god of healing arts, son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis
Boreas- god of the north wind, son of the Titanides Astraeus (starry sky) and Eos (morning dawn), brother of Zephyr and Note. He was depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.
Bacchus- one of the names of Dionysus.
Helios (Helium ) - god of the Sun, brother of Selene (goddess of the Moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.
Hermes- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most polysemantic Greek gods. Patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.
Hephaestus- son of Zeus and Hera, god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron of artisans.
Hypnos- deity of sleep, son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.
Dionysus (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as an obese elderly man or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.
Zagreus- god of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone.
Zeus- supreme god, king of gods and people.
Marshmallow- god of the west wind.
Iacchus- god of fertility.
Kronos - titan , younger son Gaia and Uranus, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus...
Mom- son of the goddess of Night, god of slander.
Morpheus- one of the sons of Hypnos, god of dreams.
Nereus- son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.
Note- God south wind, was depicted with a beard and wings.
Ocean is titanium , son of Gaia and Uranus, brother and husband of Tethys and father of all the rivers of the world.
Olympians - supreme gods the younger generation of Greek gods led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.
Pan- forest god, son of Hermes and Dryope, goat-footed man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.
Pluto- God underground kingdom, often identified with Hades, but unlike from him, who owned not the souls of the dead, but the riches of the underworld.
Plutos- son of Demeter, god who gives wealth to people.
Pont- one of the senior Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.
Poseidon- one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, who rules over the sea elements. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.
Proteus- sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. He had the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.
Satires- goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.
Thanatos- personification of death, twin brother of Hypnos.
Titans- generation of Greek gods, ancestors of the Olympians.
Typhon- a hundred-headed dragon born of Gaia or Hera. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.
Triton- son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.
Chaos- endless empty space from which at the beginning of time arose ancient gods Greek religion - Nyx and Erebus.
Chthonic gods - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus and Persephone.
Cyclops - giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.
Eurus (Eur)- god of the southeast wind.
Aeolus- lord of the winds.
Erebus- personification of the darkness of the underworld, son of Chaos and brother of Night.
Eros (Eros)- god of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. IN ancient myths- a self-emerging force that contributed to the ordering of the world. Depicted as a winged youth (in Hellenistic era- a boy) with arrows accompanying his mother.
Ether- deity of the sky
Goddesses of ancient Greece
Artemis- goddess of hunting and nature.
Atropos- one of the three moiras, cutting the thread of fate and ending human life.
Athena (Pallada, Parthenos) - daughter of Zeus, born from his head in full military armor. One of the most revered Greek goddesses, the goddess of just war and wisdom, the patroness of knowledge.
Aphrodite (Kytharea, Urania) - goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam)
Hebe- daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts.
Hecate- goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, patroness of sorcerers.
Gemera- goddess of daylight, personification of the day, born of Nikta and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.
Hera- the supreme Olympian goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage.
Hestia- goddess of the hearth and fire.
Gaia- mother earth, foremother of all gods and people.
Demitra- goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.
Diana-goddess of the hunt
Ilithia- patron goddess of women in labor.
Iris- winged goddess, assistant of Hera, messenger of the gods.
Calliope- muse of epic poetry and science.
Kera- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing troubles and death to people.
Clio- one of the nine muses, the muse of history.
Clotho ("spinner") - one of the moiras that spin the thread of human life.
Lachesis- one of the three Moira sisters, who determine the fate of every person even before birth.
Summer- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.
Mayan- a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven Pleiades - the daughters of Atlas, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born to her.
Melpomene- muse of tragedy.
Metis- goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.
Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.
Moira- goddess of fate, daughter of Zeus and Themis.
Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.
Naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.
Nemesis- daughter of Nikta, a goddess who personified fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.
Nereids- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanids Doris, sea deities.
Nika- personification of victory. She was often depicted wearing a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.
Nymphs- lower deities in the hierarchy of Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature.
Nikta- one of the first Greek deities, the goddess is the personification of the primordial Night
Orestiades- mountain nymphs.
Ory- goddess of the seasons, peace and order, daughter of Zeus and Themis.
Peyto- goddess of persuasion, companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.
Persephone- daughter of Demeter and Zeus, goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death.
Polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.
Tethys- daughter of Gaia and Uranus, wife of Ocean and mother of the Nereids and Oceanids.
Rhea- mother of the Olympian gods.
Sirens- female demons, half-woman, half-bird, capable of changing the weather at sea.
Waist- the muse of comedy.
Terpsichore- muse of dance art.
Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.
Quiet- goddess of fate and chance among the Greeks, companion of Persephone. She was depicted as a winged woman standing on a wheel and holding a cornucopia and a ship's rudder in her hands.
Urania- one of the nine muses, patroness of astronomy.
Themis- Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira.
Charites- goddesses female beauty, the embodiment of good, joyful and eternal young beginnings life.
Eumenides- another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence, who prevented misfortunes.
Eris- daughter of Nyx, sister of Ares, goddess of discord.
Erinyes- goddesses of vengeance, creatures of the underworld, who punished injustice and crimes.
Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.
Eos- goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios and Selene. The Greeks called it “rose-fingered.”
Euterpe- muse of lyrical chant. Depicted with a double flute in her hand.
Most of the male and female names that exist in the world have Greek roots. Some of them have become so popular in their countries that they are already considered national. Therefore, choosing for a boy will not be difficult at all.
Origin and meaning of names
Newborn Greeks are usually named in accordance with traditions. 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. Given 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.
- Artem.
- Alexander.
- Dmitriy.
- Nikita.
- Kirill.
In almost every family, a boy born within the last 10 years bears one of these names.
In this article we will look at Greek female names: the meaning and origin of the most popular, as well as rare, ancient Greek names. You can read about male Greek names.
Which female names came to us from Greece? Let's figure it out.
Greek female names: meaning and origin
Female names and myths of Ancient Greece
Name Galina comes from the ancient Greek word γαλήνη - “calmness, serenity.” One of the Nereids (sea deities similar to mermaids) was named Galena.
Another example is a name Irina (Εἰρήνη- peace, quiet). Irini (Eirene) is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of peace. Irini is the daughter of Zeus and Themis.
But it’s beautiful, but narrower rare name Apollinaria. It is believed to be of ancient Roman origin (from the Latin Apollinaris - “belonging to Apollo”, “solar”), but it comes from the name ancient Greek god Apollo. Polina is a shortened form that has now become an independent name. Other versions of its origin have been put forward - for example, the French one (Pauline).
Name Maya (Μαϊα) translated as "mother". It came from the name greek goddess(Pleiades) Maya, mother of Hermes. True, this is only one of the hypotheses of the origin of the name - there is both Latin (from Majus - “may”) and Hebrew (from מים - mayim - “water”). By the way, the Greek word μαία (read mEA) means “midwife”, “one who takes birth.”
On behalf of the goddess of victory Niki (Νίκη) the name Nick comes from. This is an independent name, although it often happens that other names are shortened to Nike, for example, Veronica (from the ancient Greek Φερενίκη - “bringing victory”: φέρω - “bring” and νίκη - “victory”). The analogue of the name Veronica is Berenice.
Zinaida (Ζηναις)- another name associated with mythology. Presumably, it is associated with the name of Zeus (Ζεύς, form genitive case - Ζηνός).
Female names and place names
Even before our era (in the 7th century) in Asia Minor there was a country called Lydia (Λυδία), from which the female name Lydia came.
Name Larisa derived from the name Greek city Larisa (Larissa). Λάρῑσ(σ)α is translated from Greek as “seagull”. IN Greek mythology Poseidon, god of the sea, had a granddaughter Larissa, a nymph. There is a hypothesis that the city was named after her. Her image can be found on ancient coins:
Near the city of Argos there is the Larisa fortress:
-
"Talking" names
If the Greeks' male names glorified such qualities as nobility, courage and strength, then female names - chastity, beauty, fertility, etc. Now most of them are quite rare.
For example, Agnia(from the ancient Greek ἁγνὴ) means “pure”, “immaculate”. Agni Parthene (Αγνή Παρθένε) - Pure Virgin - a hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Zoya (Ζωή) translated from ancient Greek as “life”. Sofia (Sofia) comes from the Greek σοφία - “wisdom”. Name Pelageya (Pelagia) derived from πέλαγος - “sea”.
Name Angelina (Αγγελίνα) comes from ἄγγελος - “messenger” (angel).
And here is an example of a name that speaks of beauty - Anfisa (Ἀνθούσα- sounds like “Antusa”). It comes from the word ἄνθος, which means “flower”.
Anastasia - pair name to Anastasius (Ἀναστάσιος). The word ἀνάστασις from which it comes means “resurrection.” Καλή Ανάσταση! (Happy Resurrection of Christ!) - this is how the Greeks congratulate each other on Easter.
Other paired names: Vasilisa (βασίλισσα)- from Vasily, translated as “queen”, Eugenia, Alexandra, Kira (Κύρα). They have the same meanings as the male versions.
Name Paraskeva (Praskovya) comes from the word παρασκευή - “Friday”. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is the patroness of women in Slavic Orthodox mythology. There are many sayings associated with it, as well as prohibitions: on Friday it was forbidden to plow, spin and sew (on Fridays men do not plow, women do not spin).
There are names whose etymology still cannot be accurately determined. For example, Catherine (Αικατερίνη). There is no consensus on the origin of this name. The most common version is from the word καθαρή - pure, immaculate. However, some experts (for example, the famous lexicographer M. Vasmer) disagree with her. There is another hypothesis that it is formed from the name Hecate (Ἑκάτη), ancient greek goddess moonlight and witchcraft, but it is also quite controversial.
Everyone has heard about the legendary Helen of Troy. At the name Elena (Ἑλένη) there is also no clear etymology. According to one version, it is associated with the name Helios (Ἥλιος), god of the Sun. The second version claims that the name is consonant with the word Ἕλληνες - Hellenes (that is, Greeks), the third - that it comes from the word ἑλένη (ἑλάνη) - “torch”. None of the hypotheses have been truly confirmed.
At the name Ksenia (Ξένια) two translation options: from the ancient Greek ξενία - “hospitality” and ξένος - “stranger”, “foreign”. The names Aksinya and Oksana are derivatives and are now used as independent names. The name Varvara, which has a similar meaning, comes from βαρβαρικός - “foreign”.
And finally - enough unexpected name Thekla (Θέκλα) . At first glance it looks like ours, Russian... but no. Same ancient Greek origin, and it is translated as “God’s glory”: θεός - “God” and κλέος - “glory”.
Now you know about the common (and not so common) in Russia female names Greek origin and their meanings.
Female names popular in Greece itself
Here, by a large margin (who would doubt it!) is in the lead Maria - Μαρία, with 9.82%. That is, almost every tenth Greek woman bears this name!
It is followed by a large margin by the name Ελένη - Elena, from 6.72%.
On the third place Katerina - Κατερίνα from 4.69%, in fourth place Βασιλική – Vasiliki from 3.45%. The top five is completed Παναγιώτα – Panayiota from 2.69%.
In the next five - Sofia (Σοφία) from 2.53%, Angeliki (Αγγελική) from 2.24%, George - (Γεωργία) with 2.153% and almost the same result Gospels - (Ευαγγελία) from 2.15%. And completes the top ten most popular female names Irini - (Ειρήνη) from 1.92%.
Enough popular names Dimitra (Δήμητρα), Joanna (Ιωάννα), Konstantina (Κωνσταντίνα), Anastasia (Αναστασία), Paraskevi (Παρασκευή), Christina (Χριστίνα), Stavrula (Σταυρούλα), Despina (Δέσπ οινα), Kalliopi (Καλλιόπη) are included in the second ten of the list and each of them has an indicator of less than 2%. The names are not far from them Photini (Φωτεινή), Alexandra (Αλεξάνδρα), Chryse (Χρύσα), Athena (Αθηνά), Theodora (Θεοδώρα).
Ancient Greek female names
We find such names in myths and poems, many of them have survived to this day and are not used as often as the names given above.
- Αριάδνη - Ariadne: the most innocent,
- Ακτίς - Actis: this was the name of the daughter of the astronomer Eudoxus,
- Aλκηστις - Alkistis: the joy of family, hearth,
- Ανδρομάχη - Andromache: fighting on the outskirts,
- Αφροδίτη - Aphrodite: born from sea foam,
- Αρσινόη - Arsinoe: sublime,
- Αρετή - Areti: virtue,
- Εριφύλη - Erifili: the most excellent of women,
- Ευδοξία - Eudoxia: glorious,
- Ελπινίκη - Elpinika: hope for victory,
- Ευρυδίκη - Eurydice: very fair,
- Ηλέκτρα - Electra: shining with charm,
- Ηρώ - Ira (Hera): personification of Hera,
- Ίρις - Iris: messenger of the gods,
- Ιφιγένεια - Iphigenia: very strong,
- Καλλιόπη - Calliopi (Calliope): beautiful-eyed,
- Καλλιρρόη - Callirhoe: fresh, like spring water,
- Κλεοπάτρα - Cleopatra: glory of the Motherland,
- Μελπομένη - Melpomene (Melpo): tender with her singing,
- Μυρτώ - Myrto: pleasant as myrtle,
- Ναυσικά - Nafsika: glorified by sailors,
- Νεφέλη - Nefeli: offering living water,
- Ξανθίππη - Xanthippe: blonde horsewoman,
- Πηνελόπη - Penelope: a skilled weaver,
- Πολυξένη - Polyxena: very hospitable,
- Φαίδρα - Phaedra: bright, shining,
- Χλόη - Chloe: grass. One of the names of Demeter, as the protector of the plant world.
Of course, it is impossible to cover the entire variety of female names in one article. But I hope that you learned something new for yourself. Did any fact become a discovery for you? Share in the comments.
