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Gender Feminine
Usage Ancient Greek
Scripts Θεσσαλονίκη(Ancient Greek)
Other Forms FormsThessaloniki (modern Greek transcription)
Meaning & History
Means "victory in Thessaly" from Greek Θεσσαλός (Thessalos) "Thessalian" and νίκη (nike) "victory". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Macedonian princess, the daughter of king Philip II by his Thessalian wife or concubine, Nicesipolis, and as such a half-sister of Alexander the Great. Her name honoured the Macedonian victory at the battle of Crocus Field (353/352 BC), a significant battle in Thessaly which occurred at the time of her birth. Princess Thessalonike married Cassander, who founded the city of Thessaloniki around 315 BC, on or near the ancient settlement of Therma, and named it for his wife.