Gender Masculine
Scripts Ἕκτωρ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced Pron. HEHK-tər(English) EHK-TAWR(French)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.

Hector has occasionally been used as a given name since the Middle Ages, probably because of the noble character of the classical hero. It has been historically common in Scotland, where it was used as an Anglicized form of Eachann.

Related Names

VariantHektor(Greek Mythology)
Other Languages & CulturesHèctor(Catalan) Ettore(Italian) Heitor(Portuguese) Heck, Heckie(Scottish) Héctor(Spanish)
Same SpellingHéctor, Hèctor

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   wholesome   strong   strange   simple   serious  

Images

The Death of Hector by Peter Paul Rubens (1635)The Death of Hector by Peter Paul Rubens (1635)

Categories

Entry updated December 7, 2022