ADONISmGreek MythologyFrom Phoenician
Adonai which means "lord". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
Dumuzi).
AEGLEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αιγλη (Aigle) which meant "light, radiance, glory". This was the name of several characters in Greek myth, including one of the Heliades and one of the Hesperides.
AELLAfGreek MythologyMeans "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by
Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
AGAMEMNONmGreek MythologyPossibly meaning "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of
Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife
Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife
Clytemnestra.
AGAUEfGreek MythologyMeans "illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
AGLAIAfGreek Mythology, GreekMeans "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or
Χαριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
AHURA MAZDAmPersian MythologyMeans "lord of wisdom" in Avestan. In Persian mythology Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
ÁINEfIrishMeans "radiance" in Gaelic. This was the name of the queen of the fairies in Celtic mythology. It is also taken as an Irish form of
Anne.
AJAXmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αιας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek
αιαστης (aiastes) "mourner" or
αια (aia) "earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War, the son of Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero
Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.
ALBERICHmAncient Germanic, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Germanic elements
alf "elf" and
ric "power". Alberich was the name of the sorcerer king of the dwarfs in Germanic mythology. He also appears in the 'Nibelungenlied' as a dwarf who guards the treasure of the Nibelungen.
ALCYONEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αλκυονη (Alkyone), derived from the word
αλκυων (alkyon) meaning "kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, the seven stars in the constellation Taurus.
ALEXANDERmEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek
αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero
Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.
... [more] ALEXANDRAfEnglish, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFeminine form of
ALEXANDER. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess
Hera, and an alternate name of
Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name
Alix, but was renamed
Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
ALTHEAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αλθαια (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek
αλθος (althos) "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.
ALUNmWelshWelsh form of
ALAN. This name appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
ALVISmNorse MythologyMeans "all wise" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry
Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.
AMIRANImGeorgian MythologyMeaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of
Prometheus from Greek mythology.
AMONmEgyptian Mythology (Anglicized)From
Αμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian
Ymn (reconstructed as
Yamanu) which meant "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god
Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity
Amon-Ra.
AMULIUSmRoman MythologyMeaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons
Romulus and
Remus.
ANDROMEDAfGreek MythologyMeans "to be mindful of a man" from the Greek element
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος) combined with
μεδομαι (medomai) "to be mindful of". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero
Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
ANTIOPEfGreek MythologyDerived from the Greek elements
αντι (anti) "against, compared to, like" and
οψ (ops) "voice". This was the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a daughter of
Ares who was one of the queens of the Amazons. She was kidnapped and married by
Theseus.
AODHmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyFrom the old Irish name
Áed, which meant "fire". This was a very popular name in early Ireland, being borne by numerous figures in Irish mythology and several high kings. It has been traditionally Anglicized as
Hugh.
AODHÁNmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyFrom the old Irish name
Áedán, a diminutive of
Áed (see
AODH). This was the name of an Irish monk and saint of the 7th century. It was also borne by several characters in Irish mythology.
AOIDEfGreek MythologyMeans "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
APOLLOmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Απολλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to Indo-European *
apelo "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb
απολλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of
Zeus and
Leto and the twin of
Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
ARACHNEfGreek MythologyMeans "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated
Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.
ARAWNmWelsh MythologyMeaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
ARESmGreek MythologyPerhaps from either Greek
αρη (are) "bane, ruin" or
αρσην (arsen) "male". The name first appears as
a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the blood-thirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of
Zeus and
Hera.
ARGUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Αργος (Argos), derived from
αργος (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". In Greek myth this name belonged to both the man who built the Argo and a man with a hundred eyes.
ARIADNEfGreek MythologyMeans "most holy", composed of the Cretan Greek elements
αρι (ari) "most" and
αδνος (adnos) "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King
Minos. She fell in love with
Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god
Dionysus.
ARIANRHODfWelsh, Welsh MythologyPossibly means "silver wheel" or "round wheel" in Welsh. In Welsh myth Arianrhod was the mother of the brothers
Dylan and
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. In earlier myths she was a goddess of the moon.
ASKmNorse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
ASKLEPIOSmGreek MythologyPossibly means "cut up" in Greek. Asklepios (Aesculapius to the Romans) was the god of healing and medicine in Greek mythology.
ATLASmGreek MythologyPossibly means "enduring" from Greek
τλαω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by
Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.
ATROPOSfGreek MythologyMeans "inevitable, inflexible" in Greek, derived from the negative prefix
α (a) combined with
τροπος (tropos) "direction, manner, fashion". Atropos was one of the three Fates or
Μοιραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. When her sister Lachesis decided that a person's life was at an end, Atropos would choose the manner of death and cut the person's life thread.
BALDERmNorse MythologyMeans "prince" from Old Norse. In Norse mythology Balder was the son of
Odin and
Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the evil fire god
Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.
BASTfEgyptian MythologyPossibly means "fire, heat" or "ointment jar" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology Bast was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. She was often depicted with the head of a lioness or a house cat. As her role in the Egyptian pantheon diminished, she was called
Bastet.
BATRAZmOssetian, Caucasian MythologyPossibly from Turkic
bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
BÉBINNfIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "fair lady" in Irish Gaelic. This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including a goddess of childbirth.
BILEmIrish MythologyPossibly an Irish form of
BELENUS, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning "hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
BRANWENfWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "beautiful raven" from Welsh
bran "raven" and
gwen "fair, white, blessed". In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, she is the sister of the British king
Bran and the wife of the Irish king Matholwch.
BRIDGETfIrish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid which means "exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
BRISEISfGreek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Βρισευς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by
Achilles. After
Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
BRONTESmGreek MythologyMeans "thunderer" in Greek. In Greek mythology (according to Hesiod), this was the name of one of the three Cyclopes, who were the sons of
Uranus and
Gaia.
CADMUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Καδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister
Europa, who had been abducted by
Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
CADWGANmWelshMeans "glory in battle" from Welsh
cad "battle" and
gwogawn "glory, honour". In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, this name is briefly mentioned as the son of Iddon.
CALYPSOfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψω (Kalypso) which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from
καλυπτω (kalypto) "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
CASSANDRAfEnglish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κασσανδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) "to excel, to shine" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of
Priam and
Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by
Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.
... [more] CASSIOPEIAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κασσιοπεια (Kassiopeia) or
Κασσιεπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
CERESfRoman MythologyDerived from the Indo-European root *
ker meaning "to grow". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Demeter.
CHARONmGreek MythologyPossibly means "fierce brightness" in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.
CHLORISfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρος (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
CHUKWUmMythologyDerived from Igbo
chi "god, spirtual being" and
ukwu "great". In Igbo mythology Chukwu is the supreme god who created the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name for the Christian god.
CULHWCHmWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of
Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
DAEDALUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Δαιδαλος (Daidalos) which was derived from
δαιδαλλω (daidallo) meaning "to work cunningly". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King
Minos, but he and his son
Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided
Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daelalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.
DAGDAmIrish MythologyMeans "good god" in Celtic. In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha De Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
DANAËfGreek MythologyFrom
Δαναοι (Danaoi), a word used by
Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesized to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However,
Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of
Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
DAPHNEfGreek Mythology, English, DutchMeans "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
DEMETER (1)fGreek MythologyPossibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek
δα (da) "earth" and
μητηρ (meter) "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of
Cronus, the sister of
Zeus, and the mother of
Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
DESPOINAfGreek Mythology, GreekMeans "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
DIARMAIDmIrish, Irish MythologyPerhaps means "without envy" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of
Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.
DIKEfGreek MythologyMeans "justice" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the
‘Ωραι (Horai).
DIONYSOSmGreek MythologyFrom Greek
Διος (Dios) meaning "of
ZEUS" combined with
NYSA, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of
Zeus and
Semele.
DORISfEnglish, German, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the ancient Greek name
Δωρις (Doris) which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-).
ECHOfGreek MythologyMeans "echo" from the word for the repeating reflected sound, which derives from Greek
ηχη (eche) "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by
Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with
Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.
ELECTRAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Ηλεκτρα (Elektra), derived from
ηλεκτρον (elektron) meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the daughter of
Agamemnon and
Clytemnestra and the sister of
Orestes. She helped her brother kill their mother and her lover Aegisthus in vengeance for Agamemnon's murder. Also in Greek mythology, this name was borne by one of the Pleiades, who were the daughters of
Atlas and Pleione.
ELENfWelshWelsh form of
HELEN. This was the name of a 4th-century Welsh saint. It also appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, belonging to a woman who built the roads in Wales.
ELPISfAncient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
ELYSIAfVariousFrom
Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology, which means "blissful".
ENDYMIONmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
ενδυειν (endyein) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess
Selene, who asked
Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
EPIMETHEUSmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
επιμηθεια (epimetheia) meaning "hindsight, hindthought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.
ERATOfGreek MythologyMeans "lovely" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of lyric poetry.
ERESHKIGALfSumerian MythologyMeans "lady of the great earth", from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
ERISfGreek MythologyMeans "strife" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of
Ares.
EROSmGreek MythologyMeans "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of
Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.
ÉTAÍNfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly derived from Old Irish
ét "jealousy". In Irish mythology she was a sun and horse goddess who was the lover of Midir.
EUDORAfGreek MythologyMeans "good gift" in Greek, from the elements
ευ (eu) "good" and
δωρον (doron) "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
EUROPAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Ευρωπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from
ευρυς (eurys) "wide" and
ωψ (ops) "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by
Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered
Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe is named for her. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
EURYDICEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ευρυδικη (Eurydike) which meant "wide justice", derived from
ευρυς (eurys) "wide" and
δικη (dike) "justice". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.
EUTERPEfGreek MythologyMeans "delight" in Greek, ultimately from
ευ (eu) "good" and
τερπω (terpo) "to satisfy, to cheer". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.
EVRENm & fTurkishMeans "cosmos, the universe" in Turkish. In Turkic mythology the Evren is a gigantic snake-like dragon.
FELICITASfGerman, Late Roman, Roman MythologyLatin name which meant "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
FREYAfNorse Mythology, English (British, Modern), GermanFrom Old Norse
Freyja meaning "lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
... [more] FRIGGfNorse MythologyMeans "beloved" in Old Norse, ultimately derived from Indo-European *
pri "to love". In Norse mythology she was the goddess of the earth, air and fertility, and the wife of
Odin. Some scholars believe that she and the goddess
Freya share a common origin.
GABIJAfLithuanian, Baltic MythologyProbably from Lithuanian
gaubti meaning "to cover". In Lithuanian mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire and the home.
GAIAfGreek Mythology, ItalianFrom the Greek word
γαια (gaia), a parallel form of
γη (ge) meaning "earth". In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of
Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the Cyclopes.
GORONWYmWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeaning unknown. In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, he was the lover of
Blodeuwedd. He attempted to murder her husband
Lleu Llaw Gyffes but was himself killed.
GRIDfNorse MythologyMeans "peace" in Old Norse. In Norse myth she was a frost giantess, the mother of Víðarr by
Odin. She also aided
Thor in his fight against the giant Geirrod.
HATHORfEgyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
Het-Heru which means "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian
hwt "house" combined with
Hr the god
HORUS. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.
HEBEfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
‘ηβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of
Zeus and
Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
HECATEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
‘Εκατη (Hekate), possibly derived from
‘εκας (hekas) meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.
HEIDRUNfNorse Mythology, GermanDerived from Old Norse
heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and
rún meaning "secret". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.
HELfNorse MythologyIn Norse mythology this was the name of the daughter of Loki. She got her name from the underworld, also called Hel, where she ruled, which meant "to conceal, to cover" in Old Norse (related to the English word
hell).
HELLE (2)fGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").
HEPHAESTUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
‘Ηφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of
Φαιστος (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful
Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born
Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.
HERAfGreek MythologyUncertain meaning, possibly from either Greek
‘ηρως (heros) "hero, warrior";
‘ωρα (hora) "period of time"; or
‘αιρεω (haireo) "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of
Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
HERAKLESmGreek MythologyMeans "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess
HERA combined with Greek
κλεος (kleos) "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of
Zeus and the mortal woman
Alcmene. After being driven insane by
Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.
HERMIONEfGreek MythologyDerived from the name of the Greek messenger god
HERMES. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This is also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play 'The Winter's Tale' (1610). It is now closely associated with the character Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
HESPEROSmAncient GreekMeans "evening" in Greek. This was the name of the personification of the Evening Star (the planet Venus) in Greek mythology.
HESTIAfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
‘εστια (hestia) "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
HORUSmEgyptian Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
‘Ωρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian
Hrw (reconstructed as
Heru) possibly meaning "falcon" or "high". In Egyptian mythology Horus was the god of light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. The son
Osiris and
Isis, he avenged his father's murder by killing
Seth.
HUITZILOPOCHTLImAztec and Toltec MythologyMeans "southern hummingbird" or "left-handed hummingbird" in Nahuatl. In Aztec mythology he was the god of the sun and war. He was a patron deity of the city of Tenochtitlan (at the site of modern Mexico City).
HYPERIONmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
‘υπερ (hyper) "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
IAHmEgyptian MythologyMeans "moon" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology this was the name of a god of the moon, later identified with
Thoth.
ICARUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ικαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of
Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by
Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.
IDAfEnglish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic element
id meaning "work, labour". The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'The Princess' (1847), which was later adapted into the play 'Princess Ida' (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.
... [more] ILMARINENmFinnish MythologyDerived from Finnish
ilma "air". Ilmarinen is an immortal smith in Finnish mythology, the creator of the sky and the magic mill known as the Sampo. He is one of the main characters in the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala'.
IOfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by
Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from
Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
ION (2)mGreek MythologyOf unknown etymology, possibly pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god
Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.
IONEfGreek Mythology, EnglishFrom Greek
ιον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name
Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
IORWERTHmWelshMeans "handsome lord" from Welsh
ior "lord" and
berth "handsome". This name is used in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, where it belongs to a son of Maredudd. This name is sometimes used as a Welsh form of
EDWARD.
IPHIGENEIAfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
ιφιος (iphios) "strong, stout" and
γενης (genes) "born". In Greek myth Iphigenia was the daughter of King
Agamemnon. When her father offended
Artemis it was divined that the only way to appease the goddess was to sacrifice Iphigenia. Just as Agamemnon was about to sacrifice his daughter she was magically transported to the city of Taurus.
... [more] ISISfEgyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
Ist (reconstructed as
Iset or
Ueset), which possibly meant "the throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of
Osiris and the mother of
Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess
Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
IÐUNNfNorse Mythology, Ancient ScandinavianProbably derived from Old Norse
ið "again" and
unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.
IZANAGImFar Eastern MythologyMeans "male who invites" in Japanese. In Japanese mythology the god Izanagi was the husband of
Izanami. When she died he unsuccessfully journeyed to the underworld to retrieve her. In the purifying rites that followed his return the gods of the sun, moon and wind were created.
IZANAMIfFar Eastern MythologyMeans "female who invites" in Japanese. In Japanese mythology she was a creator goddess, the wife of
Izanagi. She died giving birth to Kagututi, the god of fire.
JASONmEnglish, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Ιασων (Iason), which was derived from Greek
ιασθαι (iasthai) "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father
Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress
Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.
... [more] JUNOfRoman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "youth", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of
Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.
JUPITERmRoman Mythology (Anglicized)From Latin
Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the Indo-European *
Dyeu-pater, composed of the elements
Dyeus (see
ZEUS) and
pater "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.
KALLIOPEfGreek MythologyMeans "beautiful voice" from Greek
καλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and
οψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.
KALLISTOfGreek Mythology, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
καλλιστος (kallistos) meaning "most beautiful", a derivative of
καλος (kalos) meaning "beautiful". In Greek mythology Kallisto was a nymph who was loved by
Zeus. She was changed into a she-bear by
Hera, and subsequently became the Great Bear constellation. This was also an ancient Greek personal name.
KAVEHmPersian, Persian MythologyPossibly means "royal" in Avestan. In Persian mythology Kaveh is a blacksmith who leads a rebellion against the evil ruler Zahhak.
KLEIOfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
κλεος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of history and heroic poetry, one of the nine Muses. She was said to have introduced the alphabet to Greece.
KLOTHOfGreek MythologyMeans "spinner" in Greek. In Greek mythology Klotho was one of the three Fates or
Μοιραι (Moirai). She was responsible for spinning the thread of life.
KLYTIËfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
κλυτος (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
KOIOSmGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
κοιος (koios), also spelled
ποιος (poios), a questioning word meaning approximately "of what kind?". This was the name of a Titan god of intelligence in Greek mythology.
KREIOSmGreek MythologyPossibly derived from either Greek
κρειων (kreion) "lord, master" or
κριος (krios) "ram, male sheep". This was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology.
LACHESISfGreek MythologyMeans "apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or
Μοιραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.
LAIUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Λαιος (Laios), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a king of Thebes in Greek mythology, the husband of
Jocasta. Due to a prophecy that he would be killed by his son, Laius left his infant
Oedipus for dead. The boy survived but was ignorant of his true parentage. Years later he unwittingly killed Laius in a quarrel on the road.
LAMIA (2)fGreek MythologyPossibly from Greek
λαιμος (laimos) "throat". In Greek mythology this is the name of a queen of Libya who was a mistress of
Zeus.
Hera, being jealous, kills Lamia's children, causing her to go mad and transform into a monster that hunts the children of others.
LARUNDAfRoman MythologyPossibly connected to Greek
λαλεω (laleo) "to talk, to chatter", or the Latin term
Lares referring to minor guardian gods. In Roman mythology Larunda or Lara was a water nymph who was overly talkative. She revealed to Juno that her husband Jupiter was having an affair with Juturna, so Jupiter had Larunda's tongue removed. By the god Mercury she had two children, who were Lares.
LAUMAfLatvian, Baltic MythologyMeaning unknown. In Latvian mythology this is the name of a forest spirit sometimes associated with childbirth and weaving.
LETOfGreek MythologyPossibly from Lycian
lada meaning "wife". Other theories connect it to Greek
ληθω (letho) meaning "hidden, forgotten". In Greek mythology she was the mother of
Apollo and
Artemis by
Zeus.
LÓEGAIREmIrish Mythology, Ancient IrishMeans "calf herder", derived from Irish
loagh "calf". In Irish mythology Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet
Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
LOTUSfEnglish (Rare)From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek
λωτος (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
LOUHIfFinnish MythologyVariant of
LOVIATAR. In Finnish mythology Louhi was another name of the death goddess Loviatar. She appears in the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala' as a witch ruling the northern area known as Pohjola. She is the primary antagonist to the hero
Väinämöinen.
LUGHmIrish MythologyProbably an Irish form of
LUGUS. In Irish mythology Lugh was a divine hero who led the Tuatha De Danann against the Fomorians who were led by his grandfather Balor. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
LYSSA (2)fGreek MythologyMeans "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
MACSENmWelshWelsh form of
MAXIMUS. Magnus Maximus (known as Macsen in Welsh) was a 4th-century co-ruler of the Western Roman Empire. In Wales he was regarded as the founder of several royal lineages. He appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
MARAMAfPolynesian MythologyMeans "moon" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology she was the goddess of the moon and death.
MARI (3)fMythologyPossibly from Basque
emari "donation" or
amari "mother". This was the name of a goddess of the weather and fertility in Basque mythology.
MARSmRoman MythologyPossibly related to Latin
mas "male" (genitive
maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god
Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.
MAUIm & fHawaiian, Polynesian MythologyMeaning unknown. In Hawaiian mythology Māui was a trickster who created the Hawaiian Islands by having his brothers fish them out of the sea. He was also responsible for binding the sun and slowing its movement.
MEDEAfGreek Mythology (Latinized), GeorgianFrom Greek
Μηδεια (Medeia), possibly derived from
μηδομαι (medomai) "to think, to plan". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped
Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
MEDUSAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Μεδουσα (Medousa), which was derived from
μεδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek myth this was the name of one of the three Gorgons, ugly women who had snakes for hair. She was so hideous that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone, so the hero
Perseus had to look using the reflection in his shield in order to slay her.
MEGAERAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Μεγαιρα (Megaira) which was derived from
μεγαιρω (megairo) "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or
Ερινυες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French
mégère and Italian
megera).
MELETEfGreek MythologyMeans "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.
MELIAfGreek MythologyMeans "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of
μελι (meli) "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
MELISSAfEnglish, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans "bee" in Greek. This was the name of a nymph that cared for young
Zeus in Greek mythology. It is also the name of the fairy who helps Rogero escape from the witch Alcina in Ludovico Ariosto's poem 'Orlando Furioso' (1516). As an English given name,
Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
MELPOMENEfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
μελπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
METISfGreek MythologyMeans "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesized that her children would be wiser than
Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter
Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
MIDASmGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek myth Midas was a king of Phrygia in Asia Minor. He was granted a wish by the god
Dionysos - that everything he touch be turned to gold.
MINOSmGreek MythologyPossibly from a Cretan word or title meaning "king". This was the name of a king of Crete in Greek mythology. He was the son of
Zeus and
Europa. Because Minos had refused to sacrifice a certain bull to
Poseidon, the god had caused his wife Pasiphaë to mate with the bull, which produced the half-bull creature called the Minotaur. Minos had
Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to house the beast, but it was eventually slain by
Theseus.
MITHRAmPersian MythologyDerived from an Indo-Iranian root *
mitra meaning "oath, alliance, friend". In Persian mythology he was a god of light and friendship, the son of the supreme god
Ahura Mazda. Worship of him eventually spread outside of Persia, where it was known as Mithraism.
MNEMEfGreek MythologyMeans "memory" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of memory.
MNEMOSYNEfGreek MythologyMeans "remembrance" in Greek. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne was a Titan goddess of memory. She was the mother by
Zeus of the nine Muses.
MOIRAfIrish, Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
MÁIRE. It also coincides with Greek
Μοιρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of
Μοιραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
MORANAfSlavic Mythology, CroatianFrom a Slavic root meaning "death, plague". In Slavic mythology this was the name of the goddess of winter and death.
MORPHEUSmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
μορφη (morphe) meaning "shape", referring to the shapes seen in dreams. In Greek mythology Morpheus was the god of dreams.
MORRIGANfIrish MythologyDerived from Irish
Mór Ríoghain meaning "great queen". In Irish myth she was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.
MUBIRUmEastern African, GandaMeaning unknown. This is the name of a figure in Ganda mythology associated with forests and hunting.
MUMBIfEastern African, KikuyuMeans "she who shapes" in Kikuyu. In Kikuyu mythology Mumbi was the wife of Gikuyu and the mother of his nine daughters.
NAGENDRAmHinduism, Indian, Kannada, TeluguMeans "lord of snakes" from Sanskrit
नाग (naga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god
INDRA, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.
NAIDAfCroatianMeaning uncertain, possibly derived from Greek
Ναιαδ (Naiad), a type of water nymph in Greek mythology.
NANABOZHOmNew World MythologyMeans "my rabbit" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology Nanabozho (also called
Wenabozho) is the name of a trickster spirit.
NAPOLEONmHistory, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from the Germanic
Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic mythology to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure (often identified with the Burgundians). Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
NECHTANmIrish Mythology, Ancient CelticCeltic name of uncertain meaning, possibly meaning "damp" (cognate with
NEPTUNE). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of Boand, the goddess of the River Boyne. This name was also borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts.
NEMESISfGreek MythologyMeans "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was personification of vengeance and justice.
NEPTUNEmRoman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *
nebh "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god
Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
NEREUSmGreek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekDerived from Greek
νηρος (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
NINGALfSumerian MythologyMeans "great lady", from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "big, great". This was the name of a goddess of reeds in Sumerian mythology. She was the daughter of
Enki and the wife of
Nanna.
NINSUNfSumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
nin-sumun-a(k) meaning "lady of the wild cow", derived from
𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of
𒄢 (sumun) meaning "wild cow". In Sumerian mythology Ninsun was the divine mother of
Gilgamesh.
NINURTAmSumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyDerived from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lord" and
𒅁 (urta) meaning "ear of barley". In Sumerian and Akkadian mythology Ninurta was a god of agriculture, hunting and healing, later associated with war. He was also called
Ningirsu, though they may have originally been separate deities.
NIOBEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalos, a king of Asia Minor. Because she boasted that she was superior to
Leto, Leto's children
Apollo and
Artemis killed her 14 children with poison arrows. In grief, Niobe was turned to stone by
Zeus.
NOKOMISfNew World MythologyMeans "my grandmother" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of
Nanabozho's grandmother. It was used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the grandmother of
Hiawatha in his poem 'The Song of Hiawatha' (1855).
NUADAmIrish MythologyPossibly means "protector" in Celtic. In Irish myth he was an Irish god and a leader of the Tuatha De Danann. He was killed in battle against the Fomorii.
ODINmNorse Mythology, English (Modern)Anglicized form of Old Norse
Óðinn, which was derived from
óðr "inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from the early Germanic *
Woðanaz. The name appears as
Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as
Wotan,
Wuotan or
Wodan in continental Europe. However Odin is most known from Norse mythology, as the highest of the gods, presiding over art, war, wisdom and death. He resided in Valhalla, where warriors went after they were slain.
OEDIPUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Οιδιπους (Oidipous), meaning "swollen foot" from
οιδεω (oideo) "to swell" and
πους (pous) "foot". In Greek mythology Oedipus was the son of the Theban king
Laius and his wife
Jocasta. Laius received a prophesy that he would be killed by his son, so he left the newborn to die of exposure. Oedipus was however rescued and raised in the home of the Corinthian king Polybus. After he had grown and learned of the same prophesy, Oedipus left Corinth so that he would not be a danger to Polybus, who he assumed was his father. On the road to Delphi he chanced upon his real father Laius and slew him in a petty disagreement, thus fulfilling the prophecy. He then correctly answered the Sphinx's riddle, winning the now vacant throne of Thebes and marrying the widowed Queen Jocasta, his own mother. Years later they learned the truth of their relationship, prompting Jocasta to commit suicide and Oedipus to blind himself.
OENONEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Οινωνε (Oinone), derived from
οινος (oinos) meaning "wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.
OKEANOSmGreek MythologyFrom the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.
ORPHEUSmGreek MythologyPerhaps related to Greek
ορφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.
OSIRISmEgyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of the Egyptian
Asar which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology Osiris was the god of the dead and the judge of the underworld. He was slain by his brother
Seth, but revived by his wife
Isis.
OURANIAfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
ουρανιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.
OVIDmHistoryFrom the Roman family name
Ovidius, which was possibly derived from Latin
ovis "a sheep". Alternatively, it could have a Sabellic origin. Publius Ovidius Naso, better known as Ovid, was a 1st-century BC Roman poet who often wrote on the subjects of love and mythology. He was sent into exile by Emperor Augustus for no apparent reason.
OWAINmWelsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceProbably a Welsh form of
EUGENE, though it might be derived from Welsh
eoghunn meaning "youth". This was the name of several figures from Welsh history and mythology. In Arthurian legend Owain (also called
Yvain in French sources) was one of the Knights of the Round Table, the son of King Urien and husband of the Lady of the Fountain. His character was based on that of Owain ap Urien, a 6th-century Welsh prince who fought against the Angles. This name was also borne by Owain Glyndwr, a 14th-century leader of Welsh resistance against English rule.
PALLAS (1)fGreek MythologyProbably derived from a Greek word meaning "maiden". In Greek mythology this was the name of a friend of the goddess
Athena. Athena accidentally killed her, and subsequently took the name Pallas in honour of her friend.
PALLAS (2)mGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
παλλω (pallo) "to brandish". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan and several other characters. It was also the name of a female character, though her name is probably from a different source (see
Pallas).
PANmGreek MythologyPossibly from an Indo-European root meaning "shepherd, protector". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.
PANDORAfGreek MythologyMeans "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek
παν (pan) "all" and
δωρον (doron) "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman.
Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.
PAPAfPolynesian MythologyMeans "earth" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Papa or Papatuanuku was the goddess of the earth and the mother of many of the other gods. She and her husband
Rangi, the god of the sky, were locked in a tight embrace. Their children decided to separate them, a feat of strength accomplished by the god
Tane.
PARIS (1)mGreek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped
Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the 'Iliad', he did manage to slay the great hero
Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.
PAXfRoman MythologyMeans "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the goddess of peace.
PEGASUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Πηγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from
πηγος (pegos) "strong" or
πηγαιος (pegaios) "from a water spring". In Greek mythology Pegasus was the winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa after she was killed by
Perseus. There is a constellation in the northern sky named after the horse.
PEREDURmWelsh Mythology, Arthurian RomancePossibly means "hard spears" in Welsh. This was the name of several figures from Welsh mythology. It was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Arthurian tales. The character of
Percival was probably based on him.
PERSEPHONEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek
περθω (pertho) "to destroy" and
φονη (phone) "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of
Demeter and
Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by
Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
PERSEUSmGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
περθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Perseus was a hero who was said to have founded the ancient city of Mycenae. He was the son of
Zeus and
Danaë. Mother and child were exiled by Danaë's father Acrisius, and Perseus was raised on the island of Seriphos. The king of the island compelled Perseus to kill the Gorgon
Medusa, who was so ugly that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone. After obtaining winged sandals and other tools from the gods, he succeeded in his task by looking at Medusa in the reflection of his shield and slaying her in her sleep. On his return he defeated a sea monster in order to save
Andromeda, who became his wife.
PERUNmSlavic MythologyMeans "thunder" in Slavic. In Slavic mythology Perun was the god of lightning, sometimes worshipped as the primary god. The oak was his sacred tree.
PHILOMELAfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
φιλος (philos) "lover, friend" and
μηλον (melon) "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek
μελος (melos) "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
PHOBOSmGreek MythologyMeans "fear, panic" in Greek. This was one of the sons of
Ares in Greek mythology. Also, one of the moons of Mars bears this name.
PHOEBEfEnglish, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Φοιβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek
φοιβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess
Artemis. The name appears in
Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae. In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. A moon of Saturn bears this name (in honour of the Titan).
PHOENIXm & fEnglish (Modern)From the name of a beautiful immortal bird which appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek
φοινιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
PHRIXUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Φριξος (Phrixos) which meant "thrilling, causing shivers", derived from
φριξ (phrix) "ripple, shiver". In Greek myth Phrixus was the son of Athamus and Nephele. He was to be sacrificed to
Zeus, but he escaped with his sister Helle on the back of the ram with the Golden Fleece.
PHYLLISfGreek Mythology, English, GermanMeans "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with
Felicia.
PISTISfGreek MythologyMeans "trust, faith" in Greek. In Greek mythology Pistis was the personification of trust.
POSEIDONmGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
ποσις (posis) "husband, lord" and
δα (da) "earth". The name first appears in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions as
po-se-da-o. In Greek mythology Poseidon was the unruly god of the sea and earthquakes, the brother of
Zeus. He was often depicted carrying a trident and riding in a chariot drawn by white horses.
PROMETHEUSmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
προμηθεια (prometheia) meaning "foresight, forethought". In Greek myth he was the Titan who gave the knowledge of fire to mankind. For doing this he was punished by
Zeus, who had him chained to a rock and caused an eagle to feast daily on his liver, which regenerated itself each night.
Herakles eventually freed him.
PSYCHEfGreek MythologyMeans "the soul", derived from Greek
ψυχω (psycho) "to breathe". The Greeks thought that the breath was the soul. In Greek mythology Psyche was a beautiful maiden who was beloved by Eros (or Cupid in Roman mythology). She is the subject of Keats's poem 'Ode to Psyche' (1819).
PWYLLmWelsh MythologyMeaning unknown. In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh mythology, Pwyll is a king of Dyfed who pursues and finally marries
Rhiannon.
QUETZALCOATLmAztec and Toltec MythologyMeans "feathered snake" in Nahuatl, derived from
quetzalli "feather" and
coatl "snake". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was the god of the sky, wind, and knowledge, also associated with the morning star. According to one legend he created the humans of this age using the bones of humans from the previous age and adding his own blood.
RAIJINmFar Eastern MythologyFrom Japanese
雷 (rai) meaning "thunder" and
神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the god (or gods) of thunder and storms in the mythology of Japan.
RANGImMaori, Polynesian MythologyMeans "sky" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess
Papa. They were locked in a crushing embrace but were eventually separated by their children, the other gods.
RHEAfGreek Mythology (Latinized), Roman MythologyLatinized form of Greek
‘Ρεια (Rheia), meaning unknown, perhaps related to
‘ρεω (rheo) "to flow" or
ερα (era) "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of
Cronus, and the mother of
Zeus,
Poseidon,
Hades,
Hera,
Demeter and
Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea
Silvia was the mother of
Romulus and
Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
SATURNmRoman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of
Jupiter,
Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.
SEMELEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Phrygian origin. In Greek mythology she was one of the many lovers of
Zeus.
Hera, being jealous, tricked Semele into asking Zeus to display himself in all his splendour as the god of thunder. When he did, Semele was struck by lightning and died, but not before giving birth to
Dionysos.
SIGMUNDmGerman, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishDerived from the Germanic elements
sigu "victory" and
mund "protector" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from the Old Norse elements
sigr "victory" and
mundr "protector"). In Norse mythology this was the name of the hero
Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.
SIMON (2)mAncient Greek, Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
σιμος (simos) meaning "flat-nosed". In Greek mythology this was the name of one of the Telchines, demigods who were the original inhabitants of Rhodes.
SKAÐIfNorse MythologyMeans "damage, harm" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology she was a mountain giantess associated with the winter and skiing, the wife of
Njord and later
Odin.
SKULDfNorse MythologyMeans "future" in Old Norse. She was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny, in Norse mythology. She was also one of the Valkyries.
SOSRUKOmCaucasian MythologyDerived from Turkic
suslä "menacing". This is the name of a trickster god in Caucasian mythology. He is the hero of the Nart sagas.
SVAROGmSlavic MythologyDerived from Slavic
svar "bright, clear". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sky and sun. He was originally the supreme god in Slavic mythology.
TANEmMaori, Polynesian MythologyMeans "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tane was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god
Rangi and the earth goddess
Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
TANGAROAmPolynesian MythologyMeaning unknown. In Polynesian mythology he was the god of the sea, the son of
Rangi and
Papa. He separated his parents' embrace, creating the earth and the sky.
TARUfFinnishMeans "legend, myth" in Finnish. It is also used as a diminutive of
TARJA.
TETHYSfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
τηθη (tethe) meaning "grandmother". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan associated with the sea. She was the wife of Oceanus.
TEZCATLIPOCAmAztec and Toltec MythologyMeans "smoking mirror" in Nahuatl. In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was one of the chief gods, associated with the night sky, winds, war, and the north. Like his rival
Quetzalcoatl, he was a creator god.
THEIAfGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
θεα (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of sight, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
THEMISfGreek MythologyMeans "law of nature, divine law, that which is laid down" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By
Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three
Μοιραι (Moirai) and the three
‘Ωραι (Horai).
THESEUSmGreek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
τιθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god
Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king
Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter
Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.
ÞÓRAfAncient Scandinavian, IcelandicEither a feminine form of
Þórr (see
THOR) or else a short form of the various Old Norse names beginning with the element
Þór. In Norse myth Thora was the wife of the Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok.
THOTHmEgyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
Djhwty (reconstructed as
Djehuti), which is of uncertain meaning. In Egyptian mythology Thoth was the god of the moon, science, magic, speech and writing. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis.
TIAMATfSemitic MythologyFrom Akkadian
tâmtu meaning "sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god
Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.
TISIPHONEfGreek MythologyMeans "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from
τισις (tisis) "vengeance" and
φονη (phone) "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or
Ερινυες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.
TYRmNorse MythologyNorse form of the name of the Germanic god
Tiwaz, related to Indo-European
dyeus (see
ZEUS). In Norse mythology Tyr was the god of war and justice, the son of the god
Odin. He carried a spear in his left hand, since his right hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrir. At the time of the end of the world, the Ragnarok, Tyr will slay and be slain by the giant hound Garm.
URANUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ουρανος (Ouranos), the name of the husband of
Gaia and the father of the Titans in Greek mythology. His name is derived from
ουρανος (ouranos) meaning "the heavens". This is also the name of the seventh planet in the solar system.
URDfNorse MythologyFrom the Old Norse
Urðr meaning "fate". In Norse mythology Urd was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny. She was responsible for the past.
UTUmSumerian MythologyDerived from Sumerian
𒌓 (ud) meaning "sun". In Sumerian mythology this was the name of the god of the sun. He was the son of the moon god
Nanna and
Ningal.