Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the first letter is P; and the origin is Greek Mythology.
gender
usage
letter
origin
Pallas 1 f Greek Mythology
Probably derived from a Greek word meaning "maiden, young woman". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena. According to some legends it was originally the name of a friend of the goddess. Athena accidentally killed her while sparring, so she took the name in honour of her friend.
Pallas 2 m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πάλλω (pallo) meaning "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 1).
Pan m Greek Mythology
Possibly from the Indo-European root *peh- meaning "shepherd, protect". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.
Paride m Italian
Italian form of Paris 1.
Paris 1 m Greek Mythology
Meaning 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.
Parthenia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin". This was the name of one of the mares of Marmax in Greek mythology.
Pegasus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Πήγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from πηγός (pegos) meaning "strong" or πηγαῖος (pegaios) meaning "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.
Peleus m Greek Mythology
Probably derived from Greek πηλός (pelos) meaning "clay". In Greek mythology Peleus was a king of Phthia. With his wife the sea nymph Thetis he was the father of the hero Achilles.
Pelias m Greek Mythology
Perhaps derived from Greek πέλεια (peleia) meaning "rock pigeon". In Greek mythology, Pelias was the king of Iolcus who sent Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece.
Pelleas m Arthurian Cycle
Possibly from the Greek name Peleus. In Arthurian legend this is the name of a knight in love with Arcade or Ettarde. He first appears in the Old French Post-Vulgate Cycle in the 13th century, later in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (15th century) and Alfred Tennyson's Idylls of the King (1859).
Perseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πέρθω (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.
Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.
Phaenna f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Pheme f Greek Mythology
Means "rumour, reputation" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of fame and rumours.
Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Philophrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "friendliness, kindliness" in Greek, a derivative of φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". In Greek mythology this was the name of the personification of welcome and friendliness.
Phineus m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek φίνις (phinis), a variant of φήνη (phene) meaning "vulture". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Thrace visited by Jason and the Argonauts.
Phobos m Greek Mythology
Means "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.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (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.... [more]
Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.
Phrixus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φρίξος (Phrixos) meaning "thrilling, causing shivers", derived from φρίξ (phrix) meaning "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.
Phyliss f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "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.
Pistis f Greek Mythology
Means "trust, faith" in Greek. In Greek mythology Pistis was the personification of trust.
Pleione f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek πλείων (pleion) meaning "more, greater". According to Greek mythology Pleione was an Oceanid nymph who was the husband of Atlas. Together with her seven daughters and Atlas she forms the group of stars called the Pleiades, part of the constellation Taurus.
Pleun m & f Dutch
Diminutive of Apollonius, now commonly used as a feminine name.
Plouton m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Pluto.
Pluto m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Latinized form of Greek Πλούτων (Plouton), derived from πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning "wealth". This was an alternate name of Hades, the god of the underworld. This is also the name of a dwarf planet (formerly designated the ninth planet) in the solar system.
Pola f Polish
Short form of Apolonia.
Polina f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Polona f Slovene
Short form of Apolonija.
Polonca f Slovene
Diminutive of Apolonija.
Polyphemos m Greek Mythology
Means "abounding in fame", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φήμη (pheme) meaning "rumour, fame, reputation". In Greek mythology this was the name of the cyclops who captured Odysseus and his crew, as told in the Odyssey. He ate several of the crew before Odysseus blinded him and orchestrated an escape.
Polyphonte f Greek Mythology
Means "slayer of many", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder, slaughter". In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who was transformed into a strix (an owl-like bird) after she had sons with a bear.
Polyxena f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.
Polyxene f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Polyxena.
Polyxeni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Polyxena.
Pontus 2 m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Πόντος (Pontos) meaning "sea". This was the name of a Greek god of the sea. He was the son of Gaia.
Praxidike f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek πρᾶξις (praxis) meaning "action, exercise" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of lawful punishment. This is also the name of a small moon of Jupiter.
Praxis f Greek Mythology
Means "action, sex" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Priam m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek Πρίαμος (Priamos), possibly meaning "redeemed". In Greek legend Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and the father of many children including Hector and Paris.
Priamos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Priam.
Priapus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown. This was the name of a Greek god of fertility, gardens, and the phallus.
Prometheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek προμήθεια (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.
Proteus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek πρῶτος (protos) meaning "first". In Greek mythology this was the name of a prophetic god of the sea. Shakespeare later utilized it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Psamathe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ψάμαθος (psamathos) meaning "sand of the seashore". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids. One of the small moons of Neptune is named after her.
Psyche f Greek Mythology
Means "the soul", derived from Greek ψύχω (psycho) meaning "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).
Pyrrhus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Πύρρος (Pyrrhos) meaning "flame-coloured, red", related to πῦρ (pyr) meaning "fire". This was another name of Neoptolemus the son of Achilles. This was also the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Epirus who was famed for his victorious yet costly battles against Rome.
Pythagoras m Ancient Greek
Derived from Pythios, a name of Apollo, combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician from Samos. He was the founder of a school of philosophy whose members believed that numbers described the universe.
Pythios m Greek Mythology
From the Greek place name Πυθώ (Pytho), an older name of the city of Delphi, which was probably derived from Greek πύθω (pytho) meaning "to rot". This was an epithet of Apollo.