Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Greek Mythology; and the community's impression is feminine; and the order is random.
gender
usage
origin
impression
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Katalin f Hungarian, Basque
Hungarian and Basque form of Katherine.
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
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]
Katia f Italian, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Italian and French form of Katya, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name.
Yekaterina f Russian
Russian form of Katherine. This name was adopted by the German princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1744 shortly before she married the future Russian emperor Peter III. She later overthrew her husband and ruled as empress, known as Catherine the Great in English.
Katell f Breton
Breton form of Katherine.
Melantha f English (Rare)
Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).
Melete f Greek Mythology
Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.
Mnemosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "remembrance" in Greek. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne was a Titan goddess of memory. She was the mother by Zeus of the nine Muses.
Elina f Finnish, Estonian, Swedish
Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.
Zenobia f Ancient Greek
Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Oenone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Οἰνώνη (Oinone), derived from οἶνος (oinos) meaning "wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.
Euphrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "mirth, merriment, cheerfulness" in Greek, a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". She was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Mélissa f French
French form of Melissa.
Thalia f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Greek
From the Greek name Θάλεια (Thaleia), derived from θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, presiding over comedy and pastoral poetry. This was also the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Alaina f English (Modern)
Variant of Alana, probably influenced by Elaine.
Zinoviya f Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Zenobia.
Ilithyia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Εἰλείθυια (Eileithyia), which was derived from εἰλήθυια (eilethyia) meaning "the readycomer". This was the name of the Greek goddess of childbirth and midwifery.
Elara f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (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.
Alyona f Russian, Ukrainian
Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.
Kajsa f Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Katarina.
Karen 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, English, German
Danish short form of Katherine. It became common in the English-speaking world after the 1930s.
Kattalin f Basque
Basque form of Katherine.
Apollonia f Ancient Greek, Italian
Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.
Melia f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Calista f English, Portuguese (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "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.
Katja f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Slovene, Croatian
Form of Katya in various languages.
Nelle f English
Variant of Nell.
Aella f Greek Mythology
Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
Katica f Croatian, Slovene, Hungarian
Croatian, Slovene and Hungarian diminutive of Katherine.
Catarina f Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.
Marilène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène.
Cindy f English
Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda. Like Cynthia, it peaked in popularity in the United States in 1957.
Kay 1 f English
Short form of Katherine and other names beginning with K.
Marlen 2 f German
Variant of Marlene.
Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.
Jela f Serbian, Croatian, Slovak
Short form of Jelena or Jelisaveta. It also means "fir tree" in Serbian and Croatian.
Melina f English, Greek
Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as Melissa or from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Marla f English
Variant of Marlene using the suffix la.
Aviana f English (Modern)
Probably an elaboration of Ava 1, influenced by names such as Ariana. In some cases it could be inspired by the word avian meaning "bird" or "related to birds, bird-like".
Hestia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Katrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Agaue f Greek Mythology
Means "illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
Galene f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek feminine form of Galenos (see Galen). This was the name of a minor Greek goddess who personified calm seas.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Phyliss f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Trijntje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Katrijn.
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Suellen f English
Contraction of Susan and Ellen 1. Margaret Mitchell used this name in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936), where it belongs to Scarlett's sister.
Athénaïs f French
French form of Athenais.
Trine f Danish
Danish short form of Katrine.
Nonie f English
Diminutive of Ione or Nora 1.
Rina 1 f Italian, Dutch
Short form of Caterina or Catharina as well as other names ending in rina.
Dory f English
Diminutive of Dorothy or Doris. This is the name of a fish in the animated film Finding Nemo (2003).
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Nine f Frisian
Frisian short form of Katherine.
Medeia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Medea.
Eliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Helen.
Callisto 2 f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kallisto. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Karyna f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Karina.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Kathrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Ariadna f Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.
Apollinariya f Russian
Russian feminine form of Apollinaris.
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Ulyssa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ulysses.
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Artemis f Greek Mythology, Greek
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.
Caryn f English
Variant of Karen 1.
Megaera f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (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).
Kadri 1 f Estonian
Estonian form of Katherine.
Leena f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Helena or Matleena.
Selini f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Selene.
Kotryna f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Katherine.
Katrina f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Mylène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène. It can also be used as a French form of Milena.
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
Zinovia f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Zenobia.
Heleentje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Helen.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.
Katarína f Slovak
Slovak form of Katherine.
Cindra f English (Rare)
Combination of Cindy and Sandra.
Carine f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
Missie f English
Diminutive of Melissa.
Larissa f English, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Eris f Greek Mythology
Means "strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of Ares.
Kathi f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (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.
Délia f Portuguese, French, Hungarian
Portuguese, French and Hungarian form of Delia 1.
Kathleen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Caitlín.
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Ellie f English
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
Katrien f Dutch
Dutch (especially Flemish) form of Katherine.
Melika f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Melissa.
Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.
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.
Raya f Bulgarian, Russian
Diminutive of Rayna 1 or Raisa 1.
Marilena f Italian, Romanian, Greek
Combination of Maria and Elena.
Rhea f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of the Olympian gods 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.
Lyssa 2 f Greek Mythology
Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
Klytië f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (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.
Narcissa f Late Roman
Feminine form of Narcissus.
Lígia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ligeia.
Salina f English
Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
Nephele f Greek Mythology
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.
Katrin f German, Swedish, Estonian
German, Swedish and Estonian short form of Katherine.
Kari 1 f Norwegian
Norwegian short form of Katarina.
Elena f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Caitria f Irish (Rare)
Possibly a form of Caitríona.
Adrastea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Adrasteia. One of Jupiter's moons bears this name.
Irida f Greek
Greek variant of Iris, from the genitive form Ἴριδος (Iridos).
Cassiopeia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (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.
Io f Greek Mythology
Meaning 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.
Cathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Despina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Despoina.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, Italian
Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Tineke f Dutch
Diminutive of Tina.
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Aoide f Greek Mythology
Means "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
Hermínia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Herminius.
Chione f Greek Mythology
From Greek χιών (chion) meaning "snow". In Greek mythology this is the name of a daughter of the north wind Boreas. Another figure by this name is the daughter of the naiad Callirrhoe who was transformed into a snow cloud.
Katya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Yekaterina.
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "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.
Hecate f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἑκάτη (Hekate), possibly derived from ἑκάς (hekas) meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Odessa f Various
From the name of a Ukrainian city that sits on the north coast of the Black Sea, which was named after the ancient Greek city of Ὀδησσός (Odessos), of uncertain meaning. This name can also be used as a feminine form of Odysseus.
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Belphoebe f Literature
Combination of Old French bele "beautiful" and the name Phoebe. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Denisa f Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Albanian
Feminine form of Denis.
Alena 1 f German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Short form of Magdalena or Helena. This was the name of a saint, possibly legendary, who was martyred near Brussels in the 7th century.
Adrasteia f Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Adrastos. In Greek mythology this name was borne by a nymph who fostered the infant Zeus. This was also another name of the goddess Nemesis.
Lene f Danish, Norwegian, German
Danish, Norwegian and German short form of Helene or Magdalene.
Cíntia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Cynthia.
Aglaé f French
French form of Aglaia.
Hecuba f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἑκάβη (Hekabe), which is of uncertain meaning. According to Greek mythology this was the name of the primary wife of King Priam of Troy. By him she was the mother of Hector, Paris, Cassandra and many others.
Dorris f English
Variant of Doris.
Zenovia f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Ζηνοβία (see Zinovia).
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Raisa 1 f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Probably a Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Herais.
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Marleen f Dutch, English
Dutch form and English variant of Marlene.
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Annalena f German
Combination of Anna and Lena.
Kateřina f Czech
Czech form of Katherine.
Chloé f French
French form of Chloe.
Kasia f Polish
Diminutive of Katarzyna.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Cátia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Catarina.
Ariana f Portuguese, English (Modern)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek Mythology
Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Malinda f English
Variant of Melinda.
Triinu f Estonian
Diminutive of Katariina.
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Leni f German
German diminutive of Helene or Magdalena.
Kakalina f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Katherine.
Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.
Katie f English
Diminutive of Kate.
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
Kata f Hungarian, Finnish, Croatian
Hungarian short form of Katalin, Finnish short form of Katariina and Croatian short form of Katarina.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Aglaia f Greek Mythology, Greek
Means "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Kitty f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Melissa f English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Theia f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, 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.
Katriina f Finnish
Short form of Katariina.
Elna f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Helena.
Cate f English (Rare)
Variant of Kate. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).
Astraea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
Ilonka f Hungarian, Czech
Hungarian and Czech diminutive of Ilona.
Danaë f Greek Mythology
From Δαναοί (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 prophesied 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.
Aegle f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Αἴγλη (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.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Kae f English (Rare)
Variant of Kay 1.
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Katherine f English
From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.... [more]
Kaarina f Finnish
Finnish form of Katherine.
Vesta f Roman Mythology
Probably a Roman cognate of Hestia. Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth. A continuous fire, tended by the Vestal Virgins, was burned in the Temple of Vesta in Rome.
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Acantha f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄκανθα (Akantha), which meant "thorn, prickle". In Greek legend she was a nymph loved by Apollo.
Alcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκυόνη (Alkyone), derived from the word ἀλκυών (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, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, supposedly the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.
Ela 1 f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Polish
Diminutive of names beginning with El such as Elizabeta or Elżbieta.
Ekaterini f Greek
Modern Greek form of Katherine.
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
Mindy f English
Diminutive of Melinda.
Dione 2 f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Selina f English, German
Variant of Celina or Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.
Sydney f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Sidney. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Formerly used by both genders, since the 1980s this spelling of the name has been mostly feminine.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Heleena f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helena.
Europa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "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 said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
Ketevan f Georgian
Georgian form of Katayoun. It is sometimes used as a Georgian form of Katherine.
Fruzsina f Hungarian
Diminutive of Eufrozina, the Hungarian form of Euphrosyne.
Lenuța f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
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.
Cindi f English
Diminutive of Cynthia.
Catrina f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Harmonia f Greek Mythology
Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.
Eos f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Karine 1 f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
Larysa f Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish
Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish form of Larisa.
Lissa f English
Short form of Melissa.
Karena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Karen 1, possibly influenced by Carina 1.
Kathryn f English
Contracted form of Katherine.
Despoina f Greek Mythology, Greek
Means "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.
Kleio f Greek Mythology, Greek
Derived from Greek κλέος (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.
Cajsa f Swedish
Variant of Kajsa.
Chryseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
Katy f English
Diminutive of Kate.
Trina f English
Short form of Katrina.
Elle f English (Modern)
Diminutive of Eleanor and other names beginning with El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun elle meaning "she".... [more]
Maira f Greek Mythology
From Greek μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning "sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.
Kaye f English
Variant of Kay 1.
Kitti f Hungarian
Diminutive of Katalin.
Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]
Maya 2 f English
Variant of Maia 1. This name can also be given in reference to the Maya, an indigenous people of southern Mexico and parts of Central America whose civilization flourished between the 3rd and 8th centuries. A famous bearer was the American poet and author Maya Angelou (1928-2014).
Keti 1 f Georgian
Diminutive of Ketevan.
Dafne f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Daphne.
Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "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.
Nynke f Frisian
Frisian diminutive of Katherine.
Elli 2 f German, Finnish
Diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Elizabeth.
Electra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἠλέκτρα (Elektra), derived from ἤλεκτρον (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.
Nyx f Greek Mythology
Means "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Athena f Greek Mythology, English
Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.... [more]
Ríona f Irish
Either a variant of Ríoghnach or a short form of Caitríona.
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.
Kate f English, Croatian
Short form of Katherine, often used independently. It is short for Katherina in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew (1593). It has been used in England since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer is the British actress Kate Winslet (1975-).
Selena f Spanish, English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Selene. This name was borne by popular Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla (1971-1995), who was known simply as Selena. Another famous bearer is the American actress and singer Selena Gomez (1992-).
Atalanta f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀταλάντη (Atalante) meaning "equal in weight", derived from ἀτάλαντος (atalantos), a word related to τάλαντον (talanton) meaning "a scale, a balance". In Greek legend she was a fast-footed maiden who refused to marry anyone who could not beat her in a race. She was eventually defeated by Hippomenes, who dropped three golden apples during the race causing her to stop to pick them up.
Korë f Greek Mythology
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Κόρη (see Kore).
Mneme f Greek Mythology
Means "memory" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of memory.
Briseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (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.
Pola f Polish
Short form of Apolonia.
Ligeia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).
Kati f Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katariina and a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin.
Carin f Swedish
Variant of Karin.
Deianeira f Greek Mythology
From Greek δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.
Afërdita f Albanian
Means "daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from afër "nearby, close" and ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of Aphrodite.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Missy f English
Diminutive of Melissa. This is also a slang term meaning "young woman".