ALTHEA f Greek 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.
ANDROMEDA f Greek 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.
ANTIGONE f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
αντι (anti) "against, compared to, like" and
γονη (gone) "birth, offspring". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.
ANTIOCHUS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αντιοχος (Antiochos), derived from Greek
αντι (anti) "against, compared to, like" and
οχη (oche) "support". This was the name of several rulers of the Seleucid Empire. It was also borne by a 2nd-century Christian martyr, the patron saint of Sardinia.
AOIDE f Greek MythologyMeans "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
ARCADIA f VariousFeminine form of
ARCADIUS. This is the name of a region on the Greek Peloponnese, long idealized for its natural beauty.
ARES m Greek 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 bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of
Zeus and
Hera.
ARIADNE f Greek 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.
ASTRAEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αστραια (Astraia), derived from Greek
αστηρ (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.
ATALANTA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Αταλαντη (Atalante) meaning "equal in weight", derived from
αταλαντος (atalantos), a word related to
ταλαντον (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.
ATHENA f Greek Mythology, EnglishMeaning 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] ATLAS m Greek 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.
ATROPOS f Greek 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.
BRISEIS f Greek 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.
BRONTE m & f English (Rare)From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Proinntigh meaning "descendant of Proinnteach". The given name
Proinnteach meant "bestower" in Gaelic. The Brontë sisters - Charlotte, Emily, and Anne - were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from
Brunty to
Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek
βροντη meaning "thunder".
CALYPSO f Greek 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.
CARINA (1) f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late RomanLate Latin name derived from
cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of
Jason's ship the Argo.
CASSANDRA f English, 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] CASTOR m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Καστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect
κεκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word
καστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of
Zeus and the twin brother of
Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
CHARON m Greek 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.
CHRYSEIS f Greek MythologyPatronymic 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.
CLEOPATRA f Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κλεοπατρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from
κλεος (kleos) "glory" combined with
πατηρ (pater) "father" (genitive
πατρος), This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by an asp. Shakespeare's tragedy 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606) is based on her.
CYBELE f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
CYNTHIA f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κυνθια (Kynthia), which means "woman from Kynthos". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess
Artemis, given because Kynthos 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.
DAEDALUS m Greek 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.
DAMON m Greek Mythology, EnglishDerived from Greek
δαμαζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.
DEIMOS m Greek MythologyMeans "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god
Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.
DIKE f Greek MythologyMeans "justice" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the
‘Ωραι (Horai).
DORIS f English, German, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the 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 (1924-2019).
ECHO f Greek 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.
ELECTRA f Greek 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.
ELPIS f Ancient 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.
ENDYMION m Greek 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.
EOS f Greek MythologyMeans "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
ERIS f Greek MythologyMeans "strife" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of
Ares.
EUDORA f Greek 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.
EUROPA f Greek 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.
EURYDICE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ευρυδικη (Eurydike) meaning "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.
EUTERPE f Greek 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.
EVADNE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ευαδνη (Euadne), from
ευ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek
αδνος (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek legend Evadne was the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from
Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.
HEBE f Greek 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.
HELIOS m Greek MythologyMeans "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess
Selene.
HELLE (2) f Greek 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").
HEPHAESTUS m Greek 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.
HERAKLES m Greek 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.
HERMES m Greek Mythology, Ancient GreekProbably from Greek
‘ερμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to
Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.
... [more] HERO (1) f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
‘ηρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1599).
HESTIA f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
‘εστια (hestia) "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
HORATIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was possibly derived from Latin
hora "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.
HYACINTHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
‘Υακινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god
Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
ICARUS m Greek 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.
IO f Greek 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.
IPHIGENEIA f Greek 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] ISMENE f Greek MythologyPossibly from Greek
ισμη (isme) "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
KALLIOPE f Greek 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.
KLEIO f Greek 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.
KLOTHO f Greek 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.
KLYTIË f Greek 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.
LACHESIS f Greek 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.
LAIUS m Greek 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) f Greek 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.
LARISA f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Greek MythologyPossibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as
Larissa, with a double
s.
LARUNDA f Roman 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.
LEO m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Croatian, Late RomanDerived from Latin
leo meaning "lion", a cognate of
LEON. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), a Russian novelist whose works include 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina'. Leo is also the name of a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.
LEON m English, German, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λεων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate
Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), a Russian Communist revolutionary.
LETO f Greek 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.
LIGEIA f Greek Mythology, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λιγυς (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).
LOTUS f English (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.
MARCIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was a derivative of the praenomen
MARCUS. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, king of Rome.
MARIS f English (Rare)Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin
Mary,
Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".
MEDEA f Greek 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.
MEGAERA f Greek 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).
MELETE f Greek MythologyMeans "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.
MELIA f Greek 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.
MELISSA f English, 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.
MELPOMENE f Greek 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.
METIS f Greek 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.
MINOS m Greek 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.
MOIRA f Irish, 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.
NEMESIS f Greek MythologyMeans "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was personification of vengeance and justice.
NEPHELE f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
νεφος (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.
NEREUS m Greek 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.
NESTOR m Greek Mythology, RussianMeans "homecoming" in Greek. In
Homer's 'Iliad' this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
NIOBE f Greek 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.
NYX f Greek MythologyMeans "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.
ODYSSEUS m Greek MythologyPerhaps derived from Greek
οδυσσομαι (odyssomai) "to hate". In Greek legend Odysseus was one of the Greek heroes who fought in the Trojan War. In the 'Odyssey'
Homer relates Odysseus's misadventures on his way back to his kingdom and his wife
Penelope.
OEDIPUS m Greek 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.
OENONE f Greek 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.
OKEANOS m Greek 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.
ORPHEUS m Greek 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.
OURANIA f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ουρανιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.
PALLAS (1) f Greek 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) m Greek 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 (1)).
PANDORA f Greek 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.
PEGASUS m Greek 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.
PERSEPHONE f Greek 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.
PHILOMELA f Greek 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.
PHOBOS m Greek 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.
PHOEBE f English, 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).
PHOENIX m & f English (Modern)From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that 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".
PHYLLIS f Greek 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.
POSEIDON m Greek 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.
PSYCHE f Greek 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).
PTOLEMY m HistoryFrom the Greek name
Πτολεμαιος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek
πολεμηιος (polemeios) meaning "aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a Greek astronomer.
RHEA f Greek Mythology, Roman MythologyMeaning 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.
SEMELE f Greek 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.
TETHYS f Greek 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.
THANATOS m Greek MythologyMeans "death" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of death who resided with Hades in the underworld.
THEIA f Greek 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.
THESEUS m Greek 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.
TYCHE f Greek MythologyMeans "fortune, chance" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of fortune, luck and fate.