Greek Mythology Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Greek Mythology. Ancient Greek was the language spoken by the peoples of ancient Greece and other places in the Hellenic world.
gender
usage
origin
Denys m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Denis.
Deonte m African American (Modern)
Combination of Deon and the common phonetic suffix tay.
Despina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Despoina.
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.
Dido f Roman Mythology, Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Phoenician origin. Dido, also called Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in Virgil's Aeneid. She threw herself upon a funeral pyre after Aeneas left her. Virgil based the story on earlier Greco-Roman accounts.
Dike f Greek Mythology
Means "justice, custom, order" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the Ὥραι (Horai).
Dinis m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Denis, used mainly in Portugal as opposed to Brazil (where Dênis is more common). This name was borne by a well-regarded Portuguese king of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Diniz m Portuguese
Variant of Dinis.
Diocletian m History
From the Roman cognomen Diocletianus, a derivative of Diokles. This was the name of a Roman emperor of the 3rd and 4th centuries (Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus). He is remembered for persecuting Christians, but he also reformed and stabilized the crumbling Empire.
Diodore m French (Rare)
French form of Diodorus.
Diodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Διόδωρος (Diodoros) meaning "gift of Zeus", derived from the elements Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 1st-century BC Greek historian.
Diodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Διόδοτος (Diodotos), a Greek name meaning "given by Zeus" from Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and δοτός (dotos) meaning "given".
Diogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Zeus" from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of a Greek Cynic philosopher.
Diokles m Ancient Greek
Means "glory of Zeus" from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory".
Diomedes m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
Diomid m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Diomedes.
Diomidis m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Diomedes.
Dion m Ancient Greek, English
Derived from the Greek element Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". This was the name of a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse. It has been used as an American given name since the middle of the 20th century.
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of an obscure Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite.
Dione 2 f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Dionísia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Dionysius.
Dionisia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Dionysius.
Dionisie m Romanian
Romanian form of Dionysius.
Dionísio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Dionysius.
Dionisio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Dionysius.
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Dionysios m Greek, Ancient Greek
Greek personal name derived from the name of the Greek god Dionysos. Famous bearers include two early tyrants of Syracuse and a 1st-century BC Greek rhetorician.
Dionysius m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical
Latin form of Dionysios. Dionysius the Areopagite, who is mentioned in the New Testament, was a judge converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. This was also the name of many other early saints, including a 3rd-century pope.
Dionysodoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Dionysos" from the name of the god Dionysos combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Dionysos m Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (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.
Dionýz m Slovak
Slovak form of Dionysius.
Diot f Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Dionysia.
Dóris f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Doris.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (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).
Dorris f English
Variant of Doris.
Dory f English
Diminutive of Dorothy or Doris. This is the name of a fish in the animated film Finding Nemo (2003).
Dwight m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval feminine name Diot, a diminutive of Dionysia, the feminine form of Dionysius. In America it was sometimes given in honour of Yale president Timothy Dwight (1752-1817). A famous bearer was the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969).
Dye f Medieval English
Medieval short form of Dionysia.
Dyson m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Dye". As a given name it is likely inspired by similar-sounding names such as Bryson and Tyson.
Dzianis m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Denis.
Ecaterina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Echidna f Greek Mythology
Means "viper, snake" in Greek, a variant of ἔχις (echis). In Greek mythology this was the name of a monster who was half woman and half snake. By Typhon she was the mother of Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, and other monsters.
Echo f Greek Mythology
From the Greek word ἠχώ (echo) meaning "echo, reflected sound", related to ἠχή (eche) meaning "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.
Effrosyni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euphrosyne.
Efterpi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euterpe.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.
Eka 2 f Georgian
Short form of Ekaterine.
Ekaterina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Katherine, and an alternate transcription of Russian Екатерина (see Yekaterina).
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
Ekaterini f Greek
Modern Greek form of Katherine.
Ela 1 f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Polish
Diminutive of names beginning with El such as Elizabeta or Elżbieta.
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Elaine f English, Arthurian Cycle
From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).
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.
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.
Elen f Welsh, Armenian, Czech
Welsh and modern Armenian form of Helen, as well as a Czech variant form. This was the name of a 4th-century Welsh saint, traditionally said to be the wife of the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus. According to the Welsh legend The Dream of Macsen Wledig (Macsen Wledig being the Welsh form of Magnus Maximus), she convinced her husband to build the roads in Wales.
Elēna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
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).
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Eleni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Helen.
Elettra f Italian
Italian form of Electra.
Eli 3 f Spanish, Norwegian, Danish
Spanish, Norwegian and Danish short form of Elisabet or Elin.
Eliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Helen.
Elin f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Welsh
Scandinavian and Welsh form of Helen.
Elīna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
Elina f Finnish, Estonian, Swedish
Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.
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.
Elio m Italian
Italian form of Aelius or Helios.
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.
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]
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.
Elli 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Helle 2.
Elli 2 f German, Finnish
Diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Elizabeth.
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.
Elly f English, Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth or an English variant of Ellie.
Elna f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Helena.
Elona f Albanian
Possibly an Albanian form of Ilona.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "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.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) 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.
Enea m Italian
Italian form of Aeneas.
Enéas m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Aeneas.
Eneida f Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American)
From the Portuguese and Spanish name of the Aeneid (see Aeneas).
Enej m Slovene
Slovene form of Aeneas.
Enyo f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. She was a bloodthirsty Greek war goddess and a companion of Ares.
Eos f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Epaphos m Greek Mythology
Original Greek form of Epaphus.
Epaphras m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek
Shortened form of Epaphroditos. In the New Testament this is the name of one of Paul's co-workers.
Epaphroditos m Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek
Means "lovely, charming", derived from Greek ἐπί (epi) meaning "on" combined with the name of the Greek love goddess Aphrodite. It appears in the epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (as Epaphroditus, the Latinized form, in the English version).
Epaphus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐπαφή (epaphe) meaning "touch". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Egypt. He was the son of Zeus and Io, who became pregnant when Zeus touched her with his hand.
Epimetheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐπιμήθεια (epimetheia) meaning "hindsight, hindthought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.
Erato f Greek Mythology
Means "lovely" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of lyric poetry.
Ercole m Italian
Italian form of Hercules.
Ercwlff m Welsh (Rare)
Welsh form of Hercules.
Erebos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Erebus.
Erebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἔρεβος (Erebos), which means "nether darkness". Erebus was the personification of the primordial darkness in Greek mythology.
Erekle m Georgian
Georgian form of Herakleios (see Heraclius). This name was borne by two Georgian kings of the Bagrationi dynasty.
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.
Ermes m Italian
Italian form of Hermes.
Ermete m Italian
Derived from Hermetis, the Latin genitive form of Hermes, the name of the Greek messenger god.
Erminia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Herminius.
Erminio m Italian
Italian form of Herminius.
Ermis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Hermes.
Ermolai m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Ермолай (see Yermolay).
Eros m Greek Mythology
Means "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.
Ettore m Italian
Italian form of Hector.
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.
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.
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.
Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.
Euryalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
From Greek Εὐρύαλος (Euryalos) meaning "broad". This name was borne by several figures in Greek legend. In Virgil's Aeneid it belongs to the friend of Nisus, with whom he is killed while raiding the Rutuli.
Euterpe f Greek Mythology
Means "delight" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τέρπω (terpo) meaning "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.
Faina f Russian
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Phaenna.
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Fruzsina f Hungarian
Diminutive of Eufrozina, the Hungarian form of Euphrosyne.
Gaia f Greek Mythology, Italian
From the Greek word γαῖα (gaia), a parallel form of γῆ (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.
Gaiana f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Γαϊανή (Gaiane), a derivative of Gaia. This was the name of a (perhaps fictional) martyr who was killed in Armenia during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the late 3rd century.
Gaiane f Ancient Greek
Greek form of Gaiana.
Gaja 1 f Slovene, Polish
Either a form of Gaia or a feminine form of Gaius.
Galatea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.
Gayane f Armenian
Armenian form of Gaiana.
Glauco m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Glaucus.
Glaucus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Γλαῦκος (Glaukos), a name meaning "bluish grey". This was the name of a Greek sea god, as well as other characters in Greek legend.
Hades m Greek Mythology
From Greek Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from ἀϊδής (aides) meaning "unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that also came to be called Hades. His brothers were Zeus and Poseidon and his wife was Persephone, whom he had abducted.
Haides m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Hades. After the classical period, the ι in the sequence αι (often written as a subscript like ) was not pronounced.
Halcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκυόνη (see Alcyone), via the misspelled variant Ἁλκυόνη (Halkyone). The spelling variation was due to a false association with ἅλς (hals) meaning "salt, sea".
Halkyone f Greek Mythology
Greek variant (or misspelling) of Halcyone.
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.
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.
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.
Heck m Scottish
Scottish short form of Hector.
Heckie m Scottish
Scottish diminutive of Hector.
Héctor m Spanish
Spanish form of Hector.
Hèctor m Catalan
Catalan form of Hector.
Hector m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian Cycle
Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.... [more]
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.
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Hekabe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecuba.
Hekate f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecate.
Hektor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hector.
Heleen f Dutch
Dutch variant of Helen.
Heleena f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helena.
Heleentje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Helen.
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]
Heléna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Helen.
Helēna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
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).
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Helenka f Czech, Polish
Czech and Polish diminutive of Helena.
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Hélia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Helios.
Hélio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Helios.
Helio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helios.
Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "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.
Hella f German, Danish
Diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning 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").
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
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.
Hephaestus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (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.
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.
Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.
Heraclio m Spanish
Spanish form of Heraclius.
Heraclitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡράκλειτος (Herakleitos) meaning "glory of Hera", derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with κλειτός (kleitos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher from Ephesus.
Heraclius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek personal name Ἡράκλειος (Herakleios), which was derived from the name of the Greek hero Herakles. This was the name of a 7th-century Byzantine emperor, known for his victories over the Sasanian Persian Empire. This name was also borne by two early saints.
Herais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was probably derived from the name of the Greek goddess Hera. It was borne by a saint and martyr from Alexandria who was killed during the early 4th-century persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Herakleides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Herakles" in Greek, derived from the name of the mythic hero Herakles combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek astronomer who theorized the rotation of the earth.
Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "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.
Hercule m French
French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).
Herk m Various (Rare)
Short form of Hercules or other similar names.
Hermagoras m Ancient Greek
From the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". Saint Hermagoras (3rd century) was the first bishop of Aquileia in Italy.
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (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]
Hermia f Literature
Feminine form of Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Hermínia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Herminius.
Hermínio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Herminius.
Herminio m Spanish
Spanish form of Herminius.
Herminius m Ancient Roman
Roman name that was possibly of unknown Etruscan origin, but could also be derived from the name of the god Hermes. In Roman legend this was the name of a companion of Aeneas.
Hermione f Greek Mythology
Derived 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.
Hermógenes m Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Hermogenes.
Hermogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek γενής (genes) meaning "born".
Hermokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "power of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".
Hermolaos m Ancient Greek
Means "the people of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people".
Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (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).
Herodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡρόδοτος (Herodotos), derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with δοτός (dotos) meaning "given, granted". Herodotus was a Greek historian of the 5th century BC who wrote the Histories, a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. He is known as the Father of History.
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.
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (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.
Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.
Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "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.
Hypnos m Greek Mythology
Means "sleep" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of the personification of sleep, twin brother of Thanatos.
Iacchus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἴακχος (Iakchos), derived from ἰάχω (iacho) meaning "to shout". This was the name of an obscure Greek god worshipped in the Eleusinian mysteries and later identified with Dionysos.
Ianeira f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek Ἰάν (Ian), a variant of Ἴων (Ion) meaning "Ionian", the Ionians being a Greek tribe. The name Ianeira was borne by a few characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids and one of the Oceanids.
Iapetos m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἰάπτω (iapto) meaning "to wound, to pierce". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan, the father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.
Iapetus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Iapetos. This is the name of one of Saturn's moons.
Icarus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἴκαρος (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.
Idalia f Germanic (Latinized), Greek Mythology, Polish (Rare)
Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour". Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.... [more]
Iina 1 f Finnish
Short form of names ending with iina.
Iiris f Finnish
Finnish form of Iris.
Ikaros m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Icarus.
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.
Ilenia f Italian
Meaning unknown, possibly an elaborated variant of Elena.
Ili f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona.
Ilike f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
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.
Ilka f Hungarian, German
Hungarian diminutive of Ilona.
Ilona f Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
Ilonka f Hungarian, Czech
Hungarian and Czech diminutive of Ilona.
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
Ināra f Latvian
Meaning unknown, possibly an elaboration of Ina.
Inja f Slovene
Slovene short form of names ending with ina.
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.
Iocasta f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Iokaste (see Jocasta).
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Iole f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.
Ion 2 m Greek Mythology
Of 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.
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.
Iraida f Russian, Spanish
Russian and Spanish form of Herais.
Irakli m Georgian
Georgian form of Herakles.
Iraklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Herakles.
Irakliy m Russian
Russian form of Herakleios (see Heraclius).
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]
Irida f Greek
Greek variant of Iris, from the genitive form Ἴριδος (Iridos).
Íris f Portuguese, Icelandic
Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Iro f Greek
Modern Greek form of Hero 1.
Ismene f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
Ismini f Greek
Modern Greek form of Ismene.
Jace m English
Short form of Jason, sometimes used independently. It was brought to limited attention in America by the lead character in the western television series Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955-1958). Towards the end of the 20th century it began steadily increasing in popularity, reaching the 66th spot for boys in the United States in 2013.
Jae 2 m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Jay 1.
Jai 2 m English (Modern)
Variant of Jay 1. In some cases it is pronounced to rhyme with names such as Kai or Ty.
Jase m English (Modern)
Variant of Jace and a short form of Jason.
Jason m English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), Biblical
From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "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]
Jay 1 m English
Short form of names beginning with the sound J, such as James or Jason. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.
Jayce m English
Variant of Jace.
Jaye f & m English
Variant or feminine form of Jay 1.
Jayson m English
Variant of Jason.
Jekaterina f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Екатерина (see Yekaterina).
Jela f Serbian, Croatian, Slovak
Short form of Jelena or Jelisaveta. It also means "fir tree" in Serbian and Croatian.
Jeļena f Latvian
Latvian form of Yelena.
Jelena f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of Yelena in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".
Jelica f Serbian, Croatian
Diminutive of Jela.
Jelka f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Jelena. It also means "fir tree" in Slovene.
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.
Kaarina f Finnish
Finnish form of Katherine.
Kadi f Estonian
Short form of Katariina.
Kadmos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cadmus.
Kadri 1 f Estonian
Estonian form of Katherine.
Kae f English (Rare)
Variant of Kay 1.
Kaety f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Kate.
Kai 2 f Estonian
Short form of Kaia.
Kaidi f Estonian
Short form of Katariina.
Kaija f Finnish
Diminutive of Katariina.
Kaisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katherine.
Kaiti f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Καίτη (see Keti 2).
Kaja 1 f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Estonian, Slovene
Scandinavian diminutive of Katarina.
Kaja 2 f Polish, Slovene
Variant of Gaja 1.
Kajsa f Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Katarina.
Kakalina f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Katherine.
Kalena f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Karen 1.
Kallirroi f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Καλλιρρόη (see Callirrhoe).
Kallisto f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek κάλλιστος (kallistos) meaning "most beautiful", a derivative of καλός (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.