Mythology Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Mythology.
gender
usage
origin
Abdastartus m Phoenician (Latinized)
From the Greek form Ἀβδάσταρτος (Abdastartos) of the Phoenician name 𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕 (ʿAbdʿashtart) meaning "servant of Ashtoreth", derived from 𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the goddess Ashtoreth. This was the name of a 10th-century BC king of Tyre, as recorded by the historian Josephus.
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.
Acheloios m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Achelous.
Achelous m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀχελώιος (Acheloios), which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Semitic origin. This was the name of a Greek god of water and rivers, in particular the Achelous River in western Greece. He fought with (and was defeated by) Herakles for the hand of Deianeira.
Achille m French, Italian
French and Italian form of Achilles.
Achilleas m Greek
Modern Greek form of Achilles.
Achilles m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek ἄχος (achos) meaning "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in Homer's Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.... [more]
Achlys f Greek Mythology
Means "mist, darkness" in Greek. According to a poem by Hesiod, she was one of the figures portrayed on the shield of Herakles. She is described as a wraithlike woman personifying death and sorrow.
Adad m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of Hadad.
Adad-Nirari m Ancient Assyrian
Means "Adad is my helper", from the god's name Adad combined with Akkadian nērāru meaning "helper". This name was borne by three kings of the Assyrian Empire.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Aditya m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "belonging to Aditi" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the seven (or more) Hindu gods who are the children of Aditi. It is also another name for the sun god Surya.
Admetus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄδμητος (Admetos) meaning "unconquered, untamed", a poetic form of ἀδάμαστος (adamastos). In Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Pherae in Thessaly. He was the husband of Alcestis, who died for him.
Adone m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Adonis.
Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).
Adrastea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Adrasteia. One of Jupiter's moons bears this name.
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.
Adrastos m Greek Mythology
Means "not inclined to run away" in Greek, from the negative prefix (a) and διδράσκω (didrasko) meaning "to run away". This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.
Aegeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Αἰγεύς (Aigeus), probably derived from Greek αἴξ (aix) meaning "goat" (genitive αἰγός). The plural of this word, αἶγες, additionally means "waves". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Athens. Believing his son Theseus to have been killed by the Minotaur, he threw himself into the sea and was drowned. The sea was henceforth known as the Aegean.
Ægir m Norse Mythology
Means "sea, ocean" in Old Norse. According to Norse mythology Ægir was a god or giant (jǫtunn) who lived under the ocean. His wife was Rán.
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.
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.
Aeneas m Roman Mythology
Latin form of the Greek name Αἰνείας (Aineias), derived from Greek αἴνη (aine) meaning "praise". In Greek legend he was a son of Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet Virgil continued his story in the Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.
Aeron m & f Welsh
From the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh aeron meaning "berries".
Aerona f Welsh
Variant of Aeron.
Aeronwen f Welsh (Rare)
Combination of Aeron and the Welsh element gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Aeronwy f Welsh (Rare)
Extended form of Aeron.
Aeson m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Αἰσών (Aison), which is of unknown meaning. Aeson was the father of Jason in Greek mythology.
Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning "ether, heaven", derived from αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of light and the upper sky.
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.
Afroditi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Aphrodite.
Agamemnon m Greek Mythology, Greek
Possibly means "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife Clytemnestra.
Agaue f Greek Mythology
Means "illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
Agenor m Greek Mythology
Derived from the poetic Greek word ἀγήνωρ (agenor) meaning "very manly, heroic", a derivative of ἄγαν (agan) "very much" and ἀνήρ (aner) "man". This is the name of multiple characters in Greek mythology, including a king of the Phoenician city of Tyre. He was a son of Poseidon and Libya and the father of Europa, Cadmus and several other children.
Aglaé f French
French form of Aglaia.
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.
Aglaya f Russian
Russian form of Aglaia.
Agni 1 m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu fire god, typically depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces, and riding on the back of a ram.
Agrona f Celtic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Perhaps derived from the old Celtic root *agro- meaning "battle, slaughter". This is possibly the name of a Brythonic goddess for whom the River Ayr in Scotland and River Aeron in Wales were named.
Ahmose m & f Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Egyptian jꜥḥ-ms meaning "born of Iah", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Iah combined with msj meaning "be born". This was the name of the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (16th century BC). He defeated the Hyksos and drove them from Egypt. It was also borne by others among Egyptian royalty from the same era, including several queens consort.
Ahriman m Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Angra Mainyu.
Ahti m Finnish, Estonian, Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Finnish god of the ocean, rivers and fishing.
Ahura Mazda m Persian Mythology
Means "lord of wisdom", from Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
Aias m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Ajax.
Aigeus m Greek Mythology
Original Greek form of Aegeus.
Aigle f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Aegle.
Aikaterine f Ancient Greek (Rare)
Ancient Greek form of Katherine.
Aikaterini f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Αικατερίνη (see Ekaterini).
Aina 1 f Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Variant of Aino. It also means "always" in Finnish.
Aineias m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Aeneas.
Aino f Finnish, Estonian, Finnish Mythology
Means "the only one" in Finnish. In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of a girl who drowns herself when she finds out she must marry the old man Väinämöinen.
Aiolos m Greek Mythology
Means "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.
Aither m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Aether.
Ajax m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Αἴας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek αἰαστής (aiastes) meaning "mourner" or αἶα (aia) meaning "earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War: the son of Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.
Ajeet m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Hindi अजीत, Marathi अजित, Gurmukhi ਅਜੀਤ or Bengali অজিত (see Ajit).
Ajit m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali
Modern form of Ajita.
Ajita m Hinduism, Buddhism
Means "unconquered, invincible", from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and जित (jita) meaning "conquered". This is a name of the gods Shiva and Vishnu, and of a future Buddha.
Ajith m Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Ajita.
Akachi m & f Igbo
Means "the hand of God" in Igbo.
Akhenaton m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ꜣḫ-n-jtn meaning "effective for Aton". Akhenaton was a 14th-century BC Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who is best known for promoting the monotheistic worship of the sun god Aton. He changed his name from Amenhotep in order to honour the god. After his death, polytheism resumed.
Akuchi f & m Igbo
Means "wealth from God" in Igbo.
Ala 2 f Igbo Mythology
Means "earth, land" in Igbo. In traditional Igbo religion Ala (called Ani or Ana in other dialects) is an earth goddess associated with fertility and ancestors.
Alaina f English (Modern)
Variant of Alana, probably influenced by Elaine.
Alastor m Greek Mythology
Means "avenger" in Greek. This was an epithet of Zeus, as well as the name of several other characters from Greek mythology.
Alcestis f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄλκηστις (Alkestis), derived from ἀλκηστής (alkestes) meaning "brave, valiant", a derivative of ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess". In Greek mythology she was the wife of King Admetus. She offered to die in place of her husband, though she was eventually rescued from the underworld by Herakles. This story was told by the Greek playwright Euripides in his 5th-century BC tragedy Alcestis.
Alcione f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Alcyone.
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.
Alecto f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀληκτώ (Alekto), which was derived from ἄληκτος (alektos) meaning "unceasing". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology.
Alekto f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Alecto.
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.
Alena 2 f Belarusian
Belarusian form of Helen.
Alenka f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Alena 1.
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Alkyone f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Alcyone.
Althea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "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.
Alvis m Norse Mythology, Latvian
From the Old Norse Alvíss meaning "all wise". In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.
Alvíss m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Alvis.
Alyona f Russian, Ukrainian
Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.
Alyonka f Russian
Diminutive of Alyona.
Amadioha m Igbo Mythology
Derived from Igbo àmádí "freeborn man" and ọ̀hà "community, people". The is the name of the god of thunder and lightning in traditional Igbo belief.
Amaka f Igbo
Short form of Chiamaka.
Amalthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.
Amarachi f Igbo
Means "God's grace" in Igbo.
Amenemhat m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-m-ḥꜣt meaning "Amon is foremost". This was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs, including Amenemhat I the founder of the 12th dynasty in the 20th century BC.
Amenhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-ḥtp meaning "Amon is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Amon combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of four pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep III (14th century BC), known as the Magnificent, who ruled over Egypt during a time of great prosperity.
Ameretat f Persian Mythology
Means "immortality" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with plants and long life. She was often mentioned with Haurvatat.
Amílcar m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Hamilcar.
Amilcare m Italian
Italian form of Hamilcar.
Amiran m Georgian, Literature
Variant of Amirani. This is the name of the central character in the medieval Georgian romance Amiran-Darejaniani by Moses of Khoni. The author was inspired by the mythical Amirani and the stories surrounding him, and loosely based his tale on them.
Amirani m Georgian Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of Prometheus from Greek mythology.
Ammon m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian Yamanu (see Amon).
Amon m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
From Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian jmn (reconstructed as Yamanu) meaning "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity Amon-Ra.
Amonet f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian jmnt (reconstructed as Yamanut), the feminine form of Amon. In Egyptian mythology she was a primordial goddess, a consort of Amon. She was later overshadowed by Mut.
Amon-Ra m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
Combination of the names of the gods Amon and Ra. During the later Middle Kingdom the attributes of these two deities were merged.
Amor m & f Roman Mythology, Late Roman, Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Means "love" in Latin. This was another name for the Roman god Cupid. It also means "love" in Spanish and Portuguese, and as a feminine name it can be derived directly from this vocabulary word.
Amordad f Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Ameretat.
Amphitrite f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "the surrounding sea" or "the surrounding third", from Greek ἀμφίς (amphis) meaning "surrounding, around, between" and the same root found in the name of Triton. In Greek mythology she was a goddess of the sea and salt water, the wife of Poseidon and the mother of Triton.
Amulius m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons Romulus and Remus.
Amurdad f Persian Mythology
Middle Persian form of Ameretat.
An 2 m Sumerian Mythology
Means "heaven, sky" in Sumerian. An was the supreme Sumerian god of the heavens, the father of Enlil and Enki. His cuneiform sign 𒀭 (dingir) was prefixed to the names of other deities in writing, though it was not pronounced.
Anahid f Persian Mythology, Armenian
Modern Persian and Western Armenian form of Anahita.
Anahit f Armenian, Armenian Mythology
Armenian form of Anahita, introduced during the period of Iranian domination in the 1st millenium BC. Anahit was an important Armenian mother goddess associated with fertility and protection. She was a daughter of Aramazd.
Anahita f Persian, Persian Mythology
Means "immaculate, undefiled" in Old Persian, from the Old Iranian prefix *an- "not" combined with *āhita "unclean, dirty". This was the name of an Iranian goddess of fertility and water. In the Zoroastrian religious texts the Avesta she is called 𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬛𐬎𐬎𐬍 (Arəduuī) in Avestan, with 𐬀𐬥𐬁𐬵𐬌𐬙𐬀 (anāhita) appearing only as a descriptive epithet. In origin she is possibly identical to the Indian goddess Saraswati. She has historically been identified with the Semitic goddess Ishtar and the Greek goddess Artemis.
Anansi m African Mythology, Afro-American Mythology
From Akan ananse meaning "spider". In West African and Caribbean folklore, this is the name of a trickster who frequently takes the form of a spider.
Anant m Hindi, Marathi
Northern Indian form of Ananta.
Ananta m Hinduism, Odia, Bengali
Means "infinite, endless" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Ananth m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anantha m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anapa m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Anubis.
Anat 1 f Semitic Mythology
Possibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped by the Semitic peoples of the Levant. She was the sister and consort of the god Hadad.
Andor 1 m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Arnþórr, derived from the element ǫrn "eagle" combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).
Andraste f Celtic Mythology (Hellenized)
Possibly means "invincible" in Celtic. According to the Greco-Roman historian Cassius Dio, this was the name of a Briton goddess of victory who was invoked by Boudicca before her revolt.
Anej m Slovene
Slovene form of Aeneas.
Angerona f Roman Mythology
Possibly from Latin angor "strangulation, torment" or angustus "narrow, constricted". Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.
Angra Mainyu m Persian Mythology
Means "evil spirit", from Avestan 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.
Angrboða f Norse Mythology
Means "she who brings grief" in Old Norse, derived from angr "grief" and boða "to forebode, to proclaim". According to Norse mythology Angrboða was a giantess (jǫtunn) and the mother of three of Loki's children: Fenrir, Jörmungandr and Hel.
Aníbal m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Hannibal.
Anil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind".
Anila 1 f Hindi
Feminine form of Anil.
Anila 2 m Hinduism
Sanksrit transcription of Anil. This is another name of Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind.
Animikii m Ojibwe, New World Mythology
Means "thunder, thunderer" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of the thunderbird, an immense flying creature that makes thunder with its flapping wings.
Aniruddha m Hinduism, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "unobstructed, ungovernable" in Sanskrit. According to the Puranas this was the name of a grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He is sometimes considered to be an avatar of Vishnu.
Anjan m Hindi, Nepali, Bengali, Assamese
Modern masculine form of Anjana.
Anjana f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Malayalam, Tamil, Hinduism
Means "kohl, collyrium" in Sanskrit, referring to a black powder traditionally used as an eyeliner. This is a transcription from Sanskrit of both the feminine form अञ्जना (long final vowel) and the masculine form अञ्जन (short final vowel). The feminine form appears in the Hindu epic the Ramayana belonging to the mother of Hanuman. The modern masculine form is Anjan.
Ankhesenamun f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ꜥnḫ-s-n-jmn meaning "her life is of Amon", derived from ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god Amon. This was the name of a 14th-century BC queen of Egypt, the wife of Tutankhamun.
Anki f Swedish
Diminutive of Ann-Kristin, Ann-Katrin and other similar names.
Annalena f German
Combination of Anna and Lena.
Annibale m Italian
Italian form of Hannibal.
Ann-Katrin f Swedish, German
Combination of Anna and Katrin.
Anoubis m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Anapa (see Anubis).
Antares m Astronomy
From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.
Anthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.
Anu 2 m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian form of An 2, also adopted by the Hurrians and Hittites.
Anubis m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ἄνουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian jnpw (reconstructed as Anapa and other forms), which coincided with a word meaning "royal child, prince". However, it might alternatively be derived from the root jnp meaning "to decay". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. The Greeks equated him with their god Hermes.
Aoide f Greek Mythology
Means "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
Aparna f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali
Means "leafless" in Sanskrit, from the negative prefix (a) and पर्ण (parṇa) meaning "leaf". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati, given because she would not eat even leaves while practicing austerity.
Aphrodisios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
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.
Apis m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥjpw (reconstructed as Hapi), which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology he was a sacred bull, sometimes considered a son of Hathor. He was later fused with Osiris resulting in the figure of Serapis.
Apolena f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Apollonia.
Apolinar m Spanish
Spanish form of Apollinaris.
Apollinaire m French (Rare)
French form of Apollinaris. It was adopted as a surname by the Polish-French poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), who based it on his Polish middle name Apolinary.
Apollinaris m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from the name of the god Apollo. This was the name of several early saints and martyrs, including a bishop of Ravenna and a bishop of Hierapolis.
Apollinariya f Russian
Russian feminine form of Apollinaris.
Apolline f French
French form of Apollonia.
Apollo m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
Apollodoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Apollo" from the name of the god Apollo combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Apollonia f Ancient Greek, Italian
Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.
Apollonides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Apollo" in Greek, derived from the name of the god Apollo combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides).
Apollonios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek god Apollo. It was borne by a Greek poet of the 3rd century BC. Several saints have also had this name.
Apolónia f Portuguese (European, Rare)
European Portuguese form of Apollonia.
Apolônia f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Apollonia.
Apolonia f Spanish, Polish
Spanish and Polish form of Apollonia.
Apolonija f Slovene, Lithuanian, Latvian
Slovene, Lithuanian and Latvian form of Apollonia.
Ara m Armenian, Armenian Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.
Arachne f Greek Mythology
Means "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.
Aramazd m Armenian Mythology
Armenian form of Ahura Mazda. This was the name of the supreme creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology. He and other Zoroastrian deities were introduced to Armenia during the period of Iranian domination in the 1st millenium BC.
Arash m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬑𐬱𐬀 (Ərəxsha), of uncertain meaning, possibly from a root meaning "bear". In Iranian legend Arash was an archer who was ordered by the Turans to shoot an arrow, the landing place of which would determine the new location of the Iran-Turan border. Arash climbed a mountain and fired his arrow with such strength that it flew for several hours and landed on the banks of the far-away Oxus River.
Arawn m Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
Aredvi f Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the Avestan name for Anahita.
Ares m Greek Mythology
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "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.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
Arethusa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.
Areti f Greek
Modern Greek form of Arete.
Argos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Argus.
Argus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄργος (Argos), derived from ἀργός (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". This name was borne by several characters from Greek myth, including the man who built the Argo and a giant with one hundred eyes.
Ariadna f Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.
Ariadne f Greek Mythology
Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "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.
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-).
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Arianrhod f Welsh Mythology
Probably means "silver wheel" from Welsh arian "silver" and rhod "wheel". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Arianrhod was the mother of the twins Dylan and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom she spontaneously birthed when she stepped over a magical wand. It is speculated that in earlier myths she may have been a goddess of the moon.
Arijana f Croatian
Croatian form of Arianna.
Aris 1 m Greek
Modern Greek form of Ares. It is also used as a short form of Aristotelis.
Arjuna m Hinduism
Means "white, clear" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the five Pandavas, the sons of Pandu. He was actually fathered by the god Indra and Pandu's wife Kunti. Arjuna was known as a skilled archer.... [more]
Arke 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek ἀρκής (arkes) meaning "swift". Arke was the twin sister of the rainbow goddess Iris in Greek mythology. Because she sided with the Titans, Zeus had her imprisoned with them in Tartarus.
Armazi m Georgian Mythology
Possibly related to the name of the Armenian god Aramazd or the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. In pre-Christian Georgian mythology Armazi was the supreme god.
Arnór m Icelandic
Icelandic variant form of Andor 1.
Arnþór m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Andor 1.
Arnþórr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Andor 1.
Arshtat f Persian Mythology
Avestan form of Ashtad.
Art m English
Short form of Arthur.
Artair m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Arthur.
Artem m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Artemios. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Артём (see Artyom).
Artemi m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Артемий (see Artemiy).
Artemidoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Artemis" from the name of the goddess Artemis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a Greek author of the 2nd century who wrote about the interpretation of dreams.
Artemio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Artemios.
Artemios m Ancient Greek
Derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis. This was the name of a 4th-century general in the Roman army who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
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.
Artemisia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Artemisios. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
Artemisios m Ancient Greek
Derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis.
Artemiy m Russian
Russian variant form of Artemios.
Artemon m Ancient Greek
Derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis.
Artemy m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Артемий (see Artemiy).
Arthit m Thai
Means "sun" in Thai, derived from the name of the Hindu god Aditya.
Arthur m English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.... [more]
Artie m & f English
Diminutive and feminine form of Arthur.
Artjom m Estonian
Estonian form of Artemios.
Artjoms m Latvian
Latvian form of Artemios.
Arto m Finnish
Finnish short form of Arthur.
Artsiom m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Artemios.
Artsyom m Belarusian
Alternate transcription of Belarusian Арцём (see Artsiom).
Arttu m Finnish
Finnish short form of Arthur.
Artturi m Finnish
Finnish form of Arthur.
Artúr m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Arthur.
Artūras m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Arthur.
Arturo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Arthur.
Artūrs m Latvian
Latvian form of Arthur.
Artyom m Russian
Russian form of Artemios.
Arun m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Thai
Modern masculine form of Aruna.
Aruna m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "reddish brown, dawn" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (अरुण) is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. The modern feminine form अरुणा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as Aruna, however the modern masculine form is Arun.
Arundhati f Hinduism, Hindi
The name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.
Arushi f Hinduism, Hindi
From Sanskrit अरुष (aruṣa) meaning "reddish, dawn", a word used in the Rigveda to describe the red horses of Agni. According to some traditions this was the name of the wife of the legendary sage Chyavana.
Arzhang m Persian, Persian Mythology
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Old Persian meaning "message of truth". This is the name of a holy book in Manichaeism, written by Mani. It is also the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Asar m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Osiris.
Ascanio m Italian
Italian form of Ascanius.
Ascanius m Roman Mythology
From Greek Ἀσκάνιος (Askanios), of unknown meaning. In Greek and Roman mythology Ascanius, also called Julus, was the son of Aeneas.
Asdrúbal m Spanish
Spanish form of Hasdrubal.
Asdzáán Nádleehé f New World Mythology
Means "changing woman", from Navajo asdzáán "woman" and nádleeh "become, change". In Navajo mythology this is the name of a being who created humans from parts of her body.
Asenath f Biblical
Means "belonging to the goddess Neith" in Ancient Egyptian. In the Old Testament this is the name of Joseph's Egyptian wife. She was the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Aseneth f Biblical Latin
Form of Asenath used in the Latin Bible.
Asenneth f Biblical Greek
Form of Asenath used in the Greek Old Testament.
Asherah f Semitic Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Ashmedai m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Hebrew form of Asmodeus found in the Talmud.
Ashtad f Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬙𐬁𐬙 (Arshtāt) meaning "justice, honesty, rightness", derived from 𐬀𐬴𐬀 (asha) meaning "truth, order". This was the name of a Yazata (a holy being) in Zoroastrianism.
'Ashtart f Semitic Mythology
Phoenician form of Ashtoreth.
Ashtoreth f Biblical, Semitic Mythology
From עַשְׁתֹרֶת (ʿAshṯoreṯ), the Hebrew form of the name of a Phoenician goddess of love, war and fertility. Her name is cognate to that of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar.
Ashur m Semitic Mythology
From the name of the city of Ashur, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which is of unknown meaning. Ashur was the patron deity of the city and the chief god of Assyria.
Ashurbanipal m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized)
From Akkadian Ashur-bani-apli meaning "Ashur is creator of a son". This was the name of one of the final kings of the Assyrian Empire, reigning late in the 7th century BC. He appears in the Old Testament under the name Asnappar.
Ask m Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
Asklepiades m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek god Asklepios combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). It was borne by several Greek physicians.
Asklepios m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. Asklepios (Aesculapius to the Romans) was the god of healing and medicine in Greek mythology. He was the son of Apollo and Coronis.
Askr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Ask.
Asmodaios m Biblical Greek
Greek form of Asmodeus found in the Book of Tobit.
Asmodeus m Biblical, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Greek Ἀσμοδαῖος (Asmodaios) and Hebrew אשְׁםְדּאי (ʾAshmedʾai), probably from Avestan 𐬀𐬉𐬱𐬆𐬨𐬀 (aēshəma) meaning "wrath" and 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀 (daēuua) meaning "demon". In the apocryphal Book of Tobit this is the name of a demon who successively kills seven of Sarah's husbands on their wedding nights. He also appears in the Talmud.
Asnappar m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From אָסְנַפַּר (ʾAsnappar), the Hebrew form of Ashurbanipal. This name is used in the Old Testament to refer to the Assyrian king.
'Asnat f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Asenath.
Astaroth m Literature
From Ashtaroth, the plural form of Ashtoreth used in the Bible to refer to Phoenician idols. This spelling was used in late medieval demonology texts to refer to a type of (masculine) demon.
Asterion m Greek Mythology
Means "of the stars", derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) "star". This is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a river god.
Asterope f Greek Mythology
Means "lightning, flash of light" in Greek. This is the name of several characters from Greek mythology, including a naiad who died fleeing Aesacus.
Astghik f Armenian Mythology, Armenian
Derived from Armenian աստղ (astgh) meaning "star". This was the name of the Armenian goddess of love and water, the consort of Vahagn.
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.
Astrape f Greek Mythology
Means "lightning" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of lightning, an attendant of Zeus.
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.
Atena f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Athena.
Atėnė f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Athena.
Atenea f Spanish
Spanish form of Athena.
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]
Athénaïs f French
French form of Athenais.
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.