Male names of Greek origin are used in many countries. This is their main feature. Although the Greeks borrowed names from other languages of different peoples, modern people are attracted by exactly how representatives of one of the greatest countries of antiquity called their children.
How did the Greeks name their children?
According to tradition, the first newborn in the family received the name of the grandfather on the paternal side, the second - on the maternal side. The third child could be named anything, but the general rule was not to use the father's name. Over time, this tradition has led to the fact that a huge number of people have the same Greek names. Greeks rarely give male modern names according to these rules precisely because of the sameness, which they want to get rid of if possible. Greek names are divided into two categories. The first is the classical, antique types of names that are of primordially national origin. The second - those names that only partially refer to the Greeks and are included in the Orthodox calendar. It is they who are mainly categorized as Greek names throughout the world. Also an interesting feature is the fact that absolutely all of them have some flattering meaning for the carrier.
Greek male names. Full list
This list contains exactly those names that are in the Orthodox calendar and do not belong for the most part to ancient history.
Values (A-D)
Below is the meaning of the names. There are a lot of Greek male names, therefore only a brief description is given.
Agathon- good, good. The restrained bearer of this name rarely worries about the opinions of people that do not interest him. Tries not to get involved in conflicts. A good family man, able to make his beloved woman happy, loves children and his own home.
Angel- distinguished by fairness and honesty. Extremely hardworking, one might even say fanatical. In a relationship, he is unstable until he finds his only one.
Arius- very touchy, but not vindictive and very easygoing. Good. Good family man.
Arkhip- clean, squeamish. Extremely patient in family relationships.
Akaki- indecisive, touchy and jealous. However, incredibly kind.
Andrew- cunning, dreamy. He does not like to stand out, but gradually achieves exactly what he wants.
Aristarch- a family kind person who loves children and his own home.
Athanasius- pleasant, modest and non-confrontational.
Alexander- defender. Differs in leadership qualities, but is very susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
Andrian- Patient, attentive, easily injured.
Arkady- sociable, obligatory and prefers a confident, stable future.
Alexei- diligent, individual, good family man.
Anikita- cheerful and sociable, but inattentive and frivolous.
Arseniy- taciturn, not a careerist, bold and stubborn.
Ambrose- impressionable, has an analytical mindset, unambitious.
Anisim- stubborn, can not stand loneliness, patient, economic.
Artem- calm, unobtrusive, complaisant.
Anatoly- calm, can find a common language with any person.
Appolinarius- strong-willed, has leadership qualities, a wonderful father.
Artemy- persistent, stubborn, likes to argue, strict.
Boyan- stubborn, persistent, proud, authoritative.
Basil- gallant, conscientious, very kind to friends.
Vissarion- stubborn, inquisitive, modest.
Galaction- Serious, sad, honest and faithful.
Gennady- knows how to adapt to circumstances, rushes to his goal, not stopping at nothing.
George- squeamish, a good listener, knows how to keep secrets.
Herald- quick-witted, likes to help others, excellent memory.
Gerasim- executive and obligatory
Gordey- modest, peaceful, optimistic.
Gordon- Purposeful, restrained, independent.
Gregory- cheerful, vulnerable, sensitive.
Values (D - K)
Greek names for men are very diverse, despite the fact that some of them are very similar to each other.
Demid- good-natured, cautious in family relationships, loves children.
Demyan- Demanding, proud and selfish. Courageous and does not tolerate cowards.
Denis- sociable, obligatory and accurate.
Dmitry- bold, charming, but cruel.
Dorotheus- persistent, cheerful, benevolent.
Evgeniy- savvy, hardworking, good family man.
Evgraf- mobile and restless, he has excellent intuition.
Evdokim- kind, complaisant and emotional.
Yevsey- soft, kind, sympathetic and responsible.
Egor- stubborn, distrustful, but diligent and hardworking.
Emelyan- calm, freedom-loving, resourceful.
Yermolai- public, respected, kind, sympathetic.
Erofei- modest, quiet and compliant.
Yefim- sensitive and hardworking.
Efimy- sensitive, boastful and arrogant.
Georges- firm, persistent, bold.
Zinovy- patient, calm, kind.
Jerome- inquisitive, quick-witted, smart and curious.
Ilian- inquisitive, observant, savvy and resourceful.
Hilarion- spiritualized, vulnerable, shy and indecisive.
Ionos- emotional, stubborn, hardworking.
Hippolyte- sociable, efficient, irritable.
Heraclius- efficient, vulnerable and emotional.
Isidore- irritable, sociable, very hardworking.
Kirill- excellent memory, selfish, ambitious.
Kondrat- self-confident, balanced, optimistic.
Xannf- Efficient, active, has excellent intuition.
Kuzma- restless, persistent, independent.
As you can see from this list, beautiful male Greek names are found even in modern times, not to mention antiquity.
Values (L - R)
Nowadays, some Greek names for men are so common that few people remember where they originally came from and what meanings they had.
a lion- calm, persistent and conscientious.
Leon- imperturbable, talented, has a developed intuition.
Leonid- proud, adapts well to circumstances.
Leonty- unsociable, greedy and cruel.
Luke- principled, stubborn, impulsive.
Makar- kind, efficient, sociable.
Methodius- unpredictable, friendly and attentive.
Myron- kind, accommodating and hardworking.
Michael- sociable, has a logical mindset.
Modest- selfish, bold and uninhibited.
Nestor- Emotional, decisive, hardworking.
Nicanor- phlegmatic, proud, resourceful.
Nikita- selfish, purposeful, persistent and stubborn.
Nikifor- cheerful and energetic, impatient and irritable.
Nicholas- strong, active, practical, hardworking.
Nikon- choleric, independent, proud.
Nifont- proud, ambitious and selfish.
Oles- Serious, reasonable, inquisitive.
Onesimus- self-sufficient, talented, cheerful.
Orestes- complaisant, persistent, fair.
Pamphilus- sociable, cheerful and inoffensive.
Pankrat- truthful, fair, uncompromising.
Paramon- serious, thorough, judicious.
Peter- inquisitive, determined, excellent family man.
Pimen- kind, docile, inquisitive.
Plato- independent, hardworking, multifaceted.
Porfiry- economic, calm, has leadership qualities.
Prokofy- strong-willed, strong, has leadership qualities.
Prokhor- unsociable, jealous, hardworking.
Radium- stubborn, courageous, hardworking.
Rodion- independent, balanced, hardy.
Values (S - Z)
Greek names, especially for men, can suit absolutely any child, as they cover all areas of human activity.
Sevastyan- stubborn, flexible, touchy.
Socrates- unbalanced, fair, squeamish.
Spartacus- fearless, cunning, irritable.
Stakrat- cocky, stubborn, vulnerable.
Stephen- unobtrusive, attentive, not indifferent to alcohol.
Stoyan- courageous, strong, fair.
Thais- calm, inquisitive, stubborn.
Taras- mobile, stubborn, smart.
Tigran- inquisitive, emotional, hardworking.
tiger- capricious, stubborn, persistent.
Timon- organized, restrained, closed.
Timothy- sensitive, receptive, inquisitive.
Tikhon- healthy, obedient, educated.
Tryphon- stubborn, patient, balanced.
Trofim- capricious, restless, disobedient.
Theodosius- good-natured, touchy, distracted.
Filimon- impulsive, restless, kind.
Philip- distracted, jealous, greedy.
Khariton- stubborn, fair, honest.
Christian- has excellent memory and intuition.
Christopher- stubborn, quick-witted, inquisitive.
Yuri- calm, restrained, cunning.
Yuhim- stubborn, inquisitive, obligatory.
Yakim- honest, fair, has authority.
Jason- Intelligent, self-respecting.
Ancient Greek (antique) names
Common old Greek male names, the list of which is given below, are not so common nowadays, although they are also incredibly charismatic and beautiful.
Agamemnon- incredibly determined.
Argyros- translates as "silver".
Ariston- embodies superiority over others.
Aristoteles- also translated as superiority, but aimed at a specific goal.
Aristophanes- the same superiority, or rather the process of its appearance.
Archimedes- stands for "possessing thoughts."
Asclepius- means "giving prosperity."
Democritos- one who has the right to judge others.
Demon- oddly enough, but it simply means "people."
Zeno- comes from the name of Zeus and means commitment to this supreme deity.
Irenaeus- means "peace, peacefulness."
Irinarch- this name should be understood as "peaceful leader."
Karpos- has two meanings: "fruit and profit."
Space- is the epitome of beauty.
Creon- translates as "ruling".
Xenon- means "strange, foreigner."
xenophon- "strange voice" is implied.
Macedonia- translates as "high".
Mentor means "spirit".
Olympos- means "abode of the gods."
Pantaleon- can be understood as "lion".
Pluto- translates as "wealth".
Polycarpos- is meant as "fruitfulness".
Timon means "honor".
Philo- translates as "loving".
Hector means "protective".
Heracles- the name comes from the name of the goddess Hera and means her praise.
Hermes Literally means "out of the earth".
Erebos means "darkness".
Eros- translates as "love".
As you can see, the Greek names of the male gods were also praised, and the boys were named after the inhabitants of Olympus.
Multipart names
The Greeks, like many other peoples, also had multi-component names in which one was given at birth, and the second could be a kind of nickname recognized by a large number of people around him. Sometimes these were laudatory nicknames that were given for any deeds that glorified this person. However, in some cases, if he was guilty very big, but continues to live on, the Greek was given an offensive name, with which he was forced to exist until the end of his days. As practice shows, it was more terrible than some types of punishments.
Results
Based on the foregoing, it can be understood that Greek names, masculine in particular, were incredibly diverse and gave their bearer different features. So it has remained to this day. Despite the fact that in our time, few people remember that this or that name has roots in ancient antiquity, in fact, the culture of the inhabitants of Hellas gave a lot to the vast majority of the countries and nationalities that now exist.
Agap (Agapion, Agapit)- loving.
Agathon (Agapon)- noble, virtuous.
Adrian- a resident of the city of Adria.
Akaki (Akasha)- do no evil.
Alexander- protective husband
Alexei- defender.
Ambrose (Abrosim)- immortal.
Anatoly- sunrise, east.
Andrew- brave, courageous.
Anisim- execution, completion.
Arius- militant.
Aristarchus (Aristides)- head of the best.
Arkady- happy country
Arseny (Arsen)- courageous
Artem- impeccable health.
Arkhip- Lord of the horses.
Athanasius- immortal.
Basil- king, regal
Vissarion- forest.
Galaction- dairy.
Gennady- noble, well-born
George (Egor, Yuri, Zhora, George)- farmer
Gerasim- respectable.
Gordey (Gordius)- the name of the Phrygian king.
Gordon- awake.
Gregory- awake.
Demid (Deomid) Zeus thought.
Demyan (Damian)- blessed.
Denis- on behalf of Dionysus - the god of nature and wine.
Dmitry- demetriss - dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of fertility.
Dorotheus- a gift from the gods.
Evgeniy- noble, descendant of a noble family.
Evgraf- well-written, well-written.
Evdokim- glorious.
Yevsey- pious.
Emelyan- flattering, pleasant in a word.
Yermolai- Herald of the people.
Erofei- sacred.
Efim (Efimy)- pious.
Zinovy- charitably living.
Zosima- alive.
Jerome- sacred.
Ilian- sunny
Hilarion- cheerful, joyful.
Hippolyte- unharnessing horses.
Heraclius- Glory to Hera, the goddess of marriage and conjugal love.
Isidore- the gift of Isis, the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture.
Kirill- Lord.
Kondrat- broad-shouldered.
xanth- fiery, red.
Kuzma- mobile.
Leo (Leon)- from gr. word "leo" meaning "lion".
Leonid- the son of a lion.
Leonty- lion.
Makar- blessed, happy.
Methodius- detective.
Myron- fragrant oil.
Nestor- returned home.
Nicanor- who saw the victory.
Nikita- winner.
Nikifor- winner.
Nicholas- the winner of the peoples, the victory of the people.
Nikon- victorious
Nifont- distinguishing feature, sign.
Oles- defender.
Onesimus- useful.
Orestes Highlander, one who can conquer mountains.
Pamfil (Panfil)- loved by everyone.
Pankrat- all-powerful, all-powerful.
Paramon- solid, reliable.
Peter- rock, stone
Pimen- shepherd.
Plato- broad-shouldered.
Porfiry- crimson.
Prokofy- ahead of the curve, ahead of the curve.
Prokhor- head of the choir, head of the choir, sang.
Radium- Sunshine.
Rodion- a resident of the island of Rhodes, heroic, pink.
Sevastyan- highly respected.
Socrates (Stacrates)- retaining power.
Spartacus- trampling
Stephen- wreath.
Stoyan- strong, unbending, warlike.
Thais- wise, late.
Taras- restless, exciting.
Tigran- quick-tempered.
tiger- brindle.
Timon- reverent.
Timothy- worshiping God.
Tikhon- successful, bringing happiness.
Tryphon- luxurious.
Trofim- breadwinner, pet.
Theodosius- God-given.
Filimon- Darling.
Philip- loving end.
Khariton- generous.
Christian- Christian.
Christopher- bearer of Christ.
Yuhim (Yakim)- complacent
Jason- doctor.
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Good afternoon, dear readers! In this article, we will look at Greek male names that are common in the Russian-speaking space, and their meanings, as well as names that are especially popular in Greece itself.
Maybe this article will help you choose a beautiful Greek name for a boy, who knows! So let's start...
Popular Greek male names
Greek names came to us along with Christianity. Many of them were paired, some (Evgeny - Evgeny, for example) are still used today. And there are some that are almost never seen. So, the name Anastasius (paired to Anastasia), if you can hear it, then only in monasteries.
Most of the names are of ancient Greek origin, which means they are closely related to the culture and history of Greece. Let's start with those names that are related to ancient Greek mythology.
Male names and myths of ancient Greece
Name Dmitry or Demetrius (Δημήτριος) associated with the ancient Greek goddess of fertility Demeter (Δημήτηρ) and is translated as “dedicated to Demeter”.
Denis (Διόνυσος) was originally a shortened form of the name Dionysius. It comes from the name Διόνυσος. Dictionaries indicate two meanings: the first, in fact, is the name of Dionysus himself, the Greek god of winemaking, and the second is a synonym for the word Διονυσιακός, which means “belonging to Dionysus”.
Another name supposedly associated with mythology is Artemy (Αρτέμιος). Today, its colloquial form is more common - Artyom. According to one version, the name means "dedicated to Artemis" ( Artemis - Ἄρτεμις- goddess of hunting and female chastity). According to another, more likely, it comes from the ancient Greek word ἀρτεμής - “healthy, unharmed”.
The word νίκη - "victory" is found in many names: Nicholas (Νικόλαος)- νίκη + λαός - “people”, Nikita (Νικήτας)-- from the Greek νικητής - "winner", Nicephorus (Νικηφόρος)- from the ancient Greek νικηφόρος - “victorious” and others. And also Nika (Νίκη)- the name of the ancient Greek goddess of victory.
Male names and place names
There are also such names derived from the name of any locality.
For example, Anatoly (Ανατόλιος) derived from ανατολικός, which means "eastern" (ανατολή - "east", "sunrise"). Anatolia is one of the names of Asia Minor.
Name Arkady derived from the word Ἀρκάς (genitive form - Ἀρκάδος), which translates as "inhabitant of Arcadia". Arcadia (Αρκαδία) is a region in Greece on the Peloponnese peninsula. In ancient times, cattle breeding was developed there, hence the figurative meaning of the name Arkady is “shepherd”. The name of this area is presumably associated with the name of the son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto, whose name was Arkad (Arkas - Ἀρκάς).
Residents of Arcadia in national costumes. Each of them is Arkas. Photo www.arcadiaportal.gr/
"Talking" names
Among the Greek names, there are many that mean some kind of positive quality - wisdom, strength, nobility.
Alexander (Αλέξανδρος)- perhaps the most common name. It was formed from two ancient Greek words: ἀλέξω - "to protect" and ἀνδρός - the genitive form of ἀνήρ - "man". So this name is translated as “protector of men”. The name has the same meaning. Alexei (Αλέξιος) from ἀλέξω - “protect”, “repel”, “prevent”.
Name similar in meaning - Andrew (Ανδρεας). It comes from the Greek word ανδρείος - “brave, courageous”.
Here are two more "courageous" names: Leonid (Λεωνίδας)- means “like a lion”: λέων - “lion”, είδος - “like”, “kind” and Peter (Πέτρος)- from ancient Greek it is translated as "rock, stone".
A good example of “speaking names” is Eugene (Ευγένιος). It is formed from the ancient Greek word εὐγενής - “noble”, “noble” (εὖ - “good” and γένος - “kind”). A name similar in meaning is Gennady (Γεννάδιος). It goes back to the ancient Greek word γεννάδας - "noble origin".
Cyril (Κύριλλος) comes from the word Κύρος "strength", "authority", which was formed from the ancient Greek κύριος - "master".
Another "noble" name - Basil (Βασίλειος). It goes back to the ancient Greek word βασίλιος (βασίλειος) - “royal, regal” from βασιλεύς - “king, ruler”.
Name George (Γεώργιος) derived from the ancient Greek word γεωργός - "farmer". The names Yuri and Yegor are its derivatives; in the 1930s they were recognized as independent names. Another derivative is the word “cheat” - “deceive”. This word has a curious etymology: on the day of St. George, in the fall, transactions and tax collection were carried out, the peasants could move from one owner to another. Literally, it meant "to deceive on Yuryev (Egoriev) day."
Do not confuse with the name Gregory (Γρηγόριος)- from γρηγορέύω - to be awake, to be vigilant, to hurry, and also γρήγορος - fast, nimble, lively.
Here is an unexpected example. What do most Russians associate with the name Kuzma or Kuzya? With a cartoon about a brownie. 🙂 But it's not that simple. The original form of this name is Kozma (Kozma - Κοσμάς) and it comes from the Greek word κόσμος - “cosmos, universe, order”. And it’s also interesting that in Russian there is a word “(under) Kuzmit”. Its meaning is almost the opposite - to intrigue, deceive, let down.
First name Fedor (Theodore - Θεόδωρος) means "God's gift" from θεός - "God" and δῶρον - "gift". This name is not the only one in which the word θεός occurs. For example, the popular name in recent years Timothy (Τιμώθεος)- translated as "worshiping god" - τιμώ - "to honor" and θεός - "god".
By the way, Fedot is also a Greek name - Θεοδότης i.e. given to God.
Male names most popular in Greece itself
At one time, a study was conducted of 60 thousand Greek male names, and it gave an interesting result. As it turned out, almost half of the male population of the country (47%) are carriers of only six names!
The most common name is Γεώργιος (Yorgos, George), 11.1 percent of men wear it.
- Ιωάννης - Yannis, John 8.55%
- Κωνσταντίνος - Konstantinos 7.97%
- Δημήτρης - Dimitris, Dmitry 7.65%
- Νικόλαος - Nikolaos, Nicholas 6.93%
- Παναγιώτης - Panagiotis 4.71%
All the rest make up a motley picture of more than five hundred names of very different origins. Another 30 names of the most common:
Βασίλης — Vasilis 3.60
Χρήστος - Christ 3.56
Αθανάσιος - Athanasios 2.43
Μιχαήλ - Michael 2,27
Ευάγγελος - Evangelos 1.98
Σπύρος - Spiros (Spyridon) 1.98
Αντώνης — Antonis 1.87
Αναστάσιος — Anastasios 1.64
Θεόδωρος - Theodoros 1.57
Ανδρέας — Andreas 1.54
Χαράλαμπος - Charalambos 1.54
Αλέξανδρος — Alexandros 1.45
Εμμανουήλ - Emmanuel 1.37
Ηλίας - Ilias 1.34
Σταύρος — Stavros 1.02
Πέτρος — Petros 0.94
Σωτήριος — Sotiris 0.92
Στυλιανός — Stilianos 0.88
Ελευθέριος — Eleftherios 0.78
Απόστολος — Apostolos 0.75
Φώτιος — Fotios 0.68
Διονύσιος — Dionysios 0.65
Γρηγόριος — Grigorios 0.64
Άγγελος — Angelos 0.62
Στέφανος — Stefanos 0.59
Ευστάθιος — Eustafios 0.59
Παύλος — Pavlos 0.56
Παρασκευάς — Paraskevas 0.56
Αριστείδης - Aristidis 0.56
Λεωνίδας — Leonidas 0.50
Ancient Greek names
Of the five hundred most common names in Greece, 120 are ancient Greek. If we talk about the share of such names in the total mass, then they are no more than 5 percent. The most common names Αριστείδης (Aristides) and Λεωνίδας (Leonid), they are in the list, respectively, on the 35th and 36th places.
Below are the 50 most popular ancient names out of these 120. I am writing the Greek pronunciation, you already know the adapted version or come up with it yourself.)
Αριστείδης - Aristidis
Λεωνίδας — Leonidas
Περικλής - Periklis
Δημοσθένης - Dimosthenis
Μιλτιάδης - Miltiadis
Αχιλλέας - Achilleas
Θεμιστοκλής - Themistoklis
Ηρακλής - Iraklis (Hercules)
Σωκράτης - Sokratis
Αριστοτέλης - Aristotelis
Επαμεινώνδας - Epaminondas
Ξενοφών - Xenophon
Οδυσσέας - Odysseas
Σοφοκλής - Sophocles
Ορέστης - Orestis
Αριστομένης - Aristomenis
Μενέλαος - Menelaos
Τηλέμαχος - Tilemachos
Αλκιβιάδης - Alkiviadis
Κίμων - Kimon
Θρασύβουλος - Thrasivoulos
Αγησίλαος - Agisilaos
Αρης - Aris
Νέστωρ - Nestor
Πάρις - Paris
Όμηρος - Omiros (Homer)
Κλεάνθης - Cleanfis
Φωκίων - Phocion
Ευριπίδης - Euripides
Πλάτων - Plato
Νεοκλής - Neoklis
Φαίδων - Phaedon
Φοίβος - Fivos (Phoebus)
Πλούταρχος - Plutarchos
Σόλων - Solon
Ιπποκράτης - Hippocratis (Hippocrates)
Διομήδης - Diomidis
Αγαμέμνων - Agamemnon
Πολυδεύκης - Polideukis
Λυκούργος - Lycurgos
Ιάσων - Jason
Κλεομένης - Cleomenis
Κλέων - Cleon
Μίνως - Minos
Αγαθοκλής - Agathocles
Εκτωρ - Hector (Hector)
Αρίσταρχος - Aristarchos
Ορφέας - Orfeas
Μύρων - Miron
Νικηφόρος - Nikiforos
In addition to the usual Greek names, there are many borrowed names - from Europe, the Middle East and even Russia.
For example, there is a name Βλαδίμηρος - in my opinion, it’s clear where Vladimir came from.)
There are European names, rewritten in the Greek way. Rare name Βύρων (Viron)- a derivative of Lord Byron, the Greeks called him that way. The most common of these names
- Αλβέρτος - Albert,
- Βαλέριος - Valery,
- Βίκτωρ - Victor,
- Γουλιέλμος - Wilhelm,
- Δομένικος - Dominic,
- Εδουάρδος - Edward,
- Ερρίκος - Eric, Heinrich.
Of course, not all names are described here. But on this we do not say goodbye to this topic, we are still waiting for Greek female names, which you will learn about in the next article.
A person bearing the name Alexander can be found in many countries of the world, and many people know that this is a male name of Greek origin and was worn by the famous commander of antiquity - Alexander the Great. This name has survived to this day without modification. Was this the case with all Greek male names? Which names have survived to our times, and which ones have disappeared in time? What do astrologers and historians think about Greek names, how do names reflect on their owners and how are they characterized?
Greek male names are, without a doubt, part of the ancient Hellenistic culture, and a very important part, a kind of egregor of Greek culture. Many of these names became sacred already in the ancient Greek tradition, and the second time they received consecration with the advent of Christianity. In this sense, Greek male names are twice sacred, twice consecrated, which makes them unique. In Greece, it is customary to call the first son in the family the name of the grandfather on the father's side, and the second son - on the mother's side. The name of the father is very rarely given to the son, as this is considered a bad omen.
Greek names most often had two options: male and female. This division has reached our times. For example, Eugene-Eugene, Alexander-Alexandra, Vasily-Vasilisa. However, many names have lost their analogy in a different kind. Say, in ancient times, there were such names as Helen and Anastasius, which today cannot be found even in Greece itself.
The ancient Greeks fully corresponded to the archetype of the Gemini sign. Therefore the names used in this country bear the stamp of duality.
Bearers of Greek names can be prone to mysticism and pessimism, and at the same time, at any moment they are ready for a confrontation with fate and for the heat of passions.
According to astrologers, men with Greek names are characterized by a contrast in behavior: manifestations of cheerfulness are replaced by a breakdown and depression.
Under the sign of Gemini
Names of Hellenic origin force a person to constantly make a metaphysical choice: between good and evil, immortality and death. The choice is made at the level of information, thoughts, knowledge about the world. Astrologers say that the bearers of such names need to carefully monitor the purity of their thoughts. A man with a Greek name should be sociable, strive to know the world and gain new knowledge and sensations. After all, the sign of Gemini is ruled by Mercury, which determines such traits as curiosity, mobility, and sociability.
Men who got Greek names have business acumen, they are successful in business and trade. It is believed that Hellenic names have a beneficial effect on the disclosure of creative talents. The ancients believed that the future of a person depends on the name. Therefore, naming the boy with a Greek name, you can believe that he will succeed a lot in life.
In general, the whole culture of ancient Greece is based on the idea of fate, the dictates of fate. At the same time, the heroes who dared to challenge fate were extolled in this country to the skies. Male Greek names reflect not only the history of Greece, but are also a link between the great past of this amazing state and its present. Alas, in recent decades, many Greek families violate historical traditions and give their children names that are sometimes not even Hellenistic.
Modern beautiful male names in Greece
Modern Greek male names can be divided into two groups: ancient (or mythological) and Orthodox. Antique, these are names such as Sophocles, Odysseas, Sokratis; Orthodox - Georgios, Vasilios. A third group can also be distinguished - names of Jewish or Latin origin, for example, Ioannis or Konstantinos. In the twentieth century, Western European names, such as Robertos and Eduardos, also entered Greek usage.
Greek names are used in both official and colloquial forms. The boy Georgios in the yard will most likely be called Yorgus, Ioannis - Yannis, Emmanuel - Manolis. In the passport, at the request of the owner, the colloquial form of the name can be entered. In general, the Greeks are very democratic about this issue. A person can officially be called one way, but go through life under a completely different nickname, including by indicating it on business cards, signing books, articles, and so on.
In modern Greece, the following names are the most common: Georgios, Konstantinos, Ioannis, Dimitrios, Nikolaos, Vasilios, Christos, Evangelos, Panagiotis. This list is based on a survey of one hundred thousand people and claims to be accurate. Stresses in Greek names are put without fail: IoAnnis, Nikolaos, Christos. So, before communicating with a Greek, you should clarify which syllable is stressed in his name.
Meaning of male Greek names
In Greek names, both male and female, several groups can be distinguished, based on how the name arose. Most of the names define some positive external data, or character traits. These names arose because the parents wanted the child to have only the best features. Hence the choice of name.
This kind of semantics have such Greek masculine names as Alexander, Vasily, Alexei, Nikolai, Gennady, Eugene. These names are very common in Russia, so let's take a closer look at some of them.
Name Alexander was formed immediately from two Greek words meaning "man" and "protector". The main qualities of Alexandrov were assumed courage, sharp mind, determination, but at the same time, high sensitivity. Alexander can be quick-tempered and even cocky, but he is always the soul of the company. Agree, this description is very reminiscent of the surviving descriptions of Alexander the Great.
Alexei translated from Greek as "helper". The person who bears this name must have seriousness, assertiveness, the desire to know the truth and achieve perfection. At the same time, Alexei is calm and respectful. According to astrologers, people with this name always know what they need from life. You may not believe in the "magic of the name", but numerous examples from history confirm that most often Alexei is a person who is ready to come to the rescue.
Basil- "royal". It is understood that Vasily is a domineering, stubborn person who can stand up for himself. Vasily strives for power, for glory. Hardworking, optimistic. But sometimes it has selfish traits.
Names that arose from the names of pagan gods and the names of plants
As is known, the ancient Greeks were pagans and worshiped a host of all kinds of deities. In addition, mythological characters were in high esteem, many of whom were deified. The meaning of some Greek names is semantically related to the names of "inhabitants of Olympus". For example, these are such names as Denis, Dmitry, Artem.
Name Dmitry in translation means "fruit of the earth." This word is an indirect interpretation the name Demetriss, semantically related to the name Demeter. As is known from ancient Greek myths, the goddess of fertility. Parents who call the child Demetriss (Dmitry) hope that their son will be efficient, thorough and talented.
Name Artem (Artemy), translates as "unharmed". Formed based on the naming of the goddess, the patroness of hunters. Artem knows what he wants from life, but he will never “walk over heads” for the sake of a career. Compliant and devoted.
There are male Greek names derived from the names of plants, animals, some objects or concepts, for example, Peter and Nikon. Peter means "stone". The boy was supposed to have a strong character. Nikon - "victory". Parents who call their son this name believed that he would be lucky in any field.
In this article, we will look at Greek female names: the meaning and origin of the most popular, as well as rare ancient Greek names. You can read about male Greek names.
Which of the female names came to us from Greece? Let's figure it out.
Greek female names: meaning and origin
Women's names and myths of ancient Greece
Name Galina derived from the ancient Greek word γαλήνη - Tranquility, serenity. One of the Nereids (these are sea deities that look like mermaids) was called Galena.
Another example is the name Irina (Εἰρήνη- peace, tranquility). Irini (Eirena) is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of peace. Irini is the daughter of Zeus and Themis.
But a beautiful, but already rare name Apollinaria. It is believed that it is of ancient Roman origin (from the Latin Apollinaris - “belonging to Apollo”, “solar”), but it comes from the name of the ancient Greek god Apollo. Polina is an abbreviated form, which has now become an independent name. Other versions of its origin are put forward - for example, French (Pauline).
Name Maya (Μαϊα) translates as "mother". It comes from the name of the Greek goddess (Pleiades) Maya, the mother of Hermes. True, this is only one of the hypotheses of the origin of the name - there is both Latin (from Majus - “May”), and Jewish (from מים - Mayim - “water”). By the way, the Greek word μαία (read mea) means “midwife”, “taking birth”.
On behalf of the goddess of victory Nicky (Νίκη) the name Nick comes from. This is an independent name, although it often happens that other names are shortened to Nike, for example, Veronica (from the ancient Greek Φερενίκη - “bringing victory”: φέρω - “bringing” and νίκη - “victory”). An analogue of the name Veronica is Berenice.
Zinaida (Ζηναις)- another name associated with mythology. Presumably, it is associated with the name of Zeus (Ζεύς, genitive form - Ζηνός).
Women's names and place names
Even before our era (in the 7th century) in Asia Minor there was a country called Lydia (Λυδία), from which the female name Lydia originated.
Name Larisa derived from the name of the Greek city of Larisa (Larissa). Λάρῑσ(σ)α is translated from Greek as "seagull". In Greek mythology, Poseidon, the god of the sea, had a granddaughter, Larissa, a nymph. There is a hypothesis that the city was named after her. Her image can be found on ancient coins:
Near the city of Argos there is a fortress of Larisa:
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"Talking" names
If the male names of the Greeks sang such qualities as nobility, courage and strength, then the female ones - chastity, beauty, fertility and so on. Now most of them are quite rare.
For example, Agnia(from the ancient Greek ἁγνὴ) means "pure", "immaculate". Agni Parfene (Αγνή Παρθένε) - Pure Virgin - a hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Zoya (Ζωή) translated from ancient Greek as "life". Sofia (Sofya) comes from the Greek σοφία - "wisdom". Name Pelagia (Pelagia) derived from πέλαγος - "sea".
Name Angelina (Αγγελίνα) comes from ἄγγελος - "messenger" (angel).
And here is an example of a name that speaks of beauty - Anfisa (Ἀνθούσα- sounds like "Anthus"). It comes from the word ἄνθος, which means "flower" in translation.
Anastasia- a paired name to Anastasius (Ἀναστάσιος). The word ἀνάστασις, from which it is derived, means "resurrection". Καλή Ανάσταση! (Happy Resurrection!) - this is how the Greeks congratulate each other on Easter.
Other pair names: Vasilisa (βασίλισσα)- from Vasily, translated as "queen", Eugene, Alexandra, Cyrus (Κύρα). They have the same meanings as the male variants.
Name Paraskeva (Praskovya) comes from the word παρασκευή - “Friday”. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is the patroness of women in Slavic Orthodox mythology. Many sayings are associated with it, as well as prohibitions: on Friday it was impossible to plow, spin and sew (on Fridays, men do not plow, women do not spin).
There are names, the etymology of which still cannot be precisely established. For example, Catherine (Αικατερίνη). There is no consensus on the origin of this name. The most common version is from the word καθαρή - pure, immaculate. However, some experts (for example, the famous lexicographer M. Vasmer) do not agree with it. There is another hypothesis that it is formed from the name of Hekate (Ἑκάτη), the ancient Greek goddess of moonlight and witchcraft, but this is also rather controversial.
Everyone has heard of the legendary Helen of Troy. Name Elena (Ἑλένη) There is also no clear etymology. According to one version, it is associated with the name Helios (Ἥλιος), the sun god. The second version claims that the name is consonant with the word Ἕλληνες - Hellenes (that is, Greeks), the third - that it comes from the word ἑλένη (ἑλάνη) - "torch". None of the hypotheses has been fully confirmed.
Name Xenia (Ξένια) two translation options: from the ancient Greek ξενία - "hospitality" and ξένος - "foreign", "foreign". The names Aksinya and Oksana are derivatives, and are now used as independent names. The name Barbara, similar in meaning, from βαρβαρικός - "foreign".
And finally - a rather unexpected name Thekla (Θέκλα) . At first glance - ours, Russian ... but no. Also of ancient Greek origin, and it is translated as "God's glory": θεός - "God" and κλέος - "glory".
Now you know about the common (and not so) female names of Greek origin in Russia and their meanings.
Female names popular in Greece itself
Here, by a wide margin (who would doubt it!) Is in the lead Mary - Μαρία, from 9.82%. That is, almost every tenth Greek woman bears this name!
By a wide margin it is followed by the name Ελένη - Elena, from 6.72%.
On the third place Katerina - Κατερίνα from 4.69%, on the fourth - Βασιλική - Vasiliki from 3.45%. Finishes the top five Παναγιώτα - Panayota from 2.69%.
In the next five Sofia (Σοφία) from 2.53%, Angeliki (Αγγελική) from 2.24%, George - (Γεωργία) with 2.153% and almost the same result Gospels - (Ευαγγελία) from 2.15%. And completes the top ten most popular female names Irini - (Ειρήνη) from 1.92%.
Quite popular names Dimitra (Δήμητρα), John (Ιωάννα), Constantine (κωνσταντίνα), Anastasia (αναστασία), Paraskevi (παρασκευή), Christina (χριστίνα), Stavrula (σταυρούλα), Despin (δέσποινα), kalliopi (καλλιόπη) are less than 2%. Not far from them are the names Fotini (Φωτεινή), Alexandra (Αλεξάνδρα), Chris (Χρύσα), Athens (Αθηνά), Theodora (Θεοδώρα).
Ancient Greek female names
We find such names in myths and poems, many of them have survived to this day and are not used as often as the names given above.
- Αριάδνη - Ariadne: the most innocent,
- Ακτίς - Aktis: that was the name of the daughter of the astronomer Eudoxus,
- Aλκηστις - Alkistis: the joy of the family, the hearth,
- Ανδρομάχη - Andromache: fighting on the outskirts,
- Αφροδίτη - Aphrodite: born from sea foam,
- Αρσινόη - Arsinoe: sublime,
- Αρετή - Areti: virtue,
- Εριφύλη - Erifili: the most excellent of women,
- Ευδοξία - Eudoxia: glorious,
- Ελπινίκη - Elpinika: hope for victory,
- Ευρυδίκη - Eurydice: very fair,
- Ηλέκτρα - Electra: shining with charm,
- Ηρώ - Ira (Hera): the personification of Hera,
- Ίρις - Iris: messenger of the gods,
- Ιφιγένεια - Iphigenia: very strong,
- Καλλιόπη - Kalliopi (Calliope): beautiful-eyed,
- Καλλιρρόη - Kalliroea: fresh as spring water,
- Κλεοπάτρα - Cleopatra: glory of the Motherland,
- Μελπομένη - Melpomene (Melpo): not stinging with her singing,
- Μυρτώ - MirtO: pleasant, like myrtle,
- Ναυσικά - Nafsika: glorified by sailors,
- Νεφέλη - Nepheli: offering living water,
- Ξανθίππη - Xanthippe: blonde horsewoman,
- Πηνελόπη - Penelope: skillful weaver,
- Πολυξένη - Polyxena: very hospitable,
- Φαίδρα - Phaedra: bright, shining,
- Χλόη - Chloe: grass. One of the names of Demeter, as the protector of the plant world.
Of course, in one article it is impossible to cover the whole variety of female names. But I hope that you have learned something new for yourself. Has any fact been a discovery for you? Share in the comments.
