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 it's 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:

• "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 - pair name to Anastasius (Ἀναστάσιος). The word ἀνάστασις, from which it is derived, means "resurrection". Καλή Ανάσταση! (Happy Resurrection Day!) - 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 on behalf of Hecate (Ἑκάτη), ancient greek goddess moonlight and witchcraft, but it is also quite 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 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%.

  Enough popular names Dimitra (Δήμητρα), John (Ιωάννα), Constantina (Κωνσταντίνα), Anastasia (Αναστασία), Paraskevi (Παρασκευή), Christina (Χριστίνα), Stavrula (Σταυρούλα), Despina (Δέσποινα), Kalliopi (Καλλ ιόπη) are in the second ten of the list and each of them has an indicator of 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 meet 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, 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.

Hades - God is the ruler of the realm of the dead.

Antey- the hero of myths, a giant, the son of Poseidon and the Earth of Gaia. The earth gave her son strength, thanks to which no one could cope with him.

Apollo- God sunlight. The Greeks portrayed him as a beautiful young man.

Ares- god of perfidious war, son of Zeus and Hera

Asclepius- the god of medical art, the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis

Boreas- the god of the north wind, the son of the titanides Astrea (starry sky) and Eos ( dawn), brother of Zephyr and Note. Depicted as a winged, long-haired, bearded, powerful deity.

Bacchus One of the names of Dionysus.

Helios (Helium ) - the god of the Sun, brother of Selena (goddess of the moon) and Eos (morning dawn). In late antiquity, he was identified with Apollo, the god of sunlight.

Hermes- the son of Zeus and Maya, one of the most ambiguous Greek gods. The patron of wanderers, crafts, trade, thieves. Possessing the gift of eloquence.

Hephaestus- the son of Zeus and Hera, the god of fire and blacksmithing. He was considered the patron saint of artisans.

Hypnos- deity of sleep, son of Nikta (Night). He was depicted as a winged youth.

Dionysus (Bacchus) - the god of viticulture and winemaking, the object of a number of cults and mysteries. He was depicted either as a fat elderly man, or as a young man with a wreath of grape leaves on his head.

Zagreus God of fertility, son of Zeus and Persephone.

Zeus- the supreme god, the king of gods and people.

Zephyr- god of the west wind.

Iacchus- the god of fertility.

Kronos - titan , younger son Gaia and Ouranos, father of Zeus. He ruled the world of gods and people and was overthrown from the throne by Zeus ..

Mom- the son of the goddess of the Night, the god of slander.

Morpheus- one of the sons of Hypnos, the god of dreams.

Nereus- the son of Gaia and Pontus, meek sea god.

Note- the god of the south wind, depicted with a beard and wings.

Ocean - titan , son of Gaia and Uranus, brother and husband of Tethys and father of all the rivers of the world.

Olympians- supreme gods younger generation Greek gods led by Zeus, who lived on the top of Mount Olympus.

Pan- the forest god, the son of Hermes and Dryopa, a goat-legged man with horns. He was considered the patron saint of shepherds and small livestock.

Pluto- God underworld, often identified with Hades, but unlike from him, who owned not the souls of the dead, but riches underworld.

Plutus- the son of Demeter, the god who gives people wealth.

Pont- one of the older Greek deities, the offspring of Gaia, the god of the sea, the father of many titans and gods.

Poseidon- one of the Olympian gods, brother of Zeus and Hades, ruling over the sea element. Poseidon was also subject to the bowels of the earth,
he commanded storms and earthquakes.

Proteus- sea deity, son of Poseidon, patron of seals. Possessed the gift of reincarnation and prophecy.

satires- goat-footed creatures, demons of fertility.

Thanatos- the personification of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.

Titans- the generation of the Greek gods, the ancestors of the Olympians.

Typhon- a hundred-headed dragon, born of Gaia or a Hero. During the battle of the Olympians and the Titans, he was defeated by Zeus and imprisoned under the volcano Etna in Sicily.

Triton- the son of Poseidon, one of the sea deities, a man with a fish tail instead of legs, holding a trident and a twisted shell - a horn.

Chaos- infinite empty space from which at the beginning of time arose ancient gods Greek religion - Nikta and Erebus.

Chthonic gods - deities of the underworld and fertility, relatives of the Olympians. These included Hades, Hecate, Hermes, Gaia, Demeter, Dionysus, and Persephone.

cyclops - giants with one eye in the middle of the forehead, children of Uranus and Gaia.

Evre (Eur) god of the southeast wind.

aeolus- lord of the winds.

Erebus- the personification of the darkness of the underworld, the son of Chaos and the brother of the Night.

Eros (Eros)- god of love, son of Aphrodite and Ares. IN ancient myths- a self-arisen force that contributed to the ordering of the world. Depicted as a winged youth (in the Hellenistic era - a boy) with arrows, accompanying his mother.

Ether- deity of the sky

Goddesses of ancient Greece

Artemis- Goddess of hunting and nature.

Atropos- one of the three moira, cutting the thread of fate and cutting off human life.

Athena (Pallas, Parthenos) - the daughter of Zeus, born from his head in full combat weapons. One of the most revered Greek goddesses, goddess of just war and wisdom, patroness of knowledge.

Aphrodite (Kythera, Urania) - Goddess of love and beauty. She was born from the marriage of Zeus and the goddess Dione (according to another legend, she came out of the sea foam)

Hebe- daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of youth. Sister of Ares and Ilithyia. She served the Olympian gods at feasts.

Hecate- the goddess of darkness, night visions and sorcery, the patroness of sorcerers.

Hemera- the goddess of daylight, the personification of the day, born of Nikto and Erebus. Often identified with Eos.

Hera- the supreme Olympic goddess, sister and third wife of Zeus, daughter of Rhea and Kronos, sister of Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Poseidon. Hera was considered the patroness of marriage.

Hestia- Goddess of the hearth and fire.

Gaia- mother earth, mother of all gods and people.

Demitra- Goddess of fertility and agriculture.

Dryads- lower deities, nymphs who lived in trees.

Diana-goddess of the hunt

Ilithyia- patron goddess of childbirth.

Irida- winged goddess, assistant to Hera, messenger of the gods.

calliope- muse epic poetry and science.

Kera- demonic creatures, children of the goddess Nikta, bringing misfortune and death to people.

Clio- one of the nine muses, the muse of history.

Clotho ("spinner") - one of the moira, spinning the thread of human life.

Lachesis- one of the three moira sisters, who determines the fate of each person even before birth.

Summer- Titanide, mother of Apollo and Artemis.

Mayan- a mountain nymph, the eldest of the seven pleiades - the daughters of Atlanta, the beloved of Zeus, from whom Hermes was born to her.

Melpomene- muse of tragedy.

Metis- the goddess of wisdom, the first of the three wives of Zeus, who conceived Athena from him.

Mnemosyne- mother of nine muses, goddess of memory.

moira- the goddess of fate, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Muses- patron goddess of the arts and sciences.

naiads- nymphs-guardians of waters.

Nemesis- the daughter of Nikta, a goddess personifying fate and retribution, punishing people in accordance with their sins.

Nereids- fifty daughters of Nereus and the oceanides of Dorida, sea deities.

Nika- the personification of victory. Often she was depicted with a wreath, a common symbol of triumph in Greece.

nymphs- the lowest deities in the hierarchy of the Greek gods. They personified the forces of nature.

Nikta- one of the first Greek deities, the goddess - the personification of the primordial Night

Orestiades- mountain nymphs.

Ora- the goddess of the seasons, tranquility and order, the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

Peyto- the goddess of persuasion, the companion of Aphrodite, often identified with her patroness.

Persephone- daughter of Demeter and Zeus, goddess of fertility. The wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, who knew the secrets of life and death.

polyhymnia- the muse of serious hymn poetry.

Tethys- the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, the wife of the Ocean and the mother of the Nereids and Oceanids.

Rhea- the mother of the Olympian gods.

Sirens- female demons, half-woman half-birds, capable of changing the weather at sea.

Waist- muse of comedy.

Terpsichore- Muse of dance art.

Tisiphone- one of the Erinyes.

quiet- the goddess of fate and chance among the Greeks, companion of Persephone. She was depicted as a winged woman standing on a wheel and holding a cornucopia and ship's steering wheel in her hands.

Urania- one of the nine muses, the patroness of astronomy.

Themis- Titanide, goddess of justice and law, second wife of Zeus, mother of mountains and moira.

Charites- goddesses female beauty, the embodiment of a kind, joyful and eternally young beginning of life.

Eumenides- another hypostasis of the Erinyes, revered as goddesses of benevolence, preventing misfortunes.

Eris- daughter of Nikta, sister of Ares, goddess of discord.

Erinyes- goddesses of vengeance, creatures of the underworld, who punished injustice and crimes.

Erato- Muse of lyrical and erotic poetry.

Eos- Goddess of the dawn, sister of Helios and Selena. The Greeks called it "pink-fingered".

Euterpe- the muse of lyrical chanting. Depicted with a double flute in her hand.

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mythical names

Mythical male and female names and their meaning

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mythical names. Mythical male and female names and their meaning

After the Christianization of Rus' in 988, every Eastern Slav received a baptismal name from a priest. Baptismal names corresponded to the names of saints and were therefore common Christian names. However, these names are not of Slavic, but of Greek origin. TO Eastern Slavs they came from Byzantium through Bulgaria, where Christianity was adopted even earlier, in 865. This article discusses the meanings of names that are of Greek origin.

MALE NAMES

ADRIAN - "Coming from Adria". Adria is a port on the Adriatic Sea.

AKAKIY - "Gentle".

AKSENTIY - "Growing".

ALEXANDER - "Defender of people".

ALEXEY - "Defender".

ANATOLY - "Eastern". Coming from the East from Asia Minor

ANDREY - "Courageous, brave". It comes from the ancient Greek "andros" - "man".

ANDRON - short form from the canonical name Andronicus - "victor of men".

ANISIM - "Useful".

APOLLO - Ancient Greek god of the Sun and patron of the arts.

APOLLINARIUS - "Dedicated to Apollo".

ARCADIUS - "Coming from Arcadia". Arcadia is a region in southern Greece, on the Peloponnese peninsula.

ARISTARCH - "Head of the best".

ARSENY - "Courageous".

ARTEM, ARTEMY - "Intact".

ARCHIP - Compound name, means "senior, chief over horses, chief of cavalry."

ATHANASIUS - "Undying".

ATHINOGENS - "Born by the goddess Athena".

VASILY - "Lord, lord."

VISSARION - "Forest".

VUKOL - "Shepherd, boletus".

GALAKTION - "Milk".

HELIUM - Derived from the Greek "helios" - the sun.

GENNADY - "Well-born".

GEORGE - "Farmer".

GERASIM - "Dear".

GREGORY - "Waking, awakened."

DEMENTIUS - "Taming".

DENIS - The ancient Greek name Dionysus - that was the name of the god of viticulture and winemaking.

DMITRY - "Dedicated to Demeter" (goddess of fertility).

EUGENE - "Noble".

ERMOLAY - A compound name. "Hermes" is the god of commerce and "laos" is the people.

EFIM - "Faithful".

Zinovy ​​- "The Power of Zeus".

ILLARION - "Cheerful".

IPPOLITUS - "Unharnessing the horses."

KIRILL - "Mr."

CLEMENT - "Meek, soft."

KUZMA - There are two interpretations: the first - "peace, order", the second - "decoration".

LION - "Lion, mighty brave."

LEONID - "Son of a lion, from a lion's kind, lion-like."

LEONTIUS - "Lion".

MAKAR - "Happy".

NESTOR - "Reminiscent".

NIKANOR - The same as Nikita - "winner".

NIKITA - "Winner".

NIKIFOR - "Victorious".

NIKODEM - "Conquering people".

NICHOLAS - "Conqueror of the peoples".

OREST - "Highlander, savage."

PANKRATIY - "All-powerful".

PANTELEIMON - "All-merciful".

PARAMON - "Reliable".

PAHOM - "Broad-shouldered".

PETER - "Stone".

PLATON - "Shoulder".

POLYCARP - "Fertile".

PROCOPY - "Prosperous". Russian pronunciation named after Prokofy.

PROKHOR - "She sang, the leader of the choir."

RODION - "Pink".

SEVASTIAN - "Holy".

SPARTAK - "trampling", "trampling"

STEPAN - "Ring, crown, wreath", canonical form - Stefan.

TARAS - "Exciter, rebel".

Timothy - "Worshiping God."

TIKHON - "Successful".

TRIFON - "Luxury".

TROFIM - "Fat, pet."

FYODOR - "God's gift".

FEDOT - "Given by the Gods".

Theodosius - "God gave".

PHILIP - "Lovers of horses."

ERNEST - "Diligent, diligent."

FEMALE NAMES

AGATA, AGAFIA - From the Greek "agathe" - "kind".

AKULINA - "Eagle".

ALEVTINA - Yes different interpretations: "taken away, cut off", "rubbing with incense, anointing", and also "alien from evil".

ALEXANDRA - female form named after Alexander - "protector of people."

ANASTASIA - "Resurrected".

ANGELINA - "Angelic".

ANGELA - From "angelos" - "angel", and there is also a meaning - "messenger".

ANISIA - "Successfully accomplishing."

ANTONINA - Feminine form of Anton (ancient Roman generic name- Anthony).

Anfisa - "Flower".

APPOLINARIA - Feminine form of the ancient Greek name Appolinarius - "worshiping Apollo." Now used as an independent name diminutive form- Pauline.

ARIADNE - "Very revered."

BARBARA - It comes from the ancient Greek "barbarian" - "not a Greek."

VASILISA - "The sovereign, the queen."

VERONICA - Perhaps from the Greek-Macedonian "Ferenik" - "victorious".

GALATEA - V ancient Greek mythology the name of one of the sea nymphs.

GALINA - "Calm, quiet."

GLAFIR - "Graceful, slender".

DOROTHEA - Feminine form from male name Dorotheus - "gift of the gods".

EUGENIA - Feminine form of the male name Eugene - "noble".

Evdokiya - "Gratitude, good desire."

Euphrosyne - "Joyful".

EKATERINA - "Immaculate".

ELENA - "Light".

ELIZABETH - "God's oath, vow to God."

ZINAIDA - "Born by Zeus, from the genus of Zeus."

ZOYA - "Life".

KIRA - "Lady".

KSENIA - "Guest".

LARIS - From the name of the city of Larissa in northern Greece. Another interpretation: "pleasant, sweet" (from the Greek "laros"). Third: "seagull" (from the Latin "larus").

LYDIA - "Arrived from Lydia" or "inhabitant of Lydia."

NELLY - A variant of the name from "Neonilla", which means "young"

OLYMPIAD - It comes from the name of Mount Olympus - the seat of Zeus and many other Greek gods.

OFELIA - "Support, help."

PELAGEYA - The same meaning as the name Marina - "sea".

POLINA - A short form from the ancient Greek name Appolinaria - "worshiping Apollo." IN Lately quite often used as an independent name.

RAISA - "Submissive, compliant, light."

SOPHIA - "Wisdom".

TATYANA - "Organizer, founder".

TERESA - "Reaper".

KHARITINA - "Beautiful, graceful."