The ancient world did not know the saints, and the people of that time knew nothing about guardian angels and intercessors. But this does not mean at all that they did not believe in heavenly patrons. Newborn boys and girls were entrusted to the care of the gods living on Olympus. On the other hand, like our Slavic pagan ancestors, the ancient Greeks endowed their children with nicknames that reflected actual or desired qualities. For example, Aoid - "singing", or Aniketos, which means "invincible".
As in many cultures of antiquity, ancient Greek names glorify the forces of nature or compare a person with a flower, plant, animal. Examples can be given: Astreya (Star), Iolanta (purple flower), Leonidas (son of Leo). Some names smoothly "migrated" in our time, took root in the modern Greek culture and among us, those Slavs who fell under the influence of Christianity of the Eastern rite.
It should be said that the ancient Romans borrowed their Pantheon from the Greeks, giving their gods their names. Therefore, in Western Europe and in the Slavic lands, where the Catholic religion is widespread, there are ancient Greek names that come from the same ones with only a Latin name. For example, Marsilius (god of war), Diana (goddess of the moon and hunting).
Old-new names
Do you love culture but don't want to cut ties with Christianity? Then we can advise you on the names that have passed into the Orthodox calendar. And then your child can be named sonorously and beautifully. His name will be rooted in the distant past. He can celebrate birthdays and will be protected by a heavenly patron.
And there is nothing surprising in this. After all, the first apostles, among whom were the Hellenes, bore ancient Greek male names. Let us recall, for example, Philippos. The beautiful name of this apostle means "lover of horses." The girl, named Helen, will grow up, perhaps as beautiful as the ancient Greek wife of King Menelaus, abducted by Paris. What does Ἑλένη (Helene) mean? "Light-bearing", "torch". The male counterpart of this ancient Greek name is Helen. In addition to Elena, Philip and the already mentioned Leonid, a dozen more names passed from the ancient world to the modern one: Vasily, Dmitry, Hippolytus, Zenon, Eirena (later turned into Irina) and others.
For lovers of the Olympic cult
And why, in fact, not give the child a beautiful and original name, giving him as patrons not some saints and apostolic equals, but one of the gods? Moreover, there are so many of them in the Greek Pantheon. Now, in the cultural elite of the world, the fashion for ancient Greek female names, as well as for male ones, has gone. Recall at least Eros Ramazzotti or Penelope Cruz. The famous singer has the name of the god of love, the companion of Aphrodite.
The girlfriend of the young wizard Harry Potter from the book by J. Rowling also has Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maya, the patron of artisans, merchants, thieves and wanderers, who clearly patronizes this girl. Hermione is also mentioned in Homer's poem "The Iliad": she is the daughter of the beautiful Helen and Menelaus.
There are many more names whose bearers are "dedicated" to some Olympic ("art", "sun"), Nika ("victory"), Irida ("rainbow"). However, be careful. The names of the ancient Greek gods are beautiful, but the inhabitants of Olympus themselves have never been famous for their soft and complaisant disposition. In this they differ from the Christian god of love. Along with the positive qualities of his patron, a child can inherit his negative traits: vindictiveness, deceit, jealousy.
Connoisseurs of the culture of ancient Greece
Anyone who is in love with the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides, in the comedies of Aristophanes, who is read by Homer, will easily find beautiful and sonorous names in these works. Of these, you can choose those about which the language of the Russian-speaking environment will not break. For example, Aeneas - "praised", "approved". A good name is Phoenix, which means "purple" - a color that was allowed to be worn only by aristocrats. The boy Odysseus will inherit from his famous namesake, sung by Homer, courage, ingenuity and passion for travel.
In the myths and works of that civilization, you can also find very beautiful ancient Greek names of women. For example, Electra - which means "bright", "shining". Or the muse of astronomy Urania - her name means "heavenly". You can simply call the girl Muse or dedicate her to one of them, for example, Thalia or Calliope. In the myths of Ancient Greece, there are many beautiful nymphs, whose beauty captivated even the gods: Maya, Adrastea, Daphne, etc.
Love saves the world
Ancient Greek names that begin or end with a “phyllo” fragment fit very well on the tongue and caress the ear. This prefix means "Love". It can be applied not only to the passion for horses, like Philip, but also to singing - Philomena. The Greeks really appreciated this quality - to be able to love. They also wanted everyone around to appreciate their son or daughter. Therefore, the names of Philo, Theophilus, Philemon ("gentle") and others like them were common in the same way as we have with the prefix "glory" and "peace".
The Greeks were a very pious people. In the Hellenistic period, names appeared that meant the patronage of God, without specifying which one. Timothy is "one who honors God." Theodora - "His gift". There are also names pointing to the king of the gods - Zeus. Zenobia is life from Jupiter the Thunderer, and Zeophania is his manifestation on earth. Zeno means "dedicated", "belonging to Zeus".
Nicknames
These ancient Greek names are the most numerous. After conducting their scientific analysis, one can understand what qualities were valued in this civilization. After all, the parents called the name Atreus ("fearless") or Aella ("fast as a whirlwind") of a baby who had not yet stood on his feet. One thing is clear: as in all the world, they wished their sons to grow up brave (Adrastos), strong (Menander), steadfast (Menelaus), defenders of the weak (Alexei, Alexander), brave (Alkina).
Oddly enough, in women, the Greeks valued not so much beauty as the quality of the hostess guarding the hearth. Therefore, the parents called the newborn a protector (Alexa), a spinner (Klaso), a calmer (Amalzeya), a good one (Agatha) and simply a housewife (Despoin). Motherhood was also valued, the ability to give birth to children (Metrofanes).
Warrior State
The ancient Greek names of boys indicate that their parents would like them to become owners of large livestock. Archippos means "having horses" and Archilaos means "slave owner". A rich harvest in life was promised to Athamus and Eustachis.
Male names give reason to believe that the Greeks often fought, and all the young men had to take part in the campaigns. Wanting to save the offspring from death, their mothers called them Amon ("hidden from danger"), Andreas ("good warrior"), Ambrosios ("immortal") and Azarias ("having help from God"). At the same time, the boy could also be called the name Apollonios, which means "destroyer."
names that symbolize the forces of nature
This is the most ancient group, originating from the totemic society. Men were hunters, and therefore they needed accuracy, skill and strength in the fight against the beast. To provide their sons with these qualities necessary for life, the parents called them Zopyros ("flaming", "aspiring"), Gregorios ("cautious"), Achilleus ("painful"), Andronikos ("victor of people") and Jerazimos (" living to old age"). And so that the son returned safely home alive and unharmed, he was called the name Nestor.
Ancient people spiritualized the forces of nature. Aeolus was patronized by the winds, Anatolaios by the east and dawn, Alcmene by the moon, Kyros by the sun, and Castor by the beaver. There are many names in which the word "lion" is present: Panteleon, Leonidas, and so on. Another totemic symbol was the horse: so Hippocrates means "power of the horse." Parents gave their sons under the patronage of the mountains (Origen), the ocean (Okinos) and even the night (Orpheus).
The recluses of the gynoecium
Ancient Greek society was deeply sexist. The supremacy of men was never questioned. Women were deprived of all political and civil rights and, having married, moved from the father's house to the husband's house as the property of the latter. The whole life of the so-called "decent woman" took place in the gynaecium - the female half of the house. Only getters appeared freely on the streets of cities.
Naturally, mothers wished their daughters happiness. The way they understood it: to marry an accommodating spouse, give birth to him more children and not die from childbirth. Therefore, the ancient Greek names for girls fully reflected the aspirations of their mothers. Amaranthos means "not disappearing", Altea - "quick healing", Ageip and Agapayos - "impossible to stop loving." And Zozima is just a "survivor". The Arcadians wanted to live among peaceful bucolics. Glyceria is the "sweetest" (of course, it was meant to be a joy for her husband). And Aspasia meant "greeting".
names symbolizing the elements, flowers and animals
At the same time, parents dedicated their newborn daughters to the forces of nature. Arethus - the water element, Anemone - the wind in general, and Zephyr - the western trade wind, Iris - the rainbow. The animals, after which the girls were named, are very graceful and beautiful. For example, Holkyon is a small kingfisher bird, Dorsia is a gazelle, and Dapna is a laurel. There are a lot of names that mean flowers (Anzeya, Anthus): purple (Iolanta), gold (Chryseida), dark (Melanta). But, of course, such a quality as beauty has always been appreciated among the female sex. She corresponds to the name Aglaya.
Choose wisely
If you want to name your child with an ancient name, you need to think carefully and analyze the ancient Greek names and their meanings. After all, it may turn out that behind the beautiful name Apollonia lies the unseemly meaning of “destructive”. But the word "kind" in the Greeks does not sound very pleasant - Akakaios. You also need to remember that now Glaucus is not a name at all, but a position. The names of the ancient Greeks were sometimes very tricky - Agazangelos, for example. So don't break your tongue.
Many names that seem to be primordially Russian are actually Greek: Stepan, Timofey, Fedor, Makar, Vasily, Alexei. The list of famous Greek male names can be continued for a long time. People like Greek names because they mean the positive characteristics of a person: wisdom, kindness, reliability, courage, masculinity. But these are the qualities that society expects from a man.
The history of the origin of Greek male names
How did we get male names of Greek origin? Partly through mythology, but mostly from religion. The Greeks in general had a tremendous impact on world culture and life.
With the spread of Christianity, ancient Greek words entered our everyday life and intertwined with it so closely that it is difficult to immediately determine where the word is of Slavic origin and where is Greek.
The Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles were distributed in Greek. The Russian Orthodox Church was at one time called "Greek Catholic" or "Church of the Greek Rite". The Greek names themselves (before they came to us) came from the ancient Greek and Latin languages.
Interesting information: among the Greeks, a woman, when she marries, takes not only the surname, but also the patronymic of her husband.
List of beautiful boy names
All of them are beautiful, just some are unusual to hear, but others are especially sonorous:
- Aristarchus in translation means "the best leader." Life credo: "Hurry - you will make people laugh";
- Arkady. The name comes from the name of the region of Arcadia (the territory of Greece);
- Artemy is interpreted as "healthy";
- Arseny - “mature”, “courageous”, which are the most valuable qualities for a man;
- George - "farmer";
- Yevsey is translated as "pious", that is, highly moral, resistant to temptations;
- Elisha is one of the variants of the name Odysseus ("angry"). Yes, the translation is formidable, but it sounds beautiful and such a person has a good character: he is reliable, smart, fair;
- Leonid is the "son of a lion" both in translation and in personal qualities;
- Rodion was formed from the ancient Greek Herodium ("hero", "heroic");
- Sevastyan - "highly esteemed";
- Felix is translated from Greek as "prosperous". The case when appearances are deceiving: people may consider Felix careless, but in fact he is firm in his intentions, sets goals for himself and goes towards them;
- Philip - "loving horses." For the Greeks, the horse represents courage and power.
Rare male names of Greek origin
We will consider rare names that, in the statistics of registry offices, occur in 10 or less newborns per month:
- Gerasim - "respected";
- Demyan - "submissive";
- Demid is interpreted as "God's care";
- Eustache means "fertile";
- Heraclius consists of two words: "Hera" (the name of the goddess) and "cleos" ("glory");
- Orestes - "mountain";
- Plato in Greek means "broad-shouldered";
- Prokhor means "master of the choir";
- Pankrat - "omnipotent";
- Trofim is translated as "breadwinner".
Their rarity is perhaps justified by their outdated sound. However, every meaning of the name is quite nice.
Modern popular names and their meaning
Despite the tendency to call children complex rare names, the usual ones also do not give up their positions.
Modern Greek names are as follows:
- Artem. Firmly stands his ground, knows exactly what he wants from life, extremely hardworking. Respects authorities, but does not grovel before them;
- Alexander. Strives to do everything "excellent" the first time. Rarely allows himself to show emotions in public. He will not conduct empty chatter, however, he will competently support a substantive conversation;
- Anton is a solid, independent person and at the same time quite shy;
- Alexei is not without reason translated as “defender”, he fully corresponds to such a characteristic;
- Andrey is the soul of the company, and therefore a person with good connections. Representative of the creative profession;
- Victor means "winner". Adventurous, but by no means frivolous, because he has a developed sense of responsibility;
- Vasily is distinguished by boundless patience and poise. Strong intuition, but in judgments based on logic and facts;
- Gregory - from the Greek "wakeful". Sensitive nature and capable "techie". Faithful family man, appreciates home comfort;
- Denis is a mobile, curious boy. Growing up, it becomes neat and assiduous;
- Eugene is a born diplomat: non-conflict, knows how to negotiate and find a compromise;
- Egor is a Russian variation of the Greek name George ("cultivator of the earth");
- Nikolay is translated as "people's winner". Nothing can piss him off, he is extremely stable;
- Nikita. A key character trait is charm, which attracts a lot of people to him.
An interesting fact: there are Greek names that are on everyone's lips, but over the past year their popularity has plummeted. For example, such names include Anatoly, Valentin, Gennady, Valery.
Ancient and forgotten names
Some names have become obsolete due to the desire to name children in European terms, and some for historical reasons or because of their interpretation, for example:
- Nicodemus translates as "conquering people." It has never been popular with the population because it sounds unfriendly;
- Agathon - "kind". It was used only in the lower classes;
- Anfim means "flower", which by modern standards does not sound very masculine;
- Agap, Agapit. Translation from Greek - "beloved", now the word is forgotten;
- Anastasius - "resurrected", turned into a female name Anastasia;
- Efim - "foreshadowing good." So called the clergy, the people did not use;
- Evdokim - "honorary". This name was given at the tonsure as a monk;
- Luke means light. It has fallen out of use because it is associated with the word "cunning" (insincerity, cunning);
- Macarius - "blessed", but also translated as "blessed", which in modern society is understood as "strange", "eccentric";
- Potap in translation means "wanderer". Lost popularity due to old-fashioned sound.
Have you noticed that such names are often taken as pop stars as a pseudonym? Words are rare, that is, they add uniqueness to the carrier; at the same time they are sonorous, well remembered.
How to choose a Greek name for a boy
Believers follow the custom of naming in honor of a saint by date of birth or neighboring numbers. There are many options for a name for a boy in the church calendar, several names of revered elders and martyrs. For example, a son was born on January 31st. We open the calendar and see that Kirill, Dmitry, Emelyan are revered on this day. There will be other options, not Greek ones.
You can also start from the desired meaning, a certain image that is significant for parents. For example, a woman who has not been able to get pregnant for a long time can name her son Fedot (“given by God”, “gifted”) or Khariton (“grace”).
It happens that parents want to name their son after a character from the myths of Ancient Greece, so that he is just as respected and significant. For example, Zenon (“belonging to Zeus”), Zinovy (“power of Zeus”), Isidore (“gift of Isis”), Taras (son of Poseidon in mythology), Tikhon (in honor of the goddess of luck Tyukhe).
The name should be coordinated in sound with the patronymic. Speak aloud and cut off incongruous, absurd, difficult to pronounce pairs: for example, Nestor Alexandrovich is less harmonious than Peter Alexandrovich. But combinations sound harmoniously, where the name and patronymic begin with the same letter (Vasily Vitalievich) or the same consonant is repeated (Kuzma Mikhailovich).
When choosing a name, remember that a person will have to wear it all his life. Akaki sounds cute for a little boy, but will create discomfort and will not cause the best associations for an adult man.
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. They came to the Eastern Slavs from Byzantium through Bulgaria, where Christianity was accepted even earlier, in 865. This article discusses the meanings of names that are of Greek origin.
ANCIENT GREEK NAMESMALE 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 - A short form of 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 of the name 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 - There are different interpretations: "taken away, cut off", "rubbing with incense, anointing", and also "alien from evil."
ALEXANDRA - The female form of the name Alexander is "protector of people."
ANASTASIA - "Resurrected".
ANGELINA - "Angelic".
ANGELA - From "angelos" - "angel", and there is also a meaning - "messenger".
ANISIA - "Successfully accomplishing."
ANTONINA - Feminine form on behalf of Anton (the ancient Roman generic name is Anthony).
Anfisa - "Flower".
APPOLINARIA - Feminine form of the ancient Greek name Appolinarius - "worshiping Apollo." Now the diminutive form is used as an independent name - Polina.
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 - In ancient Greek mythology, the name of one of the sea nymphs.
GALINA - "Calm, quiet."
GLAFIR - "Graceful, slender".
Dorothea - Feminine form of the male name Dorotheus - "gift of the gods".
EUGENIA - Feminine form of the male name Eugene - "noble".
Evdokia - "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." Recently, quite often used as an independent name.
RAISA - "Submissive, compliant, light."
SOPHIA - "Wisdom".
TATYANA - "Organizer, founder".
TERESA - "Reaper".
KHARITINA - "Beautiful, graceful."
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- protector. 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.
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 a curious 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.
