Greek Names — Origins, Meanings & History

Phaethon Masculine Greek Greek

Phaethon is a name from Greek mythology with a meaning directly tied to light: it means "shining" in Greek. The name is most famously borne by the son of the sun god Helios and the Oceanid Clymene.EtymologyThe Greek name...

Phaidra Feminine Greek Greek

Phaidra is the Greek form of Phaedra. The name is derived from the Greek element phaidros meaning "bright". In Greek mythology, Phaedra (Phaidra in Greek) was the daughter of King Minos of Crete and his wife Pasiphaë, an...

Pheme Feminine Greek Greek

Pheme (Φήμη) is the Greek personification of fame, renown, and rumors. Her name derives from the Greek word pheme, meaning "rumor" or "reputation," which is related to phanai (“to speak”). In Homeric literature, she was...

Philander Masculine English Greek English Greek

Philander is an English masculine given name derived from the Greek name Philandros (Φίλανδρος), meaning "friend of man." The name combines the Greek elements philos ("friend") and aner ("man"). In Greek mythology, Phila...

Philandros Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Philandros is an Ancient Greek name that serves as the original form of the Latinized Philander. Composed of the elements philos meaning "friend" and aner meaning "man" (genitive andros), Philandros translates to "friend...

Philoctetes Masculine Greek Greek

Philoctetes is a Greek masculine name with a heroic pedigree in classical mythology. Derived from the φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and κτάομαι (ktaomai) meaning "to acquire", the name can be interpreted as "one...

Philoktetes Masculine Greek Greek

Philoktetes is a Greek form of the name Philoctetes, derived from the Greek elements philos (friend, lover) and ktaomai (to acquire), thus meaning "lover of acquiring" or "one who acquires friends."Etymology and OriginTh...

Philomela Feminine Greek Greek

Philomela is a figure from Greek mythology whose tragic story has made her name synonymous with transformation and song. The name derives from Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), composed of philos meaning "lover, friend" and me...

Philomele Feminine Greek Greek

Philomele is a Greek feminine name, the vernacular form of Philomela. The name originates from the Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), a compound of philos meaning "lover, friend" and melon meaning "fruit.” The second element ha...

Philophrosyne Feminine Greek Greek

Philophrosyne is a feminine name of Greek origin, representing the personification of welcome and friendliness in Greek mythology. The name derives from the Greek elements philos (φίλος) meaning "friend, lover" and phren...

Phineus Masculine Greek Greek

Phineus is a name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Greek φίνις (phinis), a variant of φήνη (phene) meaning "vulture". In Greek mythology, Phineus was a king of Salmydessus in Thrace and a seer, who appears pro...

Phlegon Masculine Greek English Bible +2 Greek English Bible Greek Bible Ancient Greek

Phlegon is a Greek name meaning "burning," derived from the verb phlego (φλέγω), "to burn." The name appears twice in historical contexts: in Greek mythology and in the Christian New Testament. In mythology, Phlegon is o...

Phlegyas Masculine Greek Greek

Phlegyas is a name from Greek mythology, meaning "fiery" in Greek. It derives from the verb φλέγω (phlego), meaning "to burn." This etymology is reflected in the mythological narrative of Phlegyas, who was a king of the...

Phobos Masculine Greek Greek

Phobos is a name of Greek origin meaning "fear, panic". In Greek myth, Phobos (also Latinized as Phobus) was a son of Ares, the god of war, and often accompanied his father into battle, spreading terror among enemies. He...

Phobus Masculine Greek Greek

Phobus is a Latinized form of Phobos, the Greek mythological personification of fear and panic. The name is derived from the Greek word φόβος (phobos) meaning "fear, panic". In Greek mythology, Phobos was one of the sons...

Phoebe Feminine English Greek +2 English Greek English Bible Latin Bible

Origin and EtymologyPhoebe is a Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which derives from the Greek word φοῖβος (phoibos), meaning "bright", "shining", or "pure". This name originally served as the feminine cou...

Phoebus Masculine Greek Greek

Phoebus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), meaning "bright, pure." In ancient Greek religion and mythology, this name was an epithet of the god Apollo, reflecting his role as the god of light and t...

Phoibe Feminine Greek Greek Bible +1 Greek Greek Bible Ancient Greek

Phoibe (Φοίβη) is the Ancient Greek form of the name Phoebe, deriving from the Greek word phoibos (φοῖβος), meaning "bright, pure." In Greek mythology, Phoibe was a Titaness associated with the moon, and the name also se...

Phoibos Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Phoibos is the original Greek form of the name Phoebus, which itself is the Latinized version. In Ancient Greek mythology and language, Phoibos (Φοῖβος) means "bright" or "pure". It was primarily used as an epithet of th...

Phrixos Masculine Greek Greek

EtymologyPhrixos is the Greek form of the name Phrixus, which derives from the Greek word phrix (φρίξ) meaning "ripple, shiver" or "bristling, standing on end". Thus the name carries a sense of "thrilling" or "causing sh...

Phrixus Masculine Greek Greek

Phrixus (also spelt Phryxus) is a name from Greek mythology, derived from the Greek Φρίξος (Phrixos), meaning "thrilling, causing shivers", from φρίξ (phrix) meaning "ripple, shiver" or "standing on end, bristling".Mytho...

Phyllis Feminine English Greek English Greek

Phyllis is a feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "foliage." In Greek mythology, Phyllis was a woman who killed herself in despair when her lover Demophon failed to return to her; the gods transformed her into an...

Pistis Feminine Greek Greek

Pistis is a feminine name of Greek origin, derived from the Ancient Greek word πίστις (pistis), meaning "trust, faith" or "reliability." In Greek mythology, Pistis was the personification of good faith, trust, and honest...

Pleione Feminine Greek Greek

Pleione is a female name with roots in Greek mythology, where Pleione was an Oceanid nymph and the wife of the Titan Atlas. Her name may derive from the Greek word πλείων (pleion), meaning "more" or "greater." A more dis...

Plouton Masculine Greek Greek

Plouton is the Greek form of Pluto, the name of the god of the underworld in ancient Greek religion and mythology. The name derives from the Greek element ploutos, meaning “wealth.”Etymology and MythologyIn classical sou...

Pluto Masculine Greek Roman Greek Roman

Pluto is the Latinized form of the Greek name Plouton (Πλούτων), derived from the Greek word ploutos (πλοῦτος) meaning "wealth". In Greek mythology, Pluto was an alternate name for Hades, the god of the underworld. The n...

Polydeuces Masculine Greek Greek

Polydeuces is the Latinized form of the Greek name Polydeukes. However, the form typically used by the Romans was Pollux.EtymologyThe Greek name Polydeukes is derived from elements meaning "very sweet": polys meaning "mu...

Polydeukes Masculine Greek Greek

Polydeukes is the Greek form of Pollux, one of the twin Dioscuri in Greek and Roman mythology. The name derives from the Greek elements polys ("much") and deukes ("sweet"), thus meaning "very sweet." In mythology, Polyde...

Polydoros Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Polydoros is the Greek form of the Latinized name Polydorus, derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift": hence, "many gifts."EtymologyThe name Polydoros (Ancient Greek:...

Polydorus Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Etymology and Meaning Polydorus is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek name Πολύδωρος (Polydoros), meaning "many gifts". It is derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" or "many", and δῶρον (doron)...

Polyhymnia Feminine Greek Greek

Polyhymnia is the Latinized form of Polymnia, one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology. Her name derives from Greek polys meaning "much" and hymnos meaning "song, hymn," together signifying "abounding in song" or "the on...

Polymnia Feminine Greek Greek

EtymologyPolymnia (also known as Polyhymnia), meaning "abounding in song" in Greek, is the name of the goddess of dance and sacred songs in Greek mythology. The name is derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meani...

Polyphemos Masculine Greek Greek

Polyphemos is the Ancient Greek name of the one-eyed giant cyclops from Greek mythology, famously encountered by Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey.EtymologyThe name Polyphemos is derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) m...

Polyphemus Masculine Greek Greek

Polyphemus is the Latinized form of Polyphemos, a name borne by the most famous cyclops in Greek mythology. The name derives from Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φήμη (pheme) meaning "rumour, fame, reputa...

Polyphonte Feminine Greek Greek

Polyphonte is a character from Greek mythology whose name means "slayer of many", derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder, slaughter".MythologyThe myth of Polyphont...

Polyxena Feminine Greek Greek

Polyxena is the Latinized form of the Greek name Πολυξένη (Polyxene), derived from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos), meaning "very hospitable" or "entertaining many guests." The name is composed of the elements

Polyxene Feminine Greek Greek

Polyxene is the Ancient Greek form of the name Polyxena. The name derives from the Greek word πολύξενος (polyxenos), meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable"—itself composed of the elements πολύς (polys, "many...

Pontos Masculine Greek Greek

Pontos is the Greek form of Pontus.EtymologyPulling from ancient Greek roots, Pontos literally means "sea." As primeval god in Greek mythology, Pontos embodied the seas as a vast, dark expanse.Mythological Personificatio...

Pontus 2 Masculine Greek Greek

Pontus is a Latinized form of Greek Πόντος (Pontos), meaning "sea". In Greek mythology, Pontus was a primordial sea god, son of Gaia (Earth). He was considered a personification of the sea, particularly the Mediterranean...

Poseidon Masculine Greek Greek

Poseidon is a major figure in ancient Greek mythology, known as the god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses. The name is of Greek origin, derived from πόσις (posis) meaning "husband, lord" and δᾶ (da) meaning "ea...

Praxidike Feminine Greek Greek

Praxidike is a name with deep roots in Greek mythology and language. Derived from the Greek words πρᾶξις (praxis) meaning "action, exercise" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order", the name literally translates...

Praxis Feminine Greek Greek

Praxis is a feminine first name derived from Greek, meaning "action, sex". In ancient Greece, the word πρᾶξιν (praxin) referred to deeds or acts, but it also carried a connotation of sexual experience or erotic activity....

Priam Masculine Greek Greek

Priam (Greek: Πρίαμος) is a legendary male name from Greek mythology, most famously borne by the last king of Troy during the Trojan War. The name is believed to derive from the Luwian Pariamua, meaning "exceptionally po...

Priamos Masculine Greek Greek

Priamos is the Greek form of Priam, the legendary king of Troy featured in Homer's Iliad. The name originates from the Luwian 𒉺𒊑𒀀𒈬𒀀 (Pariamua), meaning "exceptionally powerful," derived from pariyan "beyond, exceedingly"...

Priapos Masculine Greek Greek

Priapos is the Greek form of the name Priapus, a figure from Greek mythology. The name's meaning is unknown, but it is closely associated with the god Priapus, a minor rustic fertility deity known for his oversized phall...

Priapus Masculine Greek Greek

Priapus (Ancient Greek: Príapos) is a name of uncertain meaning, belonging to a minor rustic fertility god in Greek mythology. Often depicted with an oversized, permanent erection, he served as a protector of livestock,...

Procris Feminine Greek Greek

Procris is the Latinized form of the Greek name Πρόκρις (Prokris), which is probably derived from πρόκρισις (prokrisis) meaning “preference.” In Greek mythology, Procris was a daughter of Cephalus and Erechtheus, king of...

Prokris Feminine Greek Greek

Prokris is the original Greek form of the name Procris, which appears in Greek mythology. The name is thought to derive from the Greek word prokrisis (πρόκρισις), meaning “preference” or “choice.” In myth, Prokris (or Pr...

Prometheus Masculine Greek Greek

Prometheus is a figure from Greek mythology whose name has been adopted as a given name. Derived from the Greek προμήθεια (prometheia), meaning "foresight" or "forethought," the name belongs to the Titan known for his in...

Proteus Masculine Greek Greek

Proteus is a Greek masculine name derived from the Greek word πρῶτος (protos), meaning "first". In Greek mythology, Proteus was a prophetic sea god, one of several deities known as the "Old Man of the Sea." He possessed...

Psamathe Feminine Greek Greek

Psamathe is a name of Greek origin, derived from the Ancient Greek word psámathos (ψάμαθος), meaning "sand of the seashore." In Greek mythology, Psamathe was the name of several distinct figures, most notably one of the...

Psyche Feminine Greek Greek

Psyche is a feminine name derived from the Ancient Greek word ψυχή (psyche), meaning "the soul." The term traces its roots to the Greek verb ψύχω (psycho), "to breathe," based on the ancient belief that the soul manifest...

Pygmalion Masculine Greek Phoenician Greek Phoenician

Pygmalion is a masculine name derived from the Greek adaptation of a Phoenician theophoric name. Its root, Pumay, refers to the Phoenician god Pumay, who was possibly a local equivalent of the Greek hero Heracles or the...

Pyrrhos Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Pyrrhos is the Greek form of Pyrrhus. The name derives from the Greek word πυρρός (pyrrhos), meaning "red" or "flame-coloured", which is itself related to πῦρ (pyr, "fire"). It originally served as an epithet borne by Ne...

Pyrrhus Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Pyrrhus is a masculine given name of ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek name Πύρρος (Pyrrhos), meaning "flame-coloured, red" or "fiery," from the element πῦρ (pyr) meaning "fire." The name is closely linked to...

Pythios Masculine Greek Greek

Pythios is a male given name of Greek origin, used as an epithet of the god Apollo. It derives directly from the Greek place name Πυθώ (Pytho), the ancient name for the city of Delphi. This place name likely comes from t...

Rhea Feminine Greek Roman Greek Roman

EtymologyRhea is a feminine given name of Greek and Roman origin. Its exact meaning is uncertain, but it may be derived from the Greek verb ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or from ἔρα (era) meaning "ground." In Greek mythol...

Rheia Feminine Greek Greek

Rheia is a variant spelling of the name Rhea. Both forms derive from the Greek mythological figure Rhea (also spelled Rheia in ancient Greek), a Titaness who played a crucial role in the succession myth of the gods.Etymo...

Rheie Feminine Greek Greek

Rheie is the Greek variant of Rhea. The name Rhea has an uncertain etymology, possibly derived from the Greek verb ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or the noun ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology, Rhea was a Titan...

Sao Feminine Greek Greek

Sao is a feminine name derived from Greek mythology, ultimately from the ancient Greek word σῶς (sos) meaning "whole, unwounded, safe." The name carries connotations of salvation and preservation, as reflected in its lit...