Category Archives: Greek Names

Daetor

Posted on by
Reply
Dido Aeneas Nicolas Verkolye
Dido Aeneas Nicolas Verkolye by thegetty is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
  • Origin: Greek Δαίτωρ
  • Meaning: “to light; to burn; to kindle; divider; judge; host of a feast.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Modern Greek: Daitor (DYE-tore)
  • Eng pron: DAY-tor

The name is derived from the Greek δαίω (daio) meaning, “to light; to burn; to kindle,” and “to divide, share, tear” or “to host a feast.” The element has the same meaning as distributing justice, items or food.”

It is borne in the Illiad by a minor character, a Trojan warrior who attacked the Greek fleet during the tenth year of the Trojan war and was subsequently shot dead.

Sources

Anthracia

Posted on by
Reply
woman holding burning newspaper
Photo by Class Art on Pexels.com
  • Origin: Greek Ανθρακια
  • Original Greek form: Anthrakia
  • Meaning: “ember; burning charcoal.”
  • Gender: female
  • Eng (an-THRAY-shuh; Grk ahn-THRAH-kee-ah)

The name comes from the Ancient Greek noun ἄνθραξ (ánthrax), meaning “ember; burning charcoal.”

Anthracia is best known from Greek myth as one of the nymphs who nursed the infant Zeus in secret to protect him from Cronus.

Source

Phyllodoce

Posted on by
Reply
mermaid flowing red hair rising
  • Origin: Greek Φυλλοδόκη
  • Modern Greek: Fillodoki
  • Meaning: “receiver of foliage.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Eng pron: FYE-loh-DIS-ee; Grk (Fil-LOH-do-keh)

The name derives from the Ancient Greek elements φύλλον (phyllon), meaning “leaf, foliage,” and δέχομαι (dechomai), “to receive” or “to welcome.”

In Greek mythology, Phyllodoce was one of the Nereids, the fifty sea nymph daughters of Nereus and Doris.

The name Phyllodoce was later adopted in scientific Latin for a genus of mountain heath plants (family Ericaceae), commonly called mountain heathers. These small evergreen shrubs, with delicate purple or pink flowers, grow in alpine and arctic regions.

With its lyrical cadence and mythological roots, Phyllodoce reflects the 18th–19th-century European taste for classical revival names, particularly those drawn from nature and mythology.

Sources

Prosdocimus, Prosdocimo

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Greek
  • Meaning: “awaited; expected.”
  • Gender: Male
  • It pron (prose-DOH-chee-mo)

Prosdocimus is a Late Latin form of the Greek Προσδόκιμος (Prosdokimos), derived from prosdokein, meaning “the awaited; the expected,” allegedly used for a long awaited child.

The name is best known from Saint Prosdocimus, a 1st-century Christian bishop and missionary of Greek origin, who evangelized the region around Patavium (Padua) in northern Italy. He is venerated as the first bishop and patron saint of Padua, and a major church, the Basilica di San Prosdocimo, adjoining the Abbey of Santa Giustina, bears his name. His cult was established early in the Christian era and remained locally important throughout the Middle Ages.

Because of the saint’s regional veneration, the given name Prosdocimo remained rare and was used mainly in the Veneto, occasionally appearing in baptismal records in Padua and neighboring areas. Outside northern Italy it has always been exceptional, preserved chiefly in ecclesiastical or hagiographic contexts.

The designated name-day is November 7th.

International Variations

  • Būrūsdūsīmus بروسدوسيموس (Arabo-Coptic)
  • Prosdòcim (Catalan)
  • Prosdocime (French)
  • Prosdozimus (German)
  • Prosdokimos Προσδόκιμος (Greek)
  • Prosdecimus (Late Latin)
  • Prosdocym (Polish)
  • Prosdócimo (Portuguese)
  • Prosdociy, Prodocim Просдоций, Просдоцим (Russian)
  • Prosdócimo (Spanish)

Sources

Elara

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Greek Ἐλάρα
  • Meaning: “hazelnut; spear.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Pron: EL-e-ruh; EHL-ə-rə

The name is of uncertain etymology. It has sometimes been linked to the ancient Greek word ἄλαρα (álara), said to mean “hazelnut” or “spear-shaft.”

In Greek mythology, Elara was a mortal princess of Orchomenus loved by Zeus. When she became pregnant, Zeus hid her deep beneath the earth to protect her from Hera’s jealousy. There she gave birth to their gigantic son Tityos (Τιτυός). Because of this myth, Elara is sometimes associated with the earth or the underworld. One of Jupiter’s moons, discovered in 1905 by Charles Dillon Perrine, was later named in her honor.

As a given-name in the English-speaking world, it does appear in records in the 19th-century, mainly in the U.S. Recently, it has appeared in England & Wales Top 900 girls’ name, coming at #467 (2024).

With its celestial link and mythological depth, Elara feels like a luminous and romantic alternative to other El- names such as Elena, Eleanor, and Elodie. Its lunar connection gives it a quietly modern yet timeless appeal.

Sources

Lalage

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Greek Λαλαγή
  • Meaning: “to babble.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Pronunciation: LAL-ə-jee (English), LAH-lah-geh (Classical Greek)

A poetic rarity, it is from the ancient Greek λαλαγέω (lalageo) meaning “to babble; to prattle.”

The most famous bearer of the name appears in Horace’s Odes (Book I, 22), in which it is the name of the poet’s idealized beloved.

Edgar Allan Poe later used Lalage as a tragic heroine in his 1835 play Politian, reinforcing its Romantic aura.

The name experienced some usage in the 19th-century throughout the English-speaking world. A notable bearer is British educator and feminist, Lalage Brown (b. 1927).

Common short forms are Lallie, Lally and Gigi.

Sources

Nyx, Nox

Posted on by
Reply
  • Nyx: Greek; Nox: Latin
  • Meaning: “night”
  • Gender: Female
  • Eng (NICKS); Eng (NOCKS)

The Greek name Nyx (Νύξ) means “night.” It comes directly from the Proto-Indo-European root nókʷts, the same ancient word that produced Latin nox, Sanskrit nakta (नक्त)*, and Old English niht → modern English night.

Thus, Nyx and Nox are linguistic sisters — two ancient words expressing the same primordial idea: darkness, mystery, and the cosmic night from which creation emerges.

In Greek mythology, Nyx is the goddess and personification of the Night and Nox the Roman counterpart.

She is said to have arisen directly from Chaos, the void before creation, and is counted among the Protogenoi — the primal deities who gave birth to the cosmos itself.

Nyx was both feared and revered by the Olympians. Even Zeus, king of the gods, hesitated to cross her.

Hesiod’s Theogony (c. 700 BCE) describes her as a shadowy figure dwelling in the western lands of perpetual darkness, near the gates of Tartarus.

In recent years, Nyx has appeared more often as a middle name, to fill a void for a longer first name. Its Latin form of Nox may make an appealing choice for those seeking gender-neutral sounding female names, sounding similar to the trendy male name Knocks. It has recently come into use in the Netherlands as a male name for unknown reasons.

Sources

Panagiotis, Panagiota

Posted on by
Reply
hand on a painting of mary
Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com
  • Origin: Greek
  • Meaning: “all-holy.”
  • Variants: Panayiotis; Panayiota
  • Grk (PAH-nah-YOH-tis; PAH-nah-YOH-tah)

Panagiotis is masculine and derived from the Greek, panagia Παναγία (all-holy), a title used in reference to the Virgin Mary in the Greek Orthodox Church.

Its feminine form is Panagiota.

It’s name-day on August 15th, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

In the English-speaking world, many Greek immigrants anglicized Panagiotis to Peter even though the two names are not related.

Male Diminutives

  • Panagis/Panayis (Παναγής)
  • Panos (Πάνος)
  • Panikos (Πανίκος)
  • Pit (Πιτ)
  • Notis (Νότης)
  • Takis (Τάκης)

Female diminutives are: Giota, Yiota (Γιώτα), and Nota (Νότα).

Sources

Hierotheos

Posted on by
Reply
jesus portrait in a carved wall
Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com
  • Origin: Greek Ἱερόθεος
  • Meaning: “sanctified by God.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Eng (hy-RO-thee-us)

The name is composed of the Greek words, ἱερός (holy to; sacred to) and θεός (God). It first appears as a given name in Christian tradition, being borne by the first bishop of Athens who was said to have been converted and trained by St. Paul himself.

The modern Greek form is ‘Ierotheos and the designated name-day in Greece is September 29th.

The name has also been borne by several Greek patriarchs.

International Variations

  • Hiruthiyus هيروثيوس (Arabic – Egyptian)
  • Hieroteu (Catalan, Portuguese)
  • Hiérothée (French)
  • Hierotheusz (Hungarian)
  • Ieroteo (Italian)
  • Hieroteusz (Polish)
  • Ierotei (Romanian)
  • Ierofej Иерофей (Russian)
  • Jerotej Јеротеј (Serbian)
  • Hierotej (Slovenian)
  • Jeroteo (Spanish)
  • Yerofej Єрофей (Ukrainian)

Sources

Peniel, Penuel, Phanuel

Posted on by
Reply
  • Origin: Biblical Hebrew
  • Meaning: “face of God; presence of God.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Eng (PEN-yel; PEN-you-el, FAN-you-wil)
  • Variations: Panuel, Paniel, Peniel, Penuel, Fanuel, and Feniel

The name is from the Hebrew פְּנוּאֵל (Pĕnū’ēl) or פְּנִיאֵל (Pĕnī’ēl), meaning “face of God” or “presence of God.” It is composed of two elements פָּנִים (panim) – “face” or “presence” אֵל (El) – “God.”

In the Book of Genesis (32:30), Penuel is the name Jacob gives to the place where he wrestled with the angel of the Lord. Later, in 1 Kings 12:25, Penuel appears as the name of a city built by Jeroboam, located east of the Jordan River near the Jabbok. It is also the name of a character mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:4.

Its Greek form of Phanuel is borne in the New Testament (Luke 2:36) by the father of the prophetess Anna, who recognized the infant Jesus in the Temple. It is also the name of an angel in the Apocrypha Book of Enoch.

International Variations

  • Fanouel ፋኑኤል (Amharic/Ge’ez)
  • Penouel (French)
  • Phanouel Φανουήλ (Greek)
  • Fanuele (Italian)
  • Phanuhel (Latin)

A potential short form is Pen(n).

Sources