Greek Baby Names
Explore 514 greek names, each with its own meaning, history, and pronunciation. Find one that carries the stories you want your child to grow up with.
Greek names carry the weight of antiquity and the warmth of the Mediterranean. Many are mythological; many are saintly. Greek has given English more given names than any language except Hebrew.
A short history
Greek naming spans 3,000 years. The mythological names (Helena, Penelope, Theseus, Alexander) come from Homeric and classical sources. The saintly names (Georgios, Nikolaos, Katerina) come from Byzantine Christianity. The philosophical names (Sophia, Eugenia, Theophilus) draw on classical Greek virtue vocabulary.
Naming traditions
Greek families traditionally named the first grandchild on each side after the respective grandparent, producing dense family naming recurrence. Many Greek saints have specific name-days, which are celebrated rather than (or alongside) birthdays in Greek Orthodox tradition.
Sound and style
Greek names are vocalic and balanced, usually three or four syllables with stress on the penultimate. Alexander, Theodora, Elena, Nikolaos, and Sofia all demonstrate the characteristic rhythm.
Nikitas
“Victor”
Nikitas derives from the ancient Greek word niketes, meaning victor or conqueror, which in turn comes from nike, meaning victory. The name shares its root with the familiar Nike and with names such as Nicholas and Nikephoros. It was borne by several saints and military commanders in the Byzantine world, carrying an association with triumph, courage, and strength of character.
Nikki
“A vivid”
Nikki is a modern English-language short form of names rooted in the Greek 'nike' (νίκη), meaning victory. It developed primarily as a diminutive of Nicole and Nicola in Western Europe, both of which descend from the Greek compound name Nikolaos. Nikki has flourished as a standalone given name since the mid-twentieth century, admired for its bright energy, easy pronunciation, and international appeal.
Nikolaos
“Victory of the people”
Nikolaos is formed from the Greek words 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people), producing a name that celebrates triumph on behalf of others. It speaks to communal success and the strength found in collective endeavour.
Nikolas
“victory of the people”
Nikolas is the Greek-spelling form of Nicholas, derived from the ancient compound Nikolaos (Νικόλαος), which joins 'nike' (νίκη), meaning victory, with 'laos' (λαός), meaning people or nation. Together the name proclaims a victory that belongs not to one individual but to an entire community, making it a name of collective strength and leadership. Its most celebrated bearer, Saint Nicholas of Myra, transformed it into one of the most globally recognized names in human history.
Nikoleta
“Victory of the people”
Nikoleta is a feminine form of Nikolaos, composed of the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). The name therefore means victory of the people, a stirring combination that has made it one of the most enduring names in the Greek Orthodox tradition. Nikoleta is the specifically Greek form, distinct from the French Nicole or Italian Nicoletta, and carries a warm, melodic quality that has kept it in consistent use across generations. It is a name that manages to feel both classical and approachable.
Nikos
“Victory of the people”
Nikos is a Greek name derived from 'Nikolaos', combining the elements 'nike', meaning 'victory', and 'laos', meaning 'people', to express the triumphant spirit of a people's champion.
Odysseas
“wrathful or one who causes pain”
Odysseas is the contemporary Greek rendering of the ancient name Odysseus (Ὀδυσσεύς), the legendary king of Ithaca and central hero of Homer's epic the Odyssey. The name's etymology is debated: the most widely accepted interpretation connects it to the Greek verb 'odyssomai,' meaning to be angry or to cause pain, suggesting a hero defined by suffering both inflicted and endured. The name is synonymous with intelligence, perseverance, and the long journey home.
Odysseus
“Wrathful, man of pain”
Odysseus is one of the most storied names in Western civilisation, borne by the legendary Greek hero of Homer's Odyssey. The name is traditionally interpreted as meaning "wrathful" or "man of suffering," derived from the Greek odyssomai, meaning "to be angry" or "to hate." This paradoxical meaning reflects the hero's fate: a brilliant man destined to endure great hardship. It is a name that speaks to resilience, cunning, and the human capacity to persevere through impossible trials.
Okeanos
“ocean or the great river surrounding the world”
Okeanos is the ancient Greek name of the Titan god who personified the world-encircling river that ancient Greeks believed surrounded the known earth. The name is the direct etymological ancestor of the English word 'ocean,' making Okeanos one of the very few names whose legacy persists in everyday modern vocabulary. It conveys boundlessness, primordial depth, and the mystery of the world's outermost reaches.
Olympia
“From Mount Olympus”
Olympia takes its name from Mount Olympus, the legendary home of the gods in Greek mythology. It evokes grandeur, divine beauty, and the highest aspirations of human achievement. The name was borne by Olympias of Epirus, the formidable mother of Alexander the Great, lending it associations with power and determination.
Olympias
“of Olympus or from Olympia”
Olympias is a classical Greek feminine name derived from 'Olympos' (Ὄλυμπος), the sacred mountain that ancient Greeks believed to be the home of the twelve principal gods. The name carries connotations of divine elevation, glory, and supreme authority. It is most famously associated with Olympias of Epirus, the formidable mother of Alexander the Great, whose life made the name synonymous with royal ambition, fierce maternal devotion, and political acumen.
Olympios
“Derived from Olympos”
Olympios literally means 'of Olympus' or 'belonging to Olympus,' referencing the mythical mountain home of the twelve Olympian gods in Greek tradition. The name carries connotations of divine favor, transcendent power, and connection to the highest spiritual realm. It was used in antiquity as both a divine epithet and a personal name for mortals believed to possess godlike qualities.
Orestes
“Mountain dweller”
Orestes derives from the ancient Greek oros, meaning mountain. The mountain dweller interpretation suggests someone rooted in the high places, wild and elevated above the ordinary world. The name is inseparable from its most famous bearer in mythology: the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, whose story of vengeance, guilt, and eventual redemption forms one of the central dramas of classical Greek literature.
Orestis
“Mountain dweller”
Orestis derives from the Greek word oros (ὄρος), meaning 'mountain,' combined with a suffix suggesting habitation or origin, thus meaning 'mountain dweller' or 'man of the mountains.' The name is most famously associated with Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra in Greek mythology, whose story of vengeance, guilt, and ultimate redemption was dramatized by Aeschylus in the Oresteia trilogy. In modern Greece, Orestis is the contemporary Greek form of the classical Orestes.
Orfeas
“Darkness of night”
Orfeas is the modern Greek form of Orpheus, one of the most enchanting figures in all of Greek mythology. The legendary musician, poet, and prophet could charm stones, trees, rivers, and wild beasts with the sound of his lyre. The etymology is debated, with some linking the name to a root meaning darkness of night and others suggesting connections to a word for the river bank. Whatever its origin, the name evokes art, beauty, and longing.
Orfeo
“Derived from the legendary Orpheus of Greek mythology”
Orfeo is the Italian and Spanish rendering of the ancient Greek Orpheus (Ὀρφεύς), one of the most celebrated figures in Greek mythology and the patron of music, poetry, and mystical religion. The etymology of Orpheus is debated: some scholars connect it to a root meaning 'darkness' or 'the night,' while others link it to a pre-Greek word for 'river bank.' Still others propose a connection to the Greek word orphnē (ὀρφνή), meaning 'darkness of night,' fitting the figure's associations with the underworld. As a Greek-origin name used in a Hellenistic and later Romance tradition, Orfeo carries with it the entire legacy of Orphic mythology and music.
Orion
“Rising in the sky, hunter”
Orion carries the meaning of 'rising in the sky' and 'hunter', drawn from the mighty celestial hunter of Greek mythology whose constellation remains one of the most recognisable in the night sky.
Ourania
“Heavenly”
Ourania derives from the ancient Greek word 'ouranos', meaning heaven or sky. In Greek mythology, Ourania was one of the nine Muses, specifically the Muse of astronomy and celestial sciences. Her name conjures images of starlit skies, the infinite cosmos, and the divine order of the universe. The name carries a sense of elevated beauty and intellectual depth, linking its bearer to the highest reaches of creation.
Pamphilos
“Composed of the Greek elements pan”
Pamphilos combines the Greek prefix pan (πᾶν), meaning 'all' or 'every,' with philos (φίλος), meaning 'friend,' 'dear,' or 'beloved,' to produce the meaning 'friend of all' or 'beloved by all.' This construction follows a common ancient Greek naming pattern that used pan- as an intensifier to suggest universality or totality. The name was borne by several notable figures in antiquity, including a celebrated painter and a grammarian, giving it associations with learning, artistry, and broad human connection.
Panagiota
“All holy”
Panagiota is the feminine form of Panagiotis, a name meaning all holy. It is derived from the Greek 'panagia', a title of supreme veneration given to the Virgin Mary in the Greek Orthodox Church, composed of 'pan' (all) and 'agia' (holy). The name is a direct expression of Marian devotion and is deeply woven into the fabric of Greek Orthodox religious life.
Panagiotis
“All holy; entirely sacred”
Panagiotis is a deeply significant Greek name meaning 'all holy' or 'entirely sacred'. It derives from the Greek word 'Panagia', a title of the Virgin Mary in the Orthodox Christian tradition. The name carries profound religious weight in Greek culture and is one of the most distinctive and culturally rooted names in the Greek naming tradition.
Panagis
“All-Holy”
Panagis is a Greek masculine name derived from Panagia (Παναγία), the most common Greek title for the Virgin Mary, meaning 'All-Holy' or 'Most Holy.' The name combines pan (πᾶν, all) with hagia (ἁγία, holy), a feminine form of hagios (ἅγιος). The title Panagia is used throughout Greek Orthodox Christianity as the primary honorific for the Virgin Mary, reflecting the Church's veneration of her as the most perfect and holy of all human beings. Naming a son Panagis was an act of Marian devotion and a prayer for divine protection.
Panayiota
“All-Holy”
Panayiota (Παναγιώτα) is the feminine form of the Greek name Panayiotis, itself derived from Panagia (Παναγία), the principal Greek Orthodox title for the Virgin Mary meaning 'All-Holy.' The name fuses pan (πᾶν, all) with hagia (ἁγία, holy) and is one of the most deeply Marian names in the Greek naming tradition. Giving a daughter this name was an act of religious dedication to the Virgin, placing the child under her protection and connecting her to one of the most sacred concepts in Greek Orthodox faith.
Panayiotis
“All-holy”
Panayiotis is a Greek masculine name derived from pan meaning all and agios meaning holy or saint. Together they form panagios, meaning all-holy, a title given to the Virgin Mary in the Greek Orthodox tradition, the Panagia. The name expresses profound religious devotion and is one of the most distinctly Greek of all personal names. As a variant Romanisation of Panagiotis, it reflects the phonetic range of Greek diaspora communities. Bearers of the name often shorten it to the warm informal forms Panos or Takis.
Panteleimon
“Combining the Greek elements for 'all'”
Panteleimon (Παντελεήμων) is a compound Greek name formed from pan (πᾶν, all) and eleemon (ἐλεήμων, merciful, compassionate), the latter derived from eleos (ἔλεος), meaning 'mercy,' 'pity,' or 'compassion.' The name thus means 'all-merciful' or 'completely compassionate,' an extraordinarily meaningful designation in both ancient Greek ethical philosophy and Christian theology. It is inseparably associated with Saint Panteleimon, the Great Martyr and physician-healer venerated across the entire Orthodox Christian world as a patron of doctors and the sick.
Pantelis
“All-compassionate”
Pantelis derives from the Greek elements 'pan' (all) and 'eleos' (compassion or mercy), giving it the beautiful meaning of all-compassionate or merciful to all. It is the Greek vernacular form of Panteleimon, the name of a celebrated healer saint who is venerated throughout the Orthodox world. The name carries connotations of healing, generosity, and boundless care for others.
Paraskevi
“Preparation, Friday”
Paraskevi comes from the Greek word paraskevi, meaning preparation or Friday, as Friday was the day of preparation before the Sabbath in early Christian tradition. The name carries deep religious significance in Greece, where Saint Paraskevi is one of the most venerated female saints. The name is strongly associated with Greek Orthodox Christianity and the ritual calendar, giving it a sense of sacred dedication and spiritual readiness.
Paris
“Wallet, knapsack”
The name Paris carries a dual legacy: in Greek mythology, Paris was the Trojan prince whose abduction of Helen of Sparta ignited the legendary Trojan War, while in modern culture it is most associated with the French capital and carries a glamorous, cosmopolitan resonance. The original Greek meaning, linked to the word for a knapsack or wallet, is largely overshadowed by these cultural connotations. Used for both boys and girls, Paris has become a genuinely gender-neutral name with a confident, worldly character.
Parthenios
“Virgin, maiden”
Parthenios (Παρθένιος) derives from the ancient Greek word parthenos (παρθένος), meaning 'virgin,' 'maiden,' or 'unmarried young woman.' The same root gives us the Parthenon, the temple of Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin) on the Acropolis of Athens. As a masculine name, Parthenios carried connotations of purity and chastity, virtues highly valued in both ancient Greek ethics and early Christian asceticism. Several saints and bishops bore this name in the early Church, giving it strong religious resonance alongside its classical origins.
Pavlos
“Small, humble”
Pavlos is the Greek form of Paul, derived from the Latin paulus meaning small or humble. It carries the extraordinary legacy of Saint Paul the Apostle, one of the most transformative figures in the history of Christianity. The name combines classical Greek elegance with deep spiritual resonance.
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