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.
Toula
“all holy or holy one”
Toula is the affectionate Greek diminutive of Panagiota, itself derived from 'Panagia' (Παναγία), the Greek title for the Virgin Mary meaning 'All Holy'. As a standalone given name, Toula carries the warmth and familiarity of the Greek diminutive tradition while retaining its Marian spiritual connection. The name became internationally known through the 2002 film 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', where the protagonist Toula Portokalos brought the name to global audiences.
Triantafyllos
“rose”
Triantafyllos is a poetic Greek name derived from 'trianta' (τριάντα, thirty) and 'fyllo' (φύλλο, leaf or petal), literally meaning 'thirty-petaled' as a poetic description of the rose (triandafyllo is the standard Greek word for rose). The name celebrates the beauty and abundance of the rose, Greece's most beloved flower, and is given in admiration of natural beauty and delicacy. It has a distinctly lyrical quality in the Greek language.
Tryphon
“delicate”
Tryphon derives from the Greek 'tryphē' (τρυφή), meaning softness, delicacy, or luxurious living, yielding the name meaning 'delicate one' or 'one who lives softly'. Despite its gentle meaning, the name was borne by Saint Tryphon, a 3rd-century Christian martyr from Phrygia who is venerated with great devotion in Serbia, Bulgaria, Russia, and Greece. The contrast between the name's gentle meaning and the saint's courageous martyrdom adds an interesting dimension to the name's history.
Tychon
“Tychon derives from the Greek word 'tyche”
Tychon is an ancient Greek masculine name rooted in the concept of tyche, the divine personification of fortune, chance, and luck in Hellenic religion. The name carries connotations of favorable destiny and prosperity, suggesting a child blessed by the forces of good fortune. In antiquity it was used both as a personal name and as an epithet for minor tutelary spirits believed to govern the luck of households and communities.
Vangelis
“Good news bearer”
Vangelis is a familiar and affectionate diminutive of Evangelos, itself derived from the ancient Greek words eu (good) and angelos (messenger or angel). Together they form the meaning 'bearer of good news', which is also the etymological root of the word 'evangelical' and 'evangelist'. The name carries a joyful, optimistic energy that has made it a warm favourite in Greece. It is internationally best known through the Oscar-winning composer who adopted it as his single-name moniker.
Varvara
“Varvara is the Greek and Slavic”
Varvara carries the ancient Greek root barbaros (βάρβαρος), an onomatopoeic word imitating unintelligible foreign speech, literally 'one who says bar-bar.' Over centuries the name transformed from a descriptor of foreignness into a symbol of Christian martyrdom and steadfast faith through the veneration of Saint Barbara. In Greek-speaking communities Varvara preserves the original Hellenic pronunciation of a name that spread across the entire Christian world.
Vasi
“Vasi is a Greek short form”
Vasi functions as the informal, diminutive form of the royal Greek name family stemming from basileus (βασιλεύς), the ancient Greek word for king or sovereign. As a gender-neutral short form it collapses the distinction between the masculine Vasilis and the feminine Vasiliki, making it a warm, familiar name used within families and close communities. Its brevity and open vowel ending give it a soft, approachable quality that the longer forms do not always carry.
Vasileia
“Vasileia is a Greek feminine name”
Vasileia (Βασιλεία) is the ancient and formal Greek feminine form of the royal name rooted in basileus, meaning king. As a standalone noun, vasileia also means kingdom or reign in classical Greek, lending the name an additional regal dimension beyond simple queenship. It is one of the most overtly majestic names in the Greek feminine naming tradition, used in both antiquity and in the Orthodox Christian onomasticon.
Vasileios
“Royal, kingly; one who rules”
Vasileios derives from the ancient Greek word 'basileus,' meaning king or ruler. It carries a sense of noble authority and sovereign power, reflecting the high regard Greek culture placed on leadership and honour. The name has been borne by saints, emperors, and scholars throughout history.
Vasiliki
“Royal, queenly”
Vasiliki is the feminine form of Vasileios, derived from the Greek word 'basileus' meaning 'king'. It carries the sense of being royal or queenly, suggesting nobility, dignity, and grace. It is one of the most enduringly popular traditional female names in Greece.
Vasilis
“Royal, kingly”
Vasilis is the everyday spoken form of Vasileios, derived from the Greek word basileus, meaning king. It is one of the most enduringly popular male names in Greece, carrying both regal associations and strong religious significance through Saint Basil the Great. The name has a warmth and familiarity in Greek culture that balances its grand meaning, much as the English name William feels at once prestigious and approachable.
Vasilissa
“Vasilissa is a Greek feminine name”
Vasilissa (Βασίλισσα) is the Greek word for queen or empress, used as both a title and a personal name throughout the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox world. The name carries an imperial weight that surpasses even Vasileia, as basilissa was the specific court title of the empress of Byzantium, the most exalted woman in the medieval Greek world. It is also famous across Slavic cultures as the heroine of the fairy tale Vasilissa the Beautiful, illustrating how deeply this Greek name penetrated non-Greek traditions.
Vassiliki
“Vassiliki is a Greek feminine name”
Vassiliki (Βασιλική) is the most widely used feminine form of the basileus royal name family in modern Greece. While etymologically a diminutive or adjectival form meaning queenly or of the palace, it has long functioned as a full given name in its own right. Its double-sigma spelling (Vassiliki) reflects an older or more formal Greek orthography, distinguishing it from the single-sigma variant Vasiliki used in modern standardized Greek.
Vassilis
“Vassilis is a Greek masculine name”
Vassilis (Βασίλης) is the modern Greek masculine form of the ancient name rooted in basileus (βασιλεύς), king or sovereign. It is the form of the name most commonly encountered in everyday modern Greek life, distinguished from the more formal Vasileios (the liturgical form) and the classical Basilios. The double-sigma spelling reflects an older orthographic convention, while the single-sigma Vasilis is the current standard, but both represent the same beloved name.
Vlasios
“one who stutters or lisps”
Vlasios (Βλάσιος) is the Greek adaptation of the Latin Blasius, whose root is debated, some scholars connect it to the Latin blaesus, meaning one who speaks with a lisp or stutter, while others link it to a pre-Latin Oscan or Greek origin. Whatever its exact etymology, the name became indelibly associated in the Christian world with Saint Blaise of Sebaste, bishop and martyr, whose miraculous healing of a boy choking on a fish bone made him the patron saint of throat ailments and a beloved figure in both Eastern and Western Christianity.
Voula
“Voula is a Greek feminine name”
Voula (Βούλα) is primarily a diminutive in the Greek naming system, most often serving as the affectionate short form of Paraskevoula (itself a diminutive of Paraskevi, meaning Preparation or Eve) or of other feminine names ending in -oula. In modern Greek use it has long functioned as a complete given name rather than merely a nickname. Its warm, round vowel sounds give it an endearing, approachable quality deeply embedded in Greek vernacular culture.
Xanthippe
“yellow horse”
Xanthippe combines the ancient Greek words 'xanthos,' meaning yellow or golden, and 'hippos,' meaning horse, to produce a name that literally means yellow horse or golden horse. The name belongs to a category of ancient Greek compound names incorporating 'hippos,' which were especially associated with aristocratic families who owned and raced horses. Despite its beautiful literal meaning, the name is most commonly encountered through its most famous bearer, the wife of Socrates, whose reputation in later centuries became a byword for a sharp-tongued spouse.
Xanthippi
“Yellow horse”
Xanthippi is an ancient Greek name composed of 'xanthos', meaning yellow or fair, and 'hippos', meaning horse. The combination creates a vivid image drawn from the world of ancient Greece, where horses were symbols of nobility, speed, and status. The name is most famously associated with Xanthippe, the wife of the philosopher Socrates, and has been carried through history as a mark of classical heritage. It represents the enduring richness of Greek naming traditions.
Xenia
“Hospitality, stranger”
Xenia comes from the ancient Greek word xenos, meaning stranger or guest, and refers to the sacred concept of hospitality that was central to ancient Greek society. The principle of xenia was considered a divine law protected by Zeus himself, obligating hosts to welcome and care for strangers. The name thus carries a profound ethical dimension, linking its bearer to one of the oldest and most honoured human virtues.
Xenofontas
“foreign voice or stranger”
Xenofontas (Ξενοφώντας) is the modern Greek masculine form of the classical name Xenophon (Ξενοφῶν), composed of the Greek elements xenos (ξένος), meaning stranger or foreigner, and phone (φωνή), meaning voice or sound. The combined meaning, foreign voice or voice of the stranger, carried no negative connotation in antiquity, xenos was equally the word for a guest-friend, reflecting the Greek institution of xenia (sacred hospitality). The name therefore also holds the sense of one who speaks on behalf of guests or who has a voice that reaches across boundaries.
Xenophanes
“foreign or stranger”
Xenophanes combines the Greek word 'xenos' (stranger, foreigner, guest) with 'phainein' (to appear, to shine, to show). The name thus carries a philosophical resonance of revelation and enlightened inquiry coming from an outsider's perspective. It reflects the ancient Greek tradition of valuing the traveler and thinker who challenges conventional wisdom.
Xenophon
“Foreign voice”
Xenophon is derived from the Greek elements 'xenos', meaning foreign or stranger, and 'phone', meaning voice or sound. Together they produce the vivid compound meaning of 'foreign voice'. The name was famously borne by the Athenian soldier, historian, and student of Socrates, whose works including the Anabasis remain foundational texts of classical literature. It belongs to a family of Greek compound names that blend the concept of the outsider with communication, giving it a philosophical and worldly resonance.
Yanni
“A warm”
Yanni is the colloquial Greek form of Ioannis, which itself descends from the Hebrew Yohanan meaning 'God is gracious' or 'Yahweh is merciful.' The name traveled from Hebrew through Latin (Johannes) and Byzantine Greek before settling into the affectionate diminutive form Yanni used across the Greek-speaking world. It retains all the warmth and spiritual resonance of its full form while projecting an approachable, friendly character.
Yannis
“God is gracious”
Yannis is the warm, informal Greek form of Ioannis, itself the Greek rendering of the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning 'God is gracious'. It is one of the most widely heard names in everyday Greek life, carrying a friendly, approachable character. The name has roots in the New Testament through John the Baptist and John the Apostle, giving it deep religious resonance within the Greek Orthodox tradition.
Yiannis
“A widely used Greek spelling variant of John”
Yiannis is a phonetic transcription of the Modern Greek name Γιάννης, itself an informal form of Ioannis (Ιωάννης). The ultimate root is the Hebrew Yohanan, meaning 'Yahweh is gracious.' The name passed through centuries of Byzantine Greek religious tradition, cementing it as one of the most culturally significant masculine names in the Greek world. Yiannis carries both a personal warmth and a deep connection to Greek Orthodox Christianity.
Yorgos
“Earth worker, farmer”
Yorgos is a distinctly Greek colloquial form of Georgios, itself derived from the Greek words 'ge' (earth) and 'ergon' (work). The name therefore means one who works the earth, a farmer or cultivator. While Georgios and its international equivalents such as George and Giorgio are widespread, Yorgos is specifically Greek in character, carrying an informal warmth and a strong association with Greek culture and identity. The name has gained international recognition in recent years through celebrated Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos.
Zenon
“gift of Zeus or born of Zeus”
Zenon is the Spanish form of the Greek name Zeno, derived from the name of the chief Greek god Zeus and interpreted as gift of Zeus or life of Zeus. It carries intellectual and philosophical associations through the ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea, famous for his paradoxes, and Zeno of Citium, founder of Stoic philosophy. Zenon has a strong, classical feel with a slightly exotic edge in English-speaking countries.
Zenos
“of Zeus or belonging to Zeus”
Zenos is a Greek masculine name formed directly from 'Zen,' the Doric form of Zeus, with a simple possessive '-os' ending. It means 'of Zeus' or 'Zeus's own,' marking the bearer as one under divine protection or of divine lineage. The name is closely related to Zenon and Zeno, sharing the same ancient root, and carries the same philosophical legacy through the Stoic philosopher Zeno of Citium.
Zephyra
“West wind”
The feminine form of Zephyros, the Greek god of the west wind. The name evokes gentle breezes, the warmth of spring, and the airy freedom of open skies. In Greek mythology the west wind was the mildest and most welcome of the winds, bringing with it the first breath of spring after winter.
Zephyrios
“west wind or gentle breeze”
Zephyrios is an adjectival or extended form of Zephyros (Ζέφυρος), the ancient Greek god and personification of the west wind. The name derives from 'zephyros,' which meant the gentle warm wind from the west, associated with spring, renewal, and the arrival of good weather after winter. As a given name, Zephyrios evokes airiness, poetic grace, and mythological beauty.
Discover thousands of names in the app
Swipe through names, match with your partner, and find the perfect name together. Privacy-first, always.