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.
Aristotle
“Best purpose”
Aristotle is a monumental Greek name composed of the elements aristos (best) and telos (purpose or aim). It means 'the best purpose' or 'best end', suggesting a life directed toward the highest good. The name is forever associated with the great philosopher who laid the foundations of Western logic, science, and ethics, making it one of the most intellectually charged names in any language.
Arsenios
“virile”
Arsenios comes from the Greek adjective arsenios (ἀρσένιος) or arrhen (ἄρρην), meaning male, masculine, virile, or strong. In ancient Greek the word denoted not merely biological maleness but the cultural and physical qualities associated with masculine strength, courage, and vitality. The name gained significant Orthodox Christian resonance through Saint Arsenios the Great, the fourth-century monk whose life of prayer and austerity became a model for monastic spirituality.
Arsinoe
“woman who lifts her mind”
Arsinoe is one of the great names of the ancient Hellenistic world, meaning woman who lifts her mind or she who raises her thoughts, a definition that speaks to intellectual aspiration and elevated consciousness. Borne by queens of Ptolemaic Egypt who wielded formidable political and military power, the name carries an aura of regal intelligence and determined will. To choose Arsinoe is to invoke a lineage of brilliant, ambitious women who shaped the ancient Mediterranean world.
Artemis
“Safe, unharmed”
Artemis is the name of the Greek goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and the moon, and its meaning is thought to relate to safety and being unharmed. The name evokes independence, natural beauty, and fierce protectiveness. It is used for both boys and girls, making it a striking gender-neutral choice.
Asimina
“Silver”
Asimina is a traditional Greek feminine name derived from the Greek word asimi meaning silver. It evokes the cool, gleaming quality of precious metal and carries connotations of purity, value, and understated beauty. Silver in the ancient Greek world was associated with the moon and with Artemis, the moon goddess, giving the name an additional mythological resonance. The name is warm and musical despite its metallic meaning, with a distinctly Mediterranean rhythm.
Aspasia
“Welcome, embrace”
Aspasia derives from the ancient Greek 'aspasios', meaning welcome, greeted with joy, or one who is embraced warmly. The name carries connotations of warmth, hospitality, and being cherished. Its most famous bearer, Aspasia of Miletus, was one of the most intellectually formidable women of classical antiquity, celebrated for her philosophical discussions and her influence on Athenian political life as the companion of Pericles.
Asterope
“star-face or lightning star”
Asterope (Ἀστερόπη) is composed of aster (ἀστήρ, star) and ops (ὤψ, face, eye, aspect), yielding the meaning star-faced or the one whose face is like a star. It was borne by one of the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione who form the Pleiades star cluster, the faintest of the seven sisters and therefore sometimes called the lost Pleiad because she alone concealed her face in shame. It is a name of cosmic beauty and quiet mystery.
Atalante
“equal in weight or the unwavering one”
Atalante (Ἀταλάντη) is most commonly interpreted as deriving from atalantos (ἀτάλαντος), meaning equal in weight, balanced, or equivalent, a word used in Homer to describe warriors who are matched or equivalent to the gods in prowess. Some scholars alternatively derive it from a root meaning not swaying or steadfast, which also suits the fierce, unwavering nature of the mythological heroine who refused marriage, defeated heroes in foot races, and participated in the Calydonian boar hunt.
Athanasia
“immortality or the undying one”
Athanasia (Ἀθανασία) is the feminine form of Athanasios, derived from athanatos (ἀθάνατος), which combines the alpha privative a- (without, not) and thanatos (θάνατος, death). The name therefore means without death or the undying one. It carries deep resonance in both ancient Greek philosophy, where the immortality of the soul was debated by Plato and the Stoics, and in Orthodox Christianity, where immortality is the promise made by the resurrection.
Athanasios
“Immortal”
Athanasios derives from the Greek word athanatos, meaning 'immortal' or 'deathless'. It is one of the most powerful names in the Greek tradition, carrying a meaning that speaks to eternal life and enduring legacy. The name is closely associated with Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, a towering figure in early Christian theology.
Athena
“Goddess of wisdom and courage”
Athena takes its meaning directly from the Greek goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and the arts. The name embodies intelligence, courage, and creative mastery, qualities the ancient Greeks held in the highest regard.
Athenagoras
“Speaker of Athens”
Athenagoras is an ancient Greek name composed of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the patron deity of Athens, and agora, the Greek word for a public gathering place or marketplace. The combined meaning is one who speaks in the assembly of Athens or speaker in the manner of Athena, conveying intelligence, eloquence, and civic virtue.
Athina
“Athina is the modern Greek form of Athena”
Athina (Αθηνά) is the living Greek pronunciation of the ancient name Athena, which scholars believe is of pre-Greek, possibly Minoan or Pelasgian origin, as it does not have a clear Indo-European etymology. As the goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, crafts, and the arts, Athena was the patron deity of Athens, and her name and the city's are inextricably linked. The name evokes brilliance, strategic intelligence, and the capacity to create.
Basileios
“kingly or royal”
Basileios (Βασίλειος) derives from basileus (βασιλεύς), the standard Greek word for king or monarch, which has an uncertain pre-Greek etymology and was used from the Mycenaean period onward to designate the highest ruler. The name carries the full weight of royal authority in the Greek tradition and gained additional prestige through Saint Basil the Great, one of the Three Holy Hierarchs of Orthodox Christianity and a defining figure of the Church.
Basiliki
“queenly”
Basiliki (Βασιλική) is the feminine form of Basileios, derived from basileus (king) with the feminine adjectival ending -iki meaning royal or queenly. It also directly means basilica, the royal hall or colonnaded building that became the standard form of early Christian churches, adding an architectural and sacred dimension to its royal meaning. Basiliki is a name of noble elegance and dignified grace.
Bereniki
“she who brings victory or bearer of victory”
Bereniki (Βερενίκη) is the Macedonian Greek form of Pherenike (victory-bringer), composed of pherein (to bear, carry) and nike (victory). The standard Attic Greek form is Pherenike, but the Macedonian and Egyptian court dialect produced Bereniki or Berenice, which became the form associated with the powerful queens of the Ptolemaic dynasty who ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great. The name combines the ideas of strength, courage, and triumphant outcome.
Calliope
“Beautiful voice”
From the Greek Kalliope, composed of kallos (beauty) and ops (voice). Calliope was the chief of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, presiding over eloquence and epic poetry.
Callirhoe
“she of the beautiful flow or fair stream”
Callirhoe (Καλλιρρόη) joins kallos (κάλλος, beauty) and rhoe (ῥοή, flow, current, stream), creating the meaning beautiful flowing one or she of the fair stream. Several mythological figures bore this name, connecting it to the sacred waters and river gods of the Greek world. The name evokes graceful movement, natural abundance, and the life-giving beauty of flowing water. It belongs to the cluster of kalli- names, Calliope, Callirhoe, Callisto, that celebrate beauty in its many forms.
Callista
“Most beautiful”
Callista derives from the Greek 'kallistos', the superlative form of 'kalos' meaning beautiful, so the name literally means the most beautiful or supremely beautiful. In Greek mythology, Callisto was a nymph or princess beloved by Zeus, whose story intertwined with the stars and gave her a constellation, Ursa Major. The name carries both classical elegance and a mythological depth that sets it apart from simpler beauty-themed names.
Calypso
“She who conceals”
From the Greek verb 'kalyptein', meaning to conceal or to cover. In Homer's Odyssey, Calypso was a sea nymph who detained Odysseus on her island of Ogygia for seven years, offering him immortality in exchange for staying. The name carries a sense of mystery, enchantment, and hidden depths.
Cassandra
“Shining upon men”
Cassandra is believed to derive from the Greek elements 'kekasmai', meaning 'to shine or excel', and 'aner', meaning 'man', together suggesting one who shines brightly among people.
Cassiopeia
“She whose words excel”
Cassiopeia is a name from Greek mythology meaning 'she whose words excel', though its precise etymological origins remain debated among scholars. In myth, Cassiopeia was a queen of ancient Aethiopia whose boastful beauty caused her to be placed among the stars as a constellation. The name carries the dual resonance of mythological drama and astronomical wonder, evoking both the queen's pride and the eternal pattern of stars that bears her name.
Chara
“joy”
Chara (Χαρά) is the modern Greek word for joy, gladness, or delight, directly used as a personal name. It is closely related to charis (χάρις, grace, gratitude, favour), the Greek concept that underlies the English words charity, charisma, and Eucharist, and to the Charites (Χάριτες, Graces), the three goddesses of beauty, charm, and joy. As a name, Chara is a wish for a life filled with happiness and the generous spirit that creates joy in others.
Charalambos
“Shining with joy”
Charalambos is a traditional Greek name combining the elements chara, meaning joy or delight, and lampo, meaning to shine or to radiate light. The name therefore conveys the image of one who shines with joy, radiating happiness and brilliance to those around him. Saint Charalambos was a Christian martyr venerated throughout the Greek Orthodox Church, and his feast day on 10 February is widely celebrated in Greece. The name is quintessentially Greek and rarely found outside Greek communities, but within Greece and among the Greek diaspora it remains an important name with deep religious and cultural roots. Its nicknames Babis and Haris make it far more manageable in daily use.
Charalampos
“joy”
Charalampos combines the Greek elements 'chara' (joy) and 'lampo' (to shine or gleam), producing a name that literally means 'shining with joy.' It evokes the image of a person whose happiness is so profound it illuminates those nearby. The name carries a deeply positive spiritual connotation in Greek Orthodox tradition.
Chariklia
“glory of grace or graceful fame”
Chariklia is composed of the Greek elements 'charis' (grace, charm, beauty) and 'kleos' (glory, fame, renown). The name thus evokes a woman of graceful glory, one whose charm and beauty bring her renown. It belongs to a classical tradition of Greek names that celebrate feminine elegance paired with lasting distinction.
Christina
“Follower of Christ”
Christina is derived from the Greek Christos, meaning 'anointed one', itself a translation of the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah). The name designates a follower or devotee of Christ and has been in use since the early centuries of Christianity. It is one of the most enduringly popular Christian names across European cultures, found in Scandinavian, Germanic, Latin, and Greek traditions. In Greece, the name is pronounced with an aspirated initial consonant, giving it a distinctive local quality.
Christodoulos
“Servant of Christ”
Christodoulos is a compound Greek name formed from 'Christos' meaning Christ and 'doulos' meaning servant or slave. The name therefore translates as 'servant of Christ', expressing deep Christian devotion. It is a name of considerable spiritual weight, rooted in the tradition of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox Christian naming. Saint Christodoulos of Patmos, an 11th-century monk, founded the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian on the island of Patmos and is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Christoforos
“bearer of Christ”
Christoforos is composed of 'Christos' (Christ, the anointed one) and 'phoros' (bearer, carrier), literally meaning 'one who bears Christ.' The name expresses the Christian ideal of carrying Christ's message and spirit into the world through one's conduct. It is the Greek original form from which the widely used Christopher derives.
Christos
“Anointed one; the chosen”
Christos is a Greek name meaning "the anointed one," derived from the verb chriein (to anoint). Originally a title rather than a personal name, it carries profound spiritual significance in the Christian tradition and has been used as a given name in Greek-speaking communities for centuries.
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