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.
Chrysa
“Golden”
Chrysa derives from the ancient Greek word chrysos, meaning gold. It is a short, elegant form of the fuller name Chrysoula, used affectionately in Greece. The name carries connotations of warmth, preciousness, and radiant beauty, evoking the lustre of gold in both ancient mythology and everyday life.
Chrysanthe
“golden flower”
Chrysanthe is a radiant ancient Greek feminine name meaning 'golden flower,' combining 'chrysos,' meaning gold, with 'anthos,' meaning flower. The name evokes the chrysanthemum, one of the world's most beloved flowers, whose very name carries this Greek etymology. Chrysanthe suggests luminous natural beauty, warmth, and a kind of timeless splendor, a name suited to a child who is expected to bloom brilliantly and bring light wherever she goes.
Chrysanthi
“Golden flower”
Chrysanthi is a radiant Greek name composed of the elements chrysos, meaning gold, and anthos, meaning flower. It shares its etymological roots with the chrysanthemum, one of the most celebrated flowers in world horticulture. The name evokes images of golden blossoms and carries a sense of natural beauty and warmth.
Chrysanthos
“golden flower”
Chrysanthos derives from 'chrysos' (gold) and 'anthos' (flower), literally translating as 'golden flower.' The name is the masculine form that gave rise to the word chrysanthemum, the beloved autumn flower known for its golden blooms. It conveys warmth, natural beauty, and the radiance associated with gold in Greek culture.
Chryseis
“Golden”
Chryseis comes from the ancient Greek 'chrysos', meaning gold. In Homer's Iliad, Chryseis was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo, who was taken as a war prize by Agamemnon. Her return, demanded by her father with the backing of Apollo, set in motion the central conflict of the epic. The name carries the beauty and tragedy of classical mythology, and its golden meaning gives it a luminous quality.
Chrysi
“golden one or golden girl”
Chrysi comes directly from 'chrysos' (χρυσός), the ancient Greek word for gold. As a given name it functions as an endearment meaning 'golden girl' or 'little golden one,' suggesting both physical beauty and inner worth. Gold was the supreme symbol of value, divinity, and imperishable beauty in ancient Greek culture, making this a highly complimentary name.
Chrysogonus
“born of gold or golden offspring”
Chrysogonus is formed from 'chrysos' (gold) and 'gonos' (offspring, birth, seed), creating the meaning 'born of gold' or 'golden offspring.' The name implies that its bearer is of supreme worth, like gold among metals. It was used in early Christian contexts and survived as a saintly name through the medieval period.
Chrysostomos
“golden mouth”
Chrysostomos combines 'chrysos' (gold) and 'stoma' (mouth), literally meaning 'golden mouth.' The name became famous through Saint John Chrysostom, the Archbishop of Constantinople renowned as the greatest preacher of the early Church. The name expresses the idea that words can be as precious as gold when spoken with wisdom and grace.
Chrysothemis
“golden order or golden law”
Chrysothemis combines 'chrysos' (gold) and 'themis' (law, divine order, justice), creating the meaning 'golden law' or 'divine golden order.' In Greek tragedy, Chrysothemis was the cautious middle daughter of Agamemnon, contrasted with the passionate Electra. The name thus carries both mythological weight and the philosophical gravitas of Themis, the goddess of divine law.
Chrysoula
“Golden”
Chrysoula is a traditional Greek feminine name derived from 'chrysos', the ancient Greek word for gold. The name suggests preciousness, warmth, and radiance, much like the metal it evokes. It is a deeply rooted name in Greek culture, particularly popular among older generations, and carries the kind of warmth and familiarity that comes with a name tied to family and community traditions. Its diminutive Soula is the form most used in everyday affectionate address.
Chrysovalantis
“golden acorn or golden crown”
Chrysovalantis derives from 'chrysos' (gold) and 'valanos' (acorn or the valonia oak's fruit, used for dyeing and tanning), creating a compound that signifies golden value and natural abundance. The name is inseparably linked to Saint Chrysovalantis, a ninth-century Byzantine abbess venerated for her extreme asceticism and miraculous gifts.
Chrysovalanto
“golden acorn”
Chrysovalanto is the feminine form of Chrysovalantis, deriving from 'chrysos' (gold) and 'valanos' (acorn or the fruit of the valonia oak). The name combines the supreme value of gold with the natural abundance and resilience of the oak fruit, creating a name of distinctive character. It is closely tied to Byzantine female monasticism through its saintly bearer.
Chryssanthi
“golden flower”
Chryssanthi is the feminine form of Chrysanthos, combining 'chrysos' (gold) and 'anthi' (flower, blossom), meaning 'golden flower.' It is directly related to the word chrysanthemum and carries the same warm, botanical imagery. The name is associated with Saints Chrysanthos and Daria, venerated together as married martyrs of the early Church.
Circe
“Bird”
Circe derives from the Greek word for bird or hawk, though the name became synonymous with enchantment and feminine power through myth. In Homer's Odyssey, Circe was a sorceress who transformed Odysseus's men into swine on her island of Aeaea, only to later become Odysseus's ally and guide. The name carries an air of mystery, intelligence, and transformative magic.
Cleanthes
“Glorious flower”
Cleanthes is an ancient Greek name composed of kleos meaning glory, fame, or renown, and anthos meaning flower. The name therefore means glorious flower or flower of renown. It was borne by the Stoic philosopher Cleanthes of Assos, who succeeded Zeno as head of the Stoic school in Athens, giving the name a distinguished intellectual and philosophical heritage.
Cleomenes
“renowned glory or glorious strength”
Cleomenes combines 'kleos' (glory, fame, renown) with 'menos' (strength, force, spirit, or resolve), creating a name meaning 'glorious strength' or 'one of renowned resolve.' The name was borne by multiple Spartan kings, giving it associations with martial valor, political leadership, and the austere Spartan character.
Cleopatra
“Glory of the father”
Cleopatra is composed of two ancient Greek elements: 'kleos', meaning glory or fame, and 'pater', meaning father. The name thus means glory of the father or she who brings fame to her father. It was a Macedonian Greek name used by royal women for centuries before it became forever associated with the last pharaoh of Egypt. The name carries an extraordinary weight of history, ambition, intellect, and power, making it one of the most charged names in human civilisation.
Daedalus
“cunning craftsman or skillfully wrought”
Daedalus derives from the Greek 'daidalos,' meaning cunningly or skillfully made, artfully wrought, or displaying inventive craftsmanship. The name is inseparably linked to the greatest inventor of Greek mythology, who created the Labyrinth for King Minos, crafted the wooden cow for Pasiphae, and invented wings that allowed him and his son Icarus to fly.
Dafni
“laurel tree”
Dafni is the modern Greek form of Daphne, directly meaning 'laurel' or 'bay laurel tree.' In Greek mythology, Daphne was a naiad nymph who, fleeing Apollo's pursuit, was transformed into a laurel tree. Apollo subsequently adopted the laurel as his sacred tree, and it became the symbol of poetic achievement, victory, and artistic excellence.
Damianos
“to tame or one who subdues”
Damianos derives from the Greek verb 'damazein' (to tame, to subdue, to master), suggesting one who brings order and calm to situations of conflict or wildness. The name implies inner strength expressed through mastery rather than force. It is forever linked to Saint Damian, one half of the twin physician martyrs Cosmas and Damian who healed the sick without payment.
Damon
“To tame, subdue”
Damon is an ancient Greek name derived from the verb 'daman', meaning to tame or subdue. The name is celebrated above all through the legendary story of Damon and Pythias, one of antiquity's greatest tales of loyalty and friendship. When Pythias was condemned to death, Damon offered himself as a hostage while his friend settled his affairs, trusting completely that Pythias would return. The story so moved the tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse that he pardoned them both.
Danae
“Parched, dry”
Danae is a name from ancient Greek mythology, believed to derive from a root meaning parched or dry, though its exact etymology remains debated. In myth, Danae was a princess of Argos, daughter of King Acrisius, and the mother of the hero Perseus by Zeus, who came to her as a shower of golden rain. The name carries an air of classical elegance and mythological grandeur, remaining in use in Greece and increasingly appreciated abroad.
Demetra
“earth mother or mother of grain”
Demetra is the modern Greek form of Demeter (Δήμητρα), the Olympian goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest. The name is widely interpreted as combining 'de' (earth or a variant of 'ge,' earth) and 'meter' (mother), meaning 'earth mother.' As the goddess who controls the fertility of the earth, Demeter/Demetra is one of the most ancient and powerful names in Greek religious tradition.
Demetria
“of Demeter”
Demetria carries the ancient power of Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest, fertility, and the cycles of the earth. It speaks to abundance, nurturing, and the deep bond between mother and child that Demeter embodied. Parents drawn to Demetria often seek a name with classical gravitas and a connection to the natural world's enduring rhythms.
Demetrios
“Devoted to Demeter”
Demetrios is a Greek name meaning 'devoted to Demeter', the goddess of harvest, grain, and the fertility of the earth. It is the original Greek form from which the more widely known Demetrius derives. The name connects its bearer to one of the most important deities of the ancient Greek world, carrying associations of abundance and the natural cycle of life.
Demetris
“devoted to Demeter”
Demetris is a colloquial and affectionate form of Dimitris, the modern Greek form of Demetrios, meaning 'of Demeter' or 'devoted to the earth goddess Demeter.' The name carries the full weight of the harvest goddess's mythology, abundance, cycles of life and death, the sacred bond between humans and the earth. It is one of the most common male names in Greece.
Demosthenes
“strength of the people”
Demosthenes combines 'demos' (the people, the citizen body of a democracy) and 'sthenos' (strength, might, power), creating the meaning 'strength of the people' or 'the people's power.' The name perfectly captures democratic ideals of collective strength and civic participation. It is forever associated with the fourth-century BCE Athenian statesman who became the greatest orator of antiquity.
Despina
“Lady, mistress”
Despina comes from the Greek despoina, meaning lady or mistress, a title of great respect in the ancient world. In Greek mythology, Despoina was a daughter of Poseidon and Demeter, worshipped in mystery cults of the Peloponnese. The name carries a sense of nobility, grace, and quiet authority.
Despoineta
“little lady or little mistress”
Despoineta is a diminutive of Despoina (Δέσποινα), itself from 'despotes' meaning master or lord, with the feminine form Despoina meaning mistress, lady, or queen. The diminutive suffix '-eta' creates an affectionate, endearing form meaning 'little lady' or 'dear mistress.' The name was used in Byzantine aristocratic culture and among Greek Orthodox families honoring the Virgin Mary, who is called Despoina.
Diamantis
“Diamond”
Diamantis comes from the Greek word 'diamanti', meaning diamond, the hardest and most precious of gemstones. As a name, it conveys indestructibility, brilliance, and exceptional value, suggesting a person of outstanding character and resilience. The name is used primarily in Greece and Cyprus, where gem-related names have a tradition of celebrating a child's preciousness.
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