Ancient Greek Names — Origins, Meanings & History

Photina Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Photina is a Latinized form of the Greek name Photine, which is derived from the Greek element phos meaning "light" (genitive photos). In Christian tradition, Saint Photine (also known as the Samaritan woman at the well)...

Photine Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Photine is a feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek word φῶς (phos), genitive φωτός (photos), meaning “light.” The name is a feminine form of Photios and is closely related to the variant Pho...

Photios Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Photios is an Ancient Greek masculine name derived from phos, meaning "light". The name is linked to the Greek word φῶς (phos), with the genitive form φωτός (photos), signifying radiance or enlightenment. Etymology and O...

Plato Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Plato is the anglicized form of the Greek name Platon (Πλάτων), which is derived from the Greek word platys (πλατύς), meaning "broad-shouldered." This name was traditionally given to someone with a broad or robust physiq...

Platon Masculine Greek Russian +2 Greek Russian Ukrainian Ancient Greek

EtymologyPlaton is a masculine given name that represents the Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, and Ancient Greek form of Plato. The name ultimately derives from the Greek πλατύς (platys), meaning "broad-shouldered." The ancien...

Ploutarchos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Ploutarchos is the original Greek form of Plutarch, derived from the elements πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning “riches, wealth” and ἀρχός (archos) meaning “master” or “ruler.” Thus, the name as a whole signifies “wealthy ruler”...

Polycarp Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Polycarp is an ancient Greek name, derived from Πολύκαρπος (Polykarpos), meaning "fruitful, rich in fruit". It is composed of the elements polys meaning "much" and karpos meaning "fruit". The name thus signifies abundanc...

Polycrates Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Polycrates is an ancient Greek name borne most famously by a 6th-century BC ruler of the island of Samos, whose life was chronicled by the historian Herodotus. Derived from the Greek elements polys meaning "much" and kra...

Polydoros Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Polydoros is the Greek form of the Latinized name Polydorus, derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift": hence, "many gifts."EtymologyThe name Polydoros (Ancient Greek:...

Polydorus Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Etymology and Meaning Polydorus is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek name Πολύδωρος (Polydoros), meaning "many gifts". It is derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" or "many", and δῶρον (doron)...

Polykarpos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Polykarpos is the Ancient Greek form of the name Polycarp. The name derives from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and καρπός (karpos) meaning "fruit", combined to signify "fruitful" or "rich in fruit". Pol...

Polykrates Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Polykrates is the Greek form of Polycrates. The name is derived from the Greek elements πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power", thus the overall meaning is "much power".Historical SignificancePo...

Polynike Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Polynike is a feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin, borne in Greek mythology by a daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta (or Euryganeia). The name is composed of the elements polys meaning "much" and nike meaning "victor...

Porphyrios Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Porphyrios is the ancient Greek form of Porfirio, derived from the Greek name Πορφύριος (Porphyrios), which in turn comes from the word πορφύρα (porphyra), meaning "purple dye." The name thus references the precious purp...

Porphyrius Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Porphyrius is the Latinized form of the Greek name Porphyrios (see Porfirio), derived from πορφύρα (porphyra), the ancient Greek word for "purple dye." In classical antiquity, purple dye was society's most prized coloran...

Poseidonios Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Poseidonios is an Ancient Greek masculine given name derived from the name of the god Poseidon. The name literally means "of Poseidon" or "belonging to Poseidon." The most famous historical bearer is the Greek philosophe...

Posidonius Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Posidonius is a Latinized form of the Poseidonios name, ultimately derived from the Greek god Poseidon, meaning "of Poseidon." The name was borne by a prominent 1st-century BC Stoic philosopher, Posidonius of Apameia (c....

Praxiteles Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Praxiteles is a historic Ancient Greek masculine given name, renowned through the fame of its most notable bearer, the celebrated 4th-century BC sculptor from Athens. The name is derived from the Greek elements πρᾶξις (p...

Ptolemaeus Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Ptolemaeus is the Latinized form of the ancient Greek name Ptolemaios (see Ptolemy). Derived from the Greek word πολεμήϊος (polemeios), meaning 'aggressive, warlike', the name carries connotations of battle and strength....

Ptolemaios Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Ptolemaios is the Ancient Greek form of the name Ptolemy. Deriving from the Greek word πτόλεμος (ptolemos), a poetic variant of πόλεμος (polemos) meaning 'war', the name Ptolemaios conveys the sense of 'warlike' or 'aggr...

Ptolemais Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologyPtolemais is the feminine form of the Greek name Ptolemaios (Latinized as Ptolemaeus, better known as Ptolemy). The root Ptolemaios derives from the Greek adjective πολεμήϊος (polemeios), meaning "aggressive, wa...

Pyrrhos Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Pyrrhos is the Greek form of Pyrrhus. The name derives from the Greek word πυρρός (pyrrhos), meaning "red" or "flame-coloured", which is itself related to πῦρ (pyr, "fire"). It originally served as an epithet borne by Ne...

Pyrrhus Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Pyrrhus is a masculine given name of ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek name Πύρρος (Pyrrhos), meaning "flame-coloured, red" or "fiery," from the element πῦρ (pyr) meaning "fire." The name is closely linked to...

Pythagoras Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Pythagoras is a masculine name of Ancient Greek origin, primarily known as the name of a pre-Socratic philosopher and mathematician from Samos (c. 570 – c. 495 BC). The name is compound: the first element is derived from...

Rhode Feminine Greek Bible Latin Bible +1 Greek Bible Latin Bible Ancient Greek

Rhode is the Greek form of Rhoda.Rhoda itself comes from the ancient Greek word ῥόδον (rhodon), meaning "rose." In the New Testament, Rhoda is the name of a servant girl (a maid) in the house of Mary, the mother of John...

Rhodopis Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Rhodopis is an Ancient Greek feminine name meaning "rose-faced," derived from ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye." This name is most famously associated with an ancient Greek tale of a slave gi...

Rhoxane Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Rhoxane is the Ancient Greek form of Roxana. It derives from the Greek transliteration Ῥωξάνη (Rhōxánē), which itself comes from an Old Persian or Bactrian name ultimately rooted in the Old Iranian word *rauxšnā, meaning...

Roxana Feminine English Romanian +2 English Romanian Spanish Ancient Greek

Roxana is a feminine first name with roots in ancient Persia, used in English, Romanian, Spanish, and Ancient Greek cultures. Its meaning derives from a long line of linguistic evolution: the name comes from the Latin Ro...

Sappho Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sappho is a feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin. It is possibly derived from the Greek word σάπφειρος (sappheiros), meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli". The name is most famously borne by Sappho (circa 630–570 B...

Seleucus Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Seleucus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Σέλευκος (Seleukos), whose meaning is uncertain. It may be related to the Greek word λευκός (leukos), meaning 'bright' or 'white', but this connection is speculative. The...

Seleukos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Seleukos is the Greek form of the Latinized name Seleucus. The name is derived from the Greek Σέλευκος (Seleukos), whose meaning is uncertain. It may be related to the Greek word λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright" or "whit...

Serapion Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Serapion is an Ancient Greek personal name derived from the Greco-Egyptian god Serapis, whose name itself combines elements from Asar (the Egyptian form of Osiris) and Apis, the sacred bull cult. Serapion therefore carri...

Simon 2 Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Simon 2 is a name of Greek origin, derived from the Greek word σιμός (simos), meaning "flat-nosed." Unlike the more common given name Simon, which is of Hebrew origin (from Shim'on, meaning "he has heard"), this Greek na...

Simonides Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Simonides is an Ancient Greek male name derived from the Greek σιμός (simos) meaning "flat-nosed" combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides), thus signifying "son of the flat-nosed one." This name is most famously a...

Smaragdos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologySmaragdos (Ancient Greek: Σμαράγδος) is a masculine name of Greek origin meaning "emerald." The word derives from the Semitic root (likely Hebrew bāreqeth or related) and entered Greek as smaragdos, from which t...

Socrates Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Socrates (Ancient Greek: Σωκράτης (Sōkrátēs)) is a masculine given name of Ancient Greek origin. It derives from the Greek elements sos, meaning "whole, unwounded, safe," and kratos, meaning "power" — together translatin...

Sokrates Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologySokrates is the Ancient Greek form of Socrates, an iconic name in Western philosophy. The name derives from the Greek elements sos meaning "whole, unwounded, safe" and kratos meaning "power", thus conveying the...

Solon Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Solon is an ancient Greek name, possibly derived from the Greek word σόλος (solos) meaning “lump of iron.” This name is historically borne by the famous Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet Solon (c. 630 – c. 560 BC),...

Sophia Feminine Dutch English +3 Dutch English German Greek Ancient Greek

Sophia is a feminine given name derived from the Greek word Σοφία (Sophía), meaning "wisdom." In early Christian tradition, Sophia was known as the personification of wisdom, and the name is also associated with a legend...

Sophocles Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sophocles is a masculine given name of Ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek name Sophokles (Σοφοκλῆς). The name combines the elements sophos (σοφός), meaning "skilled" or "clever," and kleos (κλέος), meaning "glo...

Sophokles Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sophokles is the Ancient Greek form of Sophocles, the name of one of the most celebrated dramatists of classical Athens.The name derives from the Greek elements sophos meaning "skilled" or "wise" (compare σοφός in Greek)...

Sophos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sophos is a masculine given name of Ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek name Σόφος (Sophos), meaning "skilled, clever". It is the Greek form of Sophus, a name that was common in Denmark and Norway during the 19t...

Sophron Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sophron is an Ancient Greek masculine name derived from the Greek word sophron (σώφρων), meaning "self-controlled, sensible". The term sophron is composed of the elements saos ("whole, safe") and phren ("mind"), thus con...

Sophus Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sophus is a male given name of Ancient Greek origin, derived from the name Sophos (Σόφος), meaning "skilled, clever". The name reflects a valued trait in classical Greek culture—wisdom or skill of an intellectual or arti...

Sosigenes Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sosigenes is a masculine name of Ancient Greek origin, meaning "born safely" from the Greek elements sos ("safe, whole, unwounded") and genes ("born"). The most notable bearer of this name is Sosigenes of Alexandria, an...

Sostrate Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Sostrate is a feminine name of Ancient Greek origin, composed of the elements sos (σῶς), meaning "safe, whole, unwounded," and stratos (στρατός), meaning "army," thus giving the overall sense of "safe army." This name be...

Soter Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Soter is a name of Greek origin, derived from the ancient Greek epithet Σωτήρ (Sōtēr), meaning "saviour" or "deliverer." The feminine form is Soteris or sometimes Soteria. As an epithet, Soter was applied to various gods...

Soteria Feminine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Soteria is a female name of Greek origin, meaning "salvation, deliverance". In Greek mythology, Soteria was the personification of safety and salvation, a spirit (daimona) among the personified virtues and concepts that...

Soterios Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Soterios is a Greek masculine given name, derived from the ancient Greek word σωτήρ (soter) meaning "saviour, deliverer" or σωτηρία (soteria) meaning "salvation, deliverance." In a religious context, these terms are ofte...

Soteris Feminine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologySoteris is the feminine form of Soterios, a Greek name derived from the word sōtēr (σωτήρ), meaning "saviour, deliverer," or from sōtēria (σωτηρία) meaning "salvation, deliverance." This etymology relates Soteri...

Stephanos Masculine Greek Greek Bible +1 Greek Greek Bible Ancient Greek

Stephanos is the original Greek form of Stephen, derived from the ancient Greek noun στέφανος (stéphanos), meaning "crown, wreath" and metaphorically "reward, honor, renown." The word itself comes from the verb στέφειν (...

Strabo Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Strabo is a masculine given name of Greek origin, derived from the Byzantine Greek name Strabon (Στράβων), which itself comes from the Greek adjective strabos (στραβός), meaning "squinting" or "cross-eyed." The name orig...

Strabon Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologyStrabon is the Ancient Greek form of Strabo, a name derived from the Greek στραβός (strabos), meaning "squinting" or "cross-eyed." The name was originally a descriptive epithet that became a personal name. The L...

Straton Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Straton is a masculine given name of Ancient Greek origin, derived from the Greek word στρατός (stratos), meaning "army." The name is thus semantically linked to military themes, reflecting the values of strength and col...

Stratonice Feminine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Stratonice is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek name Στρατονίκη (Stratonike), derived from the elements στρατός (stratos), meaning "army", and νίκη (nike), meaning "victory". Thus, Stratonice carries the powerful c...

Stratonike Feminine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Stratonike is the Greek form of Stratonice, a name rooted in the ancient Greek elements στρατός (stratos) meaning "army" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory." The name thus conveys the meaning "army victory" or "victory of...

Symmachos Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

Symmachos is the original Greek form of the Latinized name Symmachus. Derived from the Greek Σύμμαχος (Symmachos), it means "fighting along with" or "allied with," reflecting a sense of partnership in battle or common ca...

Symmachus Masculine Ancient Greek Ancient Greek

EtymologySymmachus is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek name Σύμμαχος (Symmachos), derived from the elements σύν (syn, “together with”) and μάχη (machē, “battle”). The name thus means “fighting along with, allied w...

Syntyche Feminine English Bible Greek Bible +1 English Bible Greek Bible Ancient Greek

Syntyche is a masculine form of Euodia and appears in few texts.

Telemachos Masculine Greek Ancient Greek Greek Ancient Greek

Telemachos is the original Greek form of Telemachus, a name derived from Greek elements τῆλε (tele) meaning "far off" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle", thus signifying "fighting from afar" or "far-fighter".In Greek myth...