Air > Names > Names of Greek origin

Acacia (F)

the tree, from akakia=thorny (the acacia tree is a symbol of immortality and resurrection) or a-kakos=anti-evil (the flowers had the power to keep evil at bay)

-> Cacia, Cacie, Casey, Kacie, Casia, Keisha

 

Achilles (M)

Achileos, mythical hero

= Achille (fra), Achileo (sp)

 

Adonis (M)

phœnician mythology, the most handsome of all mortals.

= Adun (ar)

 

Aeneas (M)

Scotland, used to translate gaelic Aonghus (Trojan hero who founded the Roman empire)

-> F: Aenea

Agape (F)

from the word denoting the theologal virtue of Love, charity

-> F: Agapi

-> M: Agapios

 

Agatha (F)

Agathé, from agathos=good and brave in combat

= F: Agathe (fra), Agat (it), Agafia, Agafya, Agasha (rus), Agata (irel), Agt, Agte (fris), Agatá, Agá, Agatká (pol), Agotha, Àgota (hung), Agathi, Agathe, Agatha, Aggi (gr), Agafiia, Ogafiia (rus)

= M: Agaf, Agafon, Agafan, Ogaf, Ogafan, Ogafon (rus), Aagje (ned)

-> Aggie, Agace, Agathy, Aggiem, Agueda

 

Aglaia (F)

splendour, brilliance (one of the Three Graces)

= Aglaé (fra)

 

Agnes (F)

Hagné, from hagnos=chastity

= F: Agnesa, Agnese, Agnete, Agne, Agnella, Agnesca, Agnesina, Agnola (it), Ines, Ynes, Iñez, Ynez, Inessa, Ina (sp), Aigneis (Agnesh), Aghna (Enuh), Ina (irel), Agneta (swed), Agniya (lithua), Agnieszká (agneeESHka, pol), Agnessa (bulg), Àgnesa (cz), Nest (wales), Nesta (latinized), Agni, Agnis (mid-east)

= M: Agne (swed), Agnello, Aniello (it)

-> Ag, Aggie, Agna, Agnella, Agneta, Agnola, Annis, Nessa, Nessi, Nesta, Nevsa, Neysa, Anneyse

 

Airila (F)

airy, ethereal

Akakios (M)

Innocent

= Acace (fra)

 

Akrevoe (F)

?

 

Alcide (M)

The strong, original name of Herakles

 

Alcina (F)

strong-willed

= Alcine, Alcinia (fra)

 

Aldora (F)

winged gift

 

Alethea (F)

aletheia=truth

= F: Alèthe, Aleth, Alète, Alé (fra), Aleta, Aletea, Aleda, Alita (sp), Ales (bielorus), Alesh (eng), Ale (lithua), Ales (alesh, cs)

= M: Aleh (bielorus)

-> ALICE

 

Alexandros (M)

alexein=drive back, andros=man: he who drives back the enemy.

= M: Alexandre, Alcandre (fra) Alessandro, Sandro (it), Alexander, Lex, Alec, Alick (eng), Alejandro (sp), Alastair, Alasteir, Alasdair (ALLustir), Alistair, Allister, Allistir, Saunder (scot), Alexis, Sacha, Aleksandr(rus), Aleko, Alekko, Aleksandur (bulg), Alekos (gr), Iskandar (pers, ar), Alaister (gael), Alsandair (irel), Sasa, Aleksandar, Alexsandar (serb), Aksel (norw), Aleiseo (port), Aleksi, Aleksis (Fin), Alexandru, Alecu (rom), Aleksei (est), Alaksandr, Aleksiej (bielorus), Aleksanders (latv), Aleksander, Aleks, Aleská, Alká (pol), Alister, Alistryn (AWL-is-truhn) (manx)

= F: Alexandra, Aliocha, Alexiane, Alexa, Elexa, Alexina, Alexine, Lexine, Lexi, Alla, Alli, Alek, Zandra, Sondra, Alexandrine, Sandrine, Sande, Sandi (fra),  Alessandra, Alessia (it), Alexandra, Alexandria (eng), Saundra (scot), Alejandra, Alejandrina (sp), Alexia, Aleksasha, Aleksandra (rus), Aleksi (bulg), Alastriona (irel), Aleksandra, Alexsa (serb)

-> F: Cesya, Chandra, Lesya

 

Alice (F)

alethea or alikea=truth (or maybe from Adelaide)

= Alissa (it), Allison, Lissy, Ailis (AYlish), Allsun (irel), Alys, (wales), Aliz, Alizka, (hung), Alike, Aleka (gr), Alice, Alicia, Alicea, Alysia, Alix, Aliette, Alyette, Alète, Aleth, Adelice (fra), Alis, Allyce, Alisha, Alison, Allsun (eng)

-> Ailis, Aleece, Ailkee, Elissa, Ilysa, Ilyssa, Lissa, Lyssa, Alithia

 

Alida (F)

from the city of beautiful clothing (?)

= Aleda, leda (eng), Lida, Lyda, Alyda (fra)

 

Althea (F)

from Althaia: healthy, healer (mother of Meleagre whose life depended on the life of a log)

= Althée (fra)

-> Thea, Aleta, Alitta, Letta, Altheta, Alathea

 

Alyssa (F)

sensible, logic (also a yellow flower)

-> Ilyssa, Lyssa

 

Amaranthe (F)

which does not wither (also an "immortal" flower, amaranthinus)

= F: Amarantha (eng), Amarante (fra), Amaron (ned), Amaris (isr)

= M: Amariah (isr)

-> Amara, Amargo, Mara

 

Amaryllis (F)

a flower

 

Ambrosios (M)

relative to the Immortals

= M: Ambroise (fra), Ambrosio, Ambrogio (it), Ambrose (eng), Ambrois (scot), Emrys (wales), Ambros (irel), Ambrosio (sp), Ambrosius (latinized)

= F: Ambrosine, Ambrosina, Ambrosia (fra)

 

Amethyst (F)

a purple precious stone

= Améthyste (fra)

 

Aminta (F)

protected

= Aminta (it)

 

Amintas (M)

protector

= Amintor (it)

 

Amphelisia (F)

amphilalos=bilingual?

-> Aunphelice, Amphelice, Amyfelyse, Anfelise, Amfelice, Amflisa, Amphillis

 

Amphitryon (M)

= Anfitriões (port)

 

Anastasia (F)

anastasis=return, resurrection: from the Resurrection, from the Springtime

= F: Anastasie, Anstice (fra), Anastasia, Tasia, Stace, Stacey (eng), Nastassja (rus), Anastasia (it), Anastacie (germ)

= M: Anastase (fra), Stacey (eng), Anastasio (it), Anastasius (germ), Anastasio (sp), Anastasi (rus)

 

Anatol (M)

anatolé=orient: from the east

= M: Anatole (fra), Anatol, Anatoli (est, rus), Anatolijs (latv)

= F: Anatola (fra)

 

Andreas (M)

andros=man

= M: André, Andrieu (fra), Andrew (eng), Andreas (germ), Andrea (rom), Andrei, Androniki (rus), Andreas (gr), Andrea (it), Andres (sp), Andra, Aindreas (scot), Anndra (Aoondra) (gael), Aindreas, Aindrea (irel), Andries (ned), Anders, Andreas (dan), Andras, Antti, Antero (fin), Andrus, Andi, Ando, Andu, Andres (est), Andríj, Ondríj (ukr), Andrius, Andrus (lithua), Andrzejs, Andris (latv), Andrzej (ahndrjey, pol), Andor, Andorás, András, Andris, Andor (hung), Andrej (cz), Andrija (croat), Andreays (ahn-DRAY-uhs) (manx)

= F: Andrée, Andréa (fra), Anders, Andreana, Andrina (scot), Andra (isr)

= M, F: Drew (scot)

-> M: Andy, Dandy

-> F: Andrea, Andria, Andriana

 

Andromeda (F)

a constellation as well as a Greek heroin

= Andromède (fra)

 

Andronike (F)

Greece, andros=man, nikê=victory

= M: Androniki (rus)

 

Angel (M, F)

angelos=messenger

= M,F: Ange (fra)

= M: Angelon (gr), Ange (scand), Angelo (it)

= F: Angelika, Angeliki (gr), Angèle, Angéline, Angélique (fra) Angie, Gelya (eng), Angela, Angelina, Angelica, Angeletta (it), Anja (balkans), Aingeal (Angel) (irel), Angelika, Geli (germ), Angelita (sp), Angelina (rus), Angele (lithua), Andela (cz)

 

Aniket (F)

a=privative prefix, niketos=vainquished: invincible

= F: Anicet (fra), Aniceta (sp), Nikita (rus)

= M: Aniceto (sp)

 

Antheia (F)

flower-like

-> Anthea, Anthia, Thea, Thia

 

Antigona (F)

anti=against, gona=born: born a rebel (daughter of Œdipus who rebelled in order to bury her brother)

= Antigone (fra)

 

Antioche (M)

France: a city that was once the capital of christianity.

= Antioch (ukr)

 

Aphrodite (F)

goddess of love

 

Apollo (M)

god of youth and beauty

= Apollon (fra)

 

Apollonia (F)

relative to Apollo

= F: Appoline, Apolline, Appolina (fra)

= M: Apollinaire (fra)

 

Apphia (F)

?

 

Aretas (M)

Arethas, from arabic Harita, a Nabatean dynasty

= Arethi, Arete (gr)

-> Aretha

 

Ariadne (F)

Ariadné, ar-=intensifying prefix, adnos=saint: very holy

= Arianna (it), Ariane, Ariana (fra), Ariane, Arina, Arinka (rus)

 

Aristide (M)

fra; aristos=the best, eidos=son of: the son of the best

= Aristides (sp, gr)

 

Arkadi (M)

courageous, bold

= Arkady, Arkadiy (georg)

 

Arsène (M)

France; arsenias=manly

= Arcénio (sp), Arseni (rus), Arsenna (georg), Arsenije (arseney, serb)

 

Artamène (M)

?

 

Artémis (F)

France; hunt-goddess

= F: Artemisia (Artemisia belonging to Artemis; it)

= M: Artém, Artemius, Artemko (ukr), Artemus (latinized)

-> M: Artemas,

 

Artemidore (F)

France; Artemidoros=gift of Artemis

 

Artemisthène (F)

France; Artemisthenes=strength of Artemis

 

Aspasia (F)

welcome

-> Spash

 

Athanasios/Athanasia

thanatos=death, a-=privative suffixe: immortal

= M: Athanase (fra), Atanazy, Atek (pol), Atanas (bulg), Afanasii, Afanas, Afanasei, Afonasei, Afonasii, Afon, Afonas, Afonik, Afonika, Afonka, Afonos, Ofanas, Ofanasei, Ofonas, Ofonaska, Ofonasko, Ofonia, Ofonka, Ofonko, Ofonos, Ofonosko, Ofanasii, Offenoes, Ofonasei, Ofonasii (rus)

= F: Athanasia (fra), Afanasiia (rus)

 

Athene (F)

Goddess of wisdom and war

= F: Athena, Athina (fra, eng)

= M: Afin, Afinodor (gift of Athena), Afinogen (offspring of Athena) (rus)

 

Aurora (F)

Goddess of dawn

= Aurore (fra), Aurora (fin)

 

Azalea (F)

dry (it's a flower which blooms in dry soil)

= Azalée (fra), Azalea, Aza (eng)

-> Azalia, Azelia

 

Ballas (F)

?

= Ballas (hung)

 

Baptist (M)

= M: Baptiste, Baptistin (fra), Giambattista, Battisto (it), Bautista (sp)

= F: Baptistine (fra), Battista (it), Baptista (eng)

 

Barbara (F)

stranger

= F: Barbe, Barbra, Barberine, Babara, Babette (fra), Barbarina (it), Varvara (rus), Barbary, Barbra, Babb, Babbie, Babs, Babita, Barbee, Barbey, Barbie, Barbette, Bobbee (eng), Baubie (scot), Barbro (sw), Barbora (cz)

= M: Barbu, Barbo (rom)

-> Bonnie, Varina

 

Basil (M)

Basileios: royal

= M: Basile (fra), Basilo (sp), Basilio (it), Vassili (slav), Basle (germ), Basilius (sw), Pasi (fin), Bazel (hung)

= F: Basilia, Basilie (fra)

 

Belen (M)

?

 

Berenice (F)

pherein=bring, nikê=victory: she who brings victory

-> Veronica (latinized)

= F: Bérénice, Véronique, Véra (fra), Bernice, Bernelle, Berni, Bunnie, Nixie, Veronica (eng), Berenike, Berek (gr), Vroni (germ)

= M: Berenkios (gr)

 

Binkentios (M)

?

 

Brontë (F)

From a surname, greek brontê=thunder (used after the Brontë sisters)

 

Bryony (F)

Bryonia, a flower

-> Briony

 

Calliope (F)

One of the Muses

 

Calypso (F)

A nymph who kept Ulysses on her island

 

Candia (F)

Used for the first time on the road to Candia (capital of Crete, now Heraklion) when the child was born on the way

 

Charis (F)

kharis: Grace

-> Charissa, Charisse, Sharisse

 

Charmian (karmeAN) (F)

kharmion: Delight, Little Joy, diminutive of carma=joy, delight

-> Charmaine

 

Chloe (F)

khloe: young green shoot (epithet of Demeter goddess of fertility)

= Chloé, Cloé (fra)

 

Chloris (F)

A minor vegetation goddess, Clwrox  : Blooming, fresh

 

Christopher (M)

pherein=carry: He who Bears Christ

= Cristóbal, Cristóval (sp), Christophe (eng), Christoforo (it), Kristof, Kristofor (balk), Christoph (ned), Christoffer (dan), Christov, Kristof, Kristofor (rus), Kester (medieval scot), Kristof, Stoffel (germ), Quisdoquv (cherokee)

 

Chrysogon (F)

Khrisogonos: Born of Gold

-> Grisigon

 

Clematis (F)

A climbing plant

 

Cléophante (M)

Kleos=glory

= Cleofonte (it)

 

Cleopatra (F)

Kleopatra, kleos=glory, pater=father, after the famous Egyptian queen

 

Clio (F)

Kleio, greek nymph and one of the Muses

-> Cleo

 

Concordia (F)

Harmony, greek goddess governing peace after war

 

Cyriack (M)

kyriakos: lordly

-> Cyr

 

Damalis (F)

Calf; in the new testament, a woman converted by St Paul

-> Damaris

 

Damianos (M)

Greek martyr of the 4th century, from damaso=to tame

= M: Damien (fra), Damiano (it), Damian (rom), Damian, Damon (eng)

= F: Damienne (fra)

 

Daphné (F)

Laurel, a nymph changed into that tree to escape Apollo

 

Delia (F)

An epithet of Artemis: From Delos

 

Delphin (M)

France; from latin name Delphinius, greek delphis=dolphin

-> F: Delphine

= M: Dauphin (fra)

= F: Delfina (it)

 

Demeter (F)

Goddess of vegetal life and harvest

-> F: Dimitra

-> M: Demetrius, Dimitri

 

Dimity (F)

Ireland, name of a fabric introduced from Italian, gr di-=double, mitos=warp thread

 

Diodoros (M)

Gift from Zeus

= Diodore (fra)

 

Diogenês (M)

Born of Zeus

= Diogène (fra)

 

Dion (M)

French shortened form of names starting in Dio- (Zeus)

-> M: Deon

-> F: Dionne

 

Dionysos (M)

Son of the God

= M: Denis (fra), Dionisio (it), Dyonisius (germ), Dennis, Denys, Dwight (eng)

= F: Denise, Denice, Dionise, Dionysia (fra)

-> M, F: Sydney (English contraction of St Denis)

 

Dora (F)

dôron: Gift

 

Dorcas (F)

Doe, Gazelle

 

Dorian (M)

Latin name Dorianus, from gr Dôrieus: Dorian, with Doris: Dorian (feminine), also a minor sea goddess mother of the Nereids

= Dorien (fra)

 

Dorothy

doron=gift, theos=god (inversion of Theodore)

= Dorothée (fra), Dorotea (it), Dorothea (germ), Doreen (irel), Dorotea (sp)

-> Dodie (from the fruitless efforts of a child to pronounce it), Dolly, Dorinda, Doris, Dora, Dorina, Dotty

Eudoxia (F)

Good Doctrine, a Lebanese saint from Baalbek and also the wife of Theodose 2, Emperor of the Orient

= Eudoxie (fr), Efdokia, Evdokia, Afdoukia, Afdokia (leb)

 

Endymion (M)

Endumiwn, Latmian shepherd beloved of Artemis; king beloved of Selene who gave him eternal youth and sleep to conserve his beauty

 

Epiphania (F)

= Epiphany (eng), Épiphanie (fr)

 

Erasmos (M)

Erasmios, erân=to love: Loved, Desired

= Erasmus (eng), Érasme (fr), Asmus (den)

 

Euandros (M)

Eu=good, anêr=man

= Evander (eng; used in Scotland as the englicised version of Íomhair)

 

Eubule (M)

France; Euboulos: The One who is of Good Counsel, an epithet of Zeus.

 

Euchaire (M)

France; eucharis=grace

Eudora (F)

eu=good, doron=gift

 

Eugenios

eugenios=well born, noble

=M: Eugène (fr), Eugene (eng), Eugenio (it, sp), Eugenius (latin)

=F: Eugénie (fr), Eugenia, Genia (it, sp), Evguenia (rus)

 

Eulalia (F)

Beautiful Song, Sweet Word

= Eulalie (fr)

 

Eunice (F)

Eunikê eu=good, nikê=victory

-> Unice

 

Euphemia (F)

Eu=good, phémê=to speak: Eloquent

= Effric, Effie (scot), Afamia (ar)

 

Europa (F)

Phoenician princess kidnapped by Zeus in the shape of a bull, mother of Minos

= Europe (fr)

 

Eusebius (M)

Pious

= Pius (switz)

 

Eustathius (M)

Eu=good, stênai=to be standing up: Stable, Tranquil

Eutyche, Eutyque (M)

eutuchos:prosperous

= Aftikos, Aftikhos (mid-east)

Euthyme

Correctly put.

-> Efthyme/Efthymia

= Aftimos/Aftimia (mid-east)

Evadne (F)

Eu=good, legendary character who threw herself in her husband's funeral pyre and is regarded as a model of marital piety

 

Evangelia (F)

Eu=good, angelma=news: Good News, Gospel

-> Evangeline, Evangelina (fr, Bearer of the Good News)

 

Évariste (M)

France; gr eu=good, aristos=the best

 

George

-> Deorsa

 

Hesperos (M)

evening star

 

Kassandra (F)

daughter of Priam and Hecube, gifted with a prophetic sight but without ever being believed

= Cassandre (fra), Cassandra (eng), Casandra (sp)

-> Cass

 

Kleitos (M)

General of Alexander the Great

= Clitus (latinized, usa)

 

Korinna (F)

From Korê: Virgin, daughter of Persephone queen of the underworld

= Corinne (fra), Corinna (it), Corene (eng)

-> Corena, Corabel, Corabella, Corella, Coretta, Corette, Corey, Cori, Coriss, Corissa, Corrine

 

Kosmos (M)

order, beauty

= M: Kosmas (gr), Cosmo (eng), Cosmos (latin), Côme (fra), Como, Cosimo (it)

= F: Cosima (it)

 

Kynthia (F)

From Mount Kynthos, a title of Artemis

-> Cynthia, Cindy, Sindee, Cynthie, Cinda

 

Kyrillos (M)

kyrios=lord: Consecrated to the Lord

= M: Cyril, Cyrille, Cyriel (fra); Cirilo (sp), Cirillo (it)

= F: Cyrielle, Cyrilla (fra)

 

Margaret (F)

= Kreeta, Kreetta (fin)

Philoxenes (M)

philos=love, euxenos=foreigner: Friend of foreigners, hospitable; Aksnaya of Manbij was one of the great masters of Syriac prose

= Aksnaya (mid-east)

 

Theocleia (F)

theos=god, cleia=glory: Divine Fame

= Thekla (gr), Thècle, Thècla (fr), Taqla (ar), Thecla (eng), Tekla (gypsy)

 

Xanthe (F)

Xanthos=yellow, light, mythological figure

 

Xenia (F)

Hospitality

 

Zénais (F)

Derived from Zeus

= Zénaïde (fr), Zinaida, Zina (rus)

 

Zénobia (F)

Zeus, bios=life, queen of Palmyra

= Zénobie (fr), Zenobia (eng), Zinovia, Zina (rus)

-> M: Zénobe (fr)

 

Zephyros (M)

The west wind

= M: Zéphyr (fr)

= F: Zéphyrine (fr), Zephyrine (eng)

 

Zoé (F)

Zoos=life

= Zoé (fr), Zoë, Zoe (eng)

-> Zola



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Compiled by Joumana Medlej.