Greek Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

A unique relative of Zoe via the Ancient Greek name Zoilos, borne by a 4th century BC cynic philosopher.

Thanos originated as a short form of Athanasios, a Greek name meaning "immortal." It is composed of the elements a, a negative Greek prefix, and thanatos, meaning "death." St. Athanasius, who used the Latin spelling of the name, was a bishop of Alexandria and known for his opposition to Arianism.

Petronella, and its shorter sister Petra, are both feminizations of Peter. While Petronella is a name with deep history, it's extremely rare. It was given to no baby girls on record in the US last year.

The only version that works for boys anymore is the Latinate Hilario or Ilario. Better to look to Felix for a happy-meaning name.

See PHILOMENA.

Veronica seems poised to rise again, along with many other V names, and with it may follow this more romantic French version.

Kassandra is actually the original form of Cassandra (Greek names do not have Cs), though most will see it as a Kardashianization, which is a shame! As you might expect, the C currently charts higher. Still, Kassandra can lead to all sorts of cute nicknames, such as Kassie, Kass, and Sandy.

Common nicknames for Christopher in Ireland, we think Christy or Christie have a certain cheery charm, especially now that Chris is feeling less ubiquitous.

Old Testament book way too heavy to carry.

Became completely feminized in the unisex name revolution of the seventies.

Jocasta is a mythological name fashionably used in England, but mostly ignored here. She was the mother of Oedipus, King of Thebes, whom he (oops) unwittingly married. If you can ignore that small error in judgment, you'll find an interesting and attractive J name that's neither overused nor terminally dated.

Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a tragic ship voyage.

The final n makes this choice infinitely more modern than Gail.

This ancient saint's name was borne by the infamous midcentury playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa.

This grand name combines "lysis" (freedom) and "andros" (man). Lysander is a related, and more recognizable, variation.

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon.

Eleusine is the botanical name of genus of grasses found across Africa and Asia. It also has a lovely soft sound and look. This might be a great choice for nature lovers or African or Asian parents looking for something with heritage meaning that's still quite unusual. Bonus points for its very fashionable "El" beginning

In Pierre Benoit's novel, Antinea is a beautiful and charming queen with a hideous secret: She has a cave wall with 120 niches carved into it, one for each of her lovers. Only 53 have been filled; when all 120 have been filled, Antinea will sit atop a throne in the centre of the cave and rest forever.