Greek Names

Macarius, the name of several early saints, is virtually unknown in the U.S. though its Spanish forms Macario and the feminine Macaria are sometimes used. With the revival of many ancient s-ending names, Macarius might rise again, and it does carry the user-friendly nickname Mac.

Margalo could make an intriguing spin on Margaret, with Margo as a nickname. The name appears in E. B. White's Stuart Little — as a bird. Margalo Gilmore (born Margaret) was a well-known British-born Broadway actress.

A sleek nickname name more attractive than its longer form, there have been a couple of prominent baseball player Cletes as well as the broadcast journalist Clete Roberts.

In the Zulu and Xhosa languages of Southern Africa, Phila is a unisex name pronounced "PEE-la" and means "to live of life" It's also the feminine version of the ancient Greek name Philo, pronounced "FEE-la", meaning friend or lover and present in several contemporary names and words used throughout the Western World. The name Philip, for instance, means lover of horses, while the city name Philadelphia means "brotherly love" and philosophy means "love of wisdom".

A twentieth-century Greek saint's name redolent of the beverage of the gods that imparted immortality.

As long as nobody connects it with xenophobia -- the fear of strangers and the unknown.

The name of a famous valley in ancient Greece, with ties to the historic Nemean Games.

This is the clumsiest and least popular version of the classic Greek name Zoe. Little wonder this variation has fallen nearly 200 places in the US popularity rankings in just 2 years. We recommend you stick with the beautiful and elegant Zoe (which, for those of you looking to avoid overly-used names, is less popular than the American spelling 'Zoey').

See SELENA.

The name of one of the greatest Western philosophers is often used as a first name in its land of origin, Greece, and would make a really interesting, thought-provoking choice here. It is remembered here as the nickname of the memorable character played by Sal Mineo in the classic film "Rebel Without a Cause."

Omega is a perfect choice for a youngest child.