Common Greek names Posted by Ourania on Sep 15, 2016 in Culture
Γεια σας! If you have Greek friends, Greek names might not sound strange to you. Greek names can be of ancient Greek, Hebrew origin, Roman or Byzantine origin. Below there is a list of some common names with their shortcuts. If you think that there names which must have been included in this list, feel free to leave a comment.
By keivi under a CC license on Flickr
| Male | Female | Translation |
| Άγγελος | Αγγελική | Άγγελος means “angel”. Αγγελική is translated as Angela |
|
Αθανάσιος (Θανάσης, Νάσος, ) |
Αθανασία | Αθανασία means “ immortality” |
| Αθηνά | Athena, the goddess of wisdom | |
| Αικατερίνη (Κατερίνα, Κάτια) |
Catherine
|
|
|
Αλέξανδρος (Αλέξης, Αλέκος) |
Αλεξάνδρα (Αλέκα) | Alexander, Alexandra |
| Αναστάσιος (Τάσος) | Αναστασία (Νατάσα) | It derives from the word ανάσταση: resurrection |
| Άννα | Anna | |
| Αντιγόνη | Antigone the sister and daughter of king Oedipus | |
| Αντρέας | Andrew | |
| Απόστολος (Αποστόλης, Τόλης) | Αποστολία (rare) | Απόστολος means apostle |
| Άρης | Ares, the god of war | |
| Αριάδνη | Ariadne, the daughter of king Minos | |
| Αχιλλέας | Achilles, hero of the Trojan War | |
| Βασίλειος (Βασίλης) | Βασιλική (Βάσια, Βάσω) | |
| Γεράσιμος (Μάκης) | ||
| Γεώργιος (Γιώργος) | Γεωργία (Γιωργία) | George, Georgia |
| Γρηγόριος (Γρηγόρης) | Γρηγορία (rare) | Gregory |
| Δάφνη | Daphne, a nymph in Greek mythology | |
| Δανάη | Danae, the mother of the hero Perseus | |
| Δημήτριος (Δημήτρης, Μήτσος, Μίμης, Τζίμης) | Δήμητρα (Μιμή)
|
Demetrius, a Saint of the Orthodox Church) /Demeter, the goddess of grain |
| Διονύσιος (Διονύσης, Νιόνος,Σάκης) | Διονυσία (Διόνη, Σία) | Dennis, Denise. This name derives from Dionysius, the god of wine |
| Δέσποινα(Δέσπω, Ντέπη) | It means “matron” or “landlady” and is referred to the Mother of Jesus | |
| Ειρήνη | Irene. Ειρήνη means “peace” | |
| Ελένη (Λένα) | Helen. A name of Doric origin. It means “bright” | |
| Έλλη | Helle, a princess from Greek mythology | |
| Ελευθέριος (Λευτέρης) | Ελευθερία | Ελευθερία means “freedom” |
| Ελισάβετ (Ελίζα, Έλσα, Λίζα) | Elizabeth | |
| Εμμανουήλ (Μανόλης, Μάνος) | Εμμανουέλα
|
Emmanuel, Emmanuelle |
| Εύα | Eve | |
| Ευάγγελος (Βαγγέλης, Άγγελος) | Ευαγγελία (Αγγελική, Εύα) | Evangeline. Ευάγγελος means “the one who brings good news” |
| Ευγένιος | Ευγενία (Τζένη)
|
Eugene, Eugenia. It derives from the word ευγενής which means “noble” |
| Ευλάμπιος (Λάμπης) | Ευλαμπία (Εύη) | |
| Ευστάθιος (Στάθης) | Ευσταθία (Εφη) | |
| Ευτύχιος (Ευτύχης) | Ευτυχία (Έφη) | Ευτυχία means “happiness” |
| Ζαχαρίας | Zackery | |
| Ζωή | Zoe. Ζωή means “life” | |
| Ηλίας | Elija | |
| Ηρακλής | A hero from Greek mythology | |
| Ηρώ | She was a priestess of goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love | |
| Θάλεια | The muse of comedy | |
| Θεόδωρος (Θοδωρής) | Θεοδώρα (Δώρα, Ντόρα) | Theodore
|
| Θωμάς | Thomas | |
| Ιάσων (Ιάσονας) | Jason, a hero from Greek mythology | |
| Ιφιγένεια | Iphigeneia, the princess of Argos | |
| Ιωάννης (Γιάννης) | Ιωάννα (Γιάννα) | John, Joanna |
| Καλλιόπη (Κάλλια, Πόπη) | Calliope, the muse of epic poetry | |
| Κλειώ | Clio, the muse of history | |
| Κυριάκος
|
Κυριακή (Κική) | Κυριάκος means the one who belongs to God. |
| Κωνσταντίνος
(Κώστας, Ντίνος) |
Κωνσταντίνα (Ντίνα, Νάντια) | Constantine was the first Roman emperor who adopted Christianity |
| Λάμπρος | Λαμπρινή | It means “bright” |
| Λουκάς | Λουκία | Lukas, Lucy |
| Μαγδαληνή (Μάγδα) | Magdalene | |
| Μαργαρίτα | Margaret | |
| Μάριος | Μαρία | Marius, Maria |
| Mαριάννα | Marianne | |
| Μιχαήλ (Μιχάλης) | Μιχαέλα | Michael |
| Μυρτώ | Myrto from Greek mythology | |
| Ναταλία | Nathalie | |
| Νεκτάριος | Νεκταρία | |
| Νεφέλη | The mother of Centaur | |
| Νικόλαος | Νικολέτα (Νίκη) | Nicholas, Nicole |
| Νικήτας | ||
| Ξένη (Ξένια) | ||
| Όλγα (Όλια) | Of Russian origin | |
| Ολυμπία | Olympia | |
| Ορέστης | The son of king Agamemnon | |
| Ορφέας | Orpheus, a poet and musician | |
| Παναγιώτης (Τάκης, Νότης) | Παναγιώτα (Γιώτα, Πένυ) | It refers to Παναγία, the Mother of Jesus |
| Παρασκευή (Βιβή, Βούλα) | ||
| Παύλος | Παυλίνα | Paul |
| Πέτρος | Πετρούλα (not common) | Peter |
| Ραφαήλ | Ραφαέλα | Raphael |
| Ρέα | The daughter of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth) | |
| Ρεβέκα (not common) | Rebeca | |
| Σάββας | ||
| Σοφία | Sophia | |
| Σταμάτιος (Σταμάτης) | Σταματία (Σταματίνα, Ματίνα, Μάτα, Ματούλα) | |
| Σταύρος | Σταυρούλα (Βούλα) | |
| Στέφανος | Στεφανία | Stephen, Stephanie |
| Σπυρίδωνας (Σπύρος) | Σπυριδούλα | |
| Στυλιανός (Στέλιος) | Στυλιανή (Στέλα) | |
| Σωκράτης | Socrates | |
| Σωτήριος (Σώτος) | Σωτηρία (Σώτη) | |
| Φίλιππος | Phillip | |
| Φοίβος | Φοίβη | Phoebus, Phoebe |
| Φραγκίσκος | Φραγκίσκη | Francis, Frances |
| Φώτιος | Φωτούλα | From φως which means “light” |
| Φωτεινή (Φαίη Φωφώ, Φώφη) | Φωτεινή means “bright” | |
| Χαράλαμπος (Χάρης, Λάμπης) | Χαραλαμπία (Χαρά, Χαρούλα) | |
| Χάρις | It means “grace” | |
| Χρήστος | Χριστίνα (Τίνα) | Chris, Christine |
| Χριστόφορος | Christopher |
By jemasmith under a CC license on Flickr
Tags: Greek cultures, Greek names
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About the Author: Ourania
Ourania lives in Athens. She holds a degree in French Literature and a Master’s degree in Special Education for Children. Since 2008, she has been teaching Greek to foreigners.
Comments:
Simon:
Hello
My English name is Simon but my Greek friend calls me Σιμονα – is that a real name or has she made it up?
Ourania:
@Simon No, it’s correct! The spelling is Σίμωνας with ω. It’s a name from the Bible but I guess you already know that 🙂