Dictionary of Greek male names in a. History of the origin of Greek male names

Most of male and female names that exist in the world have Greek roots. Some of them have become so popular in their countries that they are already considered national. Therefore, choosing for a boy will not be difficult at all.

Origin and meaning of names

Newborn Greeks are usually named in accordance with traditions. The eldest son in a family almost always bears the name of his paternal grandfather. The next boy born to married couple, are called exactly the same as the mother's parent. Giving a father's name to a son is an ill omen. Compliance with traditions among true Greeks is a sacred duty. But despite this, many young couples deviate from them and name their children as they wish.

All Greek, as for girls, are divided into two groups. The first category includes names from the ancient period associated with mythology. They sound like this: Odysseas, Sophocles, Socrates and others. The second group includes the names included in the Orthodox calendar: Vasilios, Georgios.

Each Greek name has its own characteristics. It reflects one or another personality trait of a person, and, as a rule, with positive side. For example, the ancient Greek male name Leonidas (Leonidas) means “like a lion,” and Prokopios (Procopius) translates as “advanced.” In Greece, it is believed that by choosing a name for a child, parents determine his destiny.

The most common male names

Greek names Orthodox calendar have national origin, as well as Hebrew and Latin. However, children in this country are most often named according to family tradition, just like grandfather, father, mother, etc.

By far the most popular Greek names for boys are the following ten:

1. Georgios. Translated from ancient Greek it means “farmer”. In the church and historical context - also George.
2. Dimitrios. Comes from the ancient Greek name Demetrios - “dedicated to Demeter.” Also pronounced as Demetrius.
3. Konstantinos. The name is of Latin origin and means “permanent”. In historical context it reads as Constantius.
4. Ioannis. Comes from the Hebrew language. Translated from Hebrew it means “the mercy of the Lord.”
5. Nikolaos, or Nikolai, translated from ancient Greek as “conqueror of nations.” Comes from the name of the goddess of victory Nike.
6. Christ is the “anointed one.”
7. Panagiotis - translated from Greek as “all holy”.
8. Vasilios. The name has national ancient Greek roots and means “king”.
9. Athanasios (Athanasius in a church context), from ancient Greek - “immortal”.
10. Evangelos. Comes from the ancient Greek name Evangelion and means “good news, gospel.”

Fashion for names in Greece exists as well as in any other country, but those presented above remain popular at different times.

In the 20th century, Western European names Eduardos, Robertos and others became popular in this country. Modern Greek parents are increasingly retreating from family traditions and name their children that way.

The rarest Greek names for boys

Every year names appear less and less here ancient origin, associated with the existence of gods and mythology. Although, according to some parents, they are the ones who can give their child charisma and strong will.

The rarest and most beautiful Greek names for boys:

• Aristotle - translated as "excellence aimed at a specific goal."
• Archimedes. The name has ancient Greek roots and means “owner of thoughts.”
• Demokritos - translated as “having the right to judge others.”
• Zeno. This ancient Greek name comes from Zeus himself and means belonging to this supreme deity.
• Space - "personifying beauty."
• Macedon - "high".
• Pleton - translated as “wealth”.
• Eros - symbolizes love.

These are not all Greek names for boys that parents rarely use when naming their babies. But those presented above are still less common than others.

Modern male names of Greek origin

Greek names have taken root in almost all European languages. They may have their own pronunciation, but their roots remain the same. In Russian, Greek names for boys are also very common. Alexander, Alexey, Sergey are names that have long been considered native, Slavic. But in reality they have completely different roots.

The list of Greek names is very large. So much so that every second person on the planet bears this name.

Top 5 Greek origins in Russia

The Russian personal calendar contains big number names with Greek roots. Parents are happy to call their children them, without even thinking about them. foreign origin, they fit so well into the Slavic flavor.

1. Artem.
2. Alexander.
3. Dmitriy.
4. Nikita.
5. Kirill.

In almost every family, a boy born within the last 10 years bears one of these names.

In this article we will look at Greek female names: the meaning and origin of the most popular, as well as rare, ancient Greek names. You can read about male Greek names.

Which female names came to us from Greece? Let's figure it out.

Greek female names: meaning and origin

Female names and myths of Ancient Greece

Name Galina comes from the ancient Greek word γαλήνη - “calmness, serenity.” One of the Nereids (sea deities similar to mermaids) was named Galena.

Another example is a name Irina (Εἰρήνη- peace, quiet). Irini (Eirene) is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of peace. Irini is the daughter of Zeus and Themis.

But a beautiful, but already rare name Apollinaria. It is believed to be of ancient Roman origin (from the Latin Apollinaris - “belonging to Apollo”, “solar”), but it comes from the name of the ancient Greek god Apollo. Polina is a shortened form that has now become an independent name. Other versions of its origin have been put forward - for example, the French one (Pauline).

Name Maya (Μαϊα) translated as "mother". It comes from the name of the Greek goddess (Pleiades) Maya, mother of Hermes. True, this is only one of the hypotheses of the origin of the name - there is both Latin (from Majus - “may”) and Hebrew (from מים‎ - mayim - “water”). By the way, the Greek word μαία (read mEA) means “midwife”, “one who takes birth.”

On behalf of the goddess of victory Niki (Νίκη) the name Nick comes from. This is an independent name, although it often happens that other names are shortened to Nike, for example, Veronica (from the ancient Greek Φερενίκη - “bringing victory”: φέρω - “bring” and νίκη - “victory”). The analogue of the name Veronica is Berenice.

Zinaida (Ζηναις)- another name associated with mythology. Presumably, it is associated with the name of Zeus (Ζεύς, genitive case form - Ζηνός).

Female names and place names

Even before our era (in the 7th century) in Asia Minor there was a country called Lydia (Λυδία), it came from him female name Lydia.

Name Larisa derived from the name of the Greek city Larissa (Larissa). Λάρῑσ(σ)α is translated from Greek as “seagull”. IN Greek mythology Poseidon, god of the sea, had a granddaughter Larissa, a nymph. There is a hypothesis that the city was named after her. Her image can be found on ancient coins:

Near the city of Argos there is the Larisa fortress:

• "Talking" names

  If male names The Greeks sang such qualities as nobility, courage and strength, then women - chastity, beauty, fertility and so on. Now most of them are quite rare.

  For example, Agnia(from the ancient Greek ἁγνὴ) means “pure”, “immaculate”. Agni Parthene (Αγνή Παρθένε) - Pure Virgin - a hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos.

  Zoya (Ζωή) translated from ancient Greek as “life”. Sofia (Sofia) comes from the Greek σοφία - “wisdom”. Name Pelageya (Pelagia) derived from πέλαγος - “sea”.

  Name Angelina (Αγγελίνα) comes from ἄγγελος - “messenger” (angel).

  And here is an example of a name that speaks of beauty - Anfisa (Ἀνθούσα- sounds like “Antusa”). It comes from the word ἄνθος, which means “flower”.

  Anastasia - pair name to Anastasius (Ἀναστάσιος). The word ἀνάστασις from which it comes means “resurrection.” Καλή Ανάσταση! (Happy holiday Christ's Resurrection!) - this is how the Greeks congratulate each other on Easter.

  Other paired names: Vasilisa (βασίλισσα)- from Vasily, translated as “queen”, Eugenia, Alexandra, Kira (Κύρα). They have the same meanings as the male versions.

  Name Paraskeva (Praskovya) comes from the word παρασκευή - “Friday”. Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is the patroness of women in Slavic Orthodox mythology. There are many sayings associated with it, as well as prohibitions: on Friday it was forbidden to plow, spin and sew (on Fridays men do not plow, women do not spin).

  There are names whose etymology still cannot be accurately determined. For example, Catherine (Αικατερίνη). There is no consensus on the origin of this name. The most common version is from the word καθαρή - pure, immaculate. However, some experts (for example, the famous lexicographer M. Vasmer) disagree with her. There is another hypothesis that it is formed from the name of Hecate (Ἑκάτη), the ancient Greek goddess moonlight and witchcraft, but it is also quite controversial.

  

  Everyone has heard about legendary Elena Trojan. At the name Elena (Ἑλένη) there is also no clear etymology. According to one version, it is associated with the name Helios (Ἥλιος), god of the Sun. The second version claims that the name is consonant with the word Ἕλληνες - Hellenes (that is, Greeks), the third - that it comes from the word ἑλένη (ἑλάνη) - “torch”. None of the hypotheses have been truly confirmed.

  

  At the name Ksenia (Ξένια) two translation options: from the ancient Greek ξενία - “hospitality” and ξένος - “stranger”, “foreign”. The names Aksinya and Oksana are derivatives and are now used as independent names. The name Varvara, which has a similar meaning, comes from βαρβαρικός - “foreign”.

  And finally - the rather unexpected name Thekla (Θέκλα) . At first glance it looks like ours, Russian... but no. Same ancient Greek origin, and it is translated as “God’s glory”: θεός - “God” and κλέος - “glory”.

  Now you know about common (and not so common) female names of Greek origin in Russia and their meanings.

  Female names popular in Greece itself

  Here, by a large margin (who would doubt it!) is in the lead Maria - Μαρία, with 9.82%. That is, almost every tenth Greek woman bears this name!

  It is followed by a large margin by the name Ελένη - Elena, from 6.72%.

  On the third place Katerina - Κατερίνα from 4.69%, in fourth place Βασιλική – Vasiliki from 3.45%. The top five is completed Παναγιώτα – Panayiota from 2.69%.

  In the next five - Sofia (Σοφία) from 2.53%, Angeliki (Αγγελική) from 2.24%, George - (Γεωργία) with 2.153% and almost the same result Gospels - (Ευαγγελία) from 2.15%. And completes the top ten most popular female names Irini - (Ειρήνη) from 1.92%.

  Enough popular names Dimitra (Δήμητρα), Joanna (Ιωάννα), Konstantina (Κωνσταντίνα), Anastasia (Αναστασία), Paraskevi (Παρασκευή), Christina (Χριστίνα), Stavrula (Σταυρούλα), Despina (Δέσπ οινα), Kalliopi (Καλλιόπη) are included in the second ten of the list and each of them has an indicator of less than 2%. The names are not far from them Photini (Φωτεινή), Alexandra (Αλεξάνδρα), Chryse (Χρύσα), Athena (Αθηνά), Theodora (Θεοδώρα).

  Ancient Greek female names

  We find such names in myths and poems, many of them have survived to this day and are not used as often as the names given above.

  • Αριάδνη - Ariadne: the most innocent,
  • Ακτίς - Actis: this was the name of the daughter of the astronomer Eudoxus,
  • Aλκηστις - Alkistis: the joy of family, hearth,
  • Ανδρομάχη - Andromache: fighting on the outskirts,
  • Αφροδίτη - Aphrodite: born from sea ​​foam,
  • Αρσινόη - Arsinoe: sublime,
  • Αρετή - Areti: virtue,
  • Εριφύλη - Erifili: the most excellent of women,
  • Ευδοξία - Eudoxia: glorious,
  • Ελπινίκη - Elpinika: hope for victory,
  • Ευρυδίκη - Eurydice: very fair,
  • Ηλέκτρα - Electra: shining with charm,
  • Ηρώ - Ira (Hera): personification of Hera,
  • Ίρις - Iris: messenger of the gods,
  • Ιφιγένεια - Iphigenia: very strong,
  • Καλλιόπη - Calliopi (Calliope): beautiful-eyed,
  • Καλλιρρόη - Callirhoe: fresh, like spring water,
  • Κλεοπάτρα - Cleopatra: glory of the Motherland,
  • Μελπομένη - Melpomene (Melpo): tender with her singing,
  • Μυρτώ - Myrto: pleasant as myrtle,
  • Ναυσικά - Nafsika: glorified by sailors,
  • Νεφέλη - Nefeli: offering living water,
  • Ξανθίππη - Xanthippe: blonde horsewoman,
  • Πηνελόπη - Penelope: a skilled weaver,
  • Πολυξένη - Polyxena: very hospitable,
  • Φαίδρα - Phaedra: bright, shining,
  • Χλόη - Chloe: grass. One of the names of Demeter, as the protector of the plant world.

  Of course, it is impossible to cover the entire variety of female names in one article. But I hope that you learned something new for yourself. Did any fact become a discovery for you? Share in the comments.

The ancient world did not know the calendar, and the people of that time knew nothing about guardian angels and intercessors. But this does not mean at all that they did not believe in heavenly patrons. Newborn boys and girls were entrusted to the care of the gods living on Olympus. On the other hand, like our Slavic pagan ancestors, the ancient Greeks endowed their children with nicknames that reflected actual or desired qualities. For example, Aoid - “singing”, or Aniketos, which means “invincible”.

As in many ancient cultures, ancient greek names glorify the forces of nature or compare a person with a flower, plant, or animal. Examples can be given: Astreya (Star), Iolanta (purple flower), Leonidas (son of Leo). Some names smoothly “migrated” to our time, taking root in modern Greek culture and among us, those Slavs who came under the influence of Christianity of the Eastern rite.

It should be said that the ancient Romans borrowed their Pantheon from the Greeks, giving their gods their names. Therefore in Western Europe and in Slavic lands, where the Catholic religion is widespread, there are ancient Greek names derived from the same ones only with a Latin name. For example, Marsilius (god of war), Diana (goddess of the moon and hunting).

Old-new names

Do you love culture but would not like to break ties with Christianity? Then we can advise you on the names that have gone to Orthodox calendar. And then your child can be named sonorously and beautifully. His name will be rooted in the distant past. He can celebrate birthdays and will be protected by a heavenly patron.

And this is not surprising. After all, the first apostles, among whom were Greeks, bore ancient Greek male names. Let us remember, for example, Philippos. Beautiful name this apostle means "lover of horses." The girl, named Helen, will grow up to be as beautiful as the ancient Greek wife of King Menelaus, kidnapped by Paris. What does Ἑλένη (Helene) mean? "Lightbringer", "torch". The male equivalent of this ancient Greek name is Gelen. In addition to Helena, Philip and the already mentioned Leonidas, from ancient world A dozen more names were transferred to the modern one: Vasily, Dmitry, Hippolytus, Zeno, Eirene (later turned into Irina) and others.

For fans of the Olympic cult

Why not, in fact, name the child beautiful and original name, giving him as patrons not some holy saints and apostles, but one of the gods? Moreover, in Greek Pantheon there are so many of them. Now among the cultural elite of the world there is a fashion for ancient Greek female names, as well as for male ones. Let's remember, for example, Eros Ramazzotti or Penelope Cruz. U famous singer the name of the god of love, companion of Aphrodite.

The girlfriend of the young wizard Harry Potter from J. Rowling's book is also clearly patronized by Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maya, the patron of artisans, merchants, thieves and wanderers. Hermione is also mentioned in Homer’s poem “The Illiad”: she is the daughter of the beautiful Helen and Menelaus.

There are also many names whose bearers are “dedicated” to some Olympian (“art”, “sun”), Nika (“victory”), Iris (“rainbow”). However, be careful. Names ancient greek gods beautiful, but the inhabitants of Olympus themselves were never famous for their soft and flexible disposition. In this they differ from the Christian god of love. Together with positive qualities of his patron, the child may inherit his negative traits: vindictiveness, deceit, jealousy.

For connoisseurs of the culture of Ancient Greece

Anyone who is in love with the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides, in the comedies of Aristophanes, who reads Homer, will easily find beautiful and sonorous names. From them you can choose those that will not break the language of the Russian-speaking environment. For example, Aeneas means “praised”, “approved”. Not a bad name Phoenix, which means “purple” - a color that only aristocrats were allowed to wear. The boy Odysseus will inherit from his famous namesake, glorified by Homer, courage, ingenuity and a passion for travel.

In the myths and works of that civilization you can also find very beautiful ancient Greek names for women. For example, Electra - which means “bright”, “shining”. Or the muse of astronomy Urania - her name means “heavenly”. You can call the girl simply Muse or dedicate her to one of them, for example, Thalia or Calliope. In myths Ancient Greece There are many beautiful nymphs whose beauty captivated even the gods: Maya, Adrastea, Daphne, etc.

Love saves the world

Ancient Greek names that begin or end with the fragment “philo” fit very well on the tongue and caress the ear. This prefix means "Love". It can be applied not only to a passion for horses, like Philip, but also to singing - Philomena. The Greeks greatly valued this quality - the ability to love. They also wanted everyone around them to appreciate their son or daughter. Therefore, the names Philo, Theophilus, Philemon (“tender”) and others like them were common in the same way as with us with the prefix “glory” and “peace”.

The Greeks were a very pious people. IN Hellenistic period names appeared that signified the patronage of God, without specifying which one. Timothy is “one who honors God.” Theodora - "His gift." There are also names indicating the king of the gods - Zeus. Zinovia is life from Jupiter the Thunderer, and Zeophany is his manifestation on earth. Zeno means “initiated,” “belonging to Zeus.”

Nicknames

These ancient Greek names are the most numerous. After spending them scientific analysis, you can understand what qualities were valued in this civilization. After all, parents gave the name Atreus (“fearless”) or Aella (“fast as a whirlwind”) to a baby who had not yet stood on his feet. One thing is clear: like everyone else in the world, they wanted their sons to grow up brave (Adrastos), strong (Menander), persistent (Menelaus), defenders of the weak (Alexey, Alexander), brave (Alkinoi).

Oddly enough, in women the Greeks valued not so much beauty as the qualities of a housewife who looked after the hearth. Therefore, parents called the newborn a protector (Alexa), a spinner (Klaso), a calmer (Amalzeya), a good one (Agatha) and simply a housewife (Despoin). Motherhood and the ability to give birth to children were also valued (Metrophanes).

Warrior State

The ancient Greek names of boys indicate that their parents would like them to become owners of large livestock. Archippos means “having horses,” and Archilaos means “slave owner.” Athamus and Eustachis were promised a rich harvest in life.

Men's names give reason to believe that the Greeks often fought, and all young men had to take part in campaigns. Wanting to protect their offspring from death, mothers named them Amon (“hidden from danger”), Andreas (“good warrior”), Ambrosios (“immortal”) and Azarias (“having help from God”). At the same time, the boy could also be named Apollonaios, which means “destroyer.”

names symbolizing the forces of nature

This is the most ancient group, originating from a totemic society. Men were hunters, and therefore they needed accuracy, dexterity and strength in the fight against the beast. To provide their sons with these qualities necessary for life, parents named them Zopyros ("flaming", "striving"), Gregorios ("cautious"), Achilleus ("hurt-inflicting"), Andronikos ("conqueror of people") and Gerazimos (" lived to old age"). And so that the son returned home safely, safe and sound, he was called by the name Nestor.

Ancient people spiritualized the forces of nature. Aeolus was patronized by the winds, Anatolayos by the east and the dawn, Alcmene by the moon, Kyros by the sun, and Castor by the beaver. There are many names in which the word “lion” is present: Panteleon, Leonidas, and so on. Another totemic symbol was the horse: so Hippocrates means “horse strength.” Parents gave their sons under the protection of the mountains (Origen), the ocean (Okinos) and even the night (Orpheus).

Hermits Gynaeceum

The society of Ancient Greece was deeply sexist. No one questioned the supremacy of men. Women were deprived of all political and civil rights and, having married, they passed from the father's house to the husband's house as the property of the latter. The whole life of the so-called “decent woman” took place in the gynaeum - the female half of the house. Only hetaeras appeared freely on city streets.

Naturally, mothers wished their daughters happiness. The way they understood it: to marry an accommodating spouse, give him more children and not die from childbirth. Therefore, ancient Greek names for girls fully reflected the aspirations of their mothers. Amaranthos means “not disappearing”, Althea means “quick healing”, Agepe and Agapaios means “impossible to stop loving”. And Zozima is simply a “survivor”. Arcadia wanted to live among peaceful bucolics. Glyceria is the “sweetest” (of course, it was meant to be a joy for the husband). And Aspasia meant “welcoming.”

names symbolizing the elements, flowers and animals

At the same time, parents dedicated their newborn daughters to the forces of nature. Arethus - the water element, Anemone - the wind in general, and Zephyr - the western trade wind, Iris - the rainbow. The animals after which the girls were named are very graceful and beautiful. For example, Holcyon is a small kingfisher bird, Dorsia is a gazelle, and Dapna is a laurel. There are a lot of names that mean flowers (Anzeia, Anthusa): purple (Iolanthe), golden (Chryseid), dark (Melantha). But, naturally, such a quality as beauty has always been valued among women. The name Aglaya corresponds to her.

Choose wisely

If you want to name your child with an ancient name, you need to think carefully and analyze the ancient Greek names and their meanings. After all, it may turn out that beautiful name Apollonia hides the unseemly meaning of “destroying”. But the word “kind” in Hellenic does not sound very pleasant - Akakaios. You also need to remember that now Glaucus is not a name at all, but a position. The names of the ancient Greeks were sometimes very tricky - Agazangelos, for example. So don't break your tongue.

• Most modern names have national roots. By origin they are divided into the following categories:
  1. Antique: Adonis, Vangelis, Deidalos.
  2. Church: Anastasius, Zeno, Isidore.
• Many names are associated with the mythology of Ancient Greece: Dionysius, Artemy, Hector.
• Often there are names that in ancient times designated the area: Arkady, Anatoly.
• Remained widespread Orthodox names, since the Greeks belong to religious people. Among them there are ancient Hebrew and latin names: Ananias, Lucas, Matthias.

Many peoples have borrowed names with Greek roots. They spread to Italy, Russia, Ukraine, England, Spain. Not every parent knows what the origin of the chosen option is. This phenomenon has become two-sided. In the last century, the number of foreign names in the Greek name book has increased. Boys are often called Jonas, Myron, Thaddeus, due to the influence European culture to the country.

Every Greek has a colloquial and official name. According to Greek law, both forms are recorded in the passport. Option for Everyday life a man chooses on his own. According to spelling rules, names are accented.

What do you pay attention to when choosing?

The Greeks honor family customs, therefore they are guided by them in the naming process. According to the rules, you cannot name a boy after his father if he is alive. The first son is named after his paternal grandfather, and the second son is named after his maternal grandfather. The third boy in the family is named in memory of his father's grandfather's brother. If the remaining children are born boys, the parents name them as they wish. This tradition has led to the fact that Greek families many namesakes.

Modern parents choose a name based on personality characteristics. Antique names reflect the dignity of a man, his moral and intellectual qualities. Most Greek names are melodious and beautiful, which influences the choice.

A complete list of all options for boys and their meanings

The boy's name reflects the quality of a real man. The Greeks do this so that in the future their children will have such character traits. Therefore, the issue of naming is approached with special care.

Modern

Greek names are considered harmonious and beautiful, so they have become popular in many countries. Antiquity and myths gave modern Greece unusual names, among which are the following:

IN European countries Many names of Greek origin have taken root. Their transformed forms have appeared in almost every language. Among the popular European names that come from Greece are the following:

In recent years, such names have become popular among the population of Russia and Ukraine. Some of them are recorded in church calendar, therefore they are readily used by believing families.

Many names that seem originally Russian are actually Greek: Stepan, Timofey, Fedor, Makar, Vasily, Alexey. The list of famous Greek male names can be continued for a long time. People like Greek names because they mean positive characteristics person: wisdom, kindness, reliability, courage, masculinity. But these are precisely the qualities that society expects from a man.

History of the origin of Greek male names

How did male names of Greek origin come to us? Partly through mythology, but mainly from religion. The Greeks had a tremendous influence on world culture and everyday life

With the spread of Christianity ancient greek words entered our everyday life and are intertwined with it so closely that it is difficult to immediately determine where the word Slavic origin, and where is the Greek.

The Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles were distributed to Greek. Russian Orthodox Church At one time it was called the “Greek Catholic” or “Greek Rite Church.” The Greek names themselves (before they came to us) came from ancient Greek and Latin.

Interesting information: among the Greeks, when a woman gets married, she takes not only her surname, but also her husband’s patronymic.

List of beautiful names for a boy

All of them are beautiful, just some are unusual to the ear, but others are especially sonorous:

• Aristarchus translated means “best leader.” Life credo: “If you hurry, you will make people laugh”;
• Arkady. The name comes from the name of the region of Arcadia (Greek territory);
• Artemy is interpreted as “healthy”;
• Arseny - “mature”, “courageous”, which are the most valuable qualities for a man;
• Georgy - “farmer”;
• Evsey is translated as “pious,” that is, highly moral, resistant to temptation;
• Elisha is a variant of the name Odysseus ("angry"). Yes, the translation is formidable, but it sounds beautiful and such a person has a good character: he is reliable, smart, fair;
• Leonidas is “son of the lion” both in translation and in personal qualities;
• Rodion was formed from the ancient Greek Herodion (“hero”, “heroic”);
• Sevastyan - “highly revered”;
• Felix is ​​translated from Greek as “prosperous.” This is the case when appearances are deceptive: people may consider Felix careless, but in fact he is firm in his intentions, sets goals for himself and goes towards them;
• Philip - “horse lover”. For the Greeks, the horse represents courage and power.

Rare male names of Greek origin

We will consider rare names that are found in 10 or fewer newborns per month in the registry office statistics:

• Gerasim - “respected”;
• Demyan - “submissive”;
• Demid is interpreted as “God’s care”;
• Eustachius means “fertile”;
• Heraclius consists of two words: "Hera" (the name of the goddess) and "kleos" ("glory");
• Orestes - "mountain";
• Plato translated from Greek means “broad-shouldered”;
• Prokhor means “choir manager”;
• Pankrat - “omnipotent”;
• Trofim is translated as “breadwinner”.

Their rarity may be due to their outdated sound. However, each name meaning is quite pleasant.

Modern popular names and their meanings

Despite the tendency to call children difficult rare names, the usual ones don’t give up their positions either.

Modern Greek names are as follows:

• Artem. He stands firmly on his own, knows exactly what he wants from life, and is extremely hardworking. Respects authorities, but does not subservient to them;
• Alexander. Strives to do everything perfectly the first time. Rarely allows himself to show emotions in public. Will not engage in idle chatter, but will competently support a substantive conversation;
• Anton is a solid, independent and at the same time quite shy person;
• It is not for nothing that Alexey is translated as “defender”; he fully corresponds to this characteristic;
• Andrey is the life of the party, and therefore a well-connected person. Representative creative profession;
• Victor means "winner". An adventurer, but by no means frivolous, because he has developed sense responsibility;
• Vasily is distinguished by limitless patience and balance. Strong intuitive, but bases judgments on logic and facts;
• Gregory - from the Greek “awake”. Sensitive nature and capable “techie”. A faithful family man who values ​​home comfort;
• Denis is an active and curious boy. Growing up, he becomes neat and diligent;
• Evgeniy is a born diplomat: non-conflict, knows how to negotiate and find a compromise;
• Egor is a Russian variation of the Greek name Georgiy ("tiller of the earth");
• Nikolai is translated as “people's winner.” Nothing can set him off, he is extremely resilient;
• Nikita. The key character trait is charm, this attracts many people to him.

Interesting fact: there are Greek names that everyone knows, but Last year their popularity plummeted. For example, such names include Anatoly, Valentin, Gennady, Valery.

Ancient and forgotten names

Some names are outdated due to the desire to name children in a European way, and some for historical reasons or because of their interpretation, for example:

• Nicodemus is translated as “the conquering people.” It has never been popular with the population because it sounds unfriendly;
• Agathon - “kind”. Used only in the lower classes;
• Anfim means "flower", which by modern standards does not sound very masculine;
• Agap, Agapit. Translation from Greek is “beloved”, now the word is forgotten;
• Anastasy - “resurrected”, turned into the female name Anastasia;
• Efim - “who foretells good.” This was the name of the clergy, but was not used by the people;
• Evdokim - “honorable”. This name was given when becoming a monk;
• Luke means "light." It has fallen out of use because it is associated with the word “cunning” (insincerity, cunning);
• Macarius - “blessed”, but also translated as “blessed”, which in modern society understood as “strange”, “eccentric”;
• Potap means “wanderer”. Lost popularity due to its old-fashioned sound.

Have you noticed that pop stars often take such names as their pseudonyms? The words are rare, that is, they add uniqueness to the speaker; At the same time, they are sonorous and well remembered.

How to choose a Greek name for a boy

Believers follow the custom of naming in honor of a saint based on their date of birth or adjacent numbers. There are many name options for a boy in the church calendar, several names of revered elders and martyrs. For example, a son was born on January 31st. We open the calendar and see that on this day Kirill, Dmitry, Emelyan are venerated. There will be other options, not Greek.

You can also start from the desired meaning, a certain image that is significant for parents. For example, a woman who has not been able to get pregnant for a long time may name her son Fedot (“ given by God", "gifted") or Chariton ("grace").

It happens that parents want to name their son after a character from the myths of Ancient Greece, so that he would be just as respected and significant. For example, Zeno (“belonging to Zeus”), Zinovy ​​(“the power of Zeus”), Isidore (“the gift of Isis”), Taras (the son of Poseidon in mythology), Tikhon (in honor of the goddess of luck Tyukhe).

The name should sound consistent with the patronymic. Say it out loud and cut off incompatible, absurd, difficult-to-pronounce pairs: for example, Nestor Alexandrovich is less harmonious than Pyotr Alexandrovich. But combinations sound harmonious where the first name and patronymic begin with the same letter (Vasily Vitalievich) or the same consonant is repeated (Kuzma Mikhailovich).

When choosing a name, remember that a person will have to wear it all his life. How cute does that sound to little boy, but it will create discomfort and will not cause the best associations for an adult man.