ancient greek names

Explore names with source-linked origins, etymologies, and pronunciations. Open a name to see its language context and regional pronunciation variants.

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Documented languageCountry of recorded useLanguage origin

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1,165 names · Page 5 of 20. Origin labels follow the cited name sense; earlier roots and uncertain meanings are explained on each name page.

Charmian

Diminutive form of Ancient Greek χάρμα (khárma, “joy”). According to Plutarch, the name of a servant and advisor of Cleopatra.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends N

Charmides

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Χαρμίδης (Kharmídēs).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Chiril

Borrowed from Old Church Slavonic Кѵрилъ (Kürilŭ), from Ancient Greek Κύριλλος (Kúrillos).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Chiron

From Ancient Greek Χείρων (Kheírōn).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Chloe

Borrowed from Ancient Greek χλόη (khlóē, “young green shoot”), an epithet of goddess Demeter. Learned borrowing from Latin Chloē. Borrowed from English Chloe.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Chloé

Borrowed from Ancient Greek χλόη (khlóē, “young green shoot”), an epithet of goddess Demeter

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends É

Christa

Contraction of Christina and Christiana. Rare until the second half of the 20th century, reinforced by the German Christa. Probably borrowed from German Christa, where it is a…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Christiaan

Ultimately from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Christian

From Middle English Cristien, from Old French chrestien, from Latin Chrīstiānus, from Ancient Greek Χρῑστιᾱνός (Khrīstiānós), from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ, anointed [one]”)…

Gender: mixed
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Christiana

A medieval literate form of the female name Christian.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends A

Christina

Name of an early martyr, shortened from Latin Chrīstiāna (“Christian (woman)”). Doublet of Kirsten.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Christine

Borrowed from French Christine. Doublet of Christina. Borrowed from Latin Chrīstiāna, the name of an early martyr. Doublet of chrétienne.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Christophanus

A variant of Latin Chrīstophorus, perhaps via analogy with Stephanus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends S

Christopher

From Late Latin Christophorus, from Koine Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, “carrier of Christ”), from Ancient Greek Χριστός (Khristós, “Christ”) + φόρος (phóros, “carrier,…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends R

Christopherus

A variant of Latin Chrīstophorus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends S

Christophorus

From Koine Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, from Χρῑστός (Khrīstós, “Christ”) + φόρος (phóros, “bearing”), literally “Christ-bearer”), from Ancient Greek χρῑστός (khrīstós,…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends S

Chrysides

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Χρῡσίδης (Khrūsídēs). By surface analysis, chrȳsos + -idēs.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Chrysostom

Borrowed from Latin Chrȳsostomus, from Koine Greek Χρυσόστομος (Khrusóstomos, literally “golden-mouthed”), from χρυσός (khrusós, “gold”) + στόμα (stóma, “mouth”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends M

Cibele

Learned borrowing from Latin Cybelē, from Ancient Greek Κυβέλη (Kubélē).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Cíntia

a female given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Cynthia

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Cinzia

Learned borrowing from Latin Cynthia, from Ancient Greek Κυνθίᾱ (Kunthíā); see there for more.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Ciorstaidh

Clipping of Cairistìona.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends H

Ciorstan

From Scots Kirsten. Doublet of Cairistìona.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Ciriaco

From Ancient Greek κυριακός (kuriakós). From Ancient Greek Κυριᾶκος (Kuriâkos).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends O

Cirilo

Borrowed from Late Latin Cȳrillus, from Ancient Greek Κύριλλος (Kúrillos). Borrowed from Late Latin Cȳrillus, from Ancient Greek Κύριλλος (Kúrillos).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends O

Ciro

From Latin Cyrus, from Ancient Greek Κῦρος (Kûros), from Old Persian 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (ku-u-ru-u-š /⁠Kuruš⁠/). Learned borrowing from Latin Cȳrus, from Ancient Greek Κῦρος (Kûros),…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Claus

From Dutch and German Claus, a contraction of Nicolaus (“Nicholas”). The spelling Klaus is from more modern German Klaus and other Germanic languages.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends S

Cléanthe

Borrowed from Latin Cleanthēs, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek Κλεάνθης (Kleánthēs).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Cleo

Shortened from Cleopatra or a variant of Clio. The rare male name derives from names of Ancient Greek origin such as Cleon and Cleopas.

Gender: mixed
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Cleopatra

From Middle English Cleopatra, from Latin Cleopatra, from Ancient Greek Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopátra), meaning "glory of her father", from κλέος (kléos, “glory”) + πατήρ (patḗr, “father”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 4 syllables
Ending: ends A

Cletus

Borrowed from Latin Cletus, short form of the papal name Anacletus, from Ancient Greek ἀνάκλητος (anáklētos, “invoked”), from ἀνακαλέω (anakaléō) + -τός (-tós).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Clio

From the Ancient Greek Κλειώ (Kleiṓ). The award and car model were named after the goddess. From Ancient Greek Κλειώ (Kleiṓ).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Clitus

From Ancient Greek κλειτός (kleitós), from κλέω (kléō, “to celebrate”) + -τος (-tos, verbal adjective suffix).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Cloe

A female given name from Ancient Greek, an alternative spelling of Chloe.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Coleen

A female given name from Ancient Greek, variant of Coline, from Nicoline.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Colin

Diminutive of Coll, a medieval short form of Nicholas. It has also been used to anglicize Irish Coileán and Scottish Gaelic Cailean.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Collin

A spelling variant of Colin.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Cora

Apparently brought up in English literature by James Fenimore Cooper in The Last of the Mohicans (1826), but compare a female heroine of this name in Jean-François Marmontel's…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Core

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “maiden”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Corina

A female given name from Ancient Greek, variant of Corinna.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Corinna

From Ancient Greek, probably from κόρη (kórē, “girl, maid, daughter”); compare kore. From Ancient Greek Κόριννα (Kórinna).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Corinne

From the French equivalent of Corinna, from Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “girl, maiden, daughter”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Cosimo

From Ancient Greek Κοσμᾶς (Kosmâs). Compare Sicilian Còcimu and Còsimu.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends O

Cosmas

From Latin Cosmas, from Ancient Greek Κοσμᾶς (Kosmâs), from κόσμος (kósmos). Doublet of Cosmo and related to cosmos.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Cosmo

Borrowed by Scotland from Italy in the 18th century. An Italian variant of Cosimo, from the name Cosmas of a saint (martyred with his brother Damian in the fourth century),…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Crates

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κρᾰ́της (Krắtēs).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends S

Cristian

A male given name from Ancient Greek, of rare usage, variant of Christian. Unadapted borrowing from English Christian. Doublet of Cristiano, cristão, and cretino. a male…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Cristòfol

Ultimately from Ancient Greek Χρῑστόφορος (Khrīstóphoros, literally “Christ-bearer”). See there for cognates.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends L

Cristóvão

Inherited from Latin Chrīstophanus, variant of Chrīstophorus, from Ancient Greek Χριστόφορος (Khristóphoros). Doublet of Cristóforo and Christopher.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends O

Croesus

From Latin Croesus, from Ancient Greek Κροῖσος (Kroîsos), from Lydian.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Curstaidh

Clipping of Cairistìona.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends H

Cybill

A 20th-century variant of Sybil or Sibyl.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Cynthia

Borrowed from Latin Cynthia, from Ancient Greek Κυνθία (Kunthía), feminine of Κύνθιος (Kúnthios, “Cynthian (of or pertaining to Mount Cynthus, a mountain of Delos, celebrated…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Cynthius

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κύνθιος (Kúnthios); morphologically Cynthus + -ius.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Cyril

Via Late Latin Cȳrillus, from Ancient Greek Κύριλλος (Kúrillos), from κύριος (kúrios, “lord, master”). a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Cyril a…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L