God Names from Myth and Legend

The name of the ship sailed by Jason in his search for the Golden Fleece is now more often used for starch, trucks, and heavy machinery.

The name of a mythically handsome youth – loved by Selene, the moon, who bore him fifty daughters.

Cadmus is the name of the serpent-slaying hero of Greek mythology who also founded the city of Thebes and is credited with inventing the alphabet. Its ancient feel might appeal to modern parents — especially since Cadmus Peverell is a human Harry Potter character, one of the three original owners of the Deathly Hallows.

These days, more people will relate to Hermes -- pronounced ayr-MEZ -- as an upscale brand name like Chanel and Porsche than as a Greek god. Actress Kelly Rutherford took on the challenge when she bestowed the name on her son. Hermes is the god of travel, writing, athletics, and thievery, among many other things.

The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously. The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down to earth. And Zeus wasn't just the supreme god, he was also the god of the sky, thunder, lightning, and fate, among other weighty responsibilities.

Too many Connors in your neighborhood? This name--spelled with one 'l' or two--is equally authentic and much more unusual.

Though you may pray to the god of sleep for your baby to slumber through the night, a drowsy image is not the greatest one to inflict on your little boy.

Another name for Jupiter, king of the Roman gods, this jovial name is eminently ready for modern use. Feminine variations include Jovita and Jovie.

Thor, the powerful name of the Norse god of thunder, strength and rain, would make a bold statement. Long a comic book staple, Thor has now invaded the big screen, and could land on birth certificates as well.

If you've rejected all the names on earth, you might move on to the sixth planet from the sun, also the Roman god of agriculture and plenty, and the origin of Saturday.

Dionysius derives from Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, revelry and fertility. This Romanized spelling has been used for poets, soldiers, and saints throughout the centuries, but is hardly ever seen today.

Kirin is a mythical Chinese figure that is a flying horse with elements of a dragon. The creature combines elements of the male -- Ki -- and the female -- Rin -- to make a gender neutral name that would work well in the Western World.

A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven.

The first famous Paris was a mythological prince of incredible beauty. The most recent was media darling Paris Hilton, inspirer of a generation of baby-girl namesakes. But since Pierce Brosnan and other celebs have continued to use it for their sons, the name retains some masculine identity. For girls, it jumped from #464 to #412 in the past year alone.

Mythological son of Odin, powerful and mute.

This version of the sea god's name may be more ready for prime time than the Roman version, Neptune -- slightly.

This version of the sea god's name may be more ready for prime time than the Roman version, Neptune -- slightly.

Conor's more popular brother name Connor has been in the Top 100 for long enough that both are ready to make way for a new generation of Irish boys' names.

In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of the forests. He protected farmers and fields and was credited with developing a system for marking field boundaries.

This Roman mythology (and planet) name would be very hard to handle. It derives from a root meaning cloud.