Greek Names

Delta

Greek

"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"

Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…

Ariadne

Greek

"most holy"

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest…

Nerissa

Greek

"from the sea"

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…

Lotus

Greek

"lotus flower"

A flower name containing both beauty and power, Lotus has significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position. In…

Larisa

Greek

"citadel"

This version of the name of a Greek nymph, based on the ancient city of Larisa, is widely used in Russia thanks to a martyr saint venerated by the Eastern Church.

Ismene

Greek

"knowledgeable"

Sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology, Ismene's name is unlikely to make it in modern times because of its teasability factor. Ismay or Esme would be better bets.

Ithaca

Place-name

The island home of Odysseus, and city site of Cornell University, sounds soft and pleasant enough to make it a candidate for babynamehood.

Jacinta

Spanish for Greek flower name

"hyacinth"

Jacinta, the Spanish word for hyacinth, is a lot softer and sweeter than the English version. The correct Spanish pronunciation is ha-SEEN-ta, though many English speakers would say ja-SIN-ta.…

Jocasta

Greek, meaning unknown

Jocasta is a mythological name fashionably used in England, but mostly ignored here. She was the mother of Oedipus, King of Thebes, whom he (oops) unwittingly married. If you can ignore that small…

Evanthe

Greek

"fair flower"

Evanthe is a pretty Greek name not often heard outside its native culture. With its stylish Ev-begining, Evanthe could make an interesting choice if you're looking for a generic flower name.

Hera

Greek

"protectress"

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today…

Ianthe

Greek

"purple flower"

Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the…

Ilana

Hebrew

"oak tree"

Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. While some sources say Ilana is…

Eurydice

Greek

"wide justice"

Despite (or because of) her tragic story in Greek myth--Eurydice was poisoned by a snake and condemned to the underworld, where her husband, musician Orpheus, tried and failed to bring her back--she…

Evadne

Greek

"pleasing one"

In Greek mythology, Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon. Evadne also appears in literature (Mary Shelley's "The Last Man") and has a pop culture reference as the cousin of Wonder Woman. A more…

Electra

Greek

"amber, shining, bright"

Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…

Diantha

Greek

"divine flower"

Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands. Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.

Desdemona

Greek

"ill-starred"

Desdemona is as Shakespearean as a name can be, but because the beautiful and innocent wife of Othello came to such a tragic end, her name has been avoided for centuries. But at this point in time,…