Aithusa

AH-thu-sah

Greek, Pop Culture

"to light up; room; light of the sun"

Aithusa Origin and Meaning

The name Aithusa is a girl's name meaning "to light up; room; light of the sun".

A rare and mystical choice, Aithusa may appeal to those looking for alternatives to contemporary favorite, Athena. A name from Greek mythology, Aithusa is the daughter of Poseidon and Alcyone, and a lover of Apollo.

While some sources suggest the name means "to light up" or "to burn", others suggest it means "room, hall." The definition might also be complicated by the fact the name Aithusa was used in the BBC show, Merlin, for a white dragon whose name is described as meaning "light of the sun" in dragon tongue. This may have been inspired by the Greek meaning, and by Aithusa's love for Apollo in myhthology.

Also spelled Aethusa, it is connected to a poisonous herb, better known as fool's parsley or poison parsley.