Greek Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

Karissa

Spelling variation of Carissa

Both Karissa and Carissa are trending downward, along with the other issa names that first rose to popularity in the 1970s. Karissa fell out of the Top 1000 in 2014, two years after Carissa.

Melita

Greek

"honey"

A coffee filter.

Charmian

Greek

"joy"

This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK,…

Kassandra

Original spelling of Cassandra

Kassandra is actually the original form of Cassandra (Greek names do not have C s), though most will see it as a Kardashianization, which is a shame! As you might expect, the C currently charts…

Cassia

Feminine form of Cassius or Greek

"cinnamon"

Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the…

Cassiopeia

Greek mythology name

"cassia juice"

Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related…

Cate

English diminutive of Catherine

"pure"

Time was, even C-starting Catherines who called themselves Kate spelled it with a K, but Cate Blanchett changed all. Cate is now as acceptable as (but not as well used as) Kate. Cait might be short…

Charis

Greek

"grace"

Reference to the mythological Three Graces of womanly charm, this one representing charity. Pronounced in Greek as starting with a back-of-the-throat H sound, most English-speakers would translate…

Chara

Greek

"joy"

Chara is the name of a star in a constellation that represents hunting dogs, recently named as one of the most likely to host extraterrestrial life. Also, Chara is a variation of both Sarah and…

Chloris

Greek

"pale"

Antiseptic sounding.

Cynthia

Greek

"moon goddess; woman from Kynthos"

Sleek and serious, yet bright and energetic at the same time, Cynthia appears in classic mythology as an epithet for Artemis or Diana. While it is now a more neglected choice, it was once hugely…

Cipriana

Greek

"from the Island of Cyprus"

Offbeat and romantic place-name.

Circe

Greek

"bird, hawk"

In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea (or Aiaia) who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to…

Clematis

Flower name, from Greek

"vine branch"

Flower name that sounds a bit too much like a disease.

Clio

Greek

"glory"

Clio is the name of the ancient Greek mythological muse of history and heroic poetry, one that is rich with modern charm and would make an intriguing choice, especially thanks to its dynamic…

Cleopatra

Greek

"glory of the father"

A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some…

Cliantha

Greek

"glory-flower"

A highly unusual flower name that could give you Clio for short.

Nicoline

Nicoline is a feminine name of Greek origin, functioning as a derivative of Nicholas (Nikolaos), which combines 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people), meaning 'victory of the people'. This elegant…

Dina

Hebrew variation of Dinah or Adinah

"judged or delicate"

Dina is a 20th century version of either Dinah or Adinah, two Old Testament names not related to each other. Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah, while Adinah or Adina was a male…

Kosta

Kosta as a feminine name represents an unusual gender crossover from its traditional masculine usage. More commonly, Kosta is a masculine name in Slavic countries, particularly popular in Greece,…