Greek Names for Girls

An alternative spelling of Eurydice, the name of Orpheus's wife in Greek Mythology. 

Euridyce

Also used in Albania, Lithuania, and Lativia, this is a Greek form of Iris, a coloful and floral name, ultimately from the word Iridos.

Irida

The island home of Odysseus, the name of a real-life Greek island, and the New York city site of Cornell University, Ithaca feels like a scholarly and distinctive choice. Pronounced as ith-uh-kuh, it blends spikiness and softness, which might just appeal to fans of Atticus, Illyria, and Thessaly, or to those looking for very rare alternatives to Annika, Erika, Ivy, or Isabella.
 
Appearing (as yet) just once in the US stats, back in 2017, likely owing to the movie of the same name which had released in 2016, could the 2026 movie The Odyssey encourage more parents to consider this rare place name?

Ithaca

This elegant variation carries the same core meaning as Margaret while featuring the distinctive Italian pronunciation and spelling. The name has historical significance in Italy, where Saint Margherita of Cortona is a respected religious figure and Queen Margherita is the namesake of the Margherita pizza. 

Margherita has remained consistently used in Italy and Italian communities worldwide, and can make an original honor name for an ancestral Margaret. But in the US, this name will forever be misspelled, mispronounced, and misunderstood as the more familiar Spanish Margarita, which may be why it was given to fewer than five baby girls in the US last year.

Margherita

Cosy but strong, distinctive and regal, Marthena could be a number of things: a spelling variation of Martina (likely based on Afrikaans form, Marthina); an elaboration of the classic and Biblical Martha; or, a compound name, blending any Mar- name with mythological choice, Athena.
 
As such, its meaning may vary depending on what root you follow. As a variation of Martina, it relates back to Roman god of war, Mars, while as a twist on Martha, it comes from the Aramaic marta meaning "lady, mistress". As a compound name, further meanings could be "pearl from Athens", "lady from Athens", "beloved Athens" and "warlike one from Athens".
 
Actress and politician Aiko Melendez named her daughter Marthena, possibly taking inspiration from her birthname (Mary) and her then partner's name, Martin.

Marthena

An elaborate and poetic form of Melody, Melodia comes from the Greek melos meaning "song". It may additionally be considered the Spanish form of the word name, more traditionally spelled as Melodía.
 
In Byzantine iconography, Melodia is a personification of chants and songs. She appears in art and illustrations as a Muse for the Biblical King David (also a harpist and shepherd).

Melodia

An ancient city in modern-day Syria, which occasionally makes the roster of girl names. Its etymology is uncertain — locally it is called Tadmor, and Palmyra is the Greek version — but it has traditionally been associated with palm trees. It may also be a feminine form of the Italian Palmiro, meaning "pilgrim", ultimately from palma, again meaning "palm tree".
 
Palmira is an alternative (and more popular) spelling.

Palmyra

A mythological name, Parthenope is a rare and distinctive choice that may nevertheless appeal to those looking for little known alternatives to Penelope or Persephone. While some sources suggest the name means "maiden's face" or "virgin appearance", others interpret it as "maiden's voice".
 
In Greek mythology, Parthenope was one of the sirens who attempted to lure Odysseus to crash his ship, however, when her songs failed to entice him, she threw herself into the sea and drowned. In Roman mythology, Parthenope was pursued by a centaur called Vesuvius, but he was thwarted when the god Jupiter turned him into a volcano and Parthenope into a city.
 
The name has a few other noteworthy bearers: Frances Parthenope Verney, sister to Florence Nightingale and a writer and journalist in her own right, and the musician Parthenope Wald-Harding. Additionally, it was used as the title (and for the main character) of a 2024 film by Paolo Sorrentino.
 
With possible nicknames including Thena, Poe, Poppy, Enna, Peri, and Pip, it is a one-of-a-kind choice that has never ranked in the US charts.

Parthenope

Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls, especially with the Sasha spelling attached to one of the First Daughters. Sacha with this spelling is a Top 20 name for baby boys in France.


Sacha

A variation of Serapion, itself derived from Serapis, the name of a Greco-Egyptian god, the result of fusing the sacred bull Apis with Osiris, the god of fertility, agriculture, and the dead. Likely from the Egyptian asar, it could be interpreted as meaning "mighty" or "eye". 
 
Saint Serapia was a 2nd-Century Roman saint and martyr, who fled persecution during the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. She entered into the service of a wealthy widow called Sabina, converted her mistress to Christianity and then spent her days in devotion and charity work. When Serapia later refused to worship the Roman gods, she was given to two men to be defiled as punishment. The men fell unconscious however, allowing her to escape, only to be accused of witchcraft and beheaded. 
 
Also appearing as Seraphia, Serafia, and Seraphima, Serapia may additionally refer to a Roman festival, celebrating the God Serapis.

Serapia

Sybilla and its near-identical twin Sibylla are dainty and demure names with a powerful namesake that also happen to be extremely rare -- no baby girls were given either name in the US last year.

Sybilla

This elongated form of Sibyl is dainty and delicate -- dare we even say demure? It's got deep history, a powerful namesake, and it's extremely rare -- zero baby girls were named Sibylla or Sybilla or Sybylla in the US last year.


Sibylla

Sibella is derived from Sibyl or Sibylla, referring to female prophets or oracles in ancient Greek and Roman culture. The name carries an air of mysticism and ancient wisdom, while its melodic quality gives it an elegant, sophisticated sound. 

Sibella was occasionally used during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, particularly among nobility, though it has always remained uncommon. The name experienced brief periods of minor popularity in the 19th century but remains rare today. No baby girls were named Sibella in the US last year. Its classical roots combined with its lyrical sound appeal to parents seeking a name with historical depth that maintains a distinctive quality. .

Sibella

A multicultural choice with two rather different meanings, Thana is an Arabic name with the spiritual meaning of "praise". It may also appear as Thanaa, Sana, and Sena, the latter spellings reflecting its pronunciation in Urdu and Turkish. 
 
Alternatively, Thana comes from the name of the Greek god Thanatos, giving it the meaning "death". That could make it feel rather ominous, but in mythology, the god was actually a jolly winged creature living in the underworld. It could also be considered a short form of Athanasia, meaning "immortal". 
 
In Arabic, the name would be pronounced tha-NA, while from its Greek roots, it would be THAN-a.

Thana

Likely derived as a spin on Iolanthe, itself created by Gilbert and Sullivan for their 1882 opera of the same name, Violanthe connects the name more obviously to the violet flower. It may appeal to those who enjoy the sleek, vintage Violet and the distinctive Xanthe but want something rarer than both. 

Violanthe

Popular in Brazil during the 1960s, Zenaide is the Portuguese and Italian form of the Greek Zenaida. Associated with a genus of white-winged doves, a first-century saint and doctor, and the highest of the Greek gods, it is pronounced as dzeh-NIE-deh in Italian and as zeh-NYE-jee in Portuguese. 

Zenaide

The French form of Helen, Hélène was hugely popular in France throughout the 20th-century, though recent years have seen it decline in popularity, leaving it towards the latter end of the Top 500. Pronounced more like the English Ellen, with emphasis on both syllables, Hélèna, Elèna, and Elena currently rank higher.


Hélène

The Dorathea spelling moves this name away from the classic Dorothea and toward a smoosh name -- a name created by combining two separate names, in this case Dora and Thea. If you're honoring a Dora or plan to use this shortened version every day, this spelling might make sense. But as with many variant spellings of classic names, this version will condemn you to a lifetime of correcting other people's spelling, and other people assuming you or your child don't know how to spell their own name.

Dorathea

A rare name, most notably borne by Opha May Johnson, who became the first woman to officially join the United States Marine Corps in 1918, Opha may appeal to those who like the sounds of Aoife, Opal, and Sophia. The exact origins of the name are unknown, but it may well have emerged as a short form of stylish, Shakespearean Ophelia meaning "help, assistance" or as a variation of the Biblical Ophrah (from the Hebrew ofer) meaning "fawn".
 
The name has also been used as an enemy species in the video game Borderlands, which leads to another possible source:the ophanim, a type of celestial being whose name means "wheels, spheres, whirlwinds" and appear in one of Ezekiel's visions in the Bible.They are sometimes considered alongside Cherubim and Seraphim, beings who guard the throne of God.
 
In addition to this, it's the acronym of various health associations across the globe.

Opha

Literary and ancient, Lysistrata is the Latinized form of the Greek Lysistrate and the variation used by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophenes in his comedy of the same name. Set around the Peloponnesian war, the play sees Lysistrata organize the wives on both sides of the battle to deny their husbands sex until a peace treaty is signed.
 
Literally meaning "releasing, loosening the army", it could more figuratively be interpreted as "one who disbands armies".
 
While it could have the possible nicknames Lissy, Star, Lettie, and Lys, for those who want something rare but not this this rare, then Lysandra is a similar option.

Lysistrata

Greek girl names include several classic names that have ranked highly in the US for its entire history, most notably Catherine, Helen, and Margaret.

 in recent times, not only in the US but around the world, is Sophia, the name of the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Sofia, the name’s alternate spelling, also ranks in the Top 25, along with the Greek name Penelope.

include Alexandra, Arianna, Chloe, Cora, Evangeline, Iris, Lydia, Maya, Ophelia, Thea, and Zoe. 

 popular in Greece include Konstantina, Katerina, Dimitra, and Eleni.

 currently in style include Anastasia, Anthea, Calypso, Cassia, Dorothea, Eulalia, Ione, Lyra, and Phoebe. But there are so many other Greek girl names worth consideration, from Acacia to Zephyrine, that the entire list bears a closer look.

 were a big favorite of Shakespeare's, with such Greek names as Desdemona and Cressida playing a major part in some of his greatest tragedies. If Greek girl names are good enough for the Bard, surely our list of Greek names for girls is worth exploring!

Greek girl names with meanings and popularity, including top Greek names for girls and unique girls names from Greece and of Greek origin. (Page 31)

Greek Girl Names