Top Greek Names for Boys

Tue Jun 09 2020By Nameberry

Greek names for boys include such classic male names as Phillip and George, Nicholas and Andrew, Peter and Stephen, all common in the US for most of its history. These traditional Greek boys’ names and their variations have been widely-used in the western world for decades.

Along with Phillip and George, the top Greek boy names in the US Top 500 today include Alexander, Atticus, Elias, Jonas, Lucas, Nico, Sebastian, and Tobias. Baby boy names popular in Greece include Yiorgos — the Greek form of George — Yiannis, Constantine, and Dimitris.

Unique Greek boy names with a contemporary appeal include Hero, Lazarus, Linus, Ozias, and Phoenix.

Other unique Greek boy names in fashion for modern babies are names from Greek mythology. You might consider naming your son Apollo or Atlas, Orion or Perseus. For more choices like this, consult our list of Mythology Boy Names. You might also want to browse our selection of Greek girl names.

Explore our full list of Greek boy names, continued below. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.

See Unique Greek Names for Boys

Lucas

Origin:
Latin form of Luke
Meaning:
"man from Lucania"
Description:
Lucas is the Latin derivation of the Greek name Loukas. The meaning of the name references Lucania, an ancient territory in Southern Italy. Lucas is related to the names Luke and Luca; however, Lucius and Lucian derive from a different root and have a different meaning.

Lucas Continued

Alexander

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"defending men"
Description:
Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed of the elements aléxein, meaning “to defend,” and aner, meaning “man.” According to Greek legend, the first Alexander was Paris, who was given the nickname Alexander by the shepherds whose flocks he defended against robbers. He was followed by Alexander the Great, aka Alexander III, who conquered much of Asia.

Alexander Continued

Sebastian

Origin:
Latin from Greek
Meaning:
"person from ancient city of Sebastia"
Description:
Sebastian is derived from the Greek Sebastianos, meaning “from Sebastia.” Sebastia was a city in Asia Minor—modern day Sivas, Turkey. Sebastian is a name with a substantial history, first as the third-century martyr whose sufferings were a favorite subject of medieval artists, then as the name of memorable characters in such varied works as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and The Tempest and Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

Sebastian Continued

Luke

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"man from Lucania"
Description:
Luke originated as a short form of Lucas, a Latin derivation of the Greek name Loukas. The most famous bearer of the name is the first-century Greek physician—an evangelist and friend of Saint Paul, as well as the author of the third Gospel of the New Testament—who was also supposed to have been a portrait painter. He thus became the patron saint of doctors and artists.

Theodore

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"gift of God"
Description:
Theodore is a derivative of the Latin Theodorus, a variation of the Greek name Theodōros. The components are from the Greek words theos, meaning “God,” and dōron, meaning “gift,” giving Theodore the meaning “God-given” or “gift of God.” Names with similar origins include Theodora, Dorothy, and Dorothea.

Theodore Continued

Christopher

Origin:
Greek and Latin
Meaning:
"bearer of Christ"
Description:
Christopher derived from the Greek Christophoros, which is composed of the elements Christos, referring to Christ, and phero, meaning “to bear.” The name was originally used figuratively, to represent the bearing of Christ in one’s heart. Later it became used to honor Saint Christopher, a third century martyr who became the protective saint of travelers, reflecting the legend of Christopher being the giant who carried the Christ Child over a river.

Christopher Continued

Andrew

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"strong and manly"
Description:
Andrew is a variant of the Greek name Andreas, ultimately derived from the element aner, meaning “man.” In the New Testament, Andrew was one of the twelve apostles and the first disciple to be called by Jesus. Although the origins of the name are Greek, Andrew is the patron saint of both Scotland and Russia, as well as Greece. It has associations with two of America's most famous artists, Wyeth and Warhol.

Andrew Continued

Christian

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"follower of Christ"
Description:
Christian has fallen a bit from its 90's and 00's heights, but it's still quite popular. Once considered overly pious, Christian is now seen as making a bold statement of faith by some, while also having secular appeal for others, perhaps influenced by such celebrities as Christian Slater and Christian Bale, not to mention the fashion world's Dior, Lacroix, Louboutin and Audigier.

Christian Continued

Elias

Origin:
Greek variation of Elijah, Hebrew
Meaning:
"Yahweh is God"
Description:
Elias, strong and charismatic, is following in the path of family members Elijah and Eli, and is also moving on up in popularity.

Elias Continued

Nicholas

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"people of victory"
Description:
Nicholas is derived from the Greek Nikolaos, a name that evolved from the components nikē, meaning “victory”, and laos, “people.” It shares origins with Nike, the name of the Greek goddess of victory. Nicholas is also a New Testament name that is well-used in literature, such as in Dickens's Nicholas Nickleby.

Nicholas Continued

Jason

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"to heal"
Description:
Jason, the Number 3 name for the entire decade of the 1970s -- thus the title of our original baby-naming book, Beyond Jennifer & Jason -- is more likely to be dad's name now than baby's, but it's still a widely used name.

Jason Continued

Damian

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"to tame, subdue"
Description:
Damian has sidestepped its demonic horror movie overtones, leaving a basically friendly and charming Irish image. A well-used upper-class name in England, it is growing in popularity here.

Damian Continued

George

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"farmer"
Description:
Iconoclasts though we may be, we like Fred, we like Frank, and we like George, which was among the Top 10 from 1830 to 1950, when the number of little Georges started to decline. Solid, strong, royal and saintly, yet friendly and unpretentious, we think that George is in prime position for a comeback, especially since it was chosen by Britain's royal couple.

George Continued

Alex

Origin:
Diminutive of Alexander, Alexis
Meaning:
"defending men"
Description:
The independent Alex has become a classic in its own right. One of the truest unisex names, Alex is used almost equally for both sexes. Alex is used both on its own and as a short form of formal names of both genders, such as Alexander, Alexandra, and Alexis.

Xander

Origin:
Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
Meaning:
"defending men"
Description:
Xander is a diminutive of Alexander, the Latin variation of the Greek Alexandros. Its meaning, “defending men,” is taken from the Greek roots aléxein, “to defend,” and andros, “men.” Zander, pronounced the same way, is an alternate spelling.

Xander Continued

Nicolas

Origin:
Spelling variation of Nicholas
Meaning:
"people of vistory"
Description:
Nicolas is the French and Spanish form, or streamlined spelling, of Nicholas, popularized by actor Nicolas Cage.

Nicolas Continued

Timothy

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"honoring God"
Description:
A second-tier classic, the New Testament Timothy moves in and out of fashion more than John and James. But though it peaked in the 1960s, many modern parents still appreciate its familiarity and lively rhythm. And the short form Tim feels eternally boyish.

Timothy Continued

Theo

Origin:
Diminutive of Theodore
Meaning:
"gift of God"
Description:
Many modern parents use Theo as the short form for Theodore rather than the dated Ted--including some celebs, such as Dallas Bryce Howard-- but others bypass the Grandpa name Theodore entirely and skip right to the hip nickname Theo. Short and ultra-chic, Theo's a cool, contemporary baby name choice.

Leon

Origin:
Greek variation of Leo
Meaning:
"lion"
Description:
Leon is one of the leonine names that is extremely hot in Europe right now. Although it peaked here in the 1920s, it is slowly making its way back, and it could climb further with parents wanting a more serious and studious alternative to Leo.

Peter

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"rock"
Description:
Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning “rock” or “stone.” One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah, he was given the nickname Peter by Jesus, to signify that he would be the rock on which Christ would build Christianity. Centuries later, there was Peter the Great, the czar who developed Russia as a major European power.

Peter Continued

Lukas

Origin:
German variation of Lucas
Meaning:
"man from Lucanus"
Description:
Highly popular name in Norway and in Germany in a spelling that translates well.

Lukas Continued

Atlas

Origin:
Greek mythology
Meaning:
"bearer of the heavens"
Description:
Previously thought too powerful for a baby boy – who would have to be strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders – Atlas has joined the pantheon of Greek and Roman god and goddess names now in the realm of possibility, along with Mars, Zeus and Apollo. It was one of the fast-rising names on the list in recent years in the USA, jumping from oblivion in 2012 into the Top 500 in 2015, and climbing several hundred places higher since then. Anne Heche was one of the first to make this audacious choice, but several celebrity parents have followed suit.

Atlas Continued

Adonis

Origin:
Greek, from Semitic Adonai
Meaning:
"lord"
Description:
The name of a figure from Greek mythology, Adonis is a high-pressure name often synonymous with masculine beauty. Nonetheless, many mythological names that would have previously been deemed off limits have made their way up the popularity charts—for instance, Penelope currently ranks highly for girls. And indeed, Adonis was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2016, moving up 307 spots on the U.S. popularity chart in just one year.

Adonis Continued

Phoenix

Origin:
Arizona place-name and Greek
Meaning:
"dark red"
Description:
Phoenix rolls a lot of cool trends into one: it's a place-name and a bird name, it ends in the oh-so-hip letter x, and as the mythic bird that rose from the ashes, it's a symbol of immortality. It's also got celebrity chops, via the acting family that includes Joaquin and the late River, and as the child of an ex-Spice Girl.

Phoenix Continued

Colin

Origin:
Diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish
Meaning:
"pup"
Description:
Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image--due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell-- and its c-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching as high as Number 84 in 2004.

Colin Continued

Tobias

Origin:
Greek from Hebrew
Meaning:
"God is good"
Description:
Tobias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Tobiah, which was derived from the name Toviyah. Toviyah was created from the elements tov, meaning “good” and yah, representing the Hebrew God. Tobias is the name of several biblical figures but is primarily associated with the story of Tobias and the Angel.

Tobias Continued

Zander

Origin:
Diminutive of Alexander
Meaning:
"defending men"
Description:
On the rise as an independent name: Zander and Xander are both widely used can increasingly be found as characters in movies and on TV.

Zander Continued

Atticus

Origin:
Latin
Meaning:
"from Attica"
Description:
Atticus derives from the Greek Attikos, meaning “from Attica,” the Ancient Greek region that contained Athens. Atticus is a literary name in more ways than one. Before it became synonymous with Atticus Finch, the name Atticus was associated with Titus Pomponius Atticus, a Roman literary figure.

Atticus Continued

Stephen

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"garland, crown"
Description:
Stephen, also spelled Steven, is a strong and likable classic, with the he's-a-great-guy short form Steve. Though not as well-used or fashionable as it was in its heyday -- it was a Top 25 name from 1946 to 1957 -- it's still a widely used name. It remains an even more popular in Ireland.

Stephen Continued

Orion

Origin:
Greek mythology name
Description:
Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.

Orion Continued

Hector

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"holding fast"
Description:
Previously used primarily by Latino families, this name of the great hero of the Trojan War as related in Homer's Iliad is beginning to be considered more seriously by others seeking noble ancient hero names as well--it was also the name of the knight who raised King Arthur as his own son.

Hector Continued

Nico

Origin:
Italian diminutive of Nicholas, Greek
Meaning:
"people of victory"
Description:
Nico is one of the great nickname names, full of charm, energy and effortless cool -- a neo Nick.

Gregory

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"vigilant, a watchman"
Description:
The Greek name of sixteen popes and fifteen saints, the gregarious Gregory became big in the United States with the emergence of admirable actor Gregory Peck (born Eldred) in the late 1940s. From 1950 to 1973, it was in the Top 30, with nickname Greg becoming a Cool Dude name. So while Gregory may have morphed into an Upstanding Dad Name, it carries the winning combination of deep roots and a modern feel that still deserves consideration.

Gregory Continued

Matthias

Origin:
Aramaic variation of Matthew
Meaning:
"gift of God"
Description:
With Matthew sounding somewhat exhausted, and ancient endings sounding new again, this New Testament apostolic name makes an appealing and recommended choice. Both Mathias and Matias are well used in the Hispanic community, and throughout Europe. Will Ferrell and his Swedish wife chose Matias for their second son.

Matthias Continued

Philip

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"lover of horses"
Description:
Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys' classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has many historic, royal ties.

Philip Continued

Jase

Origin:
Diminutive of Jason
Meaning:
"the Lord is salvation"
Description:
Nickname name Jase joined twin brother Jace in the Top 100 in 2013, after first entering the list in 2002 -- but has since dropped in the charts. Inspiration may be Jase (born Jason) Robinson of the reality show Duck Dynasty.

Alexis

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"defender"
Description:
This name leapt into the female column via vixen Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty" in the 1980s. It's more popular for girls, but it's still a widely used boys' names and is one of the most popular unisex names in the US today.

Alexis Continued

Jonas

Origin:
Greek variation of Jonah
Meaning:
"dove"
Description:
Jonas has a slightly more grandfatherly image than the English version of his name, but that only adds to its retro appeal. And though it may lag behind Jonah in this country, Jonas is riding a huge wave of popularity in Europe, where it ranks highly in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Norway.

Jonas Continued

Leonidas

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"lion"
Description:
Leonidas is an ancient name that has started rising again along with centuries-old names such as Augustus and Cato. The original Leonidas was the most famous of Sparta's warriors, sacrificing his life at the Battle of Thermopylae; there is also a saint Leonidas.

Leonidas Continued

Apollo

Origin:
Greek mythology name
Description:
With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option. But if Romeo and Venus are now deemed baby-appropriate, why not Apollo? Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno might inspire some parents. And now that it's been chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, it could take off as their first son's name—Kingston—has.

Apollo Continued

Phillip

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"lover of horses"
Description:
Spelling variation of Philip. Exactly as many baby boys were named with the single 'l' spelling in 2017.

Phillip Continued

Deacon

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"messenger, servant"
Description:
This name was transposed from the word for a church officer to a baby name when Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe chose it for their son, after a baseball player ancestor, and Don Johnson followed suit. Its popularity also got a boost from Nashville character Deacon Claybourne -- only to fall a bit in recent years.

Deacon Continued

Dorian

Origin:
Greek, name of a tribe
Description:
The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means “of Doris,” a Greek district, or “of Doros,” referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian derives from the Greek doron, meaning “gift,” along with related names such as Dorothy and Dora.

Dorian Continued

Drew

Origin:
Diminutive of Andrew
Meaning:
"strong and manly"
Description:
Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own, which it has for many decades, non-stop since 1942.

Alec

Origin:
Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
Meaning:
"defending men"
Description:
Alec, though an old nickname for Alexander, is much fresher sounding than Alex, with the additional advantage, at least to some parents, of being distinctly male (there are as many girl Alexes these days as there are boys). While Alec has a clipped British image, it's actually one of the classic Greek names for boys, by way of father name Alexander.

Ares

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"ruin, bane"
Description:
Though this name is rooted in Greek mythology, it just entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2013, but as one of the year's fastest-rising names.

Darius

Origin:
Persian or Latin from Greek
Meaning:
"weath, kingly"
Description:
Darius is a historic name via Emperor Darius the Great, a key figure in ancient Persian history, and several other Persian kings. His name today has an appealingly artistic image, which might well be found on a concert program or gallery announcement.

Darius Continued

Nikolas

Origin:
Variation of Nicholas
Description:
Nikolas is a sleek and international spelling of this longtime favorite, chosen by parents who might like the Nik or Niko short form.

Nikolas Continued

Kristopher

Origin:
Greek variation of Christopher
Description:
Not as familiar and easy as Christopher, not as exotic and interesting as Christoph or Krzysztof. We suggest you go one way or the other.

Kristopher Continued

Eugene

Origin:
Greek
Meaning:
"wellborn, noble"
Description:
Eugene is a classic that has rather lost its way. On the one hand, it's a grandpa, even great-grandpa name that hasn't been one of the cool kids recently—or to quote Jim Carrey, who bears this name in the middle spot, "You can never get too cool with a name like Eugene." The hero of Disney's Tangled felt the same way, when he changed his birth name of Eugene to the more romantic Flynn.

Eugene Continued

Loading ...

See Unique Greek Names for Boys