Classic Baby Names · Historic and Vintage Names
Ancient Greek Names
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Artemisia
Greek, variation of Artemis
You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an…
Athanasios
Greek
"immortal"
A bold choice outside its its native Greece where it would feel familiar. Athanasius is the spelling Americans are more familiar with — St. Athanasius of Alexandria is considered one of the founders…
Alexios
Greek
"defending men"
Very popular on its native turf, foreign-sounding here.
Theano
Greek
"goddess"
Theano was a 6th century Greek philosopher, who has been called both the wife and student of Pythagoras, though not enough is known about her life to say which was true. Her surviving writings focus…
Tryphon
Greek
"softness, delicacy"
The name of an Ancient Greek grammarian who lent his name to the original Professor Cuthbert Calculus from the French edition of The Adventures of Tintin : Professeur Tryphon Tournesol. The name…
Alcestis
Greek
"brave, valiant"
In Greek mythology, Alcestis is a princess who sacrifices herself to save the life of her husband, King Admetus. Heracles later rescues her from the underworld and she is reunited with her husband.…
Photina
Ancient Greek
"light up"
Deriving from the Greek word phos meaning "light", Photina is a variation of Photine, a rare choice with a Biblical link. The name of the Samaritan woman in "Jesus and the Woman at the Well" (John…
Aikaterine
Aikaterine is a feminine name representing the original Greek form of Katherine. It derives from the Greek 'Aikaterinē,' though its exact etymology remains debated. Some scholars connect it to the…
Agnes
Greek
"pure, virginal"
Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos , meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as…
Photine
Ancient Greek
"light up"
Deriving from the Greek word phos meaning "light", Photine is a rare choice with a Biblical link. The name of the Samaritan woman in "Jesus and the Woman at the Well" (John 4), Photine is associated…
Thespia
Greek
"divine inspiration"
The name of a Naiad-nymph in Greek mythology, named after the Ancient Greek city of Thespiae. Thespia is an undiscovered gem of a name: unique but familiar, with easy access to trendy nicknames like…
Agatha
Greek
"good woman"
Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow…
Cosmas
Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
Cosmas was the name of an Arabian saint who was martyred with his twin brother Damian. They are the patron saints of physicians. Cosmas is related to the more familiar Cosmo. a name gaining more…
Corinna
Greek
"maiden"
Delicate and gentle old-fashioned name, the kind found in early English poetry. While Corinna and the original Green Korinna are technically diminutives of the ancient Kore, now the popular Cora,…
Aesop
Greek
There once was a moralizing fabulist who tried to make it as a baby name...and failed.
Cletus
Greek
"called forth"
Sometimes used as a short-form of Catholic Pope name Anacletus, Cletus is an ancient name that has not-yet found the popularity of Theodore, Leo, Atticus and Max. It perhaps suffers from its…
Cosmo
Italian, English, Greek
"order, beauty, universe"
With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association (which made it a punchline of a…
Cyril
Greek
"lordly"
A British-accented Greek name with an intellectual image that has been off the U.S. charts since 1966, but was a Top 300 name at the turn of the last century. We have the feeling Cyril's ready for a…
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…
Aeneas
Greek
"the praised one"
In Greek and Roman mythology, Aeneas was the legendary son of Venus (or Aphrodite) who was the hero of Troy and Rome. Appearing in the Aeneid by the poet Virgil, he goes on to found the Roman state…