Girl Names From Classical Mythology

Dione

Greek

"divine queen"

In Greek mythology the mother of Aphrodite by Zeus, and also one of Saturn's moons; this is an astral name quite distinct from the better known Dionne.

Doris

Greek

"gift of the ocean"

Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the…

Echo

Greek mythology name

"echo or sound"

Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse . Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love. In the Greek myth, Echo was…

Eirene

Greek

"peace"

Eirene, modernized to Irene, was the Greek goddess of peace. Eirene or Irene was also the name of an early empress and several saints.

Electra

Greek

"amber, shining, bright"

Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…

Elpis

Ancient Greek

"hope"

A positive name from mythology, given to the hope left in Pandora's box.

Eos

Greek; Welsh

"dawn; nightingale"

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an…

Eris

Greek

"strife, discord"

Eris was the goddess of strife and discord, turned fairy tale and then popular culture figure Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Ironic, as her name sounds so much like that of Eros, the god of love.…

Europa

Greek

"wide face"

The continent of Europe gets its name from Europa, queen of Crete and lover of Zeus. It is also, notably, the name of one of Jupiter's moons.

Eurydice

Greek

"wide justice"

Flowing and intriguing, Eurydice is a name from Greek mythology, borne by the wife of musician Orpheus. After she is poisoned by a snake and condemned to the underworld, Orpheus attempts to rescue…

Hecate

Greek mythology name

"willpower or far-reaching"

In Greek mythology, Hecate is associated with witchcraft and magic. The name may mean "willpower" or "far-reaching". She was often associated with the moon and with storms, making this name a good…

Hemera

Greek mythology

"day"

Hemera was the personification of day and one of the Greek primordial deities. She is the goddess of the daytime and,said to be the daughter of Erebus and Nyx (the goddess of night).

Hera

Greek

"protectress"

She was queen of the Greek gods, both sister and wife to Zeus, but the name of her Roman counterpart Juno has become much more fashionable these days. That said, we think Hera has possibilities today…

Hestia

Greek

"hearth, fireside"

Hestia is the name of the Greek goddess of the hearth, home and chastity. Though Hestia has been long dormant as a name, it's a possibility for the parent in search of a classic name with deep roots…

Jocasta

Greek, meaning unknown

Jocasta is a mythological name fashionably used in England, but mostly ignored here. She was the mother of Oedipus, King of Thebes, whom he (oops) unwittingly married. If you can ignore that small…

Juno

Latin

"queen of the heavens; young"

Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno , this lively but strong Roman goddess name…

Leda

Greek

"woman, wife"

Succinct and simple in spelling, Leda is a currently rare choice from Greek mythology with that appealing four-letter, ending in -a format of Lyra, Maia, Vada, Veda, and Nora. Borne by a Spartan…

Leto

Greek mythology name

"wife or hidden"

Leto is the titaness of motherhood (there's a title!) and, with Zeus, mother of the twin Olympians Artemis and Apollo. Simple, sleek, and unique, Leto is one mythological name for girls we might…

Medusa

Greek

"protect, rule"

In Greek myth, Medusa was one of the three monstrous Gorgons, with live venomous snakes in place of hair and the ability to turn people to stone with just a glance. In later myths, Medusa was…