Ancient Greek Girl Names

Persephone

Greek

"bringer of destruction"

Magical and earthy, sophisticated but off-beat, Persephone appears as the daughter of Zeus by Demeter in Greek mythology. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was…

Delia

Greek

"born on the island of Delos"

Delia is a somewhat neglected southern charmer that stands on its own but also might be short for Adelia or Cordelia. Delia's name is based on that of the Greek island of Delos, which in Greek myth…

Kalliope

Greek

"beautiful voice"

Original form of the more familiar Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. A calliope is a musical instrument sometimes called the steam organ, frequently found on carousels. With its rhythmic sound, this…

Olympia

Greek

"from Mount Olympus"

With its relation to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and to the Olympic games, this name has an athletic, goddess-like aura, making it the perfect Olivia substitute. A well-known art reference…

Pandora

Greek

"all gifted"

Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…

Apollonia

Feminine variation of Apollo, Greek mythology name

"destroyer, strength; father's light"

This name of a third-century Christian martyr has an romantic, appealing feel in the modern world. It first came to American attention via Prince's love interest in the film Purple Rain . It could…

Aphrodite

Greek mythology name

"foam or born from the sea"

The name of the Greek goddess of love has rarely descended to mortal use, though the Roman equivalent Venus, thanks to tennis star Williams, now seems completely possible. But with the new fashion…

Parthenia

Greek

"chaste maiden"

Parthenia may be a bit unwieldy, but does conjure up majestic images of the Parthenon. It was briefly in the US charts in the late 19th century.

Delphina

Latin from Greek

"of Delphi; womb"

Delphina is another form of the sleek French Delphine, rising in popularity. The Blessed Delphina was a Provencal nun.

Demetra

Demetra is a feminine name of Greek origin, serving as a variant of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. The name carries significant mythological weight, as Demeter…

Ourania

Ourania is a feminine name with ancient Greek origins. It directly derives from the Greek word 'οὐράνιος' (ouranios) meaning 'heavenly' or 'of the sky.' In Greek mythology, Ourania was one of the…

Persis

Greek

"Persian woman"

Parents seeking a distinctive New Testament name might consider this one. Adopted by some Puritans in the seventeenth century, Persis was used in the William Dean Howells novel The Rise of Silas…