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31 English names

English names of Greek origin

English names that come from ancient Greek, from Alexander and Sophia to Chloe and Theodore.

Names

  1. AlexUnisexAL-iks · GreekMeans “defender of men”Alex is a short form of Alexander for boys and Alexandra for girls, both from Greek words for “defend” and “man”. It is now often given as a full name on its own. Because it works for both genders, it is one of the best-known unisex names in English.
  2. AlexanderBoyal-ig-ZAN-der · GreekMeans “defender of men”Alexander comes from Greek words meaning “to defend” and “man”. It was made famous by Alexander the Great, the king of Macedon who built a huge empire. It has been used across Europe for centuries, including by several kings of Scotland.
  3. AndrewBoyAN-droo · GreekMeans “manly”Andrew comes from the Greek name Andreas, based on the word for “man”. Saint Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, and he is the patron saint of Scotland. The name has been common in Britain for many centuries.
  4. CatherineGirlKATH-rin · GreekMeans “pure”Catherine comes from the Greek name Aikaterine, whose real origin is unknown; early Christians linked it with the Greek word for pure. Returning crusaders brought the story of St Catherine of Alexandria to England, and the name became very common. Three of Henry VIII’s wives were called Catherine, and so is the present Princess of Wales.
  5. ChloeGirlKLOH-ee · GreekMeans “young green shoot”In ancient Greece, Chloe was a name given to the goddess Demeter, who looked after crops and new growth. It appears once in the New Testament, in a letter of St Paul, so Puritans began to use it in the 17th century. It became very popular in Britain and the US from the 1990s onwards.
  6. ChrisUnisexKRIS · GreekMeans “bearing Christ; follower of Christ”Chris is a short form of Christopher for boys and Christine or Christina for girls. These names come from Greek words connected with Christ and the Christian faith. As a name on its own it is usually male, but many women use it as a nickname.
  7. ChristopherBoyKRIS-tuh-fer · GreekMeans “bearing Christ”Christopher comes from Greek words meaning “Christ” and “to carry”. In a famous legend, Saint Christopher carried the child Jesus across a river, and he became the patron saint of travellers. The name has been used in England since the Middle Ages.
  8. DrewUnisexDROO · GreekMeans “manly, brave”Drew began as a short form of Andrew, from a Greek word for “man” and “brave”. It is also an English surname, and that is how many girls got it. It is mostly a boy’s name, though the actress Drew Barrymore made it familiar for girls.
  9. GeorgeBoyJORJ · GreekMeans “farmer”George comes from the Greek word georgos, a person who works the earth. Saint George, who killed a dragon in legend, is the patron saint of England. Britain has had six kings called George, and Prince George keeps it a favourite royal name.
  10. GeorgiaGirlJOR-juh · GreekMeans “farmer”Georgia is a feminine form of George, from a Greek word for a farmer or someone who works the earth. The US state of Georgia was named after King George II. As a first name it became popular in Britain from the 1990s.
  11. HelenGirlHEL-un · GreekMeans “torch, light”In Greek mythology, Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her name may come from Greek words for a torch or the moon, but its origin is not certain. It spread in Christian Europe through St Helena, the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine.
  12. IrisGirlEYE-ris · GreekMeans “rainbow”In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, who carried messages from the gods. The name is also the word for a colourful flower and for the coloured part of the eye. It became a first name in the late 19th century.
  13. LucasBoyLOO-kus · GreekMeans “from Lucania”Lucas is the Latin form of the Greek name Loukas, which meant a person from Lucania in southern Italy; people have also long linked it to the Latin word lux, “light”. Saint Luke, who wrote one of the Gospels, has this name. It is one of the most popular boys’ names in Europe and the US.
  14. LukeBoyLOOK · GreekMeans “from Lucania”Luke is the English form of the Greek name Loukas, meaning a person from Lucania in southern Italy; it is also often linked to the Latin word lux, “light”. Saint Luke wrote one of the four Gospels in the Bible. The name has been used in England since the Middle Ages.
  15. LydiaGirlLID-ee-uh · GreekMeans “woman from Lydia”Lydia was a region in what is now western Turkey, so the name first meant a woman from there. In the New Testament, Lydia is a seller of purple cloth who becomes one of the first Christians in Europe. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Lydia is the youngest Bennet sister.
  16. MargaretGirlMAR-gret · GreekMeans “pearl”Margaret comes from the Greek word for a pearl, which itself probably came from Persian. St Margaret of Scotland, an 11th-century queen, made it very popular in Britain, and Queen Elizabeth II’s sister was Princess Margaret. It has more nicknames than almost any other English name.
  17. MayaGirlMY-uh · GreekMeans “uncertain, perhaps mother”Maya has several separate origins. In Greek mythology Maia was the mother of the god Hermes, and her name is linked to a word for mother or nurse; in Sanskrit, maya means “illusion”. The poet Maya Angelou made the name well known, and it is popular in many countries today.
  18. MeganGirlMEG-un · GreekMeans “pearl”Megan is a Welsh pet form of Meg, which is short for Margaret. For a long time it was used mostly in Wales. It spread across Britain, the US and Australia in the 1980s and 1990s.
  19. NicholasBoyNIK-uh-lus · GreekMeans “victory of the people”Nicholas comes from the Greek name Nikolaos, made of words for “victory” and “people”. Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop known for giving gifts, is the origin of Santa Claus. The name has been used in England since the Middle Ages.
  20. NicoleGirlnih-KOHL · GreekMeans “victory of the people”Nicole is the French feminine form of Nicholas, from Greek words for victory and people. St Nicholas, the saint behind Santa Claus, made the male name popular across Europe. Nicole became common in English-speaking countries in the second half of the 20th century.
  21. PenelopeGirlpuh-NEL-uh-pee · GreekMeans “uncertain, perhaps weaver”In Homer’s Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, who waits twenty years for him to come home. Her name may come from a Greek word for threads on a loom, because she tricks unwanted suitors by weaving and unweaving cloth, but this is not certain. It has become very popular in the US in recent years.
  22. PeterBoyPEE-ter · GreekMeans “rock, stone”Peter comes from the Greek word petros. In the Bible, Jesus gave this name to the apostle Simon, as a translation of the Aramaic name Cephas. Saint Peter is seen as the first pope, and the name has been common in Europe since the Middle Ages.
  23. PhilipBoyFIL-ip · GreekMeans “lover of horses”Philip comes from Greek words for “friend, lover” and “horse”. It was the name of Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, and of one of the apostles of Jesus. In Britain it is well known through Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
  24. PhoebeGirlFEE-bee · GreekMeans “bright, pure”In Greek mythology, Phoebe was a Titan, and her name was also used for the moon goddess Artemis. A woman called Phoebe is praised by St Paul in the New Testament. It was used by Puritans and is well liked in Britain today.
  25. PhoenixUnisexFEE-niks · GreekMeans “dark red”In Greek myth the phoenix is a bird that dies in fire and is born again from the ashes, so the name suggests new life. The Greek word also meant a deep red or purple colour. It is used for both boys and girls, and it is also the name of a city in Arizona.
  26. SebastianBoysuh-BAS-tee-un · GreekMeans “from Sebaste”Sebastian comes from the Latin form of a Greek name meaning a person from Sebaste, a town whose name came from sebastos, “honoured”. Saint Sebastian was an early Christian martyr. It has become popular in the UK and the US in recent years.
  27. SophiaGirlsoh-FEE-uh · GreekMeans “wisdom”Sophia is the Greek word for wisdom, and the great church Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is named after Holy Wisdom. The name was used by European royal families, and it came to Britain with the German House of Hanover in the 18th century. It has been one of the most popular girls’ names in the US in the 21st century.
  28. StephenBoySTEE-vun · GreekMeans “crown”Stephen comes from the Greek word stephanos, a crown or wreath. In the Bible, Saint Stephen is the first Christian martyr. King Stephen ruled England in the 12th century, and the name is also spelled Steven.
  29. TheodoreBoyTHEE-uh-dor · GreekMeans “gift of God”Theodore comes from the Greek name Theodoros, made of words for “god” and “gift”. The teddy bear was named after the US president Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. It has become very popular in England and the US in recent years, often shortened to Theo.
  30. TimothyBoyTIM-uh-thee · GreekMeans “honouring God”Timothy comes from the Greek name Timotheos, made of words for “honour” and “god”. In the Bible, Timothy was a companion of Saint Paul, who wrote two letters to him. It came into English use after the Reformation.
  31. ZoeGirlZOH-ee · GreekMeans “life”Zoe is the Greek word for life, and early Greek-speaking Christians used it in place of Eve. It was an important name in the Byzantine Empire. It became common in Britain and the US from the 1970s.