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11 English names

English names from mythology

Names that come from Greek, Roman and Norse myths and legends, still used in English today.

Names

  1. AuroraGirluh-ROR-uh · LatinMeans “dawn”Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn, who was believed to bring the morning light each day. The northern lights are also called the aurora borealis. The princess in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty is named Aurora, and the name has become very popular in the US in recent years.
  2. DianaGirldy-AN-uh · LatinMeans “divine, heavenly”Diana was the Roman goddess of the moon and of hunting, and her name probably comes from an old word linked to the sky and the gods. English speakers began to use it in the 16th century, after the revival of interest in classical stories. Diana, Princess of Wales, made it famous around the world.
  3. FreyaGirlFRAY-uh · NorseMeans “lady”In Norse mythology, Freyja is the goddess of love, beauty and war, and her name simply meant “lady”. The name has been very popular in Britain, especially Scotland, since the 2000s.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. LunaGirlLOO-nuh · LatinMeans “moon”Luna is the Latin word for the moon and the name of the Roman goddess of the moon. It is also used in Spanish and Italian. In the 2020s it has become one of the most popular girls’ names in the US and many other countries.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. VictoriaGirlvik-TOR-ee-uh · LatinMeans “victory”Victoria is the Latin word for victory and was the name of the Roman goddess of victory. It was rare in England until Queen Victoria, who reigned for most of the 19th century and gave her name to the Victorian age. Many places around the world, such as Lake Victoria, are named after her.