The challenge in understanding Greek last names is that they sound foreign to many, and many family names also sound very similar. The similarity can be boxed into suffixes like “poulos, dis,” and “ou,” which create similar sounds in surnames.
We explain several of these suffixes in our surname descriptions, making it easy to understand and pronounce each surname. So whether you want to learn more about your own Greek surname or are just curious about Greek family names, we have a fantastic list for you below!
100 Popular Greek Last Names
For a historical treat, let’s dive straight into our list of 100 Greek surnames.
Adamos
Adamos is the Greek form of the Hebrew Adam and is both a surname and a masculine given name. Adamos derives from the Latin Adamus, meaning “earth, ground,” which is the same meaning as Adam.
- Origin: Latin, Greek
- Meaning: Son of Adam
- Pronunciation: AH-duh-mos
- Variations: Adamus
- Namesakes: Ian James Adamos, an American Guamanian international footballer who made his first appearance for the Guam national team in 2012.
- Popularity: Adamos is a rare surname but somewhat common in the Mediterranean region.
Alexopoulos
Alexopoulos derives from the Greek personal name Alexios with the addition of the patronymic ending “poulos.” The ending “poulos” derives from the Latin “pullus,” meaning “nestling, chick.” The female form of the surname is Alexopoulou.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Alexios
- Pronunciation: AE-lihks-ah-pooh-loss
- Namesakes: Alexios Alexopoulos, a retired Greek sprinter who specialized in the 200 meters, known for winning the silver medal at the 1996 European Indoor Championships.
- Popularity: Alexopoulos is a rare surname worldwide.
Ambrosia
Ambrosia derives from the Greek word “ambrotos,” meaning “immortal,” which combines the prefix “a,” meaning “not,” with “mbrotos,” meaning “mortal.” In Greek and Roman mythology, only the immortal gods and goddesses could eat ambrosia. This was said to be the food and drink of the gods, said to confer longevity and immortality.
- Origin: Greek, Roman
- Meaning: Immortality
- Pronunciation: AM-BRO-SEE-A
- Variations: Ambrosine
- Namesakes: Ambrosia Nicole Parsley, an American alternative pop/rock singer-songwriter known as the lead singer of Shivaree.
- Popularity: Ambrosia is somewhat common as a given feminine name but uncommon as a surname.
Andino
Andino is a Spanish habitational place in Castile that originated from the Greek personal name Andreas. Members of the church almost exclusively used Andino. One of the first records is of a monk named Andrea, found in the English Domesday Book of 1086.
- Origin: Ancient Greek, Latin, Spanish
- Meaning: Manly, brave
- Pronunciation: an-DEE-noh
- Variations: Andre, Aindrias, Andrew, Anders, Andriol, Andretti, Andress, Andriuis,
- Namesakes: Paola Nicole Andino, an American actress known for her lead role as Emma Alonso in the Nickelodeon series, Every Witch Way.
- Popularity: Andino ranked the 5,096th most common surname in America and is fairly common worldwide.
Andrianakis
Andrianakis is a patronym from the given name Andreas, with the Cretan suffix “akis.” The Cretans masculinized names by adding an “s” to the end. Andreas means “man” and refers to the duties of a male in the patriarchal society of ancient Greece.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Man
- Pronunciation: an-dre-ian-nah-kus
- Variations: Andriannakis, Andrianaki, Andrianakos
- Popularity: Andrianakis is most prevalent in Greece and is predominantly recorded in Europe, where 91% of Andrianakis occur. Andrianakis is also common within Australian Greek communities.
Angelos
Angelos is rooted in Greek mythology and was a daughter of Zeus and Hera, and a goddess of the Underworld. Angelos is the Greek form of Angel or Angelo but could also be a short form of the personal name Evangelos meaning “bringer of good news.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Divine messenger, messenger of God
- Pronunciation: AE-n-juh-lOHs
- Variations: Angel, Angell, Anzioleto, Anziolo
- Namesakes: Angelos Sikelianos, a Greek lyric poet and playwright of themes that include Greek history, religious symbolism, and universal harmony.
- Popularity: Angelos is an uncommon surname, more commonly used as a given name.
Antonopoulos
Antonopoulos derives from the Latin Antonius, or the Greek personal name Antonios. The female version of Antonopoulos is Antonopoulou. The patronymic ending “poulos” emphasizes heritage and is derived from the Latin “pullus.”
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: Highly praiseworthy
- Pronunciation: ANT-ohno-pooh-loss
- Variations: Antoyne, Antoons, Antonssen, Antonov
- Namesakes: Apostolos Antonopoulos, a former Greek swimmer and silver and bronze medalist at the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain.
- Popularity: Antonopoulos is a rare surname worldwide.
Athanasiou
Athanasiou is a Greek form of Athanasius. Athanasiou is believed to be related to Athanasios of Alexandria, also known as Saint Athanasius the Great. Athanasios was known for his resistance against the Arians in the Byzantine Era. Athanasiou also means “eternal life” and “the immortal divine soul.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Immortal
- Pronunciation: a-THAN-a-see-oo
- Variations: Athanasius, Athanasios
- Namesakes: Athanasios Skaltsogiannis, a Greek athlete who competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Popularity: Athanasiou is somewhat common in Greece but rare elsewhere.
Athans
Athans is a reduced form of Athanas or any of the various other names derived from the personal name Athanasios. The Athans surname is most numerous in the U.S.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Immortal
- Pronunciation: At-hans
- Variations: Thanasis, Thanos
- Namesakes: Gary Athans, a former Canadian alpine skier who competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics.
- Popularity: Athans is a rare Greek family name internationally.
Bakas
Bakas derives from a Greek nickname for a small rotund man derived from the Albanian “baq” or “baqth,” meaning “lower belly.” Bakas is also said to derive from ancient Anglo-Saxon culture as a name given to a worker at the bake-house.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: He who has a big belly
- Pronunciation: Baa-Kaas
- Variations: Bakasa
- Namesakes: Amalia Bakas, a Greek singer and performer in the United States during the 20th-century who was heavily involved in the “Eighth Avenue scene” in New York City.
- Popularity: Bakas is most frequent in India. Besides India, it exists in 56 other countries but remains uncommon worldwide.
Barbas
Barbas derives the Greek word “barbas” or the Italian “barba,” meaning “uncle or man with a beard.” It may also be a reduced form of surnames beginning with Barba.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: A respectful term of address
- Pronunciation: bahr-buh
- Variations: Bacabas
- Namesakes: Carlos F. Barbas III, an American chemist known for his newly developed therapies that can target HIV-1 and some kinds of cancer, which went into clinical trials.
- Popularity: Barbas is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Booras
Booras is a Greek surname derived from the Albanian “burre,” meaning “man, husband.” Booras is also an Americanized form of the Greek Bouras.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Man, husband
- Pronunciation: BOO-rhas
- Variations: Boorase, Boras, Bouras
- Popularity: Booras is an uncommon surname and occurs mainly in North America, where 98% of people with this surname reside.
Calimeris
Calimeris derives from the Greek greeting, Kalimera, which means “good morning,” with Kali meaning “good.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Good morning
- Pronunciation: Ka-lee-meh-rus
- Variations: Kalimeris, Calimeri, Calimeres
- Popularity: Calimeris is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Caras
Caras derives from Karas, a Greek occupational name for a carter. Karas comprises two elements, “karo,” meaning “cart,”’ and the occupational suffix “as.” Karas is also used as a girl’s name and is a variant of Charis.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Grace
- Pronunciation: kah-ras
- Variations: Karas
- Namesakes: Roger Andrew Caras, an American wildlife photographer, writer, and wildlife preservationist known for publishing more than 70 books.
- Popularity: Caras is most prevalent in the Philippines but remains an uncommon last name.
Castellanos
Castellanos derives from the Greek Kastellanos, a derivative of “kastello,” meaning “castle.” In turn, Castellanos relates to the Late Latin “castellum,” a diminutive of “castrum,” meaning “fort,” describing a Roman walled city. In Spanish, Castellanos is a habitational name for any place called Castellanos, denoting a place inhabited by Castilians.
- Origin: Greek, Latin, Spanish
- Meaning: Castle, fort
- Pronunciation: kaas-teh-yAA-nohs
- Variations: Kastellanos
- Namesakes: Alejandro Luis Castellanos, an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Popularity: Castellanos is fairly popular in Spanish-speaking countries and some English-speaking countries.
Christoforou
Christoforou derives from the personal name Christophoros meaning “carrier of Christ.” Christoforou also means “one who is bearing Christ.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Christophoros
- Pronunciation: Kris-too-for-ruh
- Variations: Christophorou, Christofourou, Christoforo
- Namesakes: Constantinos Christophorou, a Greek-Cypriot singer who represented Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest as a solo singer in 1996 and 2005.
- Popularity: Christoforou is most prevalent in Cyprus, where it is borne by 1 in 166 people.
Chronis
Chronis is a short form of Polychronis, a well-wishing name meaning “may he be long-lived.” The element “poly” means “much, many,” and “chronos” means “time” in Greek.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Long lived
- Pronunciation: KHRAW-naws
- Variations: Cronis, Chrones
- Namesakes: Sarah Chronis, a Dutch actress known for her role in the TV series Onderweg naar morgen.
- Popularity: Chronis is fairly common in Greece.
Cirillo
Cirillo is the Italian form of Cyril and derives from the Greek Kyrillos, meaning “lordly, masterful,” and “kyrios,” meaning “lord.” Cirillo also refers to a candlemaker who makes candles for religious services. This arises from Ciro referring to a wax taper or paschal candle, plus the diminutive suffix “illo.”
- Origin: Greek, Italian
- Meaning: Lordly, masterful
- Pronunciation: chee-REEL-lo
- Variations: Cyrillus, Kyriakos, Kyrillos
- Namesakes: Jeffrey Howard Cirillo, an American former Major League Baseball player known for his 112 home runs in his 14-season career.
- Popularity: Cirillo is fairly common worldwide, both as a given name and last name.
Constantinides
Constantinides is a patronymic surname from the given name Konstantinos, derived from the Latin Constantinus. The “ides” patronymic was revived by Greeks from the Black Sea during the late 19th- and early 20th-centuries.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: The son of Konstantinos, Constantinos, Kostas, or Costas
- Pronunciation: Kon-stan-dee-nee-dez
- Variations: Constantinidis, Konstantinidis, Konstantinides
- Namesakes: Melina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides, an American actress known for her role in the TV drama series Providence.
- Popularity: Constantinides is fairly common in Cyprus and the Black Sea region.
Contos
Contos is the Greek variant of Kontos, an Americanized form of the Hungarian Csontos, a nickname for a well-built man.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Strong, well built, heavily built, bony
- Pronunciation: kAAnt-ohz
- Variations: Kontos, Csontos
- Namesakes: Theresa Ann Contos, an American former handball player who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: Contos is prevalent in the Philippines, Ecuador, and parts of Spain but uncommon elsewhere.
Costas
Costas is a Greek given name and surname. As a given name, Costas is an endearing nickname for Konstantinos.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Constant, steady
- Pronunciation: kOHs-taas, KO-stas
- Variations: Kostakis, Kostas, Kostis
- Namesakes: Kostas Lazarides, a Greek-American country music songwriter known professionally as Kostas, who has written for many country music artists.
- Popularity: Costas is somewhat common as a given name and a surname.
Danielopoulos
Danielopoulos, like many Greek family names, ends with “opoulos,” which simply means “descendant of” or “son of.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Daniel
- Pronunciation: dAE-nih-yuhl-oh-pooh-loss
- Popularity: Danielopoulos is somewhat common in Cyrus but is a rare surname worldwide.
Demetriou
Demetriou derives from the Greek Demetrios, depicted as a follower of Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility. Demetriou was borne by several early Christian martyrs.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Child of Demetrios
- Pronunciation: dih-mee-trEE-oo
- Variations: Dimitriou
- Namesakes: Jamie Demetriou, an English comedian and actor who won the Best Male Actor in a Comedy at the 2020 BAFTA Awards.
- Popularity: Demetriou is a fairly popular surname in Eastern Europe.
Demos
Demos derives from the Greek Demosthenes and has strong roots in ancient Greek literature. Demos may also be a short form of the Italian Nicodemo derived from the Greek Nicodemus.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: The people
- Pronunciation: Dee-mos
- Variations: Dimos
- Namesakes: Tyson Demos, an Australian former professional basketball player who played nine seasons for the Gold Coast Blaze and Illawarra Hawks.
- Popularity: Demos is uncommon as a first name and surname worldwide.
Diakos
The Diakos family name became famous after Athanasios Diakos, who fought against the Ottoman occupation, was likened to King Leonidas. Diakos is related to the church due to Athanasios Diakos serving for five years as a deacon.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Deacon
- Pronunciation: DEE-ah-kos
- Namesakes: Athanasios Diakos, a Greek military commander during the Greek War of Independence and a national hero.
- Popularity: Diakos features mostly in Greek, Cyprus, and the U.S. but is considered a rare surname.
Economides
Economides is the patronymic form of Economos from the Greek “oikonomos,” meaning “steward.” The suffix “-ides” means “son or descendant of,” a classic trademark of Greeks from Asia Minor and Eastern Thrace.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of the steward
- Pronunciation: ee-kn-oh-mee-dehz
- Variations: Economidis, Oikonomides, Oikonomidis
- Namesakes: Luc Economides, a French figure skater known as the 2019 Santa Claus Cup champion and 2018 French national junior champion.
- Popularity: Economides is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Eliopoulos
Eliopoulos is a Greek patronymic surname derived from Helias, meaning “sun” and ending with the suffix “poulos.” The patronymic suffix “poulos” derives from the Latin “pullus,” meaning “nestling, chick.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Born of the sun
- Pronunciation: Eh-lee-oh-pooh-loss
- Popularity: Eliopoulos is an uncommon surname with the highest density in the United States.
Florakis
Florakis is composed of two names; Flor meaning “flower, blossom, or virginity,” and Akis meaning “from Crete.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Flower
- Pronunciation: floor-rah-kiss
- Variations: Flourakis, Florakos
- Namesakes: Charilaos Florakis, a Greek leader of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), best known for dominating other left-wing elements and forming alliances with the conservatives.
- Popularity: Florakis occurs predominantly in Europe but is an uncommon surname.
Frangos
Frangos means “Frank,” referring to all Western Europeans or a Roman Catholic person, including ethnic Greek Catholics. Frangos is the short form of patronymics such as Frangopoulos, meaning “son of (the) Frank.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Frankish, French
- Pronunciation: FRAN-ghos
- Variations: Fragkos
- Namesakes: Andreas-Dimitrios Frangos, a Greek volleyball player who is part of the Greece men’s national volleyball team.
- Popularity: By density, Frangos is the most common in Cyprus, although it is a rare surname.
Galanis
Galanis derives from the Greek “galanos,” meaning “azure, milky,” or “blue.” Galanis is often used as a nickname for someone with pale blue eyes.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Blue eyes, pale eyes
- Pronunciation: guhl-AA-nihs
- Variations: Galanos
- Namesakes: Demetrios Galanis, a Greek artist in the early 20th-century and friend of Picasso.
- Popularity: Galanis is a fairly common surname in Greece, where 1 in every 1,712 people carry the Galanis last name. Galanis also occurs in 36 other countries.
Galatas
Galatas derives from the Greek “gala” meaning “milk.” This “G” surname is occupational for someone who sells milk. The original surname was spelled Galatea, referring to sea foam on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea. Galatea was also the name of the Greek goddess of calm seas.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Milkman, a seller of milk
- Pronunciation: ga-laa-tuss
- Variations: Gallatas, Galatos
- Popularity: Galatas is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Ganas
Ganas is an occupational name for a coppersmith, derived from the Greek “gana,” meaning “coating, verdigris.” Verdigris is the bright bluish-green oxidation that forms on copper or brass.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Coppersmith
- Pronunciation: g-AE-nuhz
- Variations: Ganis
- Popularity: As a surname, Ganas is spread worldwide, with the highest concentration in South Africa.
Georgiades
Georgiades is a Greek patronymic surname with both male and female variations of the surname. The male versions are Georgiades and Georgiadis while the female versions are spelled Georgiadi and Georgiadou.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of George
- Pronunciation: GEH-AWR-GEE-AH-DEZ
- Variations: Georgiadis, Georgiadi, Georgiadou, Georgiade
- Namesakes: Nicholas Georgiade, an American actor best known for playing Agent Rico Rossi in the TV series The Untouchables.
- Popularity: Georgiades is most common in Cyprus but is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Giannopoulos
Giannopoulos is a patronymic from the given name Giannis, a Greek version of the English John. Giannis derives from “Ioannes,” the Koine Greek translation of the biblical Hebrew Yohanan, meaning “God is gracious.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of John
- Pronunciation: GEE-anho-pooh-loss
- Variations: Giannopoulos, Yannopoulos, Yiannopoulos, Gianopoulo, Gianopulos
- Namesakes: Anastasios Giannopoulos, a Greek actor known as Kitsos in his movies.
- Popularity: Giannopoulos is borne by 1 in every 1,011 people in Greece and is somewhat common in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Germany.
Hallas
Hallas is a Greek surname derived from the Turkish “halas.” This was a status name for someone exempt from paying rent or taxes. Hallas could also be an altered spelling of the Czech Halas, a nickname for a noisy person.
- Origin: Greek, Turkish, Czech
- Meaning: Exemption
- Pronunciation: Hall-Ass
- Variations: Halas
- Namesakes: Derek Hallas, an English former rugby union and professional rugby league player who played in the 1950s and 1960s.
- Popularity: Hallas is a common given name and surname worldwide.
Hasapis
“Hasapi” means “butcher” in Greek. The Hassapiko dance originated as a ceremonial dance of the butchers’ guild of Constantinople.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Butcher, meat seller
- Pronunciation: Hah-sap-is
- Variations: Hasapi
- Popularity: Hasapis is an uncommon last name worldwide.
Hatzis
Hatzis is a modern version of the Greek Khatzis, meaning “pilgrim to Jerusalem.” This is considered a high social distinction and relates to the Arabic hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.
- Origin: Greek, Arabic
- Meaning: Pilgrim to Jerusalem
- Pronunciation: HAHT-zes
- Variations: Chatzis, Hatzi, Chatzi
- Namesakes: Dimitrios Hatzis, a Greek novelist and journalist known for establishing Greek Studies in Hungary.
- Popularity: Hatzis is widespread but remains an uncommon surname worldwide.
Iordanou
Iordanou derives from the name of the Jordan River in Hebrew, meaning “descend, flow down.” Iordanou began as a name for the illiterate class among the descendants of Jordan. Although this was initially viewed as an insult, Iordanou is now common in many languages.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: John
- Pronunciation: EY-or-dah-no
- Variations: Iordanous, Iordanu
- Popularity: Iordanou is most commonly heard in Cyprus, borne by 1 in 58 people.
Iraklidis
Iraklidis refers to the son of Herakles, also known as Hercules, and means “glory” or “pride of the goddess Hera.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Herakles
- Pronunciation: EY-rak-lee-dezh
- Variations: Iraclidis
- Popularity: Iraklidis is a rare surname worldwide.
Kalogeropoulos
Kalogeropoulos derives from the Greek term “kalogeros,” meaning “monk, friar.” The ending “poulos” derives from the Latin “pullus” and is commonly used in Peloponnese.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of the monk, good old man
- Pronunciation: Kalo-gerrO-pooh-loss
- Variations: Calogheros, Kalogeropoulou
- Namesakes: Nikolaos Kalogeropoulos, a Greek politician who briefly served twice as Prime Minister of Greece.
- Popularity: Kalogeropoulos is prevalent in Peloponnese but is also noted in Canada, the U.S., and other countries worldwide.
Karras
Karras is an occupational surname meaning “carter, cart driver” after the Greek root word “karo,” meaning “cart.” Karras is also a nickname for “karas,” meaning “black, dark.” The feminine form of Karras is Karra.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Dark, cart driver
- Pronunciation: kAE-ruhz
- Variations: Karas, Carras, Caras
- Namesakes: Vasilis Karras, a Greek folk singer, and local legend, after the release of his 1980 album Alismonites Ores.
- Popularity: Karras is borne by more people in Greece than in any other country/territory and is a fairly common last name.
Katopodis
Katopodis means “down” or “below” and derives from the Greek island Lefkada. Katopodis is also said to mean “one who runs away.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Down, below
- Pronunciation: kaa-toh-poh-dehs
- Variations: Katapodis, Katopodes, Katepodis
- Popularity: Katopodis is an uncommon last name worldwide.
Katsaros
Katsaros began as a nickname given to someone with curly hair. The word itself means “curly,” ultimately derived from “akantheros,” meaning “thorny.” Katsaros is also a small town in a valley in Greece with less than 400 people.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Curly
- Pronunciation: Kaets-AE-rohz
- Variations: Katsiaros, Katsaras, Catsaros
- Namesakes: Giorgos Katsaros, a Greek musician and songwriter famous for various recordings and collaborations.
- Popularity: Katsaros is an uncommon family name worldwide.
Kouris
Kouris is a Greek topographic surname for someone who lived in a forest. Kouris derives from the Northern Greek “kouri,” meaning “small forest, grove,” and ultimately from the Turkish “koru,” with the same meaning.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Forest dweller
- Pronunciation: Ko-ris
- Variations: Kourris, Koutris
- Namesakes: Leonidas Kouris, a Greek politician known as the former mayor of Athens and prefect of Eastern Attica.
- Popularity: Kouris is uncommon and most prevalent in Europe, where 76% of people with the Kouris surname occur.
Lambros
Lambros derives from the classical Greek “lampros,” meaning “radiant, luminous, and brilliant.” Lambros is used for commemorating Easter, which is known as Lambri, “the bright day.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Shining, bright, radiant
- Pronunciation: LAEm-brohz
- Variations: Lampros, Lambrous, Lambro
- Namesakes: Lambros Konstantaras, a Greek film actor who appeared in 80 films between 1940 and 1981.
- Popularity: Lambros prevails mostly in the U.S. as a surname and given name but is uncommon worldwide.
Laskaris
Laskaris is an occupational surname from the ancient and medieval Greek “laskaris.” Laskaris also stems from the Persian “laeshkaer,” meaning “army.” Laskaris was a noble surname from 1204 to 1261 when the Byzantine Greek Laskaris family ruled the Empire of Nicaea. When the Byzantine Empire was disestablished, the Laskaris family members lost their regal authority and spread across Europe.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: A kind of soldier
- Pronunciation: LAS-kaa-ris
- Variations: Liaskaris, Laskarris, Laskares, Lascaris
- Namesakes: Alexander Mark Laskaris, an American diplomat known for his ambassadorial duties in Chad and Guinea.
- Popularity: Laskaris is a rare surname worldwide, mostly used in Greece.
Leos
Leos derives from Attic Greek “leos,” meaning “the people.” Attic Greek is an ancient Greek dialect, often called classical Greek. Leos is the pet form of Leon and a variant of the Spanish Leoz, a habitational name of Basque origin. Another possible origin could be from the Latin Leoni, derived from Leo or Leonios, meaning “lion.”
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: Lion, the people
- Pronunciation: lee-ohs
- Variations: Leo, Leon
- Namesakes: Leos Carax, a French film director, critic, and writer known for his first major work, Boy Meets Girl, released in 1984.
- Popularity: Leos is more common as a given name than a surname but is rare worldwide, primarily found in the Americas.
Levidis
Levidis derives from the Hebrew Levi, meaning “joined, attached,” which gave rise to the meaning “son of Levi.” The Levidis Greek family were aristocrats in the 17th-century in the Byzantine Empire. They were known for their active roles in the Filiki Eteria secret society and their prominent role in the revolution to overthrow the Greek Ottoman Empire. Once revealed, the Levidis family members were sentenced to death. Those who escaped fled to Russia, where they continued the family name.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Levi
- Pronunciation: leh-vEE-dhees
- Variations: Lesvidis, Levidi, Lavidis
- Popularity: Levidis is rare among Greek last names.
Loukanis
Loukanis derives from the Greek word “loukanika,” meaning “sausages.” Loukanis is an occupational surname given to a butcher or a sausage maker.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Sausages
- Pronunciation: LO-kahn-nis
- Variations: Louganis, Lokanis, Lukanish
- Popularity: Loukanis is a rare surname worldwide and occurs mostly in Greece and North America.
Lykaios
Lykaios is a Greek mythological name that stems from the word “lykos,” which means “wolf.” The epithet Lykaios or wolf-Zeus was assumed by Zeus only in connection with the Lykaia, an Arcadian festival, where Zeus was the festival’s patron.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Wolfish, of a wolf, wolflike
- Pronunciation: lie-KYE-oss
- Variations: Lykaia
- Popularity: Lykaios is a rare surname worldwide and equally rare as a given name.
Markopoulos
Markopoulos is linked to Mark, an ancient name meaning “consecrated to the god Mars, or god of war.” Markopoulos is a patronymic from the personal name Markos, ending in “poulos” from the Latin “pullus,” meaning “nestling chick.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Mark
- Pronunciation: mark-AW-poo-laws
- Variations: Markopoulou, Marcopoulos
- Namesakes: Fotini Markopoulou-Kalamara, a Greek theoretical physicist, design engineer and co-founder and CEO of Empathic Technologies.
- Popularity: Markopoulos is the most popular in Greece, although an uncommon surname.
Mattiou
Mattiou refers to the “son of Matthias,” which means the “gift of god.” Mattiou is a form of the Latin Matthaeus, from the Hebrew Mattiyahu and the Greek Mathaios.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: MAT-tee-oh
- Variations: Matthiou, Matiou
- Popularity: Mattiou is found in the U.S., Greece, and the Netherlands but is uncommon worldwide.
Mavros
Mavros is a descriptive Greek name for someone with a dark complexion. It’s commonly used as a prefix with personal names, as well as a nickname and a male given name.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: Black, Moorish, poor fellow
- Pronunciation: mAAv-raws
- Variations: Mavrou, Mavras
- Namesakes: Thomas Mavros, a former Greek professional footballer who led his club AEK Athens to huge success during the ’70s and ’80s.
- Popularity: Mavros mostly occurs in Greece but is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Michaelides
Michaelides is a Greek patronymic from the given name Michael. Michaelides may sound like a Spartan surname, but this would be a wrong assumption. The prefix “ides” is common among Spartan names, but this was before surnames were used. Spartans were only given a single name during the Archaic and Classical Periods.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Descendant of Michael
- Pronunciation: Mike-all-eye-dus
- Variations: Michaelidies, Michelides
- Namesakes: Andreas Michaelides, a Cypriot football manager known for becoming the first manager in charge of all major teams in Cyprus.
- Popularity: Michaelides is most common in Cyprus, where the surname is borne by 1 in 237 people. The given name Michaelides is rare worldwide.
Mikos
Mikos derives from the Greek Michos, a pet form of Michael, meaning “who is like God.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Descendant of Michos
- Pronunciation: Miko, MEE-KO
- Variations: Mikosz, Migkos
- Popularity: Mikos is most prevalent in West Slavic Europe, particularly in Poland but is also found in 35 other countries.
Moralis
Moralis is the Greek form of the Spanish surname Morales. Moralis is a topographic surname originally derived from the Spanish word “mora,” meaning “mulberry.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Mulberry trees
- Pronunciation: MOO-rah
- Variations: Mouralis, Moiralis
- Namesakes: Yiannis Moralis, a Greek visual artist and part of the so-called “Generation of the ’30s.”
- Popularity: Moralis is spread across the globe but is an uncommon surname.
Moustakas
Moustakas is a Greek surname presumed to relate to the physical features of wearing a mustache.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: A person with a mustache
- Pronunciation: moos-tAA-kaas
- Variations: Moustakeas, Mustakas, Moustakos
- Namesakes: Spyros Moustakas, a Greek writer of folklore books about the island of Lemnos.
- Popularity: Moustakas is a rare surname worldwide, mainly found in the U.S. and Australia.
Mylonas
Mylonas is a Greek and Cypriot Greek family name meaning “miller.” The form Mylona is also used for female name-bearers.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Miller
- Pronunciation: Mee-lo-nahs
- Variations: Milonas, Melonas, Mylona
- Namesakes: Konstantinos Mylonas, a Greek sports shooter known for competing at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics.
- Popularity: Mylonas is fairly common in Greece and occurs in 39 other countries.
Nephus
Nephus stems from Greek mythology and is one of the Thespian sons of Heracles and Praxithea, daughter of King Thespius of Thespiae.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: A god’s son who will also become a god
- Pronunciation: Ne-fuss
- Variations: Nepuis, Nepusz
- Popularity: Nephus is a rare surname worldwide.
Nikolaidis
Nicolaidis is a Greek patronymic surname beginning with N, equivalent to the English Nicholson or Nixon. The suffix “idis” means “son of or descendant of” and is a variant of the classical “ides,” which was revived in the 19th-century.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of the conqueror
- Pronunciation: nee-kaw-laa-EE-dhees
- Variations: Nicolaides Nicolaidis
- Namesakes: Apostolos Nikolaidis, a Greek singer best known to record or re-record the authentic and prohibited rebetika songs in the early 1970s.
- Popularity: Nikolaidis or Nicolaidis is fairly common in Cyprus and appears in many Western countries.
Nikolaou
Nikolaou is a Greek Cypriot surname that translates to “victor of the people.” Nikolaou stems from the Christian Saint Nicolas, believed to be a protector of sailors and children on the island.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Nikolaos, victory of the people
- Pronunciation: nee-kaw-lAA-oo
- Variations: Nicolaos, Nicolaou
- Namesakes: Kyriacos Costa Nicolaou, a Cypriot-American chemist known for his research in the area of natural products total synthesis.
- Popularity: Nikolaou is popular in Cyprus, where it belongs to 1 in 82 people.
Nikolas
Nikolas is a derivative of Nikolaos. In Greek mythology, Nike was the goddess of victory whose power was represented by her outstretched wings.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Victorious people, army
- Pronunciation: nee-kAW-laas
- Variations: Nícolas, Nicholas
- Namesakes: Cynthia Nicholas, a Canadian long-distance swimmer who became the first woman to complete a two-way crossing of the English Channel.
- Popularity: Nikolas or Nicolas is a very common French surname and is a prevalent surname worldwide.
Onassis
Onassis is a modern Greek surname, also used as a boy’s name, yet is sometimes given to a baby girl. Another interesting namesake is Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, who married American Congressman John F. Kennedy in 1953. As the first lady, she was exemplified as an ambassador of goodwill. After Kennedy’s assassination, she married the shipping magnate Aristotle Socrates Onassis and became Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Lover
- Pronunciation: OH-nas-is
- Variations: Onasis, Onasiss
- Namesakes: Aristotle Socrates Onassis, a Turkish-born Greek shipping magnate who amassed the world’s largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world’s richest men.
- Popularity: Onasis is primarily found in Asia and most frequently used in Indonesia.
Othonos
Othonos means Otto in Greek, which carries the meaning of the Germanic Otto. Otto the Great was considered the founder of the Holy Roman Empire.
- Origin: Cypriot Greek
- Meaning: Wealth, fortune
- Pronunciation: Oh-thor-nos
- Variations: Othonas, Othono
- Popularity: Othonos is most frequently used in Cyprus, but remains uncommon globally.
Pagonis
Pagonis derives from the Greek “pagoni,” which means “peacock,” and is also a nickname for a vain or showy man.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Peacock
- Pronunciation: PAH-go-ness
- Variations: Pagounis, Pagoni, Paganis
- Namesakes: Anastasia Pagonis, an American Paralympic swimmer who holds a world record and an American record.
- Popularity: Pagonis occurs predominantly in Europe but is an uncommon last name.
Pallas
In Greek mythology, Pallas was another name for Athena, the goddess of wisdom and the arts. As a girl’s name, Pallas is of Greek origin, meaning “wisdom.” Pallas was also used as a masculine name for some mythological characters.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Wisdom, maiden, young woman
- Pronunciation: pAA-yaas
- Variations: Palla, Pallos, Pallais
- Namesakes: David Pallas, a Swiss former footballer known for the 21 league games he played for VfL Bochum.
- Popularity: Pallas is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Panagos
Panagos is an ancient Greek surname derived from the personal name Panagiotis, meaning “all holy.” This is a derivative of Panagia, which relates to the Virgin Mary, from “pan,” meaning “all,” and “hagia,” meaning “holy.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: All holy
- Pronunciation: pa-na-gos
- Variations: Panagakis, Panagakos, Panagopoulos
- Popularity: Panagos is a rare surname worldwide.
Pantazis
Pantazis derives from the Greek words “panta,” meaning “always,” and “zise” meaning “live.” Pantazis is a shortened version of the patronymic Greek surname Pantazopoulos.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Always live, live forever
- Pronunciation: pahn-tah-ZEES, pan-TAY-zis
- Variations: Pantazzis, Pantazi
- Namesakes: Andreas Pantazis, a Greek triple jumper who represented Greece at the 2019 European Under-20 Championships, taking third place.
- Popularity: Pantazis is common in Greece and is also found in the U.S. and Australia.
Papachristodoulopoulos
Papachristodoulopoulos is an ancient unabbreviated Greek surname that refers to someone who is a descendant of the priest and servant of Christ. This long surname may be abbreviated to Pappas, which is more commonly used.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Descendant of the priest and servant of Christ
- Pronunciation: paa-paa-kris-to-do-lo-pooh-loss
- Popularity: Papachristodoulopoulos is a rare surname worldwide.
Papamichael
Papamichael is a typical Cypriot Greek surname meaning “son of a priest named Michael.” Papamichael is also a status name meaning “Michael the priest,” derived from “papas,” meaning “priest.” Dimitris Papamichael married Aliki Vougiouklaki, and the couple co-starred in several films that marked the “golden era” of Greek cinema.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of a priest named Michael
- Pronunciation: paa-paa-mee-haa-EEl
- Variations: Papamicael, Papamichail, Papmichael
- Namesakes: Dimitris Papamichael, a Greek actor and director known for his work in cinema.
- Popularity: Papamichael occurs predominantly in Europe and is most common in Cyprus, where it is carried by 1 in 840 people.
Pappas
Pappas is one of the more popular Greek family names that derive from “papas,” which means “priest” in Greek. Pappas is an occupational last name for a priest but may also refer to the title father.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Priest
- Pronunciation: pAE-puhs
- Variations: Pappaas, Pappass, Papas, Pappa
- Namesakes: Alexi Pappas, a Greek-American athlete known for representing Greece at the 2016 Summer Olympics and setting the national record for the 10 000 meters.
- Popularity: Pappas is an uncommon family name worldwide, although one of the most popular Greek surnames.
Pavlides
Pavlides derives from the given name Pavlos, the Greek form of Paul, meaning “son of Pavlos.” Pavlides is a Greek patronymic surname equivalent to the English Paulson.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Pavlos
- Pronunciation: PAV-lee-dezh
- Variations: Pavlidies, Pavlidis
- Namesakes: Harry Pavlidis, an Australian actor known for his roles in TV series that include Blue Heelers, Home and Away, and Outriders.
- Popularity: Pavlides appears most in Cyprus, where it is held by 1 in every 982 people.
Petrakis
Petrakis derives from Petros, the Greek version of Peter, and is a patronymic with the diminutive suffix “akis.” This is typical for surnames from Crete, where it was massively adopted in the 19th-century.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Descendant of little Petros, rock
- Pronunciation: peht-ray-kiss
- Variations: Petrackis, Patrakis, Petrakes
- Namesakes: Georgios Petrakis, a Greek businessman, partisan, and politician known as a leading figure in the Cretan resistance from 1941 to 1944.
- Popularity: Petrakis is most common in Crete, where 39% of people named Petrakis occur.
Petrou
Petrou is a Greek surname derived from Peter. Christ chose Peter, one of the disciples in the New Testament, to be “the rock” on which the church was built.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Nickname for Peter in Greek
- Pronunciation: PEE-troo
- Variations: Petrous, Pettrou
- Namesakes: Kostas Petrou, a former British professional boxer of Greek Cypriot origin famous for being the British Welterweight Champion in 1985.
- Popularity: Petrou is a rare surname globally, mainly found in Greece.
Raptis
Raptis derives from the classical Greek word “raptein,” which means “to sew.” Raptis is an occupational name for a tailor.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Tailor
- Pronunciation: ruhp-tEEs, Raf-tiss
- Variations: Raphtis, Rapti
- Popularity: Raptis is concentrated in Greece and southeastern Europe but is uncommon worldwide.
Rellakis
Rellakis is a Greek occupational name for an embroiderer. Rellakis is a derivative of the Greek “reli,” meaning “hem, border,” derived from the Italian “reglio.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Embroiderer
- Pronunciation: Rah-lah-kiss
- Variations: Relaki, Rolakis, Ralakis
- Popularity: Rellakis is a rare last name worldwide.
Remis
Remis is a medieval Greek name derived from the Latin Remigius. The Dutch and German origin mirrors the Greek origin. Remis stems from the Asturian-Leonese Remicio. The variant Remi is a gender-neutral given name.
- Origin: Greek, French, Germanic
- Meaning: Oarsman
- Pronunciation: Ree-miss
- Variations: Remi, Remie
- Popularity: Remis is found across Europe, and Slovakia has the highest number of people with the surname.
Rosi
Rosi is a Greek surname derived from the Latin Rosa, meaning “the flower rose.” It’s also the Greek feminine form denoting “the daughter or wife of.”
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Rose
- Pronunciation: roh-szee
- Variations: Rossi, Rosis, Rossis
- Namesakes: Rosi (Rosa) Mittermaier, a German alpine skier famous for being a double gold medallist at the 1976 Winter Olympics.
- Popularity: Rosi is an uncommon surname globally.
Roussopoulos
Roussopoulos is a Greek surname used for Russian descendants. The patronymic suffix “poulos” derives from the Latin “pullus,” meaning “nestling, chick.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Red one, russet, of Russian descent
- Pronunciation: ROW-soo-pooh-loss
- Variations: Rousopoulos, Routsopoulos, Rosopoulos
- Namesakes: Carole Roussopoulos, a Swiss film director and feminist known for her pioneering early documentary films of the Women’s liberation movement in France.
- Popularity: Roussopoulos is mostly found in Europe and is somewhat common in Greece.
Samaras
Samaras is an occupational surname. It stems from the Greek word “samári,” meaning “saddle,” and refers to an ancestor who made saddles.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Saddlemaker, saddler
- Pronunciation: saa-maa-rAAs
- Variations: Samauras, Samarase
- Namesakes: Timothy Samaras, an American engineer known for researching tornadoes, featured on the Discovery Channel show Storm Chasers.
- Popularity: Samaras is a rare family name worldwide, occurring mostly in Europe.
Savas
Savas stems from the Greek Sabbas, the Greek version of the Holy Sabbath. The Late Greek Sabbas is most likely of Aramaic origin, meaning “old man grandfather.” Savas is also a Turkish masculine given name.
- Origin: Greek, Turkish
- Meaning: Sabbath
- Pronunciation: sae-vihs
- Variations: Shavas, Sauvas, Savass
- Popularity: Savas is most prevalent in the U.S. but is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Scala
Scala is a Greek and Italian topographic surname meaning “ladder, flight of steps.” Scala is a habitational name given to someone who lived by a flight of steps or on terraced land.
- Origin: Greek, Latin
- Meaning: Ladder, steps, stairway
- Pronunciation: skAE-luh
- Variations: Scalia, Scalas, Scalea, Scalla
- Namesakes: Delia Scala, an Italian ballerina, actress, and singer known for her leading role in the Nascent Commedia Musicale.
- Popularity: Scala is not a frequently used last name and occurs mostly in Europe.
Selinofoto
Selinofoto derives from the Greek “selinófoto” for “moonlight.” Selinofoto could have originated as a habitational surname from a historical region in the southwestern corner of Crete. Selino is a known as a remote area in the foothills of Lefka Ori or the White Mountains.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Moonlight
- Pronunciation: see-lee-noh-pho-tow
- Popularity: Selinofoto is a rare surname worldwide.
Sideris
Sideris derives from the Greek “sidero,” meaning “iron.” Sideris stems from an ancestor who was a blacksmith. It also refers to a wishful phrase, “May the child grow up to be as strong as iron.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Iron one
- Pronunciation: see-dhEH-rees
- Variations: Sideries, Sideri, Siderio
- Namesakes: Nikos Sideris, a Greek psychiatrist known for his book “Children do not need psychologists. They need parents!,” a non-fiction best-seller in Greece.
- Popularity: Sideris is most common in Greece, borne by 1 in every 1,886 people.
Stefanopoulos
Stefanopoulos is a Greek patronymic of the given name Stefanos, with “poulos,” meaning “son of.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Stefan
- Pronunciation: stEHf-uh-noh-pooh-loss
- Variations: Stefanoupoulos, Stefanapoulos, Stephanopoulos
- Namesakes: Konstantinos Stephanopoulos, a Greek conservative politician who served as the president of Greece from 1995 to 2005.
- Popularity: Stefanopoulos is somewhat common in Greece and Western countries.
Teresi
Teresi is a derivative of the Greek Theresia. Teresi is associated with Artemis, the Greek mythological goddess of hunting. Teresi is a metronome from the female given name Teresa.
- Origin: Greek, Italian
- Meaning: Hunting
- Pronunciation: ter-EH-see
- Variations: Theresi, Terezis
- Namesakes: Dick Teresi, an American writer and co-author of The God Particle.
- Popularity: Teresi is somewhat common in Sicily but rare worldwide.
Thanos
Thanos is the short form of the Greek Athanasios, which means “immortal.” Thanos is also a Greek masculine given name. In ancient Greek mythology, Thanatos was the son of Nyx, the goddess of night, and the brother of Hypnos, the god of sleep.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Immortal
- Pronunciation: thAA-naws
- Variations: Theanos
- Namesakes: Konstantinos Thanos, a Greek wrestler known for participating in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Popularity: Thanos is somewhat popular in Greece as a given name and surname.
Theodoropoulos
Theodoropoulos derives from the Greek “theos,” meaning “God,” and “doron,” meaning “gift.” Theodoropoulos is an old Macedonian last name also prevalent in the Southern Balkans, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Theodore
- Pronunciation: Thee-o-dor-op-pou-lus
- Variations: Theodoropoulous, Theodoropoulou, Theodooropoulos, Theodoropulos
- Namesakes: Vicky Theodoropoulou, a Greek writer who was awarded the Maria Ralli Prize for her first novel, Letter from Dublin.
- Popularity: Theodoropoulos is somewhat common in Greece and also found in 29 other countries.
Tomaras
Tomaras is an occupational name for a tanner from the medieval Greek Tomaras, derived from “tomari,” meaning “hide skin.” The word “tomari” is also a Greek nickname meaning “rascal” or “blackguard.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Tanner
- Pronunciation: To-maa-raas
- Variations: Toumaras, Thomaras, Tomara
- Popularity: Tomaras is most prevalent in Greece but is not a common surname.
Trakas
Trakas derives from the Greek “traka,” from the Italian “attaccare.” Trakas in Greek slang means “sponging” or “living at another’s expense.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Crash, collision
- Pronunciation: Trey-Kas
- Variations: Tragkas, Trakkas, Trakos
- Namesakes: Sotirios Trakas, a Greek diver who competed in the 10-meter platform events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
- Popularity: Trakas is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Vasilakis
Vasilakis is the modern Greek diminutive of Vasilios and Vasilis, derived from the classical Greek Basileios, meaning “royal.” The diminutive suffix “akis” is typical for surnames from Crete. Vasilakis is typically only used informally and does not necessarily appear on birth certificates.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Royal
- Pronunciation: VAA-see-laa-kiss
- Variations: Vassilakis, Vasilakes
- Namesakes: Panayiotis Vassilakis, a self-taught Greek artist known for his kinetic sculptures.
- Popularity: Vasilakis is concentrated in Crete but is uncommon worldwide.
Vidales
Vidales stems from the personal name Vidal, derived from the Latin Vitalis, with “vita,” meaning “life.”
- Origin: Spanish, Latin
- Meaning: Son or descendant of Vidal
- Pronunciation: Vee-dah-less
- Variations: Vidalies, Vidalis
- Namesakes: Luis Vidales, a Colombian poet, and writer known as a founding member of the literary group Los Nuevos.
- Popularity: Vidales occurs mostly in Mexico but is an uncommon surname worldwide.
Vouvali
Vouvali derives from the Greek “vouvalis,” meaning “antelope,” or “vouvalos,” meaning “buffalo.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Antelope, buffalo
- Pronunciation: VOW-vaa-lee
- Variations: Vovali, Vouvoulis, Vavalis, Vovolis
- Popularity: Vouvali occurs in Greece, the U.S., and England but is a rare last name.
Xenos
Xenos derives from the Greek “xenos,” meaning “stranger, newcomer.” Xenos is used as a nickname but rarely as a given name. “Xeno” is added to the front of a name to create composite names like Xenokostas, meaning “Kostas, the newcomer.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Stranger, newcomer
- Pronunciation: zee-nohs
- Variations: Xeno, Xenou, Xynos
- Popularity: Xenos is an uncommon surname and occurs mostly in Greece.
Xiphias
Xiphias derives from the Greek “xiphos,” meaning “sword,” and from the Latin “xiphias,” meaning “swordfish.”
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Swordfish
- Pronunciation: Zie-fee-ass
- Namesakes: Nikephoros Xiphias, a Byzantine military commander who played a distinguished role in the conquest of Bulgaria and the 1014 Battle of Kleidion.
- Popularity: Xiphias is a rare last name worldwide.
Zafeiriou
Zafeiriou is a Greek patronymic surname meaning “son of Zafeiris,” but is also the name for the sapphire gemstone. Zafeiriou is a rare surname with little available information.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Son of Zafeiris
- Pronunciation: ZAA-fee-ree-oh
- Variations: Zafeireiou, Zafiriou, Zaferiou
- Namesakes: Eleni Zafeiriou, a Greek film actress known for appearing in 108 films between 1951 and 1996.
- Popularity: Zafeiriou is predominantly found in Europe and is an uncommon surname.
Zenon
Zenon is a derivative of Zeus, the Greek god of the sky, and also means “guest or host.” Zenon is both a surname and a masculine given name in the form of Zenas and Zeno.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Hospitable, gift of Zeus
- Pronunciation: zeh-nawn
- Variations: Zenone, Zeanon, Zeno, Zinon, Zenios
- Namesakes: Zenon Konopka, a former Canadian professional ice hockey player best known as Zenon the Destroyer throughout his National Hockey League career.
- Popularity: As a Greek last name, Zenon is prevalent in central and North America but is considered rare.
Zervas
Zervas is a Greek surname derived as a pet form of the Latin Servatius. It’s also a Greek variant of the given name Zervos.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Left-handed
- Pronunciation: Zer-vas, ZEHR-vas
- Variations: Zervaas, Zeervas, Zerva
- Namesakes: Arizona Zervas, an American rapper and singer known for his song Roxanne which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019.
- Popularity: Zervas is somewhat common in Greece but rare elsewhere.
Zika
Zika is a pet form of Zikas, from the male given name Zissis. This relates to an omen name from the phrase “na zissis,” meaning “may he live.” Interestingly, a male child born after the death of an elder brother would be named Zissis.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: May he live
- Pronunciation: Shi-kah
- Variations: Tzika
- Namesakes: Adolf Zika, a Czech photographer known for his photographic work in both commercial photography and the fashion industry.
- Popularity: Zika is a rare surname globally, although found in 75 different countries.
Zographos
Zographos is a combination of two words – “zoe,” meaning “life,” and “graphein,” meaning “write.” Zographos is an occupational name for a painter or miniaturist.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Painter, miniaturist
- Pronunciation: Zo-grah-foss
- Variations: Zografos, Zogrephos
- Namesakes: Panagiotis Zographos, a Greek painter who, under General Makriyannis, produced several scenes from the Greek battle for independence.
- Popularity: Zographos is a rare surname worldwide.
Greek Surnames FAQs
What Is a Popular Greek Last Name?
One of the most popular Greek family names is Papadopoulos meaning “son of a priest.” There are over 59,000 people in Greece with the last name Papadopoulos or 1 in every 188 people. The suffix “poulos” derives from the Latin “pullus,” meaning “nestling, chick.”
What Are Some Old Greek Last Names?
Numerous old Greek names stem from ancient history and Greek mythology. These include Adamos, Danielopoulos, Zenon, Teresi, and many more.
Do Greek Gods Have Last Names?
Ancient Greek gods or goddesses did not have last names, which is consistent with Greek culture when the myths were written. Ancient Greeks, like the Spartans, did not have last names, as the concept of last names developed much later. However, many Greek/Roman gods and goddesses are called by their father’s name, such as Zeus Cronus and Athena Zeus, but this is commonly practiced.
How Do Greek Last Names Work?
Greek surnames work systematically to identify the person and their family lineage. Greek people will typically have a first name followed by a patronymic name and family name. An example of a Greek name is Nikos Georgiou Kypianos. The name is derived from the father’s personal name, Georgios, with the suffix “ou” meaning “of.” Georgiou translates to “the son of Georgios. In other Greek surnames, the suffix “poulos,” refers to a descendant of the name. Another example is the surname Markopoulos, which means “son of Marko.”
