A name from Greek mythology arrives with a story already attached. That is most of the appeal: Athena, Atlas and Penelope each hand your child a character rather than just a pleasant sound.
Below are 100 Greek mythology baby names, 50 for boys and 50 for girls, with the origin, the meaning where one is recorded, the pronunciation, and the current US chart standing where one is on record. Where a name has been mis-glossed for years, we say what current onomastic references actually record.
Some of these are top-100 mainstream now. Others have never charted at all, and a handful carry baggage worth thinking about before you sign the certificate.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Penelope, Iris, Atlas, Athena and Phoebe.
Greek Mythology Boy Names (Greek God Names)
Here are 50 Greek mythology names for boys, from the twelve Olympians to the heroes, Titans and one or two monsters, each with its origin, its meaning where one is recorded, its pronunciation and its current standing on the US charts.
1. Abraxas
- Origin: Greek letters, Gnostic tradition
- Pronunciation: uh-BRAK-sus
Abraxas is a magical word built from Greek letters, believed to carry power and often engraved on amulets and charms. Early Gnostic thinkers of the second century AD used it as a name for their god, described as a figure with a rooster’s head on a man’s body (1).
The name reads as pure spellcraft, which is why fantasy writers keep reaching for it. Harry Potter readers will recognize Abraxas Malfoy from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It has no US chart history, so a boy named Abraxas will almost certainly be the only one in his year, and Bram or Rax make friendly everyday short forms.
2. Achilles
- Origin: Ancient Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, possibly from achos, pain
- Pronunciation: uh-KIL-eez
Achilles was the fiercest of the Greek warriors at Troy and the central figure of Homer’s Iliad, remembered for enormous strength and equally enormous temper. His etymology is unsettled: current references point to the Greek word achos, meaning pain, or to the Achelous River. Older baby-name lists gloss him as thin-lipped, and that reading no longer holds up.
His one weak spot gave English the phrase Achilles heel, still in daily use. The name last appeared in the US top 1,000 at #857 in 2018, so it stays uncommon while sounding entirely wearable on a modern child. Ash and Kili work as nicknames.
3. Adonis
- Origin: Greek, from a Semitic root
- Meaning: Lord, master
- Pronunciation: uh-DON-iss
Adonis means lord or master, and it belonged to a handsome shepherd loved by Aphrodite and killed by a wild boar. Centuries of painting and sculpture turned him into shorthand for male beauty, which is exactly the weight the name still carries.
American parents have taken to it quickly. According to Social Security Administration data, Adonis ranked #241 for US boys in 2025, a clear climb from the mid-300s a few years earlier. That is a lot of glamour to hand a toddler, so it helps that Donny and Ado are ready to hand.
4. Ajax
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, possibly mourner or of the earth
- Pronunciation: AY-jaks
Ajax was a towering Greek hero of the Trojan War, second only to Achilles in Homer’s Iliad and known as Ajax the Great. The root is debated, with mourner and of the earth both proposed.
Two hard consonants give the name real snap, and the X ending puts it in step with Jax, Max and Dax. The obvious snag is the household cleaner, so plenty of parents use Ajax in the middle slot or simply call him Jax.
5. Apollo
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown, linked by the Greeks to a verb meaning to destroy
- Pronunciation: uh-PAWL-oh
Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis, presiding over music, prophecy, healing, archery and the sun. His name has no settled etymology, though ancient Greeks connected it to a verb meaning to destroy.
In the US it carries space-program weight from the missions that put the first people on the moon, plus Apollo Creed from the Rocky films. It ranked #445 for boys in 2025, which makes it recognizable without being everywhere, and Apo or Lo soften it for a small child.
6. Ares
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly bane, ruin, or male
- Pronunciation: AIR-eez
Ares was the Greek god of war, son of Zeus and Hera and one of the twelve Olympians. His name may come from a root meaning bane or ruin, or simply from a word for male.
It has climbed hard: Ares ranked #290 for US boys in 2025, well up from the 500s in the late 2010s. The sound sits close to Aries and Aaron, so expect the occasional spelling correction, but it wears easily and needs no nickname.
7. Argo
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Glistening, shining, from Argos
- Pronunciation: AR-goh
Argo was the ship that carried Jason and his crew after the Golden Fleece, named for its builder Argus, whose name means glistening or shining. An old southern constellation carried the name too, sitting between Canis Major and Crux before astronomers split it up.
Argo has no US ranking, so it stays genuinely rare. Two syllables, a strong opening and an O ending put it in the same family as Arlo, Milo and Hugo, which is a large part of the appeal, and Ben Affleck’s 2012 film gave it a second wave of recognition.
8. Atlas
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, borne by the Titan who held up the heavens
- Pronunciation: AT-lus
Atlas was the Titan condemned to hold up the heavens for good, and his name later attached itself to books of maps and to the top vertebra of the spine. The etymology itself is unsettled.
Atlas is the surprise of this list. It ranked #75 for US boys in 2025, which makes it a mainstream choice rather than a mythology deep cut. Actress Anne Heche used it for her son in 2009, a few years before the name began its steep climb, and it has not slowed since.
9. Cadmus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: KAD-mus
Cadmus founded Thebes, killed the serpent guarding a spring sacred to Ares and, in legend, brought the alphabet to Greece. Older name lists gloss him as one who excels, but current references record the meaning as unknown, so it is better to sell the story than the etymology.
Cadmus has no US chart presence at all. The sound is crisp and bookish, J.K. Rowling borrowed it for Cadmus Peverell, and Cade is the ready nickname if the full name feels heavy.
10. Castor
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly from a root meaning to excel
- Pronunciation: KAS-tur
Castor and his twin Pollux make up the Gemini constellation, and the brighter star of the pair still carries his name. Current references trace the name to a Greek root meaning to excel rather than the pious one gloss that older lists repeat.
The name has no US ranking to speak of, though it has a warm, slightly antique sound that sits near Caspar and Carter. James Hetfield of Metallica named his son Castor in 2000, and Cass is the short form waiting inside it.
11. Cronus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly from a root meaning to cut
- Pronunciation: KROH-nus
Cronus was the youngest son of Gaia and Uranus and the leader of the first generation of Titans. He overthrew his father, ruled gods and men for a stretch, then lost everything when Zeus came of age and locked him away. The name may come from a Greek root meaning to cut.
He is remembered mostly for swallowing his own children, which is a rough story to explain at bedtime. The sound is clean and strong, though it shortens awkwardly, so most parents drawn to it use Cronus as a middle name.
12. Damon
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: To tame
- Pronunciation: DAY-mun
Damon comes from a Greek verb meaning to tame. The legendary Damon offered his own life as surety for his friend Pythias, and the pair became a byword for loyalty in the ancient world.
It is the most usable name in this section: Damon ranked #501 for US boys in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data, and has never sounded dated in either direction. Matt Damon and former Formula One champion Damon Hill keep it in circulation, and The Vampire Diaries introduced it to a younger audience.
13. Dionysius
- Origin: Ancient Greek (Latinized)
- Meaning: Of Zeus and Nysa
- Pronunciation: dy-uh-NISH-us
Dionysius is the Latin form of Dionysios, built from the god Zeus and the mythical Mount Nysa. Dionysus himself governed wine, the grape harvest, theater and ecstatic release, and his followers were expected to dance without self-consciousness.
The full form is a mouthful for a small child, but it hands you Dion, Denny and Nico as short forms. A Dionysius also appears in the Book of Acts as an Athenian judge converted by Saint Paul, and the Roman counterpart is Bacchus if you want the same god with a blunter sound.
14. Endymion
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: To plunge in, to enter
- Pronunciation: en-DIM-ee-un
Endymion was a mortal of Elis, believed in some tellings to be its king, whose beauty caught the moon goddess Selene. She asked Zeus to keep him forever, and Zeus obliged by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos. The name comes from a Greek verb meaning to plunge in.
Keats built a long poem around him, so the name arrives with a strong Romantic-poetry association. Four syllables make it heavy for daily use, which is why it works best as an unusual middle name. Endy is the soft short form.
15. Eros
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Love
- Pronunciation: AIR-oss
Eros means love in Greek, and he was the winged god of desire, usually cast as Aphrodite’s son. The Romans renamed him Cupid and gave him the bow and arrows most people picture.
The adult connotations in English are hard to shake, which keeps the name off US lists while it stays comfortable in Italy. If the sound appeals but the meaning feels loaded, Ari or Erasmus get you close without the raised eyebrow.
16. Eryx
- Origin: Greek mythology
- Pronunciation: EH-riks
Eryx was a king in Sicily, son of Poseidon and Aphrodite in most tellings, and a boxer good enough to challenge Heracles. He lost that fight. A mountain and an ancient city in western Sicily both carried his name.
Onomastic references record no settled etymology for Eryx, so treat any confident meaning you find online with caution. As a sound it is a tidy, X-ending update on Eric, and it has no US chart history at all.
17. Evander
- Origin: Greek (Latinized), also Roman
- Meaning: Good man, from eu and aner
- Pronunciation: ih-VAN-dur
Evander is built from Greek eu, good, and aner, man. In Roman legend he was an Arcadian who left Pallantium and founded a settlement of the same name on the future site of Rome, and he is often given as the son of the goddess Carmentis and the god Hermes.
It ranked #698 for US boys in 2025, so it is available rather than unheard of, and it reads as a longer, more formal Evan. Boxing champion Evander Holyfield is the best-known bearer. A separate Scottish Evander, unrelated in origin, anglicizes the Gaelic Iomhar.
18. Griffin
- Origin: Welsh (Latinized Gruffudd), also an English word name
- Meaning: A creature with a lion’s body and an eagle’s head, from Greek gryps
- Pronunciation: GRIF-in
A griffin has an eagle’s head and wings on a lion’s body, and Greek writers made the creature the only beast strong enough to draw Apollo’s chariot. The given name has a second, separate root: it is also the Latinized form of the Welsh Gruffudd.
Griffin is the most mainstream pick in this section, ranked #222 for US boys in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data. Family Guy attached it to a cartoon surname without slowing it down at all. Griff is the natural short form.
19. Hades
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unseen
- Pronunciation: HAY-deez
Hades means unseen, from the Greek aides, and he ruled the underworld as brother to Zeus and Poseidon. In the oldest sources he is stern and rigidly fair rather than evil, which is not how most films cast him.
Hades has no US ranking, and the association is heavy for a first name, so parents who love the sound usually move it to the middle slot. Hayden and Hadrian get you a similar opening with none of the underworld baggage.
20. Hector
- Origin: Greek (Latinized Hektor)
- Meaning: Holding fast, from echo, to hold
- Pronunciation: HEK-tur
Hector means holding fast, from a Greek verb meaning to hold or possess, and he was Troy’s best defender until Achilles killed him outside the walls. Homer gives him the most sympathetic family scenes in the whole Iliad, which is a rare thing for an enemy hero.
It ranked #409 for US boys in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data, and has been a long-established favorite in Spanish-speaking families, where it appears as Héctor. It is a hero name that needs no explaining, and it has stayed in steady use on screen, including the US series Longmire.
21. Helios
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Sun
- Pronunciation: HEE-lee-oss
Helios means sun, and the Titan drove a four-horse chariot across the sky each day, returning east by night. Later Greek writers folded his role into Apollo’s, which is why the two overlap so much.
Helios last charted in the US at #423, and that was back in 1950, so it now reads as fresh rather than old-fashioned. The French form Hélios has been doing much better lately, ranking #319 in France in 2024. Helius is an alternate spelling, and Leo is the built-in nickname.
22. Herakles
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Glory of Hera
- Pronunciation: HAIR-uh-kleez
Herakles, also spelled Heracles, means glory of Hera, which is pointed given that Hera was the goddess who drove him mad. If the Greek spelling throws you, you know him by his Roman name, Hercules (2).
He completed twelve labors to atone for killing his own family, and the labors won him a place among the gods. The name is a great deal to carry, and the Roman spelling is the more usable of the two in English. Herc and Kles are the only realistic short forms.
23. Hermes
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly cairn, boundary marker
- Pronunciation: HUR-meez
Hermes carried messages for Zeus and looked after travelers, merchants, athletes, writers and thieves with equal attention. His name may come from herma, a cairn or boundary marker, though a pre-Greek root is also possible.
In English the fashion house owns the word for most people, and the two are said differently: the god is HUR-meez, the label takes the French pronunciation. If that bothers you, the Roman Mercury covers the same ground, and the winged sandals stay either way.
24. Homer
- Origin: Ancient Greek
- Meaning: Hostage, pledge
- Pronunciation: HOH-mur
Homer means hostage or pledge. The poet credited with the Iliad and the Odyssey is usually placed in the 8th century BC, though scholars still argue about whether one person wrote both, or whether he existed at all. He is not a mythological figure, but no Greek mythology name list works without him.
The name was widely used in America from the 18th century onward and last ranked #949 in 1983. The Simpsons has held the association ever since, so expect the jokes. It is a strong middle name for a family that reads.
25. Icarus
- Origin: Greek (Latinized)
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: IK-uh-rus
Icarus and his father Daedalus escaped Crete on wings held together with wax. Icarus flew too near the sun, the wax melted and he fell into the sea. The etymology of the name itself is unknown.
Icarus has no US ranking. The name arrives preloaded with a warning, which some parents find beautiful and others cannot get past, and there is the icky nickname problem to weigh as well, though Ike solves that for daily use.
26. Janus
- Origin: Latin, Roman mythology
- Meaning: Archway
- Pronunciation: JAY-nus
Janus is a Roman god rather than a Greek one, and there is no clean Greek equivalent, which is why he earns a place here anyway. His name means archway in Latin, he governed gateways and beginnings, and January is named for him.
Artists give him two faces looking in opposite directions, one to what has been and one to what is coming, which makes the name a quiet gift for a baby born at a turning point. Jan or Jay handle the daily version, and the full name has never ranked in the US.
27. Jason
- Origin: Greek (Iason)
- Meaning: Healer, from iasis, healing
- Pronunciation: JAY-sun
Jason means healer, from the Greek iasis. In myth he led the Argonauts after the Golden Fleece, and a second Jason appears in the Bible as a host to Saint Paul.
This is the most familiar name on the boys’ list by a wide margin. It peaked in the 1970s, when it reached third place for US boys, and it still ranked #165 in 2025, which is remarkable staying power for a name that trendy that long ago. Jason Momoa, Jason Bateman and Jason Segel keep it current.
28. Leander
- Origin: Greek (Leandros)
- Meaning: Lion man, from leon and aner
- Pronunciation: lee-AN-dur
Leander means lion man. In legend he swam the Hellespont every night to reach Hero, the woman he loved, until a storm drowned him on one crossing. It is one of the few Greek love stories with no gods interfering.
In the US the name is scarce, last ranking #972 in 1969, yet it sounds like a dressier Alexander and needs no explanation. Spain and France use their own forms, Leandro in Spanish and Leandre in French, and Lee or Andy work in English.
29. Morpheus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Shape
- Pronunciation: MOR-fee-us
Morpheus means shape, and he was the god who pressed human forms into people’s dreams while his brother handled the animals. Sources disagree about whether he governed sleep as well or only the dreams inside it.
Morphine takes its name from the same root, which is either a nice detail or a dealbreaker depending on the parent. The Matrix gave the name a second life and a much cooler set of associations. Morris or Pheus are the closest short forms for a name that has never ranked in the US.
30. Nereus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Water, fresh
- Pronunciation: NEER-ee-us
Nereus means water, and he was the old man of the sea, father of the fifty Nereids and a shape-shifter who told the truth when he was pinned down long enough to be asked. He predates Poseidon in the older layers of the myth.
The name has never been fashionable, which in an era of invented baby names is starting to look like an advantage. Nerio and Nereo work as nicknames, and Nereus has no US chart history.
31. Oceanus
- Origin: Greek (Latinized Okeanos)
- Meaning: The Titan who personified the water encircling the earth
- Pronunciation: oh-SEE-uh-nus
Oceanus is the Latinized Okeanos, the Titan who stood for the great river of water believed to encircle the world. The English word ocean comes straight from him.
It is a favored name in Europe, particularly in France, where the feminine Oceane does well. In English it is long, so most parents land on Ocean for daily use and keep Oceanus on the certificate.
32. Odysseus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: oh-DIS-ee-us
Odysseus is the hero of Homer’s Odyssey, the one who wins by thinking rather than by strength, and his ten-year journey home gave English the word odyssey. Older lists gloss the name as wrathful; onomastic references record the meaning as unknown.
He is brave and endlessly resourceful, which is a fine thing to name a child for, but four syllables is a lot to hand a kindergartner. The Roman form Ulysses is easier in English, and Ody makes a warm nickname either way.
33. Olimpio
- Origin: Italian and Galician, from Greek Olympios
- Pronunciation: oh-LEEM-pee-oh
Olimpio is the Italian and Galician form of a Greek name tied to Mount Olympus, the home of the gods. It points at the whole pantheon rather than one deity.
That makes it a useful pick if you love the mythology but do not want your son carrying a specific god’s reputation around. It has no US chart history, and the rhythm is close to Olimpia for a girl if you need a matched pair. Ollie is the obvious nickname.
34. Orion
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, possibly boundary or light of the heavens
- Pronunciation: oh-RY-un
Orion was a giant hunter who pursued the seven daughters of Atlas until Artemis killed him, after which Zeus set him in the sky as the brightest of the winter constellations. The etymology is uncertain, with Greek horion, boundary, and Akkadian Uru-anna, light of the heavens, both proposed.
It ranked #334 for US boys in 2025, so it is well established without being common. The sound echoes O’Ryan, a Gaelic name, which gives it an easy Irish-adjacent feel, and Ry makes a simple nickname.
35. Orpheus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Perhaps from orphne, the darkness of night
- Pronunciation: OR-fee-us
Orpheus was the musician whose playing was said to stop rivers and set trees moving, and he talked his way into the underworld to bring back his wife Eurydice. The name may come from orphne, the darkness of night.
It is close to a perfect name for the child of musicians, and the story gives you a lesson about looking back that will land at some point in his teens. Orpheus has no US ranking. Orfeo is the Italian form, and Orph is short but workable.
36. Pan
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly from a root meaning shepherd or protect
- Pronunciation: PAN
Pan was the god of flocks, shepherds and wild places, drawn as a man with a goat’s legs and horns and rarely without his reed pipe. His name may go back to an Indo-European root meaning shepherd or protect, and the word panic comes from the fear he was said to cause.
One syllable makes it the shortest name on this list and an easy middle name for almost anything. It also lands as a nickname for Panagiotis or Pandelis in Greek families.
37. Paris
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown, possibly Luwian or Hittite
- Pronunciation: PAIR-iss
Paris was the Trojan prince whose choice set off the Trojan War. With Aphrodite’s help he took Helen from Sparta, and her husband Menelaus brought a thousand ships after them. The name’s meaning is unknown and probably not Greek in origin at all.
In the US it now reads mostly as a girl’s name, ranked #592 for girls in 2025 against a last masculine appearance of #813 in 2000, helped along by the French city and by Paris Hilton. Michael Jackson used it for his daughter, and a handful of celebrity sons have nudged it back toward the boys’ side.
38. Parthenios
- Origin: Ancient Greek
- Meaning: From parthenos, maiden
- Pronunciation: par-THEN-ee-os
Parthenios comes from parthenos, the Greek word behind the Parthenon, and it belonged to a river god who was pictured as a man draped in a toga. Greek families still keep a name day for it on February 7.
Four syllables make it a lot for a first name in English, though it is a striking middle name and a real find if you want something no other child in the class will have. Parth and Theo both fall out of it neatly.
39. Perseus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly from pertho, to destroy
- Pronunciation: PUR-see-us
Perseus was a son of Zeus and Danae who killed Medusa, rescued Andromeda from a sea monster and founded Mycenae. His name may come from a verb meaning to destroy, which suits the resume.
It sounds old enough to feel new, which is the sweet spot for a mythology name, and your son will eventually enjoy Clash of the Titans for reasons other than the special effects. Percy is the ready-made nickname, and Perseus has no US ranking.
40. Pollux
- Origin: Roman form of Greek Polydeukes
- Meaning: Very sweet, from polys and deukes
- Pronunciation: PAWL-uks
Pollux means very sweet, and he was Castor’s twin, the immortal half of the pair the Greeks called the Dioscuri. When Castor died, Pollux asked Zeus to split his immortality so the brothers could stay together, and Zeus set them both in the sky as Gemini.
That makes Castor and Pollux one of the oldest twin-name pairs on record, and a brighter star still carries the name. It suits a second twin, or a solo boy whose parents want a star name, and Pol or Lux are the natural short forms. It has no US chart history.
41. Poseidon
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly husband or lord of the earth
- Pronunciation: puh-SY-dun
Poseidon ruled the sea and sent the earthquakes, and he appears in Mycenaean inscriptions as po-se-da-o, which makes him one of the oldest attested Greek gods. His name may combine posis, husband or lord, with da, earth.
The trident, the white horses and the temper are all part of the package, and the Roman Neptune is the softer alternative if the full name feels like too much. Posey and Don are the only realistic short forms, so this one suits parents who plan to use the whole name. It has no US ranking.
42. Priam
- Origin: Greek mythology, probably Luwian
- Meaning: Probably exceptionally powerful, from Luwian Pariamua
- Pronunciation: PRY-um
Priam was the last king of Troy, father of Paris and Hector and of dozens more children, and his night visit to Achilles to beg for Hector’s body is the most human scene in the Iliad. The name probably comes from Luwian roots meaning exceptionally powerful.
Two syllables and a clean start make it far more wearable than most names here, close in sound to Brian but rarer. It has no US ranking, though it reached #422 in France in 2024.
43. Pyramus
- Origin: Greek and Roman mythology
- Pronunciation: PIR-uh-mus
Pyramus lived in Babylon next door to Thisbe, and their families forbade the match. Ovid tells the story: a misunderstanding at a meeting place ends with Thisbe finding Pyramus dead, and Shakespeare later borrowed the shape of it for Romeo and Juliet, then parodied it inside A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Onomastic references record no established meaning for the name. It carries real literary weight and a great deal of sadness, so most parents drawn to it use it in the middle slot. Pyr and Ram are the short forms.
44. Thanatos
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Death
- Pronunciation: THAN-uh-tos
Thanatos means “death” in Greek, and he was the god of the gentle, nonviolent kind, twin brother of Hypnos, sleep. Some sources treat him as a spirit rather than a full god.
He is nothing like Hades, who ruled the dead and was famously unyielding; Thanatos was the quiet one. Even so, naming a baby directly after death is a hard sell, and Thanos has been thoroughly claimed by Marvel. If you love the sound, Nathan carries most of the same letters and none of the weight.
45. Theseus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly from a root meaning to set, to place
- Pronunciation: THEE-see-us
Theseus killed the Minotaur in the Cretan labyrinth and found his way back out using Ariadne’s thread, then went on to unify Attica under Athens. Philosophers still argue over his ship, the thought experiment about whether an object replaced plank by plank stays the same object.
Chaucer put him in the first of the Canterbury tales as the figure who stands for order and rule. The name is uncommon in the US with no current ranking, and Theo is the nickname that makes it usable.
46. Triton
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, possibly connected to a word for the sea
- Pronunciation: TRY-tun
Triton was the herald of the sea and the son of Poseidon, drawn with a man’s upper body and a fish’s tail and blowing a conch shell to calm or raise the waves. The etymology is uncertain and probably tied to a word for the sea.
Disney handed the name to Ariel’s father in The Little Mermaid, which is how most American children meet it, and Neptune’s largest moon carries it too. Trey or Tri work for daily use, and Triton itself has never charted in the US.
47. Troilus
- Origin: Greek, from Troy
- Meaning: From the name of Troy
- Pronunciation: TROY-lus
Troilus was a Trojan prince, son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, and a prophecy held that Troy would not fall if he lived to twenty. Achilles killed him young, which is one of the reasons the city fell.
Medieval writers rebuilt him as a lover, and Chaucer and Shakespeare both gave him a poem or play of his own, so the name arrives with a full literary history. It has no US chart presence, and Troy is the ready everyday form.
48. Troy
- Origin: English surname from Troyes, France; also the ancient city
- Meaning: From the place name Troy, itself probably Luwian or Hittite
- Pronunciation: TROY
Troy was the city the Greeks besieged for ten years after Paris left with Helen of Sparta, and it stood in Asia Minor, in what is now Turkey. The city’s Greek name Troia is traditionally traced to a founder called Tros, though a Luwian or Hittite root is more likely. As a given name it came from a surname for someone from Troyes in France.
Actor Troy Donahue made it popular in the 1960s, and it has held on far better than most names of that wave. It ranked #532 for US boys in 2025, which makes it the easiest one-syllable option on this list.
49. Zephyr
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: West wind
- Pronunciation: ZEF-ur
Zephyr means west wind, and Zephyrus was the gentlest of the four wind gods, the one who brought the spring. The English word zephyr, a light breeze, comes directly from him.
It has a relaxed, almost weather-report calm to it and works for a boy or a girl, which puts it in the same bracket as River and Sage. Video games and fantasy novels have used it hard. Zeph is the nickname, and the name has no US ranking yet.
50. Zeus
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: From an Indo-European root meaning sky or shine
- Pronunciation: ZOOS
Zeus ruled Olympus and held the sky, the lightning and a good deal of everyone’s fate, and his name goes back to an Indo-European sky god built on a root meaning sky or shine. The Roman Jupiter comes from the same source.
One syllable, hard Z and no possible nickname make this a large name for a small person, and expect it to be repeated back to you at every introduction. It has never ranked in the US, and it works far more easily as a middle name than a first.
Greek Mythology Girl Names (Goddess Names)
Here are 50 Greek mythology names for girls, covering the goddesses, the Titanesses, the muses and the nymphs, each with its origin, its meaning where one is recorded, its pronunciation and its current US chart standing.
51. Acantha
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Thorn, prickle
- Pronunciation: uh-KAN-thuh
Acantha means thorn or prickle, and she was a nymph loved by Apollo. The acanthus leaf carved into the top of every Corinthian column takes its name from the same word, so the association is with architecture as much as with brambles.
That combination of soft sound and sharp meaning is unusual, and it makes Acantha a quietly strong tribute to a Rose or a Thorn in the family. Cantha and Cass work as short forms for a name that has never appeared on the US charts.
52. Aegle
- Origin: Greek (Aigle)
- Meaning: Light, radiance, glory
- Pronunciation: EE-glee
Aegle means light or radiance. She was a goddess of good health, daughter of Asclepius and Epione, and she worked alongside her father rather than in her own right, which is how most of the healing family is described.
The spelling is the hurdle: written Aegle it looks Latin, said aloud it lands close to a dressier Adele. Aigle is the Greek form if you prefer it, and the name has no US chart history.
53. Alala
- Origin: Greek mythology
- Pronunciation: uh-LAH-lah
Alala was the personification of the war cry, daughter of Polemos, the spirit of war. Soldiers shouted her name as a battle opened, which is about as direct a naming as Greek myth gets.
Onomastic references list her without a settled etymology, so treat confident meanings you find online with caution. The name itself is all open vowels and repetition, closer in feel to Lala or Aaliyah than to anything martial, and it has no US ranking.
54. Althea
- Origin: Greek (Latinized Althaia)
- Meaning: Perhaps healing, from althos
- Pronunciation: al-THEE-uh
Althea is perhaps connected to the Greek althos, meaning healing, and in myth she was the mother of Meleager. Poets kept the name in circulation for centuries because it sounds the way it means.
Althea Gibson, the first African American player to win at Wimbledon, is the best-known bearer. The name last ranked #888 in 1972 and is currently outside the US top 1,000, which leaves it ready for a revival, and the short version Thea is already fashionable.
55. Andromeda
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: From aner, man, and a verb meaning to provide for or rule over
- Pronunciation: an-DRAH-mih-duh
Andromeda was the Ethiopian princess chained to a rock as a sacrifice and rescued by Perseus, and her name joins the Greek word for man with a verb meaning to provide for or to rule over. Older lists render it as advising like a man, which is a loose reading of the same parts.
She and her mother Cassiopeia both ended up as constellations, and the galaxy nearest our own carries her name. Very few US babies are given it, so it stays exclusive, and Andi, Romy and Meda are all sitting inside it.
56. Anthea
- Origin: Greek (Antheia)
- Meaning: Flower, blossom
- Pronunciation: AN-thee-uh
Anthea means flower or blossom, and it was an epithet of Hera, queen of Olympus, in her role over gardens and spring growth. Ancient Greek poets used it as a shorthand for the season itself.
It has been used quietly in Britain for generations, where the journalist Anthea Disney and presenter Anthea Turner both carried it. In the US it is rare, and it gives you Annie and Thea without either of those feeling like a compromise.
57. Aphrodite
- Origin: Greek, possibly Phoenician
- Meaning: Unknown; the Greeks linked it to aphros, foam
- Pronunciation: af-ruh-DY-tee
Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty, and her name has no confirmed meaning. The Greeks connected it to aphros, foam, which produced the story of her birth from the sea. Sappho’s Ode to Aphrodite is the best-known poem written for her.
Unlike her Roman variant Venus, Aphrodite almost never descends to mortal use, and four syllables of pure goddess is a heavy thing to hand a child. Dita and Rodi are the escape hatches if you love it anyway.
58. Arete
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Virtue
- Pronunciation: uh-REE-tee
Arete means virtue, and she personified excellence itself: the quality that lets a person do the thing they are for, as well as it can be done. Greek philosophy circles the word constantly.
It is one of the subtlest names on this list, short and clean with no mythological baggage to explain. The catch is the pronunciation, which reads as a-REE-tee rather than like the more familiar Aretha. It has no US ranking.
59. Ariadne
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly most holy, from ari and Cretan adnos
- Pronunciation: a-ree-AD-nee
Ariadne probably means most holy, from a Greek prefix meaning most and a Cretan word for holy, though some scholars argue for a pre-Greek root. She was the daughter of King Minos who gave Theseus the thread that got him out of the labyrinth.
The name last touched the US top 1,000 at #1000 in 2019, so it is genuinely uncommon here while staying well used in Greece. It works as a longer, more substantial alternative to Ariana, and it shortens to the very current Ari.
60. Artemis
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown, possibly pre-Greek
- Pronunciation: AR-tuh-miss
Artemis, twin sister of Apollo, ruled the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and she was called on to protect women in childbirth. Her name has no agreed meaning and may not be Greek at all.
Her Roman counterpart Diana has been used far more, but Artemis has the sharper, more modern sound of the two. It last ranked #854 in 2023, so it is on the charts without being common, and Artie is the nickname nobody expects to like until they hear it.
61. Asia
- Origin: Place name, perhaps Akkadian
- Meaning: Perhaps east, from Akkadian asu
- Pronunciation: AY-zhuh
Asia was one of the daughters of the sea Titan Oceanus, and the continent may be named from an Akkadian word meaning east. Whether the nymph or the direction came first is not settled.
That double origin makes it the most usable name in this stretch of the list. It last ranked #901 in 2015 in the US, so it is familiar without being everywhere, and place names in general have kept climbing since.
62. Asteria
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Starry, from aster, star
- Pronunciation: a-STEER-ee-uh
Asteria was the Titaness of falling stars and of prophecy read in dreams, and her name comes from the Greek word for star. Her daughter was Hecate, which gives the family line a strong nocturnal streak.
If Aster or Estella appeal but feel too short, Asteria is the full-length version, and it sits beside Astrid and Stella without copying either. Aster or Teri handle daily use, and Asteria itself has no US ranking.
63. Astraea
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Star
- Pronunciation: as-TRAY-uh
Astraea means star. Daughter of Eos and Astraeus, she was the virgin goddess of innocence, precision and justice, and she left the earth for the constellation Virgo when human behavior disappointed her.
The spelling can be simplified to Astrea or Astria if the double vowel feels fussy, and Star or Trae both fall out of it. It has no US chart history, which keeps it a genuine find.
64. Atalanta
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Equal in weight
- Pronunciation: at-uh-LAN-tuh
Atalanta means equal in weight, and she was the huntress who refused to marry any man who could not beat her in a footrace. She was faster than all of them until one thought to roll golden apples across her path.
It is the best athlete name in Greek myth and a near-anagram of the city of Atlanta, which makes it unexpectedly wearable in the US. It has no ranking here, and Attie, Lana and Tally are all built in.
65. Athena
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown, probably tied to the city of Athens
- Pronunciation: uh-THEE-nuh
Athena was the goddess of wisdom, strategy, craft and law, patron of the city that shares her name. Scholars now think the name came from Athens rather than the other way around, and its meaning is unknown.
She has become the breakout Greek goddess name in America. Athena ranked #109 for US girls in 2025, up from #456 in 2008. Thea and Teena are the ready nicknames.
66. Aura
- Origin: Latin, from Greek aura
- Meaning: Breeze, air
- Pronunciation: OR-uh
Aura comes from a Greek word for breeze, and she was the Titan of the cool morning air. Her story ends badly, as several of these do: Zeus turned her into a fountain.
In English the word has picked up a second life in wellness language, where an aura is the atmosphere a person gives off, so the name reads as both ancient and thoroughly current. It ranked #817 for US girls in 2025.
67. Calliope
- Origin: Greek (Kalliope)
- Meaning: Beautiful voice, from kallos and ops
- Pronunciation: kuh-LY-uh-pee
Calliope means beautiful voice, and she was the muse of epic poetry, called the eldest and wisest of the nine. The steam organ on old carousels borrowed her name, which is why some people hear a fairground before they hear a muse.
It debuted in the US top 1,000 in 2016 and reached #451 in 2025, a fast climb for a four-syllable name. Callie is the everyday form, and Poppy works too if you want something less expected.
68. Calypso
- Origin: Greek (Kalypso)
- Meaning: She that conceals
- Pronunciation: kuh-LIP-soh
Calypso means she that conceals, which is exactly what she did: the island nymph held Odysseus for seven years before the gods made her let him go. She is usually given as a daughter of Atlas.
The name has since traveled a long way from Greece, attaching itself to a Caribbean music style, to Jacques Cousteau’s research ship and to one of Saturn’s moons. It is dramatic and it has no US ranking, and Callie or Lipso soften it.
69. Cassandra
- Origin: Greek (Latinized)
- Meaning: Possibly excelling men
- Pronunciation: kuh-SAN-druh
Cassandra was the Trojan princess Apollo gave the gift of prophecy and then cursed, so that everything she foresaw was true and nobody believed a word of it. The name probably comes from Greek elements meaning to excel and man, not from a word for prophetess as older lists claim.
Her name is now an English noun for a warner nobody listens to. The name ranked #630 in the US in 2025, and it gives you Cass, Sandy, Sandra and Cassie, which is an unusually deep nickname bench.
70. Cassiopeia
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly cassia juice
- Pronunciation: kass-ee-oh-PEE-uh
Cassiopeia was Andromeda’s mother, the queen whose bragging about her daughter’s beauty brought the sea monster down on her kingdom. The name may come from a word for cassia juice, a fragrant spice. She was placed in the sky as the W-shaped constellation that still carries her name.
Five syllables makes this the longest name here and a real commitment, but it gives your daughter a unique name and a set of nicknames worth having: Cassie, Casey, Pia and Peia.
71. Clio
- Origin: Greek (Kleio)
- Meaning: Glory
- Pronunciation: KLEE-oh
Clio means glory, and she was the muse of history and heroic poetry, usually drawn with a scroll. The advertising industry named its awards after her, which is a fitting second life for a muse of reputation.
Four letters, two syllables, no ambiguity in the sound: this is one of the most practical names in the mythology, and it plays well beside Cleo, its Egyptian-flavored twin. It has no US ranking.
72. Cybele
- Origin: Phrygian, Near Eastern mythology
- Meaning: Unknown, possibly Phrygian for stone or hair
- Pronunciation: SIB-uh-lee
Cybele was a Phrygian mother goddess of fertility, wild animals and the earth, adopted first by the Greeks and later, with great enthusiasm, by Rome. Her name is Phrygian rather than Greek or French, and its meaning is unknown, with stone and hair both proposed.
It sounds close to Sybil, and the two are often confused, though they are unrelated. Cyb and Belle make it easier to carry, and since the name has no US chart history that mix-up is the main thing to expect.
73. Cynthia
- Origin: Ancient Greek (Kynthia)
- Meaning: Woman from Cynthus
- Pronunciation: SIN-thee-uh
Cynthia means woman from Cynthus, the mountain on Delos where Artemis and Apollo were born, and it worked as an epithet for the moon goddess. That makes it an indirect goddess name, along with Diana and Delia.
It peaked in the US in 1957 and has slid steadily since, ranking #829 in 2024, which puts it squarely in grandmother territory right now. Names take about a century to come back around, so this one is closer to its return than it looks. Cindy and Thia are the two directions to take it.
74. Daphne
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Laurel
- Pronunciation: DAF-nee
Daphne is a Greek name meaning laurel. She was a nymph, daughter of the river god Peneus, and she was turned into a laurel tree so that she could escape Apollo’s pursuit. Victors’ wreaths were made of laurel afterward, which folds her story into every crown in the ancient world.
Though it reads as an English name to most Americans, thanks partly to Scooby-Doo and more recently to Bridgerton, the roots are entirely Greek. It ranked #178 for US girls in 2025 and is climbing, and Daffy and Dafne are the obvious variations.
75. Delia
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Of Delos
- Pronunciation: DEEL-yuh
Delia means of Delos, the small island where Artemis and Apollo were born, and it served as another epithet for the moon goddess. Latin poets used it constantly as a stand-in for a beloved.
It has a warmth that carries especially well in the American South, and it works as a short form for Cordelia or Adelia if you want the option of a longer name later. The novelist and screenwriter Delia Ephron is the best-known bearer, and the name has no current US ranking.
76. Demeter
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly earth mother
- Pronunciation: dih-MEE-tur
Demeter was the goddess of grain, the harvest and everything that feeds people, sister to Zeus and mother of Persephone. Her name probably means earth mother, and the myth of her daughter’s abduction is the Greek explanation for winter.
Demetria and Demi are the softer forms, and Demi in particular is doing well, which makes the full name easier to grow into than it first looks. Demeter itself is not the most used Greek goddess name for girls and has no current US ranking.
77. Echo
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Echo, reflected sound
- Pronunciation: EK-oh
Echo was a nymph cursed by Hera so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, could not tell him, and faded until nothing was left but her voice. The name is the Greek word for reflected sound.
It reads as a modern one-word name rather than an ancient one, which is a large part of the appeal, and pop culture has kept it in view through characters on The 100 and in the Marvel series of the same name. Echo last ranked #845 in the US in 1984.
78. Eos
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Dawn
- Pronunciation: EE-ahs
Eos means dawn, and she opened the gates of the sky each morning ahead of her brother Helios. Rosy-fingered dawn, the phrase Homer repeats over and over, is describing her.
Three letters and two syllables make it the shortest girl’s name here, said EE-ahs rather than as one sound. It works beautifully as a middle name and as a way to honor an Aurora or a Dawn without repeating either. It has no US ranking.
79. Gaia
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Earth, from gaia, a form of ge
- Pronunciation: GY-uh
Gaia means earth, and she was the mother goddess who came before the Titans and the Olympians, grandmother to most of the pantheon. The word geography starts from the same root.
Scientists borrowed her name for the hypothesis that the planet behaves as one self-regulating system, which is part of why the name reads as environmental rather than mythological now. It ranked #21 in Italy in 2024 and #520 in England and Wales in 2025, but has yet to break into the US charts.
80. Halcyon
- Origin: Greek, via a bird genus
- Meaning: Kingfisher
- Pronunciation: HAL-see-un
Halcyon means “kingfisher bird,” and it comes from Alcyone, who was turned into one. The Greeks believed the bird calmed the sea to nest in midwinter, which is where halcyon days, the phrase for a stretch of untroubled calm, comes from.
That gives the name an unusually peaceful meaning for something that sounds this crisp. It has no US chart history at all, so it is a real find, and Hallie is the everyday short form.
81. Hebe
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Youth
- Pronunciation: HEE-bee
Hebe means youth. Daughter of Zeus and Hera, she poured the nectar for the gods and stood for the part of life before anything has gone wrong.
Two syllables and a soft opening make it gentler than most of these names, though the sound is close enough to a few English words to give some parents pause. It ranked #933 in England and Wales in 2003 and has no US chart presence, which makes it a bold and genuinely unused pick.
82. Hera
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Uncertain, likely pre-Greek
- Pronunciation: HEER-uh
Hera was the queen of the Greek gods, goddess of marriage and of women’s lives. Her name has no settled meaning, and it is probably pre-Greek; proposed roots include words for hero, for a season and for being chosen, so the protectress gloss you often see is a guess rather than a finding.
Her myths are largely about jealousy and revenge, including her long campaign against Heracles, so the story is a mixed inheritance. The sound, though, is short and imperial and lines up with Nora, Vera and Ivy, and it has yet to appear on the US charts.
83. Hermione
- Origin: Greek, from the god Hermes
- Meaning: Derived from Hermes
- Pronunciation: hur-MY-uh-nee
Hermione is built from the name of Hermes, the messenger god, and in myth she was the only child of Menelaus and Helen of Troy. Shakespeare gave the name to the wronged queen of The Winter’s Tale, which is where J.K. Rowling found it.
Before Harry Potter it was almost unused outside Britain, and it is still rare in the US with no current ranking, though it reached #980 in England and Wales in 2024. Four syllables need practice, and Hermie or Mia make the daily version.
84. Hero
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Hero, from heros
- Pronunciation: HEER-oh
Hero comes from the Greek heros, and in legend she was the woman Leander swam the Hellespont for every night until a storm drowned him. Older lists gloss the name as demi-god, but the root is simply the word hero.
Shakespeare used it for a heroine in Much Ado About Nothing, and Myleene Klass and the couple Sam Taylor-Johnson and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have all used it for daughters. It works as a first or a middle name and has no US ranking.
85. Hestia
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Hearth, fireside
- Pronunciation: HESS-tee-uh
Hestia means hearth. She was the goddess of the fire at the center of the house, the first of the Olympians and the one who wanted nothing to do with the drama, which makes her the quietest and arguably the kindest figure in the pantheon.
She never appears on the US baby name charts, so this is a name almost nobody else will use, and the meaning is about as warm as mythology gets. Hettie and Essie both fall out of it easily.
86. Ianthe
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Violet flower, from ion and anthos
- Pronunciation: eye-AN-thee
Ianthe means violet flower, from the Greek words for violet and blossom, and she was an ocean nymph, one of the daughters of Oceanus. Purple flowers are said to have grown around her grave.
Pastoral poets favored the name in the 17th century, Shelley used it for his daughter, and Georgette Heyer and Barbara Pym both put it in their novels, so it arrives with a long literary trail. Ian, Annie and Thea all sit inside it, so the full name never has to be the everyday one. It has no US ranking.
87. Irene
- Origin: Greek (Eirene)
- Meaning: Peace
- Pronunciation: eye-REEN
Irene means “peace”, and Eirene was the goddess who personified it, one of the Horai who governed the seasons and social order. An 8th-century Byzantine empress later carried the name and made it imperial.
It is said two ways in English, eye-REEN and eye-REE-nee, and both are correct. Irene ranked #651 for US girls in 2025, on the way back up, and the Greek Eirene and Spanish and Italian Irene keep it in wide use across Europe.
88. Iris
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Rainbow
- Pronunciation: EYE-riss
Iris means rainbow, and she was the messenger of Hera and Zeus, traveling the rainbow between Olympus and earth. The flower and the colored part of the eye take their names from the same word.
This is the highest-ranking name in this section: Iris reached #61 for US girls in 2025 and is still climbing. It has been carried by the novelist Iris Murdoch and used by a long line of celebrity parents, and it needs no nickname, which is part of why it travels so well.
89. Kore
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Maiden
- Pronunciation: KOR-ee
Kore means maiden, and it is the other name for Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Hades took her to the underworld and married her, and the bargain that followed gave her half the year above ground as goddess of spring and half below as its queen.
Note the pronunciation: KOR-ee, not core. It reads as a spare, ancient alternative to the very popular Cora, and it has no US chart history of its own.
90. Leda
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Unknown
- Pronunciation: LEE-duh
Leda was the Spartan queen who became the mother of Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra, Castor and Pollux. Her name has no established meaning, so the happy gloss that circulates online is not supported by onomastic references.
It is rare in the US with no current ranking, while Italy uses it steadily, where it is said LAY-dah. The sound sits beside Lena, Leah and Freya, and W.B. Yeats wrote one of the best-known sonnets in English about her.
91. Maia
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Good mother, dame
- Pronunciation: MY-uh
Maia means good mother or dame, and she was the eldest of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes by Zeus. Romans identified her with growth and the earth, and the month of May is named for her.
That makes it a natural pick for a spring baby. Maia ranked #433 for US girls in 2025 and shares its ground with Maya, which is more popular but less clearly Greek. Both are said MY-uh, so choose the spelling you want spelled out at the coffee shop.
92. Nephele
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Cloud
- Pronunciation: NEF-uh-lee
Nephele means cloud, and Zeus made her from one to trick Ixion, who had designs on Hera. She later became the mother of the centaurs, which is not a lineage many baby names can claim.
Parents who want Ophelia’s softness without the tragedy get it here, with Neffie or Ellie for daily use. The name is soft in the mouth and close to Nephthys without copying it, and it has no US chart history.
93. Nyx
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Night
- Pronunciation: NIKS
Nyx means night. She was the goddess of the night, daughter of Chaos, and one of the very few figures Zeus was said to be wary of. Her children include sleep, death and the Fates, which makes her the ancestor of nearly everything inevitable.
Three letters and an X put it in the same current bracket as Nix, Lux and Vex, and the sound is so contemporary that most people will not hear the mythology at all. It has no US ranking, which is likely to change.
94. Pallas
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Possibly maiden, young woman
- Pronunciation: PAL-us
Pallas was an epithet of Athena, who appears throughout Greek literature as Pallas Athena, and the name probably comes from a word meaning maiden rather than from anything to do with wisdom. A separate male Pallas was a Titan.
It has the clean, chiseled sound of a surname, which suits a family looking for something artistic without a frilly ending. One of the largest asteroids carries the name, and it has no US chart presence.
95. Pandora
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: All gifts, from pan and doron
- Pronunciation: pan-DOR-uh
Pandora means all gifts. She was the first mortal woman, made by the gods and given a jar she was told not to open, and when curiosity won, everything that troubles people escaped. Hope was what stayed inside.
The story is a rough inheritance, though it does come with the best possible ending, and the streaming service has softened the association for a whole generation. Pandora last ranked #783 in the US in 1952, and Dora and Andi are the two ways to shorten it.
96. Penelope
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Probably from a word for a duck, or from pene, threads
- Pronunciation: puh-NEL-uh-pee
Penelope was the wife of Odysseus, and she held her household together for twenty years by pretending to weave a shroud she unpicked every night to put off a crowd of suitors. The name probably comes from a Greek word for a type of duck, and one story says she was raised by one; an alternative reading builds it from words for threads and face.
It is now the most popular name on this entire list: Penelope ranked #22 for US girls in 2025. Penny, Nell, Nellie and Poppy all come out of it, which is a large part of why it has held the top 25 for years.
97. Phoebe
- Origin: Greek (Phoibe)
- Meaning: Bright, pure, from phoibos
- Pronunciation: FEE-bee
Phoebe means bright or pure. She was a Titan associated with the moon, and the name also served as an epithet for Artemis, which is why it turns up in both the hunting and the moon families.
It appears in the Bible and in Shakespeare, and modern television has kept it thoroughly current through Friends and Charmed. Phoebe ranked #157 for US girls in 2025, which makes it familiar, easy to spell aloud and still uncommon in any given classroom.
98. Rhea
- Origin: Greek and Roman mythology
- Meaning: Uncertain, possibly to flow or ground
- Pronunciation: REE-uh
Rhea was the Titan who married Cronus and gave birth to Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and their sisters, then hid Zeus so his father could not swallow him. The etymology is uncertain, with Greek words for flowing and for ground both proposed. A Roman Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus.
It ranked #639 for US girls in 2025, which keeps it uncommon without being unfamiliar. Rhea Perlman is the best-known bearer, and the spelling Ria is common in India, where the name is well used.
99. Selene
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Moon
- Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nee
Selene means moon. She was the Titan who drove the moon across the night sky, sister to Helios the sun and Eos the dawn, and the one who fell for the sleeping Endymion. The element selenium is named for her.
Selene ranked #621 for US girls in 2025 and is climbing, while the later Latin alternative Selena remains the more used of the two in America. It is said suh-LEE-nee, with three syllables, which is worth deciding before the birth announcement.
100. Xanthe
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Yellow, blond, fair-haired
- Pronunciation: ZAN-thee
Xanthe means yellow or fair-haired, and it appears as an epithet of Demeter, goddess of the harvest, whose colors are the golds of a ripe field. In ancient Greece it was given to blonde girls quite literally.
The X gives it real presence, and it is said with a Z, which is the one thing worth telling people in advance. Xan and Xanny are the short forms, and with no US chart history behind it Xanthe stays genuinely rare.
Tips on Choosing the Best Baby Name
A shortlist is easier to work with than a whole mythology. These are the checks worth running on every name that survives your first pass.
- Sound: Say it out loud with the middle and last name a few times, and listen for accidental phrases. Be wary of matches like “Ben Dover.”
- Length and stress: Greek names run long. Endymion, Cassiopeia and Parthenios run four and five syllables, so check the rhythm against a short surname before you commit.
- Pronunciation: Decide how you will say it and hold the line. Kore is KOR-ee, not core. Ariadne is a-ree-AD-nee. Xanthe starts with a Z. A name you correct at every introduction wears thin fast.
- Uniqueness: Check the current ranking instead of guessing. Atlas and Penelope read as unusual mythology picks and are both inside the US top 100, while Hestia and Halcyon have no chart presence at all.
- Initials: Write the initials out on paper. You do not want to hand your child something like “B.U.G.” to carry on every form for the rest of their life.
- Aging name: Picture the name on a teenager, then on a 40-year-old, then in an email signature. Ask whether it still fits at each stage (3).
- The story: Read the myth to the end. Cronus ate his own children, Icarus fell out of the sky and Thanatos is death itself, and your child will look every bit of it up eventually.
Greek Mythology Baby Names FAQs
Choose With Caution
Greek mythology hands you names at both ends of the range. Atlas, Penelope, Iris and Athena are mainstream US picks that happen to have gods behind them, while Hestia, Halcyon and Asteria have no chart history at all and would make your daughter genuinely the only one.
The ones worth a second thought are the names whose stories work against them. Thanatos means death, Cronus ate his children and Pandora released every trouble there is. Read the myth to the end before you commit, and remember that a heavy favorite can always go in the middle slot instead.
