Greek Names
Greek has given the world a remarkable number of names. Alexander, Sophia, Chloe, Nicholas, Theodore, Zoe and Penelope all come from Greek words, and many more reached English through the New Testament and early saints. In Greece itself, naming is shaped by strong family tradition: the first son is usually named after his paternal grandfather, and every name has a name day celebrated like a birthday.
Below you’ll find more than 70 Greek names with meanings, from everyday modern names to heroes of myth. Go deeper with our Greek boy names, Greek girl names and Greek last names, or explore the gods themselves in Greek god names.
Greek Names: browse all lists
Popular Greek boy names
The names most common in Greece today are traditional saints’ names, passed down from grandfathers. See our full list of Greek boy names for more.
| Name | Meaning | English form |
|---|---|---|
| Georgios | “Farmer, earth-worker” | George |
| Dimitrios | “Of Demeter,” the harvest goddess | Demetrius |
| Konstantinos | “Steadfast, constant” | Constantine |
| Ioannis | Hebrew, “God is gracious” | John |
| Nikolaos | “Victory of the people” | Nicholas |
| Christos | “Anointed one” | — |
| Panagiotis | “All-holy,” after the Virgin Mary | — |
| Vasilis | “Kingly, royal” | Basil |
| Athanasios | “Immortal” | Athanasius |
| Alexandros | “Defender of the people” | Alexander |
| Michail | Hebrew, “who is like God?” | Michael |
| Evangelos | “Bringer of good news” | — |
| Spyridon | Possibly “basket” or “round loaf” | Spiro |
| Stavros | “Cross” | — |
Popular Greek girl names
Greek girls’ names are just as rooted in family and faith, with Maria and Eleni among the most common. For more, see our Greek girl names.
| Name | Meaning | English form |
|---|---|---|
| Maria | Hebrew/Aramaic origin; Mary | Mary |
| Eleni | Possibly “torch, light” | Helen |
| Aikaterini | Possibly “pure” | Catherine |
| Vasiliki | “Royal, queenly” | Basilia |
| Sofia | “Wisdom” | Sophia |
| Angeliki | “Angelic, messenger” | Angelica |
| Georgia | Feminine of George, “farmer” | Georgia |
| Dimitra | “Of Demeter” | Demetria |
| Konstantina | “Steadfast” | Constance |
| Anastasia | “Resurrection” | Anastasia |
| Irini | “Peace” | Irene |
| Paraskevi | “Friday,” day of preparation | — |
| Christina | “Follower of Christ” | Christina |
| Evangelia | “Good news” | Evangeline |
Greek names from mythology
Names from Greek myth are popular with English-speaking parents who want something classic yet distinctive. Our lists of mythology boy names and mythology girl names have many more.
| Name | Who they were | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Athena | Goddess of wisdom and war strategy | Girl |
| Apollo | God of music, light and prophecy | Boy |
| Artemis | Goddess of the hunt and the moon | Girl |
| Achilles | Greatest warrior of the Trojan War | Boy |
| Penelope | Faithful wife of Odysseus | Girl |
| Orion | Giant huntsman, now a constellation | Boy |
| Calliope | Muse of epic poetry | Girl |
| Hector | Trojan prince and hero | Boy |
| Persephone | Queen of the underworld, goddess of spring | Girl |
| Jason | Leader of the Argonauts | Boy |
| Iris | Goddess of the rainbow | Girl |
| Atlas | Titan who holds up the sky | Boy |
| Daphne | Nymph turned into a laurel tree | Girl |
| Castor | One of the Dioscuri twins | Boy |
Ancient Greek names from history
Names of philosophers, kings and heroes of classical Greece. They make striking choices for a child or a character; see also Spartan names.
| Name | Meaning | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|
| Leonidas | “Son of the lion” | King of Sparta at Thermopylae |
| Pericles | “Surrounded by glory” | Athenian statesman |
| Socrates | “Whole power” | Philosopher |
| Aristotle | “The best purpose” | Philosopher |
| Homer | Possibly “hostage” | Poet of the <em>Iliad</em> |
| Sappho | Possibly “sapphire” | Lyric poet of Lesbos |
| Hypatia | “Highest, supreme” | Mathematician of Alexandria |
| Aspasia | “Welcome” | Companion of Pericles |
| Thales | Possibly “to flourish” | First Greek philosopher |
| Xenia | “Hospitality” | Name of a sacred custom |
Greek nicknames and short forms
Greeks rarely use full formal names in daily life. Almost every name has a familiar short form — many of which make great standalone names in English.
| Nickname | Full name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nikos | Nikolaos | The most familiar short form |
| Kostas | Konstantinos | Very common |
| Giannis | Ioannis | Also spelled Yiannis |
| Takis | Panagiotis or Dimitrios | Affectionate |
| Mitsos | Dimitrios | Old-fashioned, warm |
| Lefteris | Eleftherios, “free” | Friendly |
| Vangelis | Evangelos | Composer Vangelis |
| Nitsa | Eleni or Anna | Grandmotherly |
| Popi | Kalliopi | Cute and short |
| Voula | Paraskevi | Common among older women |
| Katerina | Aikaterini | Now used as a full name |
| Roula | Chrysoula or Stavroula | Affectionate |
Common Greek last names
Greek surnames often reveal a region through their ending: -poulos points to the Peloponnese, -akis to Crete. Our list of Greek last names explains more.
| Surname | Meaning | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Papadopoulos | “Son of the priest” | -poulos, Peloponnese |
| Papadakis | “Son of the priest” | -akis, Crete |
| Georgiou | “Of George” | Patronymic genitive |
| Nikolaidis | “Son of Nikolaos” | -idis, northern Greece & Pontus |
| Pappas | “Priest” | Common in the US |
| Karagiannis | “Black John” | Turkish kara, “black” |
| Economou | “Steward” | Occupation |
| Christodoulou | “Servant of Christ” | Religious |
How Greek naming traditions work
- Grandparents first. Traditionally, the first son is named after the father’s father and the first daughter after the father’s mother; the second children honor the mother’s parents.
- Name days matter. Most Greek names are tied to a saint or feast day, and your name day (giorti) is celebrated with friends, visitors and sweets — often more than a birthday.
- Surnames change with gender. A woman takes the feminine or genitive form of her father’s or husband’s surname: Papadopoulos becomes Papadopoulou.
- Formal vs everyday names. Official documents use the formal name (Ioannis), but friends use the short form (Giannis), so both are worth knowing.
- For English speakers: anglicized forms like Theo, Nico, Zoe, Chloe and Penelope keep the Greek roots but are easy to spell and say in the US.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common Greek names?
In Greece, Georgios, Dimitrios, Konstantinos, Ioannis and Nikolaos are the most common male names, and Maria, Eleni, Aikaterini, Vasiliki and Sofia are the most common female names.
What is a Greek name day?
It is the feast day of the saint or religious event your name honors. Greeks celebrate their name day much like a birthday, with visits, calls and sweets.
Why do Greek surnames end in -poulos or -akis?
Endings often show regional origin and mean “son of” or “little.” -poulos is typical of the Peloponnese, -akis of Crete and -idis of northern Greece and the Black Sea region.
Which popular English names are Greek?
Alexander, Nicholas, Theodore, Sophia, Chloe, Zoe, Penelope, Christopher, Stephen, Phoebe and Margaret all come from Greek.
Can I use a Greek god’s name for a baby?
Yes. Names like Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Atlas and Persephone are increasingly used in the US. In Greece, parents usually prefer saints’ names.