Spartan Names
Sparta was the most feared military state in ancient Greece, and its names are as terse and bold as its reputation. Many come straight from the Greek words for lion, glory, people and victory, and nearly all of the names below belonged to real Spartans recorded by Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon and Plutarch.
Here you’ll find more than 90 Spartan names: kings of the two royal houses, the heroes of Thermopylae, generals of the Peloponnesian War and the famously outspoken women of Sparta. They are a gift for strong baby names, game characters or a powerful dog. For more of the Greek world, see our Greek boy names and Greek god names, or compare with Rome’s arena fighters in our gladiator names.
Names of Spartan kings
Sparta always had two kings at once, one from the Agiad house and one from the Eurypontid house. These names repeat through the royal lines for centuries.
| Name | Meaning | Who they were |
|---|---|---|
| Leonidas | Son of the lion | Agiad king who died at Thermopylae, 480 BC |
| Cleomenes | Glory + might | Cleomenes I, half-brother of Leonidas; Cleomenes III, reformer |
| Agesilaus | Leader of the people | Eurypontid king and commander, 4th c. BC |
| Archidamus | Ruler of the people | Archidamus II, king at the start of the Peloponnesian War |
| Agis | Leader | Agis II, victor at Mantinea; Agis IV, reformer |
| Pausanias | Ending sorrow | Regent and victor at Plataea, 479 BC |
| Pleistoanax | Most kingly | Agiad king, son of Pausanias |
| Pleistarchus | Greatest ruler | Son of Leonidas |
| Leotychidas | Fortune of the people | King who won at Mycale, 479 BC |
| Demaratus | Prayed for by the people | Exiled king who advised Xerxes |
| Ariston | The best | Eurypontid king, father of Demaratus |
| Anaxandridas | Son of the ruler of men | Father of Cleomenes and Leonidas |
| Agesipolis | Leader of the city | Agiad king in the Corinthian War |
| Cleombrotus | Glory of mortals | King killed at Leuctra, 371 BC |
| Areus | Warlike (of Ares) | Areus I, 3rd-century BC king |
| Acrotatus | Highest | Prince and king, 3rd c. BC |
| Nabis | Possibly from Semitic “prophet” | Last independent ruler of Sparta |
| Theopompus | Sent by the gods | Early Eurypontid king |
| Polydorus | Many gifts | Early Agiad king |
| Charilaus | Joy of the people | Early king, nephew of Lycurgus |
| Eurysthenes | Wide strength | Legendary founder of the Agiad line |
| Procles | Glory before | Legendary founder of the Eurypontid line |
| Eudamidas | Son of good people | Eudamidas I, king 4th c. BC |
| Zeuxidamus | Yoking the people | Eurypontid prince, father of Archidamus II |
| Menelaus | Withstanding the people | Mythical king of Sparta, husband of Helen |
| Tyndareus | Uncertain; possibly pre-Greek | Mythical king, father of Helen |
Spartan warriors of Thermopylae and Plataea
The names Herodotus preserved from the great battles of the Persian Wars, including the men he singled out for bravery.
| Name | Meaning | Who they were |
|---|---|---|
| Dienekes | Continuous, enduring | Said “Then we will fight in the shade” at Thermopylae |
| Alpheus | From the river Alpheus | Brother of Maron, honored at Thermopylae |
| Maron | Uncertain Greek | Brother of Alpheus, honored at Thermopylae |
| Eurytus | Wide-drawing (archer) | Fought at Thermopylae despite an eye disease |
| Aristodemus | Best of the people | Survivor of Thermopylae who redeemed himself at Plataea |
| Pantites | All-honored | Messenger who missed Thermopylae |
| Amompharetus | Blameless | Refused to retreat before Plataea |
| Callicrates | Beautiful strength | Called the most handsome Greek at Plataea |
| Poseidonius | Of Poseidon | Honored for bravery at Plataea |
| Philocyon | Dog-lover | Honored for bravery at Plataea |
| Euaenetus | Well-praised | Commander at Tempe, 480 BC |
| Eurybiades | Wide force | Commander of the Greek fleet at Salamis |
| Isadas | Uncertain Greek | Fought naked and victorious in 362 BC, per Plutarch |
Spartan generals, lawgivers and poets
Commanders of the Peloponnesian War era and the men who shaped Spartan law and song. More soldier-worthy names are in our names that mean warrior.
| Name | Meaning | Who they were |
|---|---|---|
| Lysander | Freer of men | Admiral who defeated Athens at Aegospotami, 405 BC |
| Brasidas | Uncertain; possibly “boiling” | Bold general, died at Amphipolis, 422 BC |
| Gylippus | Uncertain + horse | Commander who saved Syracuse from Athens |
| Callicratidas | Son of beautiful strength | Admiral killed at Arginusae |
| Mindarus | Uncertain Greek | Admiral killed at Cyzicus, 410 BC |
| Astyochus | Holder of the city | Admiral in the Ionian War |
| Clearchus | Famous ruler | Led the Ten Thousand mercenaries |
| Dercylidas | Uncertain Greek | Commander in Asia Minor, nicknamed “Sisyphus” |
| Thibron | Uncertain Greek | Commander in Asia Minor |
| Teleutias | Accomplishment | Admiral, half-brother of Agesilaus |
| Phoebidas | Son of the bright one | Seized the Theban citadel in 382 BC |
| Sphodrias | Vehement | Raided Attica in 378 BC |
| Antalcidas | Counter-strength | Negotiated the King’s Peace, 387 BC |
| Xanthippus | Yellow horse | Mercenary general who defeated Rome for Carthage |
| Epitadas | Uncertain Greek | Commander at Sphacteria, 425 BC |
| Styphon | Hard, rigid | Surrendered at Sphacteria |
| Lycurgus | Wolf-worker | Legendary lawgiver of Sparta |
| Chilon | Lip (large-lipped) | Ephor and one of the Seven Sages |
| Tyrtaeus | Uncertain Greek | War poet of the Messenian Wars |
| Alcman | Strength | Choral poet of early Sparta |
| Cleonymus | Famous name | Prince who led expeditions to Italy |
| Anaxibius | Lord of life | Admiral at Byzantium |
| Pedaritus | Uncertain Greek | Governor of Chios, 412 BC |
| Gorgopas | Grim-faced | Commander at Aegina |
| Hippocrates | Horse power | Spartan officer in the Ionian War |
Spartan women’s names
Spartan women could own property, trained in athletics and were famous across Greece for sharp words. Browse more in our Greek girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Who she was |
|---|---|---|
| Gorgo | Grim, fierce | Queen, wife of Leonidas; decoded a hidden warning |
| Cynisca | Little hound | Princess, first woman to win at Olympia (396 BC) |
| Euryleonis | Wide lioness | Olympic chariot victor, 368 BC |
| Lampito | Shining | Queen, mother of Agis II |
| Timaea | Honored | Queen, wife of Agis II |
| Agiatis | Of Agis | Queen, wife of Agis IV and Cleomenes III |
| Agesistrata | Leader of the army | Mother of Agis IV |
| Archidamia | Ruler of the people | Grandmother of Agis IV, rallied Sparta against Pyrrhus |
| Chilonis | Of Chilon | Queen; name of several royal women |
| Cratesiclea | Glory of strength | Mother of Cleomenes III |
| Chelidonis | Swallow (bird) | Wife of Cleonymus |
| Megalostrata | Great army | Poet admired by Alcman |
| Helen | Torch, light | Helen of Sparta (later Troy), in myth |
| Leda | Uncertain; possibly “woman” | Mythical queen of Sparta |
| Hermione | Of Hermes | Daughter of Helen and Menelaus |
| Clytemnestra | Famous wooing | Spartan-born queen of Mycenae, in myth |
| Penelope | Possibly “weaver” or “duck” | Spartan-born wife of Odysseus |
| Timandra | Honored man | Daughter of Tyndareus, in myth |
| Phoebe | Bright | Daughter of Tyndareus, in myth |
| Argeia | From Argos | Wife of Aristodemus, legendary mother of the two royal lines |
Greek name elements Spartans used
Mix these pieces the Spartan way (Leon + idas, Cleo + menes) to build your own name for a story or tabletop game.
| Element | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Leon- | Lion | Leonidas |
| Kleo- / Cleo- | Glory | Cleombrotus |
| Agis- / Age- | Lead | Agesilaus |
| Archi- | Rule | Archidamus |
| -damus / -demus | The people | Aristodemus |
| Lys- | Loosen, free | Lysander |
| Eury- | Wide | Eurybiades |
| Aristo- | Best | Ariston |
| Krat- / -crates | Strength | Callicrates |
| Hipp- | Horse | Xanthippus |
| Nik- | Victory | Nicander |
| -sthenes | Strength | Eurysthenes |
How to choose a Spartan name
- Go with a known hero for instant meaning. Leonidas, Lysander and Gorgo are recognizable and have great stories behind them.
- Pick a nickname-friendly name. Leonidas gives Leo, Lysander gives Sandy or Lys, Archidamus gives Archie.
- Use obscure warriors for originality. Dienekes, Brasidas and Amompharetus are real but rarely heard, great for games or fiction.
- For dogs and teams, keep it short. Agis, Gorgo, Nabis and Ares-style names are easy to shout; see our badass dog names and sports team names.
- Check the pronunciation. Ancient Greek names are usually anglicized: Lysander is ly-SAN-der, Dienekes is dee-EN-eh-keez, Cynisca is ki-NIS-ka.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous Spartan name?
Leonidas, the king who led the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae in 480 BC, is by far the best-known Spartan name.
What does Leonidas mean?
Leonidas means “son of the lion” or “lion-like,” from Greek leōn (lion) plus the patronymic suffix -idas.
What were Spartan women named?
Recorded Spartan women’s names include Gorgo, Cynisca, Lampito, Timaea, Agiatis, Chilonis, Archidamia and Cratesiclea.
Who were the 300 Spartans?
The 300 were Leonidas’s royal bodyguard at Thermopylae. Herodotus says he learned all their names, but only a handful survive, including Dienekes, Alpheus, Maron, Eurytus, Aristodemus and Pantites.
Did Spartans have last names?
No. Spartans used a single personal name, sometimes with the father’s name added, such as Leonidas son of Anaxandridas.