Greek God Names
Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, Poseidon: the Greek gods are so familiar that their names live on in planets, brands, space missions and baby name charts. But the pantheon runs much deeper than the Olympians, with elemental forces like Chaos and Aether, the rebellious Titans, the four winds, and a crowd of smaller gods ruling sleep, dreams and desire.
This page lists more than 90 Greek gods and demigods with their domains, symbols and, where they exist, their Roman names. The women of Olympus have their own page of Greek goddess names, and if you’re looking for a name for a son, our Greek boy names and mythology boy names focus on what’s wearable today.
The Olympian gods
The male gods of Olympus, plus Hades, who ruled the underworld but was one of the three brothers who divided the cosmos. Their Roman names are the ones the planets carry.
| God | Domain | Roman name |
|---|---|---|
| Zeus | King of the gods; sky, thunder, justice | Jupiter |
| Poseidon | The sea, earthquakes and horses | Neptune |
| Hades | The underworld and its riches | Pluto |
| Apollo | Music, prophecy, light and healing | Apollo |
| Ares | War and courage | Mars |
| Hephaestus | Fire, the forge and craftsmen | Vulcan |
| Hermes | Messenger; travelers, trade and thieves | Mercury |
| Dionysus | Wine, theater and festivity | Bacchus |
Primordial gods: the first powers
In Hesiod’s Theogony and the Orphic poems, these beings came before the Titans. They weren’t so much characters as the building blocks of the universe.
| God | Represents | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chaos | The void | First of all things in Hesiod |
| Uranus | The sky | Father of the Titans, overthrown by Cronus |
| Pontus | The deep sea | Son of Gaia |
| Tartarus | The abyss beneath the underworld | Prison of the Titans |
| Erebus | Primeval darkness | Brother of Nyx |
| Aether | The bright upper air | Breathed by the gods |
| Chronos | Time | Orphic god, distinct from Cronus |
| Phanes | The firstborn light of creation | Hatched from the cosmic egg (Orphic) |
| Ourea | The mountains | Children of Gaia |
The Titans
The generation before the Olympians. After losing the ten-year war called the Titanomachy, most were locked in Tartarus, though a few, like Helios and Prometheus, kept important roles. Several make powerful names that mean strength in spirit.
| Titan | Known for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cronus | Leader of the Titans; the harvest | Swallowed his children; Roman Saturn |
| Oceanus | The river circling the world | Father of the river gods |
| Hyperion | Heavenly light | Father of Helios, Selene and Eos |
| Coeus | Intellect; the axis of heaven | Grandfather of Apollo |
| Crius | The constellations | Father of Astraeus and Pallas |
| Iapetus | Mortality | Father of Atlas and Prometheus |
| Atlas | Holds up the sky | Gave his name to the Atlantic |
| Prometheus | Forethought | Stole fire for humankind |
| Epimetheus | Afterthought | Married Pandora |
| Menoetius | Rash action and anger | Struck down by Zeus’s thunderbolt |
| Helios | The sun | Drove a chariot across the sky; Roman Sol |
| Perses | Destruction | Father of Hecate |
| Pallas | Warcraft | Killed by Athena in the Titanomachy |
| Astraeus | Dusk and the stars | Father of the four winds |
Gods of wind, sea and the wild
The Greeks saw a god behind every gust and wave. The wind names in particular are popular for characters and pets; see also names that mean wind and names that mean ocean.
| God | Rules over | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Aeolus | Keeper of the winds | Gave Odysseus a bag of winds |
| Boreas | The north wind | Cold bringer of winter |
| Zephyrus | The west wind | Gentle herald of spring |
| Notus | The south wind | Brought late-summer storms |
| Eurus | The east wind | Associated with autumn |
| Triton | Messenger of the sea | Calmed waves with his conch shell |
| Nereus | The “Old Man of the Sea” | Father of the fifty Nereids |
| Proteus | Shape-shifting sea god | Root of the word “protean” |
| Glaucus | Fisherman turned sea god | Gifted with prophecy |
| Phorcys | Hidden dangers of the deep | Father of the Gorgons |
| Palaemon | Protector of sailors | Once the mortal boy Melicertes |
| Pan | The wild, shepherds and flocks | Root of the word “panic”; Roman Faunus |
| Aristaeus | Beekeeping and cheesemaking | Son of Apollo |
| Achelous | The largest river in Greece | Wrestled Heracles |
| Alpheus | River god of Olympia | Pursued the nymph Arethusa |
| Hesperus | The evening star | Roman Vesper |
| Eosphorus | The morning star | Roman Lucifer, “light-bringer” |
| Silenus | Wise old companion of Dionysus | Tutor of the wine god |
Gods of love, sleep, dreams and fortune
The Greeks gave individual gods to feelings and experiences. These names are compact and evocative, which is why writers and game designers love them.
| God | Personifies | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Eros | Love and desire | Roman Cupid |
| Anteros | Love returned | Avenger of unrequited love |
| Himeros | Uncontrollable desire | Companion of Eros |
| Pothos | Longing | Another of the winged Erotes |
| Hymenaios | Weddings | Invoked in marriage songs |
| Hypnos | Sleep | Roman Somnus |
| Morpheus | Dreams | Root of the word “morphine” |
| Phobetor | Nightmares | Brother of Morpheus |
| Phantasos | Surreal dreams | Brother of Morpheus |
| Phobos | Fear | Son of Ares; a moon of Mars |
| Deimos | Dread | Son of Ares; the other moon of Mars |
| Kratos | Strength and power | Brother of Nike |
| Zelus | Zeal and rivalry | Brother of Nike |
| Asclepius | Medicine | His rod is still a symbol of medicine |
| Paean | Physician of the gods | Gave us the word “paean” |
| Plutus | Wealth | Root of “plutocrat” |
| Kairos | The opportune moment | Shown with a lock of hair to seize |
| Momus | Satire and mockery | Expelled from Olympus for criticizing the gods |
| Comus | Revelry | Root of the word “comedy” |
| Ganymede | Cupbearer of the gods | A moon of Jupiter |
Gods and judges of the underworld
Hades didn’t rule alone. Ferrymen, judges and five rivers shaped the journey of every soul. For more shadowy picks, try our dark names.
| Name | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Charon | Ferryman of the dead | Paid with a coin placed with the body |
| Thanatos | Peaceful death | Twin brother of Hypnos |
| Minos | Judge of the dead | Former king of Crete |
| Rhadamanthus | Judge of the dead | Brother of Minos |
| Aeacus | Judge of the dead; keeper of the keys | Grandfather of Achilles |
| Acheron | River of woe | Crossed by Charon’s boat |
| Phlegethon | River of fire | Flowed into Tartarus |
| Cocytus | River of lamentation | Wailing souls wandered its banks |
Demigods and heroes
Sons of gods or heroes who were raised to divine honors. They’re among the most-used Greek names in English, often through their Roman forms.
| Hero | Parentage | Famous for |
|---|---|---|
| Heracles | Son of Zeus | Twelve Labors; Roman Hercules |
| Perseus | Son of Zeus | Beheaded Medusa |
| Achilles | Son of the sea nymph Thetis | Greatest warrior at Troy |
| Theseus | Son of Poseidon or Aegeus | Slew the Minotaur |
| Castor | Twin of Pollux | Horseman; the Gemini constellation |
| Pollux | Son of Zeus | Boxer; Greek name Polydeuces |
| Orpheus | Son of the Muse Calliope | Charmed Hades with his lyre |
| Aeneas | Son of Aphrodite | Trojan founder of Rome’s line |
| Jason | Descendant of Aeolus | Led the Argonauts for the Golden Fleece |
| Bellerophon | Son of Poseidon in some myths | Tamed Pegasus, slew the Chimera |
Key Greek goddesses to know
No list of Greek gods is complete without the goddesses who shared their thrones. See the full list of Greek goddess names for Titans, Muses, Fates and nymphs.
| Goddess | Domain | Roman name |
|---|---|---|
| Hera | Queen of the gods; marriage | Juno |
| Athena | Wisdom and strategy | Minerva |
| Aphrodite | Love and beauty | Venus |
| Artemis | The hunt and the moon | Diana |
| Demeter | Harvest and grain | Ceres |
| Hestia | Hearth and home | Vesta |
| Persephone | Spring; queen of the underworld | Proserpina |
| Hecate | Magic and crossroads | Trivia |
How to choose a Greek god name
- Weigh the story. Apollo, Atlas and Orpheus carry heroic or artistic stories; Cronus and Phobos come with darker baggage.
- Pick a wearable form. Many gods have gentler English or Roman versions: Jason, Castor and Atlas already work as everyday names.
- Go for the minor gods. Zephyrus, Hyperion and Kairos are distinctive without the heavy expectations of Zeus.
- Mix pantheons for a theme. Pets or characters named Apollo, Odin and Anubis make a fun trio; see our Norse god names and Egyptian god names.
- Check pronunciation. Hephaestus is heh-FESS-tus, Dionysus is dy-uh-NY-sus, and Zephyrus is ZEF-uh-rus.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the 12 Olympian gods?
The usual list is Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus. Hades lived in the underworld, so he isn’t usually counted.
Who is the most powerful Greek god?
Zeus, king of the gods and wielder of the thunderbolt. Primordial beings like Nyx and Chaos were older, and in some myths even Zeus respected Nyx.
What is the difference between Cronus and Chronos?
Cronus was the Titan father of Zeus; Chronos is the personification of time from Orphic poetry. The two were often confused even in antiquity.
What is the Greek god of death?
Thanatos personified a peaceful death, while Hades ruled the land of the dead.
What Greek god names work as baby names?
Atlas, Apollo, Jason, Castor, Hermes and Theseus are all in use; Atlas in particular has climbed quickly in the US rankings.