Greek male names preserve one of the longest continuous naming traditions in Europe.

Many of these names were already in use during the first millennium BCE, when epic poetry, mythology, and early Greek city-states defined the cultural identity of ancient Greece.

Unlike many ancient naming traditions that disappeared or were replaced, Greek naming practices survived the classical period, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and into modern Greek society without interruption (Horrocks, 2010, p. 56).

If you are searching for a meaningful baby boy name, Greek naming traditions offer a rare combination of linguistic beauty, mythological depth, and cultural continuity.

A Greek name is not merely a label.

It often reflects ancient religious beliefs, heroic ideals, and the legacy of important male figures who shaped Greek history and mythology.

So let us now have a closer look at the origins of Greek male names from mythological heroes, gods, and historical individuals.

I’ll try to explain their meanings, and show how ancient Greek names remain part of modern Greek life today.

What defines authentic Greek boy names?

Authentic Greek male names originate directly from the Greek language and cultural tradition.

These names often derive from Greek words describing virtues such as strength, wisdom, protection, or divine favor.

For example, Alexandros combines the Greek words alexein, meaning to defend, and aner, meaning man, creating the meaning defender of men (Beekes, 2010, p. 62).

These names were not just simple inventions.

They reflected real social values.

In ancient Greek society, a name often expressed the hopes parents had for their child. A strong or protective name symbolized survival, leadership, or honor.

Greek naming practices also preserved family lineage. Children were frequently named after grandparents, ensuring continuity across generations.

This tradition remains part of Greek culture today.

Which modern Greek male names are most common today?

Modern Greek naming practices reflect continuity with earlier historical periods.

According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority, the most common male names in Greece today include Giorgos, Giannis, Dimitris, Kostas, and Nikos (elstat, 2018, p. 15).

Each of these names has deep linguistic or historical roots:

• Giannis is the modern Greek form of Ioannis
• Nikos derives from Nikolaos
• Dimitris derives from Dimitrios

These modern Greek male names demonstrate how ancient naming traditions evolved naturally over centuries.

The Greek version of a name may differ slightly from its English version, but its linguistic origin remains intact.

How Greek mythology shaped traditional Greek names

Greek mythology played a central role in shaping Greek naming traditions.

Many Greek names originated from mythological heroes and divine figures who represented courage, intelligence, and divine favor.

For example, Achilles is one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology.

He appears in Homer’s Iliad as the greatest warrior among the Greek forces during the Trojan War (Homer, Iliad, Book 1).

His name remains associated with strength, courage, and heroic identity.

Similarly, Iason was the leader of the Argonauts, the group of heroes who searched for the Golden Fleece (Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 1.9).

His name derives from the Greek word meaning healer (Beekes, 2010, p. 590).

These mythological names became part of everyday Greek naming tradition.

Ancient Greek names from mythological heroes

Some of the most powerful Greek male names come directly from heroic mythological figures.

Leonidas, meaning son of the lion, was the Spartan king who led Greek forces against the Persians at Thermopylae (Herodotus, Histories, 7.204).

His bravery made the name synonymous with courage and leadership.

Perseus, another mythological hero, defeated Medusa and saved Andromeda (Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 2.4).

Herakles, known for his twelve labors, became one of the most important heroes in Greek mythology.

These ancient Greek names for boys preserve the heroic ideals that shaped Greek civilization.

Greek names derived from gods and divine figures

Some Greek boy names originate directly from Greek gods.

Dimitrios derives from Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility (Burkert, 1985, p. 160). The name originally meant follower of Demeter.

Names such as Dionysios derive from Dionysus, the god of wine and ritual ecstasy.

Poseidon, the god of the sea, also appears as a mythological name, though it is rare as a modern personal name.

These names demonstrate how religion influenced Greek naming traditions.

Classic Greek names from historical kings and warriors

There is no doubts that Greek history also shaped male naming traditions.

For instance, Alexandros became famous through Alexander the Great, a military leader ranking in world history. His conquests spread Greek culture across Asia, Egypt, and the Near East.

Leonidas became a symbol of resistance and sacrifice.

Miltiadis, the Athenian general who defeated the Persians at Marathon, also contributed to Greek historical identity.

These names reflect historical leadership and cultural identity.

Greek baby boy names and their linguistic meaning

Greek male names often derive directly from Greek words.

Nikolaos combines the words nike (victory) and laos (people) (Beekes, 2010, p. 1045).

Andreas derives from aner, meaning man.

Athanasios means immortal.

These linguistic meanings explain why Greek naming traditions remain powerful.

How ancient Greek names survived into modern Greek culture

Greek naming traditions survived because the Greek language itself never disappeared.

Unlike Latin, which evolved into multiple languages, Greek remained a continuous linguistic tradition.

Ancient Greek evolved into medieval Greek and eventually modern Greek, preserving vocabulary and naming patterns (Horrocks, 2010, p. 89).

The Byzantine Empire also helped preserve Greek names.

And of course, Greek Orthodox Christianity played a major role in maintaining naming traditions.

Rare and powerful mythological Greek male names

Some mythological names remain rare but culturally significant.

Atlas, the Titan who held up the sky
Orion, the legendary hunter
Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey
Theseus, the founder hero of Athens

These rare Greek names preserve ancient mythological tradition.

How to choose the perfect Greek name for your baby boy

Choosing a Greek name for your baby boy allows you to connect your child to one of the oldest continuous cultural traditions in human history.

A Greek male name may reflect:

Mythological strength
Historical leadership
Religious devotion
Linguistic beauty

Greek names combine cultural heritage with timeless meaning.

List of Greek Male Names (Mythological, Historical, and Modern Greek)

Major Greek Mythology Male Names

These names appear directly in Homer, Hesiod, and Apollodorus.

Achilles (Αχιλλεύς)
Odysseus (Οδυσσεύς)
Perseus (Περσεύς)
Theseus (Θησεύς)
Herakles (Ηρακλής)
Jason / Iason (Ιάσων)
Hector (Έκτωρ)
Ajax (Αίας)
Paris (Πάρις)
Agamemnon (Αγαμέμνων)
Menelaos (Μενέλαος)
Patroklos (Πάτροκλος)

Names of Greek Gods (which are rare but authentic)

Zeus (Ζεύς)
Apollo (Απόλλων)
Hermes (Ερμής)
Ares (Άρης)
Poseidon (Ποσειδών)
Dionysios (Διονύσιος)
Helios (Ήλιος)

Traditional Greek Male Names Still Common Today

These appear in modern Greece frequently.

Alexandros (Αλέξανδρος)
Nikolaos (Νικόλαος)
Nikos (Νίκος)
Ioannis (Ιωάννης)
Giannis (Γιάννης)
Dimitrios (Δημήτριος)
Dimitris (Δημήτρης)
Georgios (Γεώργιος)
Giorgos (Γιώργος)
Konstantinos (Κωνσταντίνος)
Kostas (Κώστας)
Panagiotis (Παναγιώτης)
Athanasios (Αθανάσιος)
Christos (Χρήστος)
Andreas (Ανδρέας)
Stefanos (Στέφανος)
Vasileios (Βασίλειος)
Pavlos (Παύλος)

Historical Greek Male Names

Leonidas (Λεωνίδας) – Spartan king
Miltiadis (Μιλτιάδης) – Athenian general
Perikles (Περικλής) – Athenian leader
Solon (Σόλων) – lawgiver
Platon (Πλάτων) – philosopher
Aristoteles (Αριστοτέλης) – philosopher
Themistokles (Θεμιστοκλής) – general

Mythological and Epic Names from the Iliad and Odyssey

Nestor (Νέστωρ)
Diomedes (Διομήδης)
Telemachos (Τηλέμαχος)
Laertes (Λαέρτης)
Priamos (Πρίαμος)
Anchises (Αγχίσης)

Ancient Greek Names from Myth and Legend

Atlas (Άτλας)
Orion (Ωρίων)
Castor (Κάστωρ)
Pollux / Polydeukes (Πολυδεύκης)
Prometheus (Προμηθεύς)
Epimetheus (Επιμηθεύς)
Cadmus (Κάδμος)

Byzantine and Later Greek Names

Christoforos (Χριστόφορος)
Theodoros (Θεόδωρος)
Manolis (Μανώλης)
Nikiforos (Νικηφόρος)
Anastasios (Αναστάσιος)

Rare Ancient Greek Male Names

Lysander (Λύσανδρος)
Alkibiades (Αλκιβιάδης)
Menandros (Μένανδρος)
Antigonos (Αντίγονος)
Euphemios (Ευφήμιος)

Most Popular Male Names in Modern Greece Today

These are extremely common:

Nikos
Giannis
Giorgos
Dimitris
Kostas
Panagiotis
Vasileios
Christos

Alexandros
Achilles
Odysseus
Leonidas
Iason
Perseus
Nikolaos
Dimitrios
Ioannis
Theseus

References

Apollodorus. (1921). Bibliotheca. Harvard University Press.

Beekes, R. (2010). Etymological Dictionary of Greek. Brill.

Burkert, W. (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.

ELSTAT. (2018). Young People in Greece. Hellenic Statistical Authority.

Herodotus. (1920). Histories. Harvard University Press.

Homer. (1924). The Iliad. Harvard University Press.

Horrocks, G. (2010). Greek: A History of the Language and Its Speakers. Wiley-Blackwell.