Myth, virtue and the natural world
Greek names reach back to the oldest layer of Western culture — the gods and heroes of myth (Athena, Jason, Cassandra), transparent virtues (Sophia, “wisdom”; Irene, “peace”) and the natural world (Daphne, “laurel”; Chloe, “green shoot”).
Endings and gender
Greek names typically end in -os or -as for men (Nikolaos, Andreas) and -a or -i for women (Elena, Sofia). Many familiar Western names are simply the Latinised forms of these Greek originals.
From gods to saints
With Christianity, a new layer arrived — Christos, Stephanos, Nikolaos — and these saints’ names remain among the most common in Greece today.
Naming after grandparents
A strong Greek tradition names the first grandchildren after their grandparents, which keeps classic names in steady circulation generation after generation.