Ancient Greek Male Names: A Guide to Meaning and History

Are you looking for a unique and meaningful name for your son? Look no further than the rich history of ancient Greece. Ancient Greek male names are full of power, wisdom, and beauty, reflecting the values and mythology of this vibrant culture. From legendary heroes to gods and philosophers, these names offer a glimpse into the past and a connection to a timeless tradition. Explore this list of ancient Greek male names, each one carrying a profound meaning that can inspire you in your search for the perfect name.
1. **Agamemnon:** meaning "very steadfast" or "much steadfast" - King of Mycenae, leader of the Achaeans in the Trojan War.
2. **Ajax:** meaning "eagle" or "of the eagle" - Greek hero of the Trojan War, known for his bravery and strength.
3. **Alexander:** meaning "defender of mankind" - King of Macedon, known for his military conquests and cultural influence.
4. **Alcibiades:** meaning "strong in counsel" - Athenian statesman and general, known for his political brilliance and charisma.
5. **Apollo:** meaning "destroyer" - Greek god of music, poetry, light, healing, and prophecy.
6. **Ares:** meaning "curse" - Greek god of war, violence, and bloodshed.
7. **Aristarchus:** meaning "best ruler" - Greek astronomer known for his heliocentric theory.
8. **Aristophanes:** meaning "well-appearing" - Greek comic playwright, famous for his satirical plays.
9. **Aristotle:** meaning "best purpose" or "best excellence" - Greek philosopher and polymath, known for his contributions to logic, physics, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics.
10. **Aristides:** meaning "most just" - Athenian statesman and general, known for his integrity and fairness.
11. **Asclepius:** meaning "healer" - Greek god of medicine and healing.
12. **Atlas:** meaning "to bear" - Titan who was condemned to hold up the sky for eternity.
13. **Cadmus:** meaning "eastern" - Greek hero who founded Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
14. **Demosthenes:** meaning "strong people" - Athenian orator known for his powerful speeches against Philip of Macedon.
15. **Diogenes:** meaning "born of Zeus" - Greek Cynic philosopher known for his unconventional lifestyle and social criticism.
16. **Dionysus:** meaning "born of Zeus" - Greek god of wine, theatre, and revelry.
17. **Eratosthenes:** meaning "lover of the stars" - Greek mathematician, astronomer, and geographer known for his calculation of the Earth's circumference.
18. **Euclid:** meaning "glory of the people" - Greek mathematician known for his work in geometry.
19. **Euripides:** meaning "widely famous" - Greek tragedian known for his innovative use of language and complex characters.
20. **Heracles:** meaning "glory of Hera" - Greek hero known for his twelve labors.
21. **Hermes:** meaning "messenger" - Greek god of messengers, commerce, travel, and thieves.
22. **Hippocrates:** meaning "he who listens to horses" - Greek physician known as the "father of medicine."
23. **Homer:** meaning "hostage" or "blind" - Greek epic poet, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
24. **Jason:** meaning "he who heals" - Greek hero who led the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece.
25. **Lycurgus:** meaning "wolf-slayer" - Legendary lawgiver of Sparta, known for his austere reforms.
26. **Menelaus:** meaning "strength of the people" - King of Sparta, whose abduction of Helen by Paris sparked the Trojan War.
27. **Odysseus:** meaning "hating" or "angry" - Greek hero, protagonist of Homer's Odyssey.
28. **Oedipus:** meaning "swollen foot" - Greek hero whose fate was to unwittingly kill his father and marry his mother.
29. **Pericles:** meaning "surrounded by glory" - Athenian statesman, orator, and general known for his leadership during the Golden Age of Athens.
30. **Plato:** meaning "broad" or "wide" - Greek philosopher known for his theory of Forms and his dialogues.
31. **Pythagoras:** meaning "Pythian speaker" - Greek philosopher and mathematician, known for his theorem about right triangles.
32. **Socrates:** meaning "helping" or "saving" - Greek philosopher known for his method of questioning and his emphasis on moral virtue.
33. **Solon:** meaning "wise" - Athenian statesman, lawgiver, and poet.
34. **Sophocles:** meaning "wisely shown" - Greek tragedian known for his powerful tragedies like Oedipus Rex.
35. **Thales:** meaning "flourishing" - Greek philosopher and mathematician considered the first philosopher in the Western tradition.
36. **Theodoros:** meaning "God's gift" - Greek sculptor, known for his bronze statues.
37. **Theophrastus:** meaning "divine speaker" - Greek philosopher and botanist known for his work on plants and their properties.
38. **Theseus:** meaning "put aside" - Greek hero, known for his slaying of the Minotaur and his unification of Attica.
39. **Zeno:** meaning "Zeus is hospitable" - Greek philosopher, founder of Stoicism.
40. **Zeus:** meaning "sky" or "bright" - King of the Olympian gods, god of thunder, lightning, and the sky.