Ancient Greek Names for Boys: A Guide to Meaning and History

Are you looking for a name that embodies the strength, wisdom, and beauty of ancient Greece? Look no further! This comprehensive list of ancient Greek names for boys will introduce you to a world of captivating meanings and rich history. From legendary heroes to wise philosophers, these names will inspire your search for the perfect name for your son.
1. **Agamemnon**: "Much in strength" or "Very strong" – The legendary king of Mycenae and leader of the Greek forces in the Trojan War.
2. **Ajax**: "Eagle" – A powerful Greek warrior known for his strength and courage, though he was known for his short temper and pride.
3. **Alexander**: "Defender of mankind" – A powerful and influential name, famously borne by Alexander the Great, King of Macedon.
4. **Alcibiades**: "Strength of the people" – A renowned Athenian statesman and general who was known for his charm, intelligence, and cunning.
5. **Apollo**: "Destroyer" – The Greek god of music, poetry, prophecy, healing, plague, archery, light, and truth.
6. **Ares**: "Mars" – The Greek god of war, violence, courage, and bloodshed.
7. **Aristophanes**: "Best appearance" – A Greek comic playwright known for his witty and satirical comedies.
8. **Aristotle**: "Best purpose" or "Best aim" – A Greek philosopher and polymath who is considered one of the most influential thinkers in history.
9. **Aristides**: "Just" – An Athenian statesman and general known for his honesty and fairness.
10. **Asclepius**: "He who heals" – The Greek god of medicine and healing.
11. **Atlas**: "To bear" – A Titan who was condemned to hold up the sky for all eternity.
12. **Cadmus**: "Ancient" – A Phoenician prince who founded the city of Thebes and introduced writing to Greece.
13. **Damon**: "Tamer" – A loyal friend of Pythias who was willing to sacrifice his life for him.
14. **Demosthenes**: "Strength of the people" – A Greek orator who was known for his powerful speeches against Philip II of Macedon.
15. **Diogenes**: "Born of Zeus" – A Greek Cynic philosopher who was known for his simple lifestyle and his rejection of societal norms.
16. **Eratosthenes**: "Lover of knowledge" – A Greek polymath who was known for his work in geography, astronomy, and mathematics.
17. **Euclid**: "Glory of Zeus" – A Greek mathematician who is considered the father of geometry.
18. **Euripides**: "Widely known" – A Greek tragedian who was known for his realistic and psychological portrayals of human nature.
19. **Heracles**: "Glory of Hera" – A demigod, son of Zeus, known for his strength and his completion of the 12 Labors.
20. **Hermes**: "Messenger" – The Greek god of commerce, travel, theft, communication, and messengers.
21. **Hippocrates**: "He who hears" – The father of medicine, known for his Hippocratic Oath, a code of medical ethics.
22. **Homer**: "Hostage" or "Blind" – A Greek poet who is traditionally credited with writing the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey.
23. **Jason**: "He who heals" – The leader of the Argonauts who sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece.
24. **Lycurgus**: "Wolf" – A Spartan lawgiver who established the rigid social and political system of Sparta.
25. **Menelaus**: "Strong in war" – The king of Sparta and husband of Helen of Troy, a key figure in the Trojan War.
26. **Miltiades**: "Warrior of the people" – An Athenian general who led the Greeks to victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.
27. **Narcissus**: "Numbness" – A young man known for his beauty and his self-love, who was punished by being forced to gaze at his own reflection until he died.
28. **Odysseus**: "Hating" – The main character of Homer's Odyssey, known for his cunning and resourcefulness.
29. **Pericles**: "Surrounded by glory" – A statesman and general who led Athens during its Golden Age.
30. **Plato**: "Broad" – A Greek philosopher who was a student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle.
31. **Pythagoras**: "Pythian" – A Greek philosopher and mathematician who is credited with founding Pythagoreanism, a philosophical and religious movement.
32. **Socrates**: "To help" – A Greek philosopher who is considered one of the founders of Western philosophy.
33. **Solon**: "Wise" – An Athenian statesman and poet who is known for his reforms of the Athenian legal system.
34. **Sophocles**: "Wisely revealed" – A Greek tragedian who was known for his complex and philosophical plays.
35. **Thales**: "Sea" or "flourishing" – A Greek philosopher and mathematician who is considered the first philosopher in the Western tradition.
36. **Themistocles**: "Strong in war" – An Athenian general who led the Greek fleet to victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
37. **Theodoros**: "God's gift" – A Greek sculptor who was known for his innovative techniques and his realistic portrayals of human anatomy.
38. **Theseus**: "To set" – A legendary hero who was known for his strength and his slaying of the Minotaur.
39. **Zeus**: "Sky" – The king of the Olympian gods and the god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order, and justice.
40. **Zeno**: "To live" – A Greek philosopher who was the founder of Stoicism.