ALEXANDER

name usage etymology history

Alexander

Alexandra(fem)

ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ(ALEXANDROS) GreekALEX/ALIX/ALEC/LEXEnglish, GermanSanderGerman, Dutch, ScandinavianXANDER GermanLEKA AlbanianESKENDER EthiopianISKANDER ArabicXANDRE CatalanALISSANDRU SicilianOLEK PolishALECU RomanianLISANDRO SpanishALESSANDRO Portuguese________________SandraCassandraXandraOlesia, OlaLexy, LexaSashaXana

protector of man

From Αλέξανδρος(Alexandros), a compound of the Gr. verb αλέξω(alexo) ‘’to defend’’, ‘’to hold off’’ and the noun ανδρός (andros), genitive of (aner) ’man’.

The name’s popularity was spread throughout the Greek world by the conquests of Alexander III the Great.The name has been used by kings of Scotland, Poland and Yugoslavia, emperors of Russia, and eight popes.

ANDREWANDREAS

name usage etymology history

Andreas

Andrea(fem)

ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ GreekANDRÉ French, PortugueseANDREA Italian, AlbanianANDY/DREW/ANDERS Danish, Norwegian, SwedishANDRÁS HungarianANDREI Russian, RomanianANDREY BulgarianANDRZEJ or JEDRZEJ PolishANDREW________________AndriannaAndreaAudreyEtheldreda, Ethel, Audie, Audra,AndyAndreAnn, AnnaHannah

"manly" and strong

from the Greek name Ανδρέας (Andreas), from andreios ‘manly’

St. Andrew (feast day Nov. 30)Saint Andrew is regarded as the patron of Scotland, Russia, Greece and Romania.

In the New Testament the apostle Andrewwas the first to join Jesus. According to tradition,he preached in the Black Sea region, with some legends saying he was crucified on an X-shaped cross.

ANGELANGELOSEVANGELOS

name usage etymology history

Angelos

Angela (fem.)

ANGELOS EVANGELOS GreekANGELO, ANGELINO, ANGIOLOItalianÁNGEL SpanishANXO: Galician-Portuguese ANZHELO BulgarianENGJELL: Albanian ENGEL GermanÁNXEL Austrian

EVANGELUSL. form of Gr. Evangelos meaning "good angel" or "good messenger’’________________Αγγελική, Aggelikē, Angelica, or Αγγέλα, Aggéla, Ángela, Ángeles, ÁngelAngieAngelinaEVANGELINEENGIE EnglishENZA ItalianEVA, EVIEANUSHKA, RussianANUSIA, Polish ANUSKA, Czech ANYSSA, NIC English

Messenger

from the Greek wordἄγγελος - angelos ('messenger'), possibly related to angaros "mounted courier,

Latin masculine angelus =name of the heavenly creature

Evangeline='gospel, good news'

Angels are messengers of God in the Hebrew Bible (translating מלאך), the New Testament and the Quran.

It has never been very common in the English-speaking world, where it is sometimes used as a feminine name in modern times. It is also used in Bulgaria

BASILname usage etymology history

Basil

Basiliki(fem)

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣVASSILIOS GreekBASILE French BASILIUS German BASILIO Italian, Galician, Spanish BASILEO Galician VASIL Bulgarian Albanian

royal, kingly

from the Greek βασιλεύς (basileus), meaning "king.

Male Greek name Vassilios and words basilica and basilisk (via Latin), as well as the eponymous herb derive.

In Arabic, the name means "brave".

St Basil The Great (feast day 1st of January ) is the Greek Santa Claus.

He was Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadoccia and an influential 4th centurytheologian. He was very thin with black beard. He is not the fat old man with the white beard and the red clothes from Finland. He was not married, he was monk. He did not have reindeers. St Vasileios shared gifts generously. He is considered a saintin the traditions of both eastern and western Christianity.

DEMETRIUS

name usage etymology history

Demetrius, Demetrios, Dimitrios, Demitri or Dimitri

Demeter(fem.)

ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ, DEMETRIOS Greek

JAMES , JIM, JIMMYanglicized by Greek-AmericansDIMI ~ JIMMYDMITRI, DMITRY or DMITRIY Slavic formDIMA, DIMKA, DIMOCHKA, DIMULYA MITYA, MITYAY, MIT'KA, MITEN'KA Short forms MITRI, M ITRO FinnishDEMETRIO Italian, PortugueseDUMITRU, DIMITRIERomanianDMITRIY Hebrew

devoted to," "dedicated to, or "follower of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture

Gk. Damater, lit. "Earth-Mother," from da, Doric form of Gk. ge "earth" + mater

St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki is celebrated on October 26

A Christian martyr, who lived in the early 4th century.During the Middle Ages, he was refered as one of the most important Orthodox military saints, often paired with St George.

The Serbian Orthodox Church reveres St. Demetrius as Mitar, having a feast of Mitrovdan on 8 November.He is known in Lebanon as Mar Dimitri or Mitri for short

HERACLESHERCULIS

name usage etymology history

HeraclesHerculis

HERACLESHERCULESÈRACLE ItalianHERACLE RomanianERCULI Sicilian

from Hēra, "Hera", and kleos, "glory"

The son of Zeus (Ζεύς) and Alcmene, the greatest of the Greek heroes.In Rome and the modern West, he is known as Hercules.Many popular stories were told of his life, the most famous being The Twelve Labours of Heracles.

GEORGE

name usage etymology history

George

Georgia(fem.)

ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ/ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ (Georgios)GreekGJERGJ, JORGO Albanian JURJ ArabicGEÒRGI BulgarianGEORG GermanGIORGIO ItalianJERZY PolishJORGE PortugueseGHE ORGHE RomanianCIRCIS, CORC TurkishJIŘÍ Czech JORIS/ SJORS Dutch

Farmer / Earth-worker

from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos, "farmer" lit. "earth-worker"),a compound of γῆ (ge, "earth", "soil") and ἔργον (ergon, "task".

St George (memorial 23 April).a Roman soldier and priest in the Guard of Diocletian who is venerated as a Christian martyr.He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints.Saint George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities Genoa, Ljubljana, Goz, Milan, Barcelona and Moscow.

IOANNISJOHN

name usage etymology history

IoannisJohn

Ιωάννης, IOANNIS GreekGIOVANNI ItalianJOHANN GermanJÁNOS HungarianIVAN, JAN, JÁN, HONZA , JOVAN, SlavicION , JOAN RomanianEOIN IrishJUAN Spanish JUO/JOANE (now JOÃO) and IVOPortugueseJEAN FrenchGJON, GJIN Albanian

From Greek Ιωάννης, from the Hebrew name Yochanan meaning "Yahweh is gracious".

John is the most popular name in Greece.

John the Baptist was a major religious figure who baptised Christ in the Jordan River.John has been one of the saints most frequently appearing in Christian art.

NIKOLAOS

name usage etymology history

Nickos

Nikefem.

NIKOLLA, NIKOLLË, KOLL, KOL AlbanianNIKOLAI KOLYA MIKOLA BelarusianNIKOLAY KOLYO Bulgarian NICOLAU Catalan MIKULÁŠ, NIKOLA CzechClaus, Klaus, Niels, NICOLAI, NICKLAUS, NIKOLAUS, NIKOLAJ, NILAUS, NIS, NARKOLARS, NIKOLAS DanishLAUNO, NIILO, NIKLAS, NIKO Finnish COLIN French, CLAUS, NIKO GermanNIKOLAOS, NIKOLAS, NIKOS NIKOLIS Greek NICCOLÒ ItalianNIKKU, NIKKII, NIKORASU JapaneseNIELS NorwegianMIKOŁAJ, MIK, MIKOLAJEK Polish NICOLAU, NICOLAS PortugueseNECULAI, NICOLAE, NICU, NICUȘOR, NICULAE Romanian

derived from the Gr. Νικόλαος, Nikólaos, a combination of the words for "victory" (νίκη; níkē) and "people" (λαός; laós). The name can be understood to mean victory of the people or "power of the people". In addition, "laos" or "λαὸς" in Greek, originates from the word root "-las", as found in the word "λα-τομεῑο" meaning "stone" or "rock".

The Greek Orthodox Church - as well as the Roman Catholic Church - celebrates Saint Nicholas every year on December 6 which is the name day for "Nicholas“, Bishop of Myra, Defender of Orthodoxy, Wonderworker, Holy Hierarch.He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose English name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas. In Greece, the name and its derivatives are especially popular in maritime regions, as St. Nicholas is considered the protector saint of seafarers.

ODYSSEUS

name usage etymology history

Odysseus or Ulysses

ΟΔΥΣΣΕΥΣ, ODYSSEUS Greek, German, AustralianULIXES, ULYSSES LatinOlysseus (OulixeusOulixes

From the Gr. verb odussomai (oδύσσομαι), meaning "hate", [6] suggests that the name could be rendered as "the one who is wrathful/hated". This interpretation is reinforced by Odysseus's and Poseidon's mutual wrath.

Son of Laertes; wisest Greek leader during the Trojan War, and resposible for the Trojan horse; king of Ithaca; hero of the Iliad and protagonist of the Odyssey

PETER

name usage etymology history

Peter

ΠΕΤΡΟΣ (PETROS) Greek PIERRE French PETRO, PJETËR, PJETRI AlbanianBUΤRUS ArabicPETAR BosnianПЕРЕ, ПЕРО BulgarianPETER GermanPEADAR Irish PIETRO, PIERO ItalianPĪTĀ JapanesePIOTR Polish PÊRO PortuguesePETRU RomanianPETROS Hebrew

from the Greek word Πέτρος (petros) meaning "stone" or "rock"

Simon Peter was a leader of the early Christian Church.Ηe is venerated in multiple churches.After working to establish the church of Antioch in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, Peter went to Rome.At the hand of Nero, he is said to have been put to death. 29 June ιs the feast day of both Peter and his brother Paul.

PHILIP

name usage etymology history

Philip

ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΣ PHILIPPOS GreekFILIPE PortugueseFELIPE SpanishFILIPPO ItalianPHIL AmericanPHILIP EnglishPHYLYP Ukraine

from the Greek Philippos (Φίλιππος), "lover of horses" or "friend of horses".

From φίλος (philos) "lover" and ίππος (hippos) "horse".

This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great.

Philip the Apostle in the New Testament

This name was initially more common among Eastern Christians, though it came to the West by the Middle Ages. It was borne by six kings of France and five kings of Spain. It was regularly used in England during the Middle Ages, although the Spanish king Philip II, who attempted an invasion of England, helped make it less common by the 17th-century.

ARTEMIS

name usage etymology history

Artemis

Artemis The name could be related to ‘αρτεμης ("safe") or άρταμος ("a butcher").

She was the daughter of Zeus and Leto and that she was the twin sisterof Apollo.She was the Hellenic goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity, fertility, young girls and disease in women and often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows.She was also identified with the Roman goddess Diana.

DESPOINA

name usage etymology history

Despina DespoinaDespina

Gk. Δέσποινα, "miss", "damsel" or "queen"

In the myth, Demeter was searching for her lost daughter Persephone when Poseidon saw and desired her. To avoid him, she took the form of a mare, but he took the form of a stallion and forced his attentions on her. From this union Despina was born, as was the fabulous horse Arion.

Despoina was also used as an epithet for several goddesses, especially Aphrodite, Persephone, Demeter and Hecate.

Despina: Neptune’s moon

DEMETER

name usage etymology history

Demeter

Demetrius(masc.)

DEMETRIADEMIDEMETRACERES Roman

Gk. Damater, lit. "Earth-Mother," from da, Doric form of Gk. ge "earth" + mater. The name Demetrius means "son of Demeter."

The goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, the seasons (personified by the Hours), and the harvest. Though Demeter is often described simply as the goddess of the harvest, she presided also over the sanctity of marriage, the sacre law, and the cycle of life and death. She and her daughter Persephone were the central figures of the EleusinianMysteries that also predated the

Olympian pantheon.

HELEN

name usage etymology history

Helen

ΕΛΕΝΗ GreekHELENAELENA, ELAINE, HELEN, HELLEN, ELLEN EnglishHELÉNE HungaryELENA Slavic Spanish Romanian ItalianALENA German, Czech, SlavicALENKA SlovenianALINA, ALYONA RussianILEANA Romanian SpanishILONA Hungarian, Finnish, LatvianJELENA Latvian, Croatian, SerbianOLENA UkrainianYELENA Russian

from the Gr Ἑλένη, meaning 'light', 'torch‘ and "beautiful

Saint Helena (Latin: Flavia Iulia Helena Augusta) also known as Saint Helen, Helena Augusta or Helena of Constantinople (ca. 246/50 – 18 August 330) was the consort of Emperor Constantius, and the mother of Emperor Constantine I. She is traditionally credited with finding the relics of the True Cross.

NIKENICHOLINA

name usage etymology history

NikeNIKOLINA, NIKOLETA, NIKOL, NINA, NIKABulgarian, CroatianCzechKLASINA, KLAZINA, DutchNIKOLINE DanishNICOLE/COLETTE, NICKYEnglishCOLINE FrenchNICOLE, NICOLA, GermanNIKOLÉTA ΝIKOLÍNA Greek NIKOLET tHungarianNICOLETTA, NICLA, NICOLE, NICOLINA, ItalianNICOLE Portuguese NICULINA,NICOLETA, NICOLINA, NICO Romanian NIKOLIJA SerbianNIKOLA SlovakNIKA SloveneNICOLASA, NIKOLETTA, NICOLÁ Spanish

from the Gr. Νικόλαος, Nikólaos, a combination of the words for "victory" (νίκη; níkē) and "people" (λαός; laos).

In Greek mythology, Nike (Greek Νίκη, "Victory", pronounced [níːkɛː]) was a goddess who personified victory throughout the ages of the ancient Greek culture. She is known as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The Roman equivalent was Victoria.

ZOEZoe

Zois(masc.)

ZOE, ItalianZOE, ZOJA Polish, SlovenianZOWIE NetherlandsZOE, ZOÍ, ZOË EnglishZoí, Zoé, Zoa, Zoë, Zoey, Zooey, Zoee,

from Gk. ‘ζωή’ (zoe) "life"

Zoodochos Pigi : Well of life (zoe)

She was married to Exuperius, and they had two sons: Cyriacus and Theodulus. The whole family was Christian, all slaves of an illustrious Roman named Catullus, living in Attalia, Asia Minor, and for this they were killed when they refused to worship their master's gods.

Orthodox nameday: 2/5 (not fixed)

PARASKEVIname usage etymology history

Paraskevi Petka, Paraskeva, Praskovia, Praskovie, Pyatnitsa, Pyetka, Paraskevoula, Paraschiva Voula.

in Greek, literally "Preparation" and also the day of preparation for Sabbath, "Friday")

Greek: Aghia Paraskevi; Bulgarian: Света Петка ПараскеваRomanian: Sfânta Cuvioasă Parascheva; Russian: Святая Параскева-Пятница; Serbian: Света Петка Параскева

Saint Paraskevi of Rome a Christian martyr of the 2nd century (feast day: July 26).She was born on a Friday.

SOPHIA

name usage etymology history

Sofia

ZOFIA PolishCHOFA, FIFI, SOFÍA SpanishSOFFIA Icelandic WelshSOFIA Romanian, Catalan, Finnish, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, PortugueseSOFICITA SpanishSOFIE Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, SwedishSOFIJA Slovene, Croatia, Latvian, Lithuanian, SerbianSOFIYA Russian), UkrainianSOFYA TurkishSOHVI Finnish, EstonianSOŇA Czech, SlovakSONIA English, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, SpanishSONJA Danish Finnish, German, Norwegian, Serbian Slovene, SwedishSONJE GermanSONYA English RussianSOPHEAP KhmerSOPHI PersianSOPHIAA UrduSOPHIE Dutch, English , French, GermanTZOPHIAH HebrewZOCHA PolishŽOFIA SlovakŽOFIE CzechZOFIJA SloveneZOSIA, ZOCHA PolishZSÓFIA HungarianZSÓFIKA Hungarian

from Gr. ‘σοφία’meaning΄wisdom’

"Sophia" means wisdom in Greek, and for this reason this saint is often regarded as a personification of the wisdom of God, rather than an actual person. Saint Sophia had three daughters Faith, Hope and Agape

Hagia Sophia from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, "Holy Wisdom"is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey.

Orthodox name day: 17/9

THEODORA

name usage etymology history

Theodora

Theodoros(masc.)

DORA English, SpanishTHÉODOR E FrenchFEODORA, FEDORA - ФЕОДОРА, ФЕДОРА RussianTEA Finnish, GermanScandinavian, SlovenianTEDDI, TEDDIE, TEDDY EnglishTEODÓRA HungarianTEODORA Bulgarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, SwedishTEODORY PolishTHEA English, German, ScandinavianTHEDA GermanTODORKA Bulgarian

Theodora fem. version of Theodoros, which is derived from the Gr words θέος or theos, meaning "god" and δώρον or doron, meaning "gift."

Dorothy contains the same word elements in reverse order.

It was the name of several saints and queens, including Theodora, a 6th century ByzantineEmpress honored as a saint in the early Christian Church