Greek boy names include family classics such as Georgios, Ioannis and Nikolaos, saint names like Stavros, modern forms of ancient names like Leonidas, and Ancient Greek and mythology names such as Atticus and Atlas, and this guide gives a checked meaning for 148 of them.
Greek boy names reach back to the ancient world, and many English names, from George and Nicholas to Theodore and Philip, began as Greek names. In Greek families the choice is often tied to a grandfather’s name, a saint and a name day, so the meaning is only part of the story.
We grouped the names into modern Greek classics, Orthodox and saint names, modern forms of ancient names, Ancient Greek names, Greek Mythology names, nicknames, and names that travel well in English, each labeled exactly as Behind the Name labels it. Then come a short look at Greek naming customs, pronunciation and spelling, and pairing ideas.
Key Takeaways
- Georgios, Ioannis, Konstantinos, Dimitrios and Nikolaos are long-standing Greek classics.
- Greek tradition often names the first son after his paternal grandfather.
- Many Greek men go by a short form, such as Kostas for Konstantinos or Babis for Charalampos.
- Ancient Greek and Greek Mythology names are labeled separately from modern Greek names.
- Latin-letter spellings vary, so choose one transcription and use it everywhere.
Table of Contents
Greek Boy Names at a Glance
Quick Answer
Every gender, usage label, Greek spelling and meaning on this page was checked against the name’s own entry on Behind the Name in October 2026. Modern Greek, Ancient Greek and Greek Mythology names sit in separate tables and carry the labels the entries give them. Where an entry calls a meaning unknown, uncertain or only possible, we say so. Names we could not verify this way are not on the list.
Greek boy names come in layers. There are the names Greek families have used for generations, many of them saint names from the Orthodox Church. There are modern Greek forms of names from ancient history and myth, such as Aristotelis for Aristotle. There are the ancient names themselves, often known in English in a Latinized spelling. And there is a large set of short forms (Giannis, Kostas, Nikos) that many Greek men actually go by day to day.
We start with the classics. These are traditional Greek names with long histories, and several are the original Greek forms behind familiar English names: Georgios is the Greek name behind George, and Nikolaos the one behind Nicholas. If you want a broader list across origins, see our main guide to baby boy names.
| Name | Greek script | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgios | Γεώργιος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Original Greek form of George, from georgos: “farmer, earthworker” |
| Ioannis | Ιωάννης | Greek | Modern Greek form of Ioannes (John), from Hebrew: “Yahweh is gracious” |
| Konstantinos | Κωνσταντίνος | Greek | Greek form of Constantinus (Constantine), a derivative of the Latin name Constans: “constant, steadfast” |
| Dimitrios | Δημήτριος | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Demetrios, a name derived from the goddess Demeter |
| Nikolaos | Νικόλαος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Nicholas: “victory of the people” |
| Panagiotis | Παναγιώτης | Greek | From Panagia, a Greek title of the Virgin Mary meaning “all holy” |
| Vasileios | Βασίλειος | Greek | Alternate transcription of Vasilios, the Greek name behind Basil: “royal, kingly” |
| Athanasios | Αθανάσιος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Athanasius: “immortal” |
| Evangelos | Ευάγγελος | Greek | “Bringing good news”, from eu, “good”, and angelos, “messenger” |
| Charalampos | Χαράλαμπος | Greek | “To shine from happiness”: chara, “happiness”, and lampo, “to shine” |
| Theodoros | Θεόδωρος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Theodore: “gift of god” |
| Andreas | Ανδρέας | Greek, German, Swedish, Dutch and more | Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew, from andreios: “manly, masculine” |
| Antonios | Αντώνιος | Greek | Greek form of Antonius (Anthony), a Roman family name of unknown Etruscan origin |
| Kyriakos | Κυριάκος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Cyriacus: “of the lord” |
| Anastasios | Αναστάσιος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Anastasius: “resurrection” |
| Eleftherios | Ελευθέριος | Greek | Modern Greek form of Eleutherios: “free” |
| Christoforos | Χριστόφορος | Greek | Modern Greek form of Christopher: “bearing Christ” |
| Filippos | Φίλιππος | Greek | Modern Greek form of Philip: “friend of horses” |
| Angelos | Άγγελος | Greek | Greek form of Angelus (Angel), from the Greek word angelos: “messenger” |
| Sotiris | Σωτήρης | Greek | Variant of Sotirios, the modern Greek form of Soterios: “savior, deliverer” or “salvation, deliverance” |
Notice how many of these carry a whole idea rather than a single word. Charalampos means “to shine from happiness”, and Evangelos means “bringing good news”. Panagiotis comes from Panagia, “all holy”, a Greek title of the Virgin Mary. Georgios is more down to earth: “farmer, earthworker”. Each makes a strong full name with a friendly short form (see the nickname table below).
A note on the meaning column. When an entry says only that a name is the Greek form of another name, we add the meaning from that other name’s own entry, as with Theodoros and Theodore (“gift of god”) or Filippos and Philip (“friend of horses”). We never guess at a meaning that the reference does not give.
How Naming Works in Greek Families: Grandfathers, Name Days and Baptism
Many Greek boy names repeat from grandfather to grandson, and there is a reason. The Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, a research project at the University of Oxford, notes that naming the first-born son after his paternal grandfather was a tradition in ancient Greece, “as in Greece today”, and that the second son was named after his maternal grandfather. It adds that ancient Greeks were usually given a single name, identified further by the father’s name: “Alexander son of Philip”.
Anthropologist Perry A. Bialor described the same pattern in a study of one farming village in the northwestern Peloponnese, based on fieldwork in 1962 and 1963. There, the first-born child of each sex was expected to be named after the paternal grandparents, and the second-born often after the maternal grandparents, a less strict rule. He found the norm followed in about two-thirds of the cases he counted. Name days followed the Orthodox calendar, so everyone who shared a name celebrated on the same date, and the whole household joined in. The name was formally given at baptism, with a godparent as sponsor. His study describes one village decades ago, so treat it as a window into the custom, not a rule for every family today.
What does that mean if you are choosing a Greek name for your son? A few practical things:
- Family names come first: if your son has a Greek grandfather, ask whether the family expects his name to carry on. The answer may already be decided, and that is a lovely problem to have.
- The full name and the everyday name can differ: a boy named after a grandfather Konstantinos might be Kostas or Kostis at home. The nickname table below shows which short forms Behind the Name connects to which full names.
- Saint names have a calendar: many traditional Greek names are saint names, which is why the name day matters to many Orthodox families. If you share the tradition, ask your parish or family when your son’s name day falls.
Because the same grandfather names repeat, cousins in a Greek family can share a full name. Families often tell them apart with different short forms, which is one more reason the diminutives in this guide are worth knowing.
Saint, Biblical and Orthodox Greek Names for Boys
A large share of traditional Greek boy names come from Christian history: apostles and evangelists in their original Greek forms, archangels, and saints honored in the Orthodox Church. Many of these are familiar in English (Peter, Paul, Michael), but the Greek forms have their own sound.
| Name | Greek script | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christos | Χρίστος | Theology, Greek | From Christos, “anointed”, a title early Greek-speaking Christians applied to Jesus; also a modern Greek name |
| Michail | Μιχαήλ | Greek, Russian | Modern Greek transcription of Michael, from Hebrew: “who is like God?” |
| Emmanouil | Εμμανουήλ | Greek | Greek form of Emmanuel, from Hebrew: “God is with us” |
| Petros | Πέτρος | Greek, Armenian, Biblical Greek | Greek and Armenian form of Peter: “stone” |
| Pavlos | Παύλος | Greek | Modern Greek form of Paul, from the Roman name Paulus: “small” |
| Stefanos | Στέφανος | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Stephanos (Stephen): “crown, wreath” |
| Spyridon | Σπυρίδων | Greek, Late Greek | From spyridion, “basket”, or Latin spiritus, “spirit”; Saint Spyridon was a 4th-century sheep farmer who became a bishop |
| Stylianos | Στυλιανός | Greek, Late Greek | From stylos, “pillar”; Saint Stylianos of Paphlagonia is regarded as a patron saint of children |
| Stavros | Σταύρος | Greek | “Cross”, referring to the cross of the crucifixion |
| Apostolos | Απόστολος | Greek | “Messenger, apostle”, from apo, “from”, and stello, “to send” |
| Ilias | Ηλίας | Greek | Modern Greek form of Elias (Elijah), from Hebrew: “my God is Yahweh” |
| Gerasimos | Γεράσιμος | Greek, Late Greek | From geras, “honor, gift”; Saint Gerasimus was a 5th-century hermit near the Jordan River |
| Gavriil | Γαβριήλ | Greek, Russian | Greek and Russian form of Gabriel, from Hebrew: “God is my strong man” |
| Rafail | Ραφαήλ | Greek, Russian | Greek and Russian form of Raphael, from Hebrew: “God heals” |
| Zacharias | Ζαχαρίας | Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek | Greek and Latin form of Zechariah, from Hebrew: “Yahweh remembers” |
| Matthaios | Ματθαίος | Greek, Biblical Greek | Form of Matthew used in the Greek New Testament; more accurately transcribed Mattheos in modern Greek |
| Markos | Μάρκος | Greek, Biblical Greek | Greek form of Marcus (Mark), a Roman name probably derived from the god Mars |
| Loukas | Λουκάς | Greek, Biblical Greek | Original Greek form of Luke, probably “from Lucania”, a region in southern Italy |
| Savvas | Σάββας | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Sabbas, from Aramaic sava: “old man, grandfather” |
| Nektarios | Νεκτάριος | Greek, Late Greek | From nektar: “nectar, drink of the gods” |
| Prodromos | Πρόδρομος | Greek | “Forerunner, precursor”, used to refer to John the Baptist |
| Serafeim | Σεραφείμ | Greek | Alternate transcription of Serafim, a form of Seraphinus, from the biblical seraphim: “fiery ones” |
| Agapios | Αγάπιος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Masculine form of Agape, “love”; an early 4th-century saint from Caesarea |
Several are Greek words in their own right. Stavros means “cross”, Apostolos “messenger, apostle”, and Prodromos “forerunner, precursor”, a title used for John the Baptist. Nektarios, “nectar, drink of the gods”, has a sweet sound that many parents love. Stylianos, from stylos (“pillar”), has a nice extra detail: its entry says Saint Stylianos of Paphlagonia is regarded as a patron saint of children.
Christos deserves a note of its own. Its entry explains that it comes from Greek Christos, “anointed”, the title applied to Jesus by early Greek-speaking Christians, and that it is also a modern Greek given name. The entry adds that it has been conflated with a differently spelled name pronounced the same way in modern Greek.
Three names here connect to the newest U.S. data from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Loukas is the original Greek form of Luke, and the English entry for Luke traces it through Latin Lucas, ranked No. 10 for boys born in 2025. Ilias is the modern Greek form of Elias, a form of Elijah, ranked No. 7. And Theodoros, in the classics table, is the Greek form of Theodore, ranked No. 4. If you love a top-10 name but want a less expected version, a Greek form can honor both the name and a Greek heritage. Our biblical boy names list covers the original forms of many of these names.
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Modern Greek Forms of Ancient and Mythic Names
Greek parents today often give modern Greek forms of names from history, philosophy and myth. These are not museum pieces: Behind the Name lists each one with usage Greek. Their spellings differ from the ancient and Latinized forms in the next tables, which is why Hermes appears here as Ermis and Heracles as Iraklis.
| Name | Greek script | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandros | Αλέξανδρος | Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology and more | Greek form of Alexander: “defending men” |
| Achilleas | Αχιλλέας | Greek | Modern Greek form of Achilles, a name of uncertain meaning |
| Leonidas | Λεωνίδας | Greek, Ancient Greek | From leon, “lion”, plus a patronymic suffix; a 5th-century BC Spartan king who died defending the pass of Thermopylae |
| Aristotelis | Αριστοτέλης | Greek | Modern Greek form of Aristotle: “the best purpose” |
| Periklis | Περικλής | Greek | Modern Greek form of Pericles, from peri, “around, exceedingly”, and kleos, “glory” |
| Odysseas | Οδυσσέας | Greek | Modern Greek form of Odysseus, a name of unknown meaning, probably of non-Greek origin |
| Orestis | Ορέστης | Greek | Modern Greek form of Orestes: “of the mountains” |
| Orfeas | Ορφέας | Greek | Modern Greek form of Orpheus, perhaps related to orphne: “the darkness of night” |
| Iraklis | Ηρακλής | Greek | Modern Greek form of Heracles: “glory of Hera” |
| Iason | Ιάσων | Greek, Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek and more | Greek and Georgian form of Jason: “healer” |
| Platon | Πλάτων | Greek, Ancient Greek, Russian, Ukrainian | Greek form of Plato, from platys: “broad-shouldered” |
| Sokratis | Σωκράτης | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Socrates, from sos, “whole, unwounded, safe”, and kratos, “power” |
| Dimosthenis | Δημοσθένης | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Demosthenes: “vigor of the people” |
| Xenofon | Ξενοφών | Greek | Modern Greek form of Xenophon, from xenos, “foreign, strange”, and phone, “voice” |
| Omiros | Όμηρος | Greek | Modern Greek form of Homer, from homeros: “hostage, pledge” |
| Tilemachos | Τηλέμαχος | Greek | Modern Greek transcription of Telemachos: “fighting from afar” |
| Menelaos | Μενέλαος | Greek, Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek | Greek form of Menelaus, from meno, “to stay, to last”, or menos, “mind, strength, force”, plus laos, “people” |
| Ermis | Ερμής | Greek | Modern Greek form of Hermes, possibly from herma: “cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker” |
| Apollon | Απόλλων | Greek, Greek Mythology | Greek form of Apollo, a name of unknown meaning |
| Aris | Άρης | Greek | Modern Greek form of Ares (perhaps “bane, ruin” or “male”); also a short form of Aristotelis |
| Dionysios | Διονύσιος | Greek, Ancient Greek | Greek personal name derived from the name of the god Dionysos |
Leonidas, from leon (“lion”), carries one of the most famous stories in Greek history: its entry names the 5th-century BC Spartan king who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae. Alexandros, “defending men”, is the Greek form of Alexander. If you want a name with a strong meaning, see also our list of strong boy names.
Some meanings here are honestly uncertain, and we kept them that way. Achilleas comes from Achilles, whose meaning the entry calls uncertain. Odysseas comes from Odysseus, which the entry says is of unknown meaning and probably of non-Greek origin. Apollon, the Greek form of Apollo, is also of unknown meaning. These are wonderful names, but if you see a confident one-word meaning for them elsewhere, treat it with caution.
Aris has two lives. Its entry calls it the modern Greek form of Ares, the god of war, and also a short form of Aristotelis. A boy named Aristotelis can go by Aris without anyone thinking of the myth at all.
Ancient Greek Boy Names: Philosophers, Poets and Statesmen
These names are labeled Ancient Greek by Behind the Name. Some keep a Greek spelling (Kallistos, Theon); others appear in their Latinized or Anglicized forms, which is how they reached English (Atticus, Euclid). The usage column shows exactly which label each entry uses. None of them is labeled modern Greek usage, so we keep them separate from the tables above.
| Name | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Atticus | Ancient Greek (Latinized), Literature | “From Attica”, the region around Athens; Harper Lee used it for a lawyer in To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) |
| Archimedes | Ancient Greek | From archos, “master”, and medea, “plans, counsel, cunning”; a 3rd-century BC mathematician, astronomer and inventor |
| Aristides | Ancient Greek (Latinized), Portuguese | From aristos, “best”, plus a patronymic suffix; Aristides the Just, a 5th-century BC Athenian statesman known for his integrity |
| Bion | Ancient Greek | From bios: “life” |
| Cosmas | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | From kosmos, “order, world, universe”; Saint Cosmas and his twin Damian are patron saints of physicians |
| Damianos | Ancient Greek | Greek form of Damian, from damazo: “to tame” |
| Diogenes | Ancient Greek | “Born of Zeus”; the name of a Greek Cynic philosopher |
| Dion | Ancient Greek, English | From Dios, “of Zeus”; a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse |
| Euclid | Ancient Greek (Anglicized) | From eu, “good”, and kleos, “glory”; a 3rd-century BC mathematician from Alexandria known for geometry |
| Hesiod | Ancient Greek (Anglicized) | Probably “to throw song”; an 8th-century BC poet and a major source for Greek myths |
| Hippocrates | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | “Horse power”; a 5th-century BC doctor known as the Father of Medicine |
| Kallistos | Ancient Greek | Greek form of Callistus: “most beautiful” |
| Lysander | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | From lysis, “a release, loosening”, and aner, “man”; a 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander |
| Alexios | Ancient Greek | Greek form of Alexius, a derivative of Alexis (“helper” or “defender”); borne by five Byzantine emperors |
| Ambrosios | Ancient Greek | Greek form of Ambrose: “immortal” |
| Anatolios | Ancient Greek | Greek form of Anatolius, from anatole: “sunrise” |
| Hilarion | Ancient Greek | From hilaros, “cheerful”; a 4th-century saint |
| Karpos | Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek | Greek form of Carpus: “fruit, profits” |
| Milo | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | From Milon, possibly from milos, “yew tree”; Milo of Croton was a 6th-century BC wrestler |
| Myron | Ancient Greek, English, Ukrainian | From myron, “sweet oil, perfume”; a 5th-century BC sculptor |
| Philo | Ancient Greek (Latinized) | From philos, “lover, friend”; a 1st-century philosopher from Alexandria |
| Theon | Ancient Greek | From theos, “god”; borne by the mathematicians Theon of Smyrna and Theon of Alexandria |
| Theron | Ancient Greek | From therao: “to hunt” |
| Zeno | Ancient Greek (Latinized), Italian | From Zenon, derived from the name of Zeus; borne by the philosophers Zeno of Elea and Zeno of Citium |
| Thales | Ancient Greek, Portuguese (Brazilian) | From thallo, “to blossom”; Thales of Miletus was a 6th-century BC philosopher and mathematician |
Many come with a famous bearer, which is part of the appeal and also worth thinking through. Archimedes, Euclid, Thales and Theon were mathematicians. Hesiod was a poet whose work is a major source for Greek myths. Hippocrates, “horse power”, was the doctor known as the Father of Medicine. Diogenes, “born of Zeus”, was a Cynic philosopher, and Atticus, “from Attica”, is also the name Harper Lee gave the lawyer in her 1960 novel.
For a meaning-first pick, look at Bion (“life”), Hilarion (“cheerful”), Anatolios (from the word for “sunrise”), Kallistos (“most beautiful”) and Karpos (“fruit, profits”). Milo is a good example of why we check entries: there is more than one Milo on Behind the Name, and the one here is the Latinized form of the Greek Milon, possibly from a word for “yew tree”.
Some of these, such as Atticus, Milo and Theon, already sound at home in English. Others, like Archimedes, are big names for a small boy and may work best in the middle slot.
Greek Mythology Names for Boys: Gods, Titans and Heroes
Every name in this table is labeled Greek Mythology on Behind the Name (sometimes with “Latinized” or “Anglicized”, for the spelling that reached English). We describe each figure only as the entry does, in a short clause.
| Name | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles | Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized) | Uncertain meaning, perhaps from achos, “pain”, or the Achelous River; the bravest Greek hero in Homer’s Iliad |
| Apollo | Greek Mythology (Latinized) | Unknown meaning, perhaps related to a root meaning “strength”; god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty and wisdom |
| Atlas | Greek Mythology | Possibly “enduring”; a Titan forced by Zeus to support the heavens on his shoulders |
| Castor | Greek Mythology (Latinized) | Possibly “to excel, to shine”, or “beaver”; a son of Zeus and twin brother of Pollux |
| Hector | Greek Mythology (Latinized), English, French, Arthurian Cycle | “Holding fast”; one of the Trojan champions in Greek legend |
| Hermes | Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish | Possibly from herma, “cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker”; the messenger god, associated with speed and good luck |
| Jason | Greek Mythology (Anglicized), English, French, Biblical | “Healer”; the leader of the Argonauts |
| Leander | Greek Mythology (Latinized) | From leon, “lion”, and aner, “man”; in legend he swam the Hellespont each night to meet Hero |
| Orion | Greek Mythology | Uncertain, possibly “boundary, limit” or Akkadian “light of the heavens”; a constellation named for a legendary hunter |
| Perseus | Greek Mythology | Possibly from pertho, “to destroy”; a hero said to have founded Mycenae |
| Theseus | Greek Mythology | Possibly from tithemi, “to set, to place”; a heroic king of Athens |
| Zephyr | Greek Mythology (Anglicized) | “West wind”; Zephyros was the Greek god of the west wind |
| Helios | Greek Mythology | “Sun”; the young Greek sun god, a Titan |
| Hyperion | Greek Mythology | From hyper, “over”; a Titan who presided over the sun and light |
| Morpheus | Greek Mythology | From morphe, “shape”, for the shapes seen in dreams; the god of dreams |
| Nestor | Greek Mythology, Portuguese, French and more | “Returner, homecomer”; the wise, long-lived king of Pylos in the Iliad |
| Mentor | Greek Mythology | Possibly related to menos, “mind, strength, force”; the guardian Odysseus left in charge of his son Telemachos |
| Endymion | Greek Mythology | From endyo, “to dive into, to enter”; a mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene |
| Triton | Greek Mythology | Uncertain meaning; a son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, often shown as a merman |
| Damon | Greek Mythology, English | From damazo, “to tame”; in legend, the friend who offered to take Pythias’s place in prison |
| Evander | Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology | “Good of man”; in Roman mythology an Arcadian hero who founded the city of Pallantium |
| Chiron | Greek Mythology (Latinized) | From cheir, “hand”; the wisest of the centaurs, who trained Achilles and Jason |
| Proteus | Greek Mythology | From protos, “first”; a prophetic god of the sea |
| Phoebus | Greek Mythology (Latinized) | “Bright, pure”; an epithet of Apollo |
| Boreas | Greek Mythology | “North wind”; the Greek god of the north wind |
| Aiolos | Greek Mythology | “Quick-moving, nimble”; the Greek god of the winds |
Sky and weather names are a favorite group. Helios means “sun”, and Hyperion was a Titan who presided over the sun and light. Zephyr, Boreas and Aiolos are all wind names: the west wind, the north wind and the god of the winds. Orion is a constellation named for a legendary hunter, and its meaning is uncertain. For more names from the night sky, see our names that mean star.
Some names are about character rather than nature. Mentor was the guardian Odysseus trusted with his son, and Chiron was the wisest of the centaurs, the teacher of Achilles and Jason. Nestor, “returner, homecomer”, was known for his wisdom and long life. Damon is remembered in legend for friendship.
A gentle reality check. Myths are full of drama, and some of these figures have dark chapters in their full stories. Read the whole entry before you choose, especially for names such as Achilles, Hector and Theseus, and decide whether the story feels right for your son. Morpheus, the god of dreams, and Endymion, whom the moon goddess Selene loved, may be especially tempting for sleepy-baby parents, and they make lovely middle names.
Greek Nicknames and Short Forms for Boys
In many Greek families, the name on the birth certificate is not the name you hear at the dinner table. These short forms and diminutives are each listed on Behind the Name with usage Greek, and the right column says exactly which full name the entry connects them to.
| Name | Greek script | Usage (per Behind the Name) | What the entry says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giannis | Γιάννης | Greek | Modern Greek variant of Ioannes (John) |
| Yiannis | Γιάννης | Greek | Alternate transcription of Giannis |
| Kostas | Κώστας | Greek, Lithuanian | Greek short form of Konstantinos |
| Kostis | Κωστής | Greek | Short form of Konstantinos |
| Nikos | Νίκος | Greek | Greek short form of Nikolaos |
| Dimitris | Δημήτρης | Greek | Modern Greek variant of Demetrios |
| Manolis | Μανώλης | Greek | Short form of Emmanouil |
| Lefteris | Λευτέρης | Greek | Short form of Eleftherios |
| Takis | Τάκης | Greek | Short form of Panagiotakis and other names with similar endings |
| Babis | Μπάμπης | Greek | Diminutive of Charalampos |
| Panos | Πάνος | Greek | Diminutive of Panagiotis |
| Thanos | Θάνος | Greek | Diminutive of Athanasios |
| Thanasis | Θανάσης | Greek | Modern Greek short form of Athanasios |
| Spyros | Σπύρος | Greek | Short form of Spyridon |
| Stelios | Στέλιος | Greek | Variant of Stylianos |
| Vasilis | Βασίλης | Greek | Modern Greek form of Basil |
| Michalis | Μιχάλης | Greek | Modern Greek variant of Michael |
| Alekos | Αλέκος | Greek | Diminutive of Alexandros |
| Vangelis | Βαγγέλης | Greek | Variant of Evangelos |
| Stathis | Στάθης | Greek | Short form of Efstathios |
Some short forms are obvious (Nikos from Nikolaos), but others are not. Babis is a diminutive of Charalampos, and Takis is a short form of Panagiotakis and other names with similar endings. Kostas and Kostis are both short forms of Konstantinos, and Thanos and Thanasis both come from Athanasios.
If you choose a long name, it is worth picking your short form early so family members do not each invent their own. Two spellings in this table, Giannis and Yiannis, are the same Greek name, Γιάννης, in different Latin-letter transcriptions.
Greek Boy Names That Travel Well in English, Plus Short Names
These names appear with Greek usage on Behind the Name and also with English and other European usage, so they work on both sides of the family without changing spelling.
| Name | Gender listed | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon | Masculine | Greek, Ancient Greek, English, German and more | From leon: “lion” |
| Elias | Masculine | Greek, English, German, Portuguese and more | Form of Elijah (“my God is Yahweh”) used in several languages and in the Greek New Testament |
| Thomas | Masculine | Greek, English, French, German and more | Greek form of the Aramaic name Te’oma: “twin”; an apostle in the New Testament |
| Silas | Masculine | Greek, English, Danish, German and more | A companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament; probably a short form of Silvanus |
| Adam | Masculine | Greek, English, Hebrew and more | The Hebrew word for “man” |
| Alexis | Masculine and feminine | Greek, English, French, Spanish, Ancient Greek | “Helper” or “defender”; in the English-speaking world more often given to girls |
| Nikolas | Masculine | Greek, English | Variant of Nikolaos (Greek) or Nicholas (English): “victory of the people” |
Leon, “lion”, is short and strong. Elias is the form of Elijah used in the Greek New Testament. Thomas is the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning “twin”, which makes it a thoughtful choice for a twin boy. Alexis is the one unisex name on this page: its entry lists it for boys and girls and notes that in the English-speaking world it is more often given to girls. You can find the girls’ side of this heritage in our Greek girl names list.
Want something short? These names from the tables on this page have five letters or fewer, in our count: Leon, Adam, Silas, Aris, Nikos, Panos, Takis, Babis, Fotis, Bion, Dion, Milo, Myron, Philo, Theon, Zeno, Atlas, Orion, Jason and Damon. For more, browse our short boy names.
Greek Boy Names That Mean Light, Star, Flower or Diamond
Greek has a rich vocabulary of brightness, and several modern Greek names carry it directly. These are all labeled Greek by Behind the Name.
| Name | Greek script | Usage (per Behind the Name) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fotis | Φώτης | Greek | Modern Greek variant of Photios, from phos: “light” |
| Lambros | Λάμπρος | Greek | Alternate transcription of Lampros: “bright, shining, brilliant” |
| Asterios | Αστέριος | Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology | Greek form of Asterius: “starry”, from aster, “star” |
| Diamantis | Διαμαντής | Greek | From diamanti: “diamond” |
| Chrysanthos | Χρύσανθος | Greek, Ancient Greek | “Golden flower”: chryseos, “golden”, and anthos, “flower” |
| Triantafyllos | Τριαντάφυλλος | Greek | “Rose”, from trianta, “thirty”, and fyllon, “leaf”; a 17th-century Greek saint and martyr |
Fotis comes from Photios and the word phos, “light”, and Lambros means “bright, shining, brilliant”. Asterios means “starry”. If you like that theme, our list of names that mean light gathers bright names from many languages. Two flower names round out the group: Chrysanthos, “golden flower”, and Triantafyllos, “rose”, built from the Greek words for “thirty” and “leaf”.
For a light-themed set across this page, you could also look at Helios (“sun”) and Phoebus (“bright, pure”) in the mythology table, and Anatolios (from “sunrise”) in the ancient table. Keep the labels in mind: they are Greek Mythology and Ancient Greek names, not modern Greek ones.
How to Say and Spell Greek Boy Names
Behind the Name prints pronunciations in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), where ˈ comes before the stressed syllable. The table shows the modern Greek pronunciation given on the entry for a sample of names.
| Name | Pronunciation given by Behind the Name |
|---|---|
| Georgios | /ʝɛ.ˈɔɾ.ʝi.ɔs/ |
| Ioannis | /i.o.ˈa.nis/ |
| Giannis | /ˈʝa.nis/ |
| Konstantinos | /kon.stan.ˈdi.nos/ |
| Dimitrios | /ði.ˈmi.tɾi.os/ |
| Panagiotis | /pa.na.ˈʝo.tis/ |
| Charalampos | /xa.ˈɾa.lam.bos/ |
| Babis | /ˈba.bis/ |
| Eleftherios | /e.lef.ˈθe.ɾi.os/ |
| Stavros | /ˈsta.vros/ |
| Achilleas | /a.çi.ˈle.as/ |
| Odysseas | /o.ði.ˈse.as/ |
| Michail | /mi.xa.ˈil/ (Greek) |
| Thomas | /θo.ˈmas/ (Greek) |
| Stelios | /ˈste.ʎos/ |
A few patterns stand out in these entries. The stress can fall in different places, so it is worth learning each name rather than guessing: Dimitrios is stressed on the second syllable, Konstantinos near the end. The d in Dimitrios is ð, the sound of “th” in “this”, and the th in Eleftherios is θ, the “th” in “thin”. The ch in Charalampos and Michail is x, a throaty sound like the “ch” in Scottish “loch”. The mp in Charalampos sounds like b, which is why its diminutive is spelled Babis (Μπάμπης).
Spelling in Latin letters varies, because Greek uses its own alphabet. Behind the Name lists several pairs as alternate transcriptions of the same Greek name: Giannis and Yiannis, Vasileios and Vasilios, Lambros and Lampros. Its Matthaios entry notes that Mattheos is the more accurate modern transcription. Pick one spelling and use it everywhere.
On paperwork, U.S. records do not always carry accent marks or special characters, so a Greek-script name or its accent may not print on every form. Decide early how you will write your son’s name in Latin letters, and ask family how they spell it if you are honoring a relative.
Sibling and Middle Name Ideas for Greek Boy Names
Because Greek tradition often fixes the first name, the middle slot is where many parents get creative. These are our suggestions, not traditional combinations, and every name comes from the tables above.
- Classic plus myth: Georgios Orion, Nikolaos Atlas, Konstantinos Zephyr.
- Short first, long middle: Leon Alexandros, Silas Theodoros, Elias Chrysanthos.
- Meaning pairs: Lambros Asterios (“bright” and “starry”), Fotis Anatolios (“light” and “sunrise”).
- Brothers with a shared feel: Leonidas and Lysander, Atlas and Orion, Nikos and Kostas, Theon and Theron.
- A Greek name with an English-friendly middle: Stavros Thomas, Spyridon Adam, Dimitrios Elias.
A quick checklist before you decide: say the full name out loud with your surname, write out the initials, choose the everyday short form, and check that the spelling works on both sides of the family. For more ideas, see our middle names for boys. If you are exploring other European heritages too, our Italian boy names and Russian boy names guides follow the same checked approach.
Related Betteroo Guides
- Greek Girl Names
- Italian Boy Names
- Biblical Boy Names
- Strong Boy Names
- Names That Mean Light
- Russian Boy Names
The Bottom Line
Greek boy names run from family classics like Georgios, Ioannis and Konstantinos, through Orthodox saint names like Stavros and Spyridon, to modern forms of ancient names like Leonidas and Odysseas, and on to Ancient Greek and Greek Mythology names such as Atticus, Theon, Atlas and Orion. Start with your family’s naming traditions, read the full entry for any name you love, and keep the labels straight: a mythology name is a lovely choice, but it is not the same as a modern Greek name.
Then shortlist a few, say them out loud with your surname, settle on a nickname, and choose the one that feels like your son.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some ancient Greek boy names?
Ancient Greek boy names include Atticus, meaning from Attica, Lysander, Archimedes, Euclid, Theon, Bion, meaning life, Hilarion, meaning cheerful, and Kallistos, meaning most beautiful. Many are known in English in Latinized spellings. Behind the Name labels them Ancient Greek rather than modern Greek, and several are tied to famous philosophers, mathematicians or statesmen, so read the full entry before choosing.
What are the most common Greek names for males?
Long-standing traditional Greek names for boys include Georgios, Ioannis, Konstantinos, Dimitrios, Nikolaos, Panagiotis, Vasileios and Christos. Many are saint names, and many repeat through families because the first son is often named after his paternal grandfather. In daily life these men often go by short forms such as Giannis, Kostas or Nikos.
What are some strong Greek names for boys?
Strong Greek names for boys include Leonidas, from the word for lion, Leon, meaning lion, Alexandros, meaning defending men, Athanasios, meaning immortal, and Stylianos, from the word for pillar. From mythology, Atlas possibly means enduring and Hector means holding fast. Each of these has a clear meaning in its Behind the Name entry and works well as a first or middle name.
What Greek mythology names are good for boys?
Popular choices from Greek mythology include Atlas, Orion, Hector, Jason, Theseus, Perseus, Helios, Zephyr and Apollo. Wind names such as Zephyr, the west wind, and Boreas, the north wind, have a fresh sound. Some myths have dark chapters, so read each figure’s full story before you choose, and remember these are mythology names rather than modern Greek ones.
What are some unique Greek boy names?
Less familiar Greek boy names with lovely meanings include Charalampos, to shine from happiness, Nektarios, nectar, Chrysanthos, golden flower, Triantafyllos, rose, Diamantis, diamond, and Lambros, bright. From the ancient world, Bion means life and Theron means to hunt. We cannot call any of them rare, since we use no birth data beyond the U.S. top 10.
Why are Greek boys named after their grandfathers?
Naming the first son after his paternal grandfather, and the second son after his maternal grandfather, is a custom that goes back to ancient Greece and continues in Greek families today, according to the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names at Oxford. It keeps a name alive across generations, which is why cousins in one family can share the same full name.
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6 Sources
- Behind the Name. Masculine Greek Names (gender and usage index; individual entries read October 2026).
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/masculine/usage/greek - Behind the Name. Masculine Ancient Greek Names (gender and usage index).
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/masculine/usage/ancient-greek - Behind the Name. Masculine Greek Mythology Names (gender and usage index).
https://www.behindthename.com/names/gender/masculine/usage/greek-mythology - Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, University of Oxford. Naming practices.
https://www.lgpn.ox.ac.uk/naming-practices - Bialor, Perry A. What’s in a Name? Aspects of the Social Organization of a Greek Farming Community Related to Naming Customs. UC Berkeley Library Digital Collections.
https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/anthpubs/ucb/text/kass001-007.pdf - Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names (top 10 names of 2025).
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html
