HADES m Greek Mythology

From Greek Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from ἀϊδής (aides)meaning "unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that was also called Hades. His brother was Zeus and his wife was Persephone.

HAIDES m Greek Mythology

Ancient Greek form of HADES. After the classical period, the ιin the sequence αι (often written as a subscript like ᾳ) was not pronounced.

HECTOR m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian Romance

Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.... [more]

HEKTOR m Greek Mythology

Greek form of HECTOR.

HELIOS m Greek Mythology

Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.

HEPHAESTUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.

HEPHAISTOS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of HEPHAESTUS.

HERACLES m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Latinized form of HERAKLES. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.

HERAKLES m Greek Mythology

Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess HERAcombined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.

HERMES m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeusand the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]

HIPPOLYTOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Means "freer of horses" from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and λύω (luo) meaning "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.

HYACINTH (1) m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)

English form of HYACINTHUS.

HYACINTHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)

Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.

HYAKINTHOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Greek form of HYACINTHUS.

HYPERION m Greek Mythology

Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

IACCHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

From Greek Ἴακχος (Iakchos), derived from ἰάχω (iacho)meaning "to shout". This was the name of an obscure Greek god worshipped in the Eleusinian mysteries and later identified with Dionysos.

IAPETOS m Greek Mythology

Derived from Greek ἰάπτω (iapto) meaning "to wound, to pierce". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan, the father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.

IAPETUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Latinized form of IAPETOS. This is the name of one of Saturn's moons.

IASON m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin

Greek form of JASON.

ICARUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

From the Greek Ἴκαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.

IKAROS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of ICARUS.

ION (2) m Greek Mythology

Of unknown etymology, possibly pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.

JASON m English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), Biblical

From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.This name also appears in the New Testament, belonging to man who sheltered Paul and Silas. In his case, it may represent a Hellenized form of a Hebrew name. It was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation.

KADMOS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CADMUS.

KASTOR m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CASTOR.

KEPHALOS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CEPHALUS.

KEPHEUS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CEPHEUS.

KERBEROS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CERBERUS.

KOIOS m Greek Mythology

Possibly derived from Greek κοῖος (koios), also spelled ποῖος(poios), a questioning word meaning approximately "of what kind?". This was the name of a Titan god of intelligence in Greek mythology.

KREIOS m Greek Mythology

Possibly derived from either Greek κρείων (kreion) meaning "lord, master" or κριός (krios) meaning "ram, male sheep". This was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology.

KRONOS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of CRONUS.

LAIOS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of LAIUS.

LAIUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Latinized form of Greek Λάϊος (Laios), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a king of Thebes in Greek mythology, the husband of Jocasta. Due to a prophecy that he would be killed by his son, Laius left his infant Oedipus for dead. The boy survived but was ignorant of his true parentage. Years later he unwittingly killed Laius in a quarrel on the road.

LEANDER m Greek Mythology (Latinized)

Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner)meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.

LEANDROS m Greek Mythology

Greek form of LEANDER.

LINOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Greek form of LINUS.

LINUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish

From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

LYCURGUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)

Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon)meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.

LYCUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

LYKOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Greek form of LYCUS.

LYKOURGOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek

Greek form of LYCURGUS.