Ancient Greek Name Generator
Period-correct names from Homer to the Hellenistic kings
Generate authentic ancient Greek names: Athenian statesmen, Spartan kings, Ionian philosophers, Hellenistic queens and Homeric heroes, written in proper Greek transliteration (Alkibiades, Arsinoe, Kleomenes of Sparta) with patronymics and city epithets where the period used them.
About ancient Greek names
An ancient Greek had one name, and it usually meant something. Most were compounds of two roots: Demosthenes is "strength of the people", Kleopatra "glory of her father", Aristoboulos "best counsel", Nikomachos "victorious in battle". A smaller group are short names built from a single root or a nickname, like Simon, Lykos (wolf) or Phryne (toad). Because everyone in Athens seemed to be called Demetrios, a citizen was pinned down by his father or deme: Perikles son of Xanthippos, Demosthenes of Paiania. Foreigners were known by their city, which is why we still say Thales of Miletos and Sappho of Lesbos.
Dialect and region colour the sound. Attic and Ionian names often end in -es, -os and -kles; Doric names from Sparta and Crete keep a long a, giving Damaratos and Kleombrotos instead of Demaratos; Macedonian court names such as Philippos, Antipatros and Krateros have a heavier, martial ring. Women's names share the same roots with feminine endings: Arsinoe, Berenike, Theano, Mnesarete.
Everything here is spelled the Greek way, with k rather than c and -os rather than -us, so it sits comfortably beside Thoukydides rather than Latinised Thucydides. Use the plain names for Greek-flavoured fantasy, and the patronymic and city forms for historical fiction, tabletop campaigns and classical novels.
How to choose ancient Greek names
- Decide on Greek or Latin spelling and stick to it: Alkibiades and Kleopatra with k, or Alcibiades and Cleopatra with c, never both in one story.
- Identify a character by father or city rather than a surname: Nikias son of Nikeratos for a citizen, Hippokrates of Kos for a foreigner or a traveller.
- Use a few short nickname-style names (Simon, Lykos, Phryne, Gnathaina) among the grand compounds so your cast does not sound like a list of generals.
- Give Spartans Doric-sounding names like Kleomenes, Brasidas and Gorgo, and reserve Philippos, Antigonos and Seleukos for Macedonian or Hellenistic characters.
- Women in literature were often named after their fathers' virtues; pairing a daughter with her father, as in Kyniska daughter of Archidamos, instantly signals an aristocratic family.
Frequently asked questions
Did ancient Greeks have last names?
No. A Greek carried a single personal name and was distinguished by a patronymic (son of X), a deme or tribe within a city, or a home city when abroad. Family names only appear much later, in the Byzantine period.
Why are the names spelled with k instead of c?
The Greek alphabet has kappa, not c. Spellings like Thucydides and Achilles come from Latin; modern historians and many novelists prefer the direct transliteration Thoukydides and Achilleus. Both are correct, so choose the one that matches the tone of your project.
Are these names real historical people?
Many are: statesmen, poets, philosophers and athletes known from ancient sources, alongside mythological heroes and heroines and a number of ordinary names attested on inscriptions and grave stones. All belong to antiquity and are free to use for characters.
What were common ancient Greek women's names?
Inscriptions show names such as Myrrhine, Demetria, Philista, Nikopolis, Eirene and Sostrate were everyday names in Athens, while royal courts favoured Arsinoe, Berenike, Laodike, Stratonike and Kleopatra. Poets and tragedians gave us Andromache, Antigone, Elektra and Iphigeneia.
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All 500 ancient Greek names
A: 100 names
- Achilleus
- Adea Eurydike
- Agapenor
- Agariste
- Agasias of Ephesos
- Agatharchides of Knidos
- Agathoboulos
- Agathokles of Alexandria
- Agathokles son of Lysimachos
- Agathon son of Tisamenos
- Agesipolis
- Agiatis
- Agis son of Archidamos
- Agis the Fourth
- Aglaia
- Agorakritos
- Aineias
- Aischines
- Aison
- Aithra
- Akamas
- Alexandros Polyhistor
- Alexis of Thourioi
- Alkaios of Mytilene
- Alkamenes
- Alkibiades
- Alkmaion of Kroton
- Alkmaion son of Amphiaraos
- Alkman
- Alkmene
- Althaimenes
- Ampharete
- Amphilochos
A, continued
- Amphis
- Amphitryon
- Amyntas son of Arrhabaios
- Anakreon of Teos
- Anaxagoras of Klazomenai
- Anaxandrides
- Anaximandros
- Anaximenes
- Andokides
- Androklos
- Andromachos
- Androtion
- Antalkidas
- Antigone
- Antigone of Epeiros
- Antigonos Gonatas
- Antigonos Monophthalmos
- Antigonos of Karystos
- Antilochos
- Antimachos of Kolophon
- Antiochos of Askalon
- Antipatros
- Antiphon of Rhamnous
- Antisthenes
- Anyte of Tegea
- Anytos
- Apelles of Kolophon
- Apollodoros of Athens
- Apollodoros of Phaleron
- Apollonios of Perge
- Apollonios of Rhodes
- Arachidamia
- Aratos of Sikyon
A, continued
- Archedike
- Archelaos of Macedon
- Archestratos of Gela
- Archidamos the Third
- Archilochos of Paros
- Archimedes of Syracuse
- Archippe
- Arete
- Arion of Methymna
- Aristagoras of Miletos
- Aristainos of Dyme
- Aristeas of Prokonnesos
- Aristeides the Just
- Aristippos of Kyrene
- Aristoboulos of Kassandreia
- Aristodemos
- Aristogeiton
- Aristokrates
- Aristomache
- Aristomenes of Alyzeia
- Aristonike
- Aristophon
- Aristoxenos of Taras
- Arkesilaos of Pitane
- Arktinos of Miletos
- Arsinoe
- Arsinoe daughter of Ptolemaios
- Artemisia of Halikarnassos
- Asios of Samos
- Asklepiades of Samos
- Aspasia of Miletos
- Athanodoros
- Attalos son of Andromenes
- Autolykos
B: 12 names
- Bakchis
- Bakchylides
- Bathykles
- Battos of Thera
- Bellerophontes
- Berenike
- Bias of Priene
- Bias son of Amythaon
- Bion of Smyrna
- Boethos of Chalkedon
- Briseis
- Bryaxis
C: 8 names
- Chares of Lindos
- Chelidonis
- Chilon of Sparta
- Choirilos of Samos
- Chremonides
- Chrysippos of Soloi
- Chrysis
- Chrysothemis
D: 32 names
- Daimachos
- Danae
- Danaos
- Deianeira
- Deidameia
- Deinomache
- Deiphobos
- Demaratos son of Ariston
- Demetria
- Demetrios of Phaleron
- Demetrios of Skepsis
- Demokritos of Abdera
- Dexippos
- Diagoras of Rhodes
- Diaios
- Dikaiarchos of Messana
- Dikaiarchos the Pirate
- Diodoros Kronos
- Diogenes of Sinope
- Diokles of Karystos
- Diomedes son of Tydeus
- Dion of Syracuse
- Dionysia
- Dionysios of Halikarnassos
- Dionysios the Elder
- Dionysios Thrax
- Diphilos
- Dolon
- Dorieus of Sparta
- Dorimachos
- Douris of Samos
- Drakon the Lawgiver
E: 28 names
- Eirene
- Elpinike daughter of Miltiades
- Epikouros of Samos
- Erasistratos of Keos
- Erato
- Eratosthenes of Kyrene
- Erechtheus
- Erigyios of Mytilene
- Eriphyle
- Eryximachos
- Euenos of Paros
- Eugammon of Kyrene
- Eukleides of Megara
- Eumelos
- Eumelos of Corinth
- Eumenes of Kardia
- Eumenes of Pergamon
- Euphorion of Chalkis
- Euphranor
- Euripides of Salamis
- Euryalos
- Eurydike
- Eurydike daughter of Amyntas
- Eurykleia
- Eurysthenes
- Eurystheus
- Euthydike
- Euthyphron
G: 9 names
- Ganymedes
- Gelon son of Deinomenes
- Glaukippos
- Glaukon son of Ariston
- Glykera
- Glykon of Athens
- Gnathaina
- Gorgo daughter of Kleomenes
- Gylippos
H: 24 names
- Hagesandros of Rhodes
- Harmodios
- Hegemon of Thasos
- Hegesianax
- Hegesias
- Hekataios of Miletos
- Hektor
- Hephaistion
- Herakleia
- Herakleides Pontikos
- Hermesianax of Kolophon
- Hermione
- Hermippos of Smyrna
- Hermokrates
- Herodas
- Hesiodos of Askra
- Hieron of Syracuse
- Hieronymos of Kardia
- Hipparchos son of Peisistratos
- Hipparete daughter of Hipponikos
- Hippodamos of Miletos
- Hippolytos
- Hyperbolos
- Hypermnestra
I: 12 names
- Iason
- Idomeneus
- Io
- Iokaste
- Iolaos
- Ion of Chios
- Ion of Ephesos
- Iphikles
- Iphikrates
- Isaios
- Isokrates
- Ister the Kallimachean
K: 56 names
- Kadmos
- Kadmos of Miletos
- Kalamis
- Kallias son of Hipponikos
- Kallikles of Acharnai
- Kallikrates
- Kallikratidas
- Kallimachos of Kyrene
- Kallisthenes of Olynthos
- Kallisto
- Kallistrate
- Kalonike
- Karneades of Kyrene
- Kassandra
- Kassandros
- Kastor
- Kastor of Rhodes
- Kebes
- Kekrops
- Kephalos
- Kephalos of Syracuse
- Kephisodotos
- Kerkyon
- Kimon son of Miltiades
- Kinaithon
- Kleanthes of Assos
- Kleinias son of Alkibiades
- Kleio
K, continued
- Kleitarchos
- Kleitomachos of Carthage
- Kleitomachos of Thebes
- Kleitos the Black
- Kleoboulos of Lindos
- Kleombrotos
- Kleomenes of Sparta
- Kleomenes the Third
- Kleopatra of Macedon
- Kleophon
- Koinos
- Kolaios of Samos
- Konon son of Timotheos
- Korinna of Tanagra
- Koroibos of Elis
- Krantor of Soloi
- Krates of Mallos
- Krates of Thebes
- Kratinos
- Kreon
- Kresilas of Kydonia
- Kresphontes
- Kritias son of Kallaischros
- Kritolaos the Achaian
- Kyknos
- Kylon of Athens
- Kynane
- Kyniska daughter of Archidamos
L: 29 names
- Lachares
- Laches
- Laios
- Lais of Corinth
- Lampito
- Lanassa
- Laodike
- Leda
- Leochares
- Leonidas of Rhodes
- Leonidas of Taras
- Leonidas son of Anaxandridas
- Leonnatos
- Leontion
- Leotychidas
- Lesches of Pyrrha
- Lygdamis of Naxos
- Lykaon
- Lykon
- Lykon the Peripatetic
- Lykophron of Chalkis
- Lykortas of Megalopolis
- Lykourgos of Athens
- Lykourgos the Lawgiver
- Lysandros of Sparta
- Lysias son of Kephalos
- Lysimache
- Lysimachos of Thrace
- Lysistrate
M: 23 names
- Machanidas
- Machaon
- Medon
- Megasthenes
- Melampous
- Melankomas of Karia
- Meleagros
- Melissa of Corinth
- Melite
- Menaichmos
- Menandros
- Menedemos of Eretria
- Menestheus
- Menon of Pharsalos
- Meriones
- Metrodoros of Lampsakos
- Milon of Kroton
- Mnaseas of Patara
- Mnesikles
- Moero of Byzantion
- Moschos of Syracuse
- Myrrhine
- Myrtis of Anthedon
N: 16 names
- Neanthes of Kyzikos
- Neileus
- Neleus
- Neoptolemos
- Nestor of Pylos
- Nikaia
- Nikandros
- Nikanor son of Parmenion
- Nikaso
- Nikeratos
- Nikias son of Nikeratos
- Nikolaos of Damaskos
- Nikopolis
- Nikostrate
- Niobe
- Nisos
O: 5 names
- Olympias of Epeiros
- Olympiodoros
- Olympos the Phrygian
- Onesikritos
- Onesime
P: 78 names
- Pallas
- Pamphile
- Panaitios of Rhodes
- Pandaros
- Parmenides
- Parmenion
- Patrokles the Explorer
- Patroklos
- Pausanias of Kerameis
- Pausanias the Regent
- Peirithoos
- Peisandros of Kameiros
- Peisistratos son of Hippokrates
- Pelias
- Pelopidas
- Penelope
- Pentheus
- Perdikkas son of Orontes
- Periandros
- Periklymenos
- Phaiax
- Phaidon of Elis
- Phaidros of Myrrhinous
- Phainias of Eresos
- Phalanthos of Sparta
- Phanodemos
- Phanostrate
- Phayllos of Kroton
- Pheidias son of Charmides
- Phila daughter of Antipatros
- Philemon
- Philinna of Larissa
- Philinos
- Philippos son of Amyntas
- Philista
- Philitas of Kos
- Philochoros of Athens
- Philodemos of Gadara
- Philokles
P, continued
- Philoktetes
- Philomela
- Philon of Megara
- Philonike
- Philopappos
- Philopoimen of Megalopolis
- Philoxenos of Kythera
- Phokion the Good
- Phormion
- Phrynichos
- Phylarchos
- Pindaros of Thebes
- Pleistoanax
- Pnytagoras
- Polemon
- Polemon of Ilion
- Polos of Akragas
- Polyeuktos
- Polykleitos of Argos
- Polykrates of Samos
- Polyneikes
- Polyperchon
- Polyxena
- Poseidippos
- Poseidonios of Apameia
- Pratinas of Phleious
- Praxagora
- Praxiteles
- Praxithea
- Prodikos of Keos
- Proitos
- Prokris
- Prokroustes
- Protagoras of Abdera
- Protesilaos
- Ptolemaios son of Seleukos
- Pyrrhon of Elis
- Pythagoras of Rhegion
- Pytheas of Massalia
R: 3 names
- Rhesos
- Rhianos
- Rhinthon of Taras
S: 22 names
- Sappho of Lesbos
- Sarpedon
- Seleukos Nikator
- Semele
- Silanion
- Simmias of Thebes
- Skiron
- Skopas of Aitolia
- Skylax of Karyanda
- Solon son of Exekestides
- Sophron of Syracuse
- Sosibios
- Sostrate
- Sotades
- Sotion of Alexandria
- Sphodrias
- Stasinos
- Stesichoros of Himera
- Sthenelos
- Stilpon
- Stratokles
- Straton of Lampsakos
T: 34 names
- Talthybios
- Teiresias
- Teisamenos
- Tekmessa
- Telamon
- Telesilla of Argos
- Terpandros of Lesbos
- Thais of Athens
- Thaleia
- Theagenes of Thasos
- Theaitetos
- Theano of Kroton
- Themistokles
- Theodoros of Kyrene
- Theodote
- Theokles of Naxos
- Theopompos of Chios
- Theoris
- Theramenes
- Theron of Akragas
- Theseus son of Aigeus
- Thettale
- Thoukydides son of Oloros
- Thrasymachos of Chalkedon
- Timaia
- Timarchos
- Timarete
- Timokleia of Thebes
- Timoleon of Corinth
- Timon of Phleious
- Timotheos son of Konon
- Tlepolemos
- Tydeus
- Tyrtaios
X: 4 names
- Xanthippe
- Xenokrates of Chalkedon
- Xenophanes of Kolophon
- Xenophilos