Saturday, January 23, 2016

Chloe, Zoe, Penelope, Phoebe, Daphne, Ariadne......

Is it just me, or are Greek-origin "-ee" names for girls having a good time in the US right now? The titular names are all in the US Top 1000--Zoe & Chloe are #s 32 & 18 respectively (8 & 13 if you go by NameNerds), Penelope has had an amazing rise over the last decade, Phoebe & Daphne have been slowly creeping up, and Ariadne is now in the Top 1000. And while they don't rank yet, I wouldn't be surprised to see Calliope and/or Persephone join them soon.
Think we can find some more? I do too! ;)
(note: I'm mostly listing the "traditional" English pronunciations [Erasmian, for you fellow nerds], which really don't necessarily match the Greek at all.)

  • Agathe (AG-ah-thee)--original form of Agatha, "good"
  • Agaue (ah-GOW-ee)--"noble"
  • Aikaterine (eye-kah-tah-REE-nee)--original form of Katherine
  • Aithre (EYE-three)--"clear sky"
  • Alexiroe (al-eks-EER-oh-ee)
  • Alkimede (al-KIM-ed-ee)--"mighty cunning". Latinized form is Alcimede (al-SIM-ed-ee). 
  • Alkinoe (al-KIN-oh-ee)--"strong mind". Latinized form is Alcinoe (al-SIN-oh-ee). 
  • Alkyone (al-KYE-on-ee)--"kingfisher" [a bird]. Latinized form is Alcyone (al-SYE-on-ee).  
  • Anchiroe (an-KEER-oh-ee)
  • Andromache (an-DROM-ah-kee)
  • Anthe (AN-thee)--"bloom"
  • Antigone (an-TIG-on-ee)
  • Anyte (an-EYE-tee)
  • Aoide (ay-EE-dee)--"song"
  • Arachne (ah-RAK-nee)--"spider" [probably could have guessed that one, right?]
  • Ariadne (ar-ee-AHD-nee, ehr-ee-AD-nee)--"most holy"
  • Arke (AR-kee)--"swift". Latinized form is Arce (AHR-see). 
  • Arsinoe (ar-SIN-oh-ee)--"lifting the mind"
  • Atalante (at-ah-LAN-tee)
  • Athene (ah-THEE-nee)--form of Athena
  • Berenice (behr-en-EE-see)--"bringing victory" [Latinized]
  • Beroe (BEHR-oh-ee)
  • Caliadne (kal-ee-AD-nee)--"beautiful and holy"
  • Calliope (kah-LYE-oh-pee)--"beautiful voice"
  • Callirhoe (kal-EER-oh-ee)--"beautiful stream"
  • Calliste (kah-LIST-ee)--"most beautiful"
  • Carme (KAR-mee)
  • Chelone (kel-OH-nee)--"tortoise"
  • Chione (KYE-on-ee)--"snow"
  • Chloe (KLOH-ee)--"green shoot"
  • Chrysanthe (kris-AN-thee)--"golden flower"
  • Cleone (klee-OH-nee)--prob. "glory"
  • Danaë (DAN-ah-ee)
  • Daphne (DAF-nee)--"laurel"
  • Dione (DYE-oh-nee, dee-OH-nee)--"of Zeus"
  • Eione (AY-oh-nee, ay-OH-nee)
  • Eirene (ay-REE-nee)--original form of Irene, "peace"
  • Elete (EL-et-ee)
  • Enarete (en-AR-et-ee)
  • Euadne (yoo-AD-nee)--"very holy". Latinized form is Evadne (eh-VAD-nee, eh-VAHD-nee).
  • Euanthe (yoo-AN-thee)--"good flower". Latinized form is Evanthe (eh-VAN-thee).
  • Euarne (yoo-AR-nee)--poss. "good lamb". Latinized form is Evarne (eh-VAR-nee). 
  • Eudore (yoo-DOHR-ee)--"good gift"
  • Eulimene (yoo-LIM-en-ee)--"good harbor"
  • Eunoe (yoo-NOH-ee)--"good mind"
  • Eupheme (yoo-FEE-mee)--"good speaking"
  • Euphrosyne (yoo-FROS-in-ee)--"mirth"
  • Gaiane (GYE-an-ee)--"of Gaia"
  • Galene (gah-LEE-nee)--"calm"
  • Glauke (GLOW-kee)--"blue-grey".
  • Helene (hel-EN-ee)--original form of Helen. Modern Greek form is Elene (el-EH-nee).
  • Hermione (her-MYE-oh-nee)--"of Hermes"
  • Herse (HER-see)--"dew"
  • Hesione (hes-EYE-on-ee)--"forethought"
  • Hyale (HYE-ah-lee)--"crystal"
  • Ianthe (eye-AN-thee)--"violet flower"
  • Iole (EYE-oh-lee, eye-OH-lee)--"violet"
  • Ione (EYE-oh-nee, eye-OH-nee)--"violet flower"
  • Ismene (is-MEE-nee)--"knowledge"
  • Kallistrate (kah-LIS-trah-tee, kal-is-TRAH-tee)
  • Kleide (KLAY-dee)
  • Kore (KOHR-ee)--"maiden"
  • Kyane (KYE-an-ee)--"cyan". Latinized form is Cyane (SYE-an-ee). 
  • Kyrene (kye-REE-nee)--poss. "lordly". Latinized form is Cyrene (sye-REE-nee).
  • Kyriake (keer-ee-ah-KEE)
  • Liriope (leer-EYE-op-ee)--"narcissus flower". Another form is Leiriope (lay-RYE-op-ee). 
  • Lysistrate (lis-IS-trah-tee, lis-is-TRAH-tee)
  • Magdalene (mag-dah-LEE-nee)
  • Melaine (mel-EYE-nee)--original form of Melanie, "black". 
  • Melete (MEL-eh-tee)
  • Melinoe (mel-IN-oh-ee)--prob. "dark mind" or "reconciling mind". Another form is Meilinoe (may-LIN-oh-ee).
  • Melite (MEL-it-ee)--"honey"
  • Merope (MEHR-op-ee)
  • Minthe (MIN-thee)--"mint"
  • Mneme (NEE-mee)--"memory"
  • Myrrine (meer-EE-nee)--"myrrh"
  • Myrsine (meer-SEE-nee)--poss. "myrrh"
  • Nakole (nah-KOH-lee)
  • Nephele (NEF-eh-lee)--"cloud"
  • Nesaie (nes-EYE-ee)--"island"
  • Nike (NYE-kee)--"victory"
  • Niobe (nye-OH-bee, NYE-ob-ee)
  • Oenone (en-OH-nee, ee-NOH-nee)
  • Pallene (pal-EE-nee)
  • Parthenope (par-THEN-op-ee)
  • Penelope (pen-EL-op-ee)
  • Persephone (pur-SEF-on-ee)
  • Phaisyle (FYE-sil-ee)--"shining". Latinized form is Phaesyle (FEE-sil-ee). 
  • Pheme (FEE-mee)--"fame, rumour"
  • Phile (FYE-lee)--"beloved"
  • Philonoe (fil-ON-oh-ee)--"loving mind" or "beloved mind"
  • Philyre (FIL-er-ee)--"linden tree"
  • Phoebe (FEE-bee)--"bright" [Latinized]
  • Photine (foh-TEE-nee)--"light"
  • Phryne (FRYE-nee)
  • Psamathe (SAM-ah-thee)--"sand goddess"
  • Rhene (REE-nee)
  • Roxane (rohks-AH-nee)--form of Roxanne, "dawn"
  • Salome (sah-LOH-mee)
  • Sappheire (saf-AY-ree)--"sapphire"
  • Selene (sel-EE-nee)--"moon"
  • Semele (SEM-el-ee)
  • Sinoe (SIN-oh-ee)--poss. "mischievous"
  • Sophrosyne (soh-FROS-in-ee)--"self-control"
  • Sose (SOH-see)--"safe"
  • Tereine (ter-AY-nee)--"piercing"
  • Thelxinoe (thelks-IN-oh-ee)--"enchanting mind"
  • Theone (thee-OH-nee)--"of god"
  • Theonoe (thee-ON-oh-ee)--"intelligent goddess"
  • Thisbe (THIS-bee)
  • Thoe (THOH-ee)--"swift"
  • Tyche (TYE-kee)--"luck"
  • Xanthe (ZAN-thee)
  • Xanthippe (zan-THIP-ee)
  • Xene (ZEN-ee)
  • Zoe (ZOH-ee)--"life"
  • Zosime (ZOH-sim-ee)


As usual, this is nowhere near an extensive list! I narrowed to names that seemed usable in English, had interesting backstories or meanings, or were just fun to say.

Will I have a cat named Thelxinoe someday?
Probably. 

No comments:

Post a Comment