The Art of Naming

This name is a fast-rising modern Greek name for girls. It was featured in this week's list of gorgeous Greek names and we will learn more about it here. The usage of the name Penelope dates back to Homers Odyssey. In the story, she was the wife of Odysseus who had to stand strong against suitors while he was in Troy. As far as the origin and meaning go, it was possibly derived from the Greek  πηνελοψ ( penelops ) which refers to a kind of duck. However, it is also possible that Penelope is taken from  πηνη ( pene ) which means "threads" and  ωψ (ops) which means "face" or "eye". With those combined, Penelope is sometimes listed as meaning "weaver". As a name in America, Penelope has been in use since records began in 1880 but it wasn't steadily used until 1909. It ranked well from 1935-1975, but left the Top 1000 until 2001. It was majorly trending upward from then on, hitting the Top 100 in 2013. As of 2015, it ranks as the 34...

Last week we took a look at boy names that are either diminutives of ancient Greek names, or have had their spellings more Latinized or modernized over the years.  Now it's time to look at the feminine name choices. Many of these have been in use for a long time whether or not the wearers realize their Greek origins. Greek names tend to be very versatile. They easily cross bridges into several cultures and languages, allowing nearly anyone to use them in one form or another. Here are some of the best Greek names I could find that would work beautifully on modern girls. Which of these do you like best? Althea Anastasia Ariadne Calista Calliope Cassandra Catherine Chloe Cleo Daphne Delphina Diana Dorothy Elaina Ellen Esmeralda Eugenia Eulalia Evadne Helen Helena Hermione Iris Isadora Kyra Lydia Lysandra Melanie Melissa Oceana Odessa Olympia Ophelia Penelope Persephone Phaedra Philippa Phoebe Selene Sophia Sybil Thalia Thea Theodora Th...

One of my favorite Greek names is Damian, which comes from the Greek name Δαμιανος ( Damianos ).  This name was listed on the Great Greek Names for Modern Boys list posted earlier this week. Damian is ultimately derived from the  Greek δαμαζω ( damazo ) meaning "to tame".  There was a saint by this name from the 4th century who was martyred with his twin brother Cosmo in Syria. There was also an 11th-century saint named Peter Damian who was a cardinal and theologian from Italy. In the US, Damian was first used on boys in 1912. It also gained a minimal amount of use for girls in 1968. For boys, this name gained momentum in the 1970s, peaking in 1977 before dipping a bit again. By the 1990s, it began an upward trajectory of usage. It actually cracked the Top 100 in 2012-2013 at #98 both years. Even though it has dropped again to #116 in 2015, Damian is a solid name with great usage. There's also a few spelling variations associated with different languages and cu...

Greek names are fascinating, however, many of them are too wrapped up in archaic spellings to be considered usable today. But over the centuries, some of those names developed diminutives or were passed through a process of modernization to make them easier on our ears today.  Here are some of the most usable Greek boy names around! Which do you enjoy most? Alexander Andrew Apollo Atlas Calix Christopher Damian Demetrius Erasmus Evander Flavian George Gregory Hector Isidore Jason Jericho Leander Leonidas Lucas Lysander Maximos Memphis Nicholas Odysseus Orion Peter Phillip Phoenix Sebastian Stephen Thaddeus Theodore Theon Thomas Timothy Titus Troy Xander Zacchaeus Zander Zephyr Are there any other traditionally Greek names that you could consider using on a modern boy?

Loading... Thank you for voting! If you'd like to submit your own favorite name combinations to be used in future Names of the Month polls,  go to this page and enter them!    Check  Facebook ,  Twitter  or  Instagram  on May 1st to see which names won.

Congratulations on the little girl you're expecting in the near to distant future!  I couldn't be happier for you!  Not pregnant? No problem. If you're looking for an unusual name for a book character, pet, or simulated video game character, I'm happy that you've also stumbled across this page. Below are ten interesting names that have either had their heyday in your grandparents era, or have never quite taken off.  Either way, these names deserve consideration if you're into the uncommon. Go on, browse a bit, then be sure to check out the other six parts of this series  for even more ideas! Damaris (161 births - #1,428) Damaris was a woman in the New Testament who was converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. It is a Greek name from the word δαμαλις ( damalis ) which possibly means "calf, heifer, girl". The meaning is a little unusual but the biblical association makes up for it. Damaris has been used for girls in the US since 1916. It also ga...

Ahhh! Part Seven! Here we are! The series just keeps chugging along with another 10 boy names to choose from! These barely-used names do not rank within 2015's Top 1000 chart. Take a look at the names on this list, pick your favorite(s) and pair them with a great middle name in the comment section below! Cordell (129 births - #1342) Cordell is an interesting surname name taken from Middle English usage referring to the maker or seller of cord. Cordell actually first appeared in 1903 for females, and 1904 for males. However, over the years, it gained more traction for boys, despite being given to a handful of girls here and there until 1937. For boys, Cordell has ranked on and off in the Top 1000, doing the best in the late 1990s.  Now it has fallen off the charts again but still earns a decent amount of births per year. Is this a name that you'd consider? Middle Name Ideas:  Cordell William, Cordell Elijah, Cordell Frost, Cordell Thomas, Cordell Ryan, Cordell S...