Greek baby names
Greek names came into English mostly through the early church and its saints (Sebastian, Christopher, Andrew) and later through the classics and myth (Penelope, Chloe). Many are compounds of two words, like Theodore, "god" and "gift", or Alexander, "defend" and "man". Forms such as Luca, Sofia and Elena are filed here because their meaning is Greek. Of the names we have researched, 216 are Greek, given to 271,215 US babies in 2025.
Rising Greek names
Biggest climbers in rank since 2020: Georgina (#1,305 to #689), Elara (#1,554 to #942), Aura (#1,207 to #817), Cleo (#882 to #577), Calliope (#692 to #451), Elio (#1,078 to #388), Alessio (#1,503 to #867), Teo (#1,371 to #794), Evander (#1,047 to #698), Ares (#596 to #290).
Greek girl names (133)
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia | wisdom | #5 | 12,561 |
| Sofia | wisdom | #9 | 8,252 |
| Chloe | young green shoot | #23 | 6,203 |
| Penelope | Origin uncertain | #22 | 6,225 |
| Zoe | life | #31 | 5,646 |
| Elena | Italian/Spanish form of Helen | #42 | 4,836 |
| Maya | #62 | 3,712 | |
| Genesis | origin, beginning | #66 | 3,527 |
| Sophie | wisdom (French form of Sophia) | #55 | 3,984 |
| Iris | rainbow | #61 | 3,729 |
| Athena | #109 | 2,477 | |
| Lydia | woman from Lydia | #92 | 2,692 |
| Cora | maiden (probably) | #113 | 2,428 |
| Ariana | #128 | 2,219 | |
| Margaret | pearl | #112 | 2,436 |
| Melanie | dark, black | #142 | 2,074 |
| Georgia | farmer (feminine of George) | #99 | 2,619 |
| Catalina | #111 | 2,456 | |
| Margot | pearl (French pet form of Marguerite) | #102 | 2,575 |
| Anastasia | resurrection | #163 | 1,832 |
| Katherine | #186 | 1,670 | |
| Andrea | man; manly (feminine of Andrew) | #235 | 1,317 |
| Phoebe | bright, shining | #157 | 1,885 |
| Evangeline | good news (gospel) | #147 | 1,998 |
| Alexandra | defender of men (feminine of Alexander) | #237 | 1,314 |
| Alexis | defender, helper | #554 | 547 |
| Daphne | laurel, bay tree | #178 | 1,740 |
| Stevie | pet form of Stephen, Steven or Stephanie | #203 | 1,496 |
| Selena | #268 | 1,170 | |
| Elaina | variant of Elaine (Helen) | #267 | 1,176 |
| Ophelia | help (Greek, via an Italian coinage) | #264 | 1,183 |
| Angela | angel, messenger | #408 | 765 |
| Maisie | pet form of Margaret ('pearl') | #233 | 1,328 |
| Maggie | pet form of Margaret ('pearl') | #294 | 1,041 |
| Angelina | little angel | #347 | 875 |
| Thea | short form of Dorothea or Theodora | #353 | 867 |
| Alessia | defender (Italian form of Alexis) | #326 | 937 |
| Nicole | victory of the people (feminine of Nicholas) | #383 | 803 |
| Elaine | Old French form of Helen | #305 | 1,007 |
| Melissa | bee, honeybee | #420 | 747 |
More: Demi, Colette, Alessandra, Veronica, Alexandria, Helen, Helena, Dorothy, Lyra, Kate, Stephanie, Lexi, Calliope, Katie, Sasha, Margo, Alejandra, Rhea, Cleo, Alexa, Cassandra, Angelica, Melina, Thalia, Irene, Jenesis, Kathryn, Kyra, Andi, Penny, Megan, Artemis, Persephone, Theodora, Georgina, Iliana, Elina, Teresa, Greta, Cynthia, Alexia, Tiffany, Zoya, Aura, Angelique, Ellen, Corinne, Sandra, Agnes, Marjorie, Karen, Elara, Meghan, Sonia, Cassie, Angeline, Rita, Kari, Denise, Delia, Inez, Lois, Asia, Katrina, Cindy, Margarita, Sonya, Eunice, Dorothea, Effie, Doris, Dora, Therese, Sandy, Kathy, Nikki, Sonja, Eugenia, Rhoda, Gretchen, Christy, Bernice, Helene, Terri, Margie, Doreen, Karin, Peggy, Trina, Eula, Phyllis, Meagan, Sondra.
Greek boy names (83)
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theodore | gift of God | #4 | 13,355 |
| Lucas | 'man from Lucania' (via Luke) | #10 | 10,219 |
| Sebastian | from Sebaste; 'venerable' | #16 | 8,605 |
| Alexander | defender of men | #30 | 7,230 |
| Luca | Italian form of Luke | #14 | 8,759 |
| Luke | 'man from Lucania' | #33 | 6,948 |
| Angel | angel; messenger | #67 | 4,757 |
| Christopher | bearer of Christ | #68 | 4,748 |
| Andrew | man; manly | #73 | 4,497 |
| Theo | short form of Theodore: gift of God | #82 | 3,945 |
| Atlas | #75 | 4,413 | |
| Nicholas | victory of the people | #112 | 3,115 |
| Jace | short form of Jason: healer | #114 | 3,083 |
| Damian | to tame | #109 | 3,213 |
| George | farmer, earth-worker | #126 | 2,848 |
| Jason | healer | #165 | 2,224 |
| Leon | lion | #138 | 2,583 |
| Jayce | pet form of Jason | #167 | 2,199 |
| Phoenix | phoenix (mythical bird) | #329 | 1,027 |
| Alex | defender (short form of Alexander) | #232 | 1,515 |
| Alejandro | defender of men | #195 | 1,842 |
| Peter | rock, stone | #187 | 1,954 |
| Andres | man; manly (Spanish form of Andrew) | #200 | 1,744 |
| Timothy | honoring God | #203 | 1,734 |
| Xander | defender of men (short form of Alexander) | #259 | 1,335 |
| Adonis | lord (Semitic adon, probably) | #241 | 1,462 |
| Kyrie | O Lord (Greek) | #244 | 1,416 |
| Nico | victory of the people (short form of Nicholas) | #174 | 2,066 |
| Lukas | man from Lucania (form of Lucas) | #288 | 1,161 |
| Steven | crown, wreath (form of Stephen) | #271 | 1,261 |
| Jorge | farmer (Spanish form of George) | #323 | 1,069 |
| Angelo | angel, messenger | #304 | 1,124 |
| Colin | pet form of Nicholas; also Gaelic Cailean | #343 | 950 |
| Andre | manly (French form of Andrew) | #368 | 868 |
| Orion | #334 | 1,012 | |
| Zander | short form of Alexander ('defender of men') | #397 | 804 |
| Ares | #290 | 1,157 | |
| Hector | holding fast | #409 | 779 |
| Apollo | #445 | 708 | |
| Pedro | stone, rock (Spanish form of Peter) | #455 | 684 |
More: Damon, Esteban, Collin, Leonidas, Andy, Troy, Philip, Leandro, Pierce, Gregory, Atreus, Alessandro, Dorian, Jayceon, Nikolai, Elio, Jayson, Ander, Nikolas, Chris, Dennis, Ambrose, Evander, Alec, Thaddeus, Anders, Teo, Felipe, Eugene, Alistair, Demetrius, Alessio, Jerome, Nick, Steve, Myron, Gene, Dwight, Pete, Tim, Homer, Greg, Timmy.
How origins are assigned
Each name gets one origin: the language its meaning comes from, which is not always the language it reached English through. Mateo is Spanish in form but Hebrew in origin, so it is listed as Hebrew. The lists cover the roughly 2,000 most used names we have researched so far. Common meanings among Greek names: god, protector, jewel.