Greek name

Ancient Greeks generally had a single name, often qualified with a patronymic, a clan or tribe, or a place of origin. Married women were identified by the name of their husbands, not their fathers.

Hereditary family names or surnames began to be used by elites in the Byzantine period. Well into the 9th century, they were rare. But by the 11th and 12th centuries, elite families often used family names.^[1][2] Family names came from placenames, nicknames, or occupations.^[3]

During the Ottoman period, surnames with Turkish prefixes such as "Hatzi-" ("Hacı"), "Kara-" ("brave") and suffixes such as "-(i)lis" ("li/lı" meaning "of"), "-tzis" ("ci/cı/çi/çı" meaning "-maker, -smith"), and "-oglou" ("oğlu" meaning "son of") became common, especially among Anatolian Greeks. It is not clear when stable family surnames became widely used. Though elite families often had stable family names, many of the "last names" used by Greeks into the 19th century were either patronymics or nicknames. It is also possible that family names were simply not recorded because Ottoman administrative practice preferred patronymics and did not require surnames.^[4]

In the 19th century, patronymic surnames became common.

For personal names, from the first century CE until the nineteenth century CE, pagan names from antiquity were mostly replaced by names from Christian scriptures and tradition. With the Modern Greek Enlightenment and the development of Greek nationalism, names from antiquity became popular again.^[5]

Family names may be patronymic in origin or else based on occupation, location, or personal characteristic. These origins are often indicated by prefixes or suffixes. Traditionally a woman used a feminine version of her father's family name, replacing it with a feminine version of her husband's family name on marriage. In modern Greece, a woman keeps her father's family name for life but may use a husband's name.

Until the late 18th century, almost all Christian Greeks were named for Orthodox saints from the Old and New Testaments and early Christian tradition. Since then, names of both deities and mortals from antiquity have been popular as well.^[5]

Male names usually end in -ας, -ης, ούς, and -ος, but sometimes ancient forms are also used. Female names almost always end in -α and -η, though a few end in -ώ with -ου being possible.

Most Greek first names in Katharévousa (which can be considered the "official" form of the first name) generally correspond to a demotic form, as well as customary shortened and/or diminutive variations. The Katharévousa form, itself equivalent to the name's form in Ancient Greek, is used in official papers, while the demotic form or the shortened/diminutive forms are the forms used in everyday life.

Demotic forms tend to demonstrate endings that have undergone regularization. (For instance, in men's names, the oblique stem in the Katharévousa form is sometimes suffixed with -ας (gen. -α) to create the Demotic form of the name.)

*The oblique stems of the ancient names in -ις, whose descendants appear with -η/-ης and -ιδα/-ιδας, varied. At the very least, the initial origins of Demotic's -ιδα/-ιδας was almost certainly Ancient Greek's -ις/-ιδος (with the oblique stem being suffixed with -α/-ας).

Since antiquity, there has been a strong tradition of naming the first and second sons after the paternal and maternal grandfathers and the first and second daughters after the paternal and maternal grandmothers.^[6] Although this tradition is partially challenged in modern urban Greece, it is still practiced in much of the country.

This results in a continuation of names in the family line, but cousins with the same official name are almost always called by different shortened forms or diminutives. These variants make it possible to differentiate between cousins despite these traditionally having the same official names because they are traditionally named after their grandparents.

The use of shortened forms is widespread in Greek. Most Greek first names correspond to a customary shortened form. These are constructed by breaking one or more syllables, at the beginning or at the end of the first name, resulting in a form generally in two or even three syllables. The formation of these can be done according to different methods, either alone or combined with each other:

• Apheresis (loss of syllables at the beginning of the name); for example: Παναγιώτα (Panagióta) → Γιώτα (Gióta)
• Apocope (loss of syllables at the end of the name); for example: Νικόλαος (Nikólaos) → Νίκος (Níkos)
• Syncope (loss of syllables inside the name); for example: Θεόδωρος (Theódoros) → Θόδωρος (Thódoros)
• Assimilation (propagation of a sound on the neighboring sound); for example: Πηνελόπη (Pinelópi) → Πόπη (Pópi)
• Repetition; for example: Παρασκευή (Paraskeví) → Βιβή (Viví)
• Borrowing from another language, notably English; for example: Βασίλειος (Vasíleios) → Μπίλης (Bílis, Billy); Αθανασία (Athanasia) → Νάνσυ (Nánsy, Nancy)
• Using another shorter Greek name of similar sound; for example: Παρασκευάς (Paraskevas) → Πάρις (Paris)

Another method of variation is the use of diminutives. Diminutive forms are constructed by adding a suffix, either to the first name, or to the shortened version of the first name. The suffixes are generally:

• -άκης (-akis) or -ούλης (-oulis) for masculine nouns
• -ίτσα (-itsa), -ούλα (-oula), or -ιώ (-io) for feminine nouns

Furthermore, diminutives themselves have shortened forms. For example, Takis may be short for Kostakis or Panagiotakis, themselves derived from Konstantinos and Panagiotis.

There is a strong clustering of first names by locality according to patron saints, famous churches, or monasteries. Examples:

• Spyridon and Spyridoula in Corfu
• Gerasimos in Kefalonia
• Dionysios and Dionysia in Zakynthos,
• Andreas or Andrea or Androulla in Patras and the rest of Achaea province, as well as Cyprus and Andreanos (Ανδρεάνος) or Andreana (Ανδρεάνα) Cyprus
• Markellos / Markos and Markella in Chios
• Savvas, Charalambis for those descended from Asia Minor
• Emmanuel or Manolis, Iosif (Joseph) or Sifis or Iosifina (Josephine), Manousos, and Minas or Mina in Crete
• Tsambikos or Tsampika/Mika, Katholikos or Katholiki, Archangelos or Archangela in Rhodes.
• Stratis or Stratoula and Taxiarchis or Taxiarchoula, Rafail or Rafailia in Lesbos.

When Greek names are used in other languages, they are sometimes rendered phonetically, such as Eleni for Ἑλένη, and sometimes by their equivalents, like Helen in English or Hélène in French. Vasiliki (Βασιλική) is Basilique in French. Elisavet (Ελισάβετ) is Elizabeth in English or Elliezet in French. In the United States, there are also conventional anglicizations based on phonetic similarity rather than etymology, for example James or Jimmy for Δημήτρης/Dimitris (nickname Ντίμης/Dimis, Ντέμης/Demis hence Jimmy), despite the English name James and its diminutive Jimmy actually coming from Greek Ἰάκωβος Iakobos, English Jacob (through Vulgar Latin Iacomus from Latin Iacobus, which is the Latinized form of Ἰάκωβος Iakobos in the Vulgate and originally the Greek New Testament).

Names that contain light : Eleonora, Phaidra, Chrisiida, Eleni, Irida, Aura, Electra, Iliana, Fotini, Fotía, Fenia, Phaedon, Fotios, Fotinos.

Royal names : Vasiliki, Elisavet, Margarita, Christina, Alexander, Stefanos.

Majestic names: Eleanora, Vasiliki, Kleopatra, Valeria, Rafailia, Violeta, Victoria, Alexandra.

The most beautiful names: Valeria, Vasiliki, Violeta.

Angelic names: Angelikos, Angeliki, Archangelos, Archangela, Evangelos, Evangelia, Gavriil, Gavriilia, Michail, Michailia, Rafaíl, Rafailía.

Little names: Lydia, Aliki, Sofia, Melina.

Names and hair color: Blonde Hair: Eleonora, Eleni, Aliki, Nefeli.

Black Hair: Nicoletta, Daphne.

Brown Hair: Vasiliki, Daphne, Danae, Valeria, Violetta.

The name Mariannos comes from the names: Marios, Ioannis or the whole Mariannos in the Church is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If it is heard as two names it celebrates: the Virgin Mary (August 15) and Saint John the Baptist (January 7.) If it is heard as a whole it celebrates: Saint Marianna (February 28.)

The name Marianna comes from the names: Maria, Anna or the whole Marianna in the Church is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If heard as two names it celebrates: Virgin Mary (August 15) and Saint Anna (December 9 or July 25). If heard as a whole it celebrates: Saint Marianna (February 28).

The name Marianthi comes from the names Maria which is the name of the Virgin Mary and means Strong, Fertile and from the name Anthi which comes from the Ancient Greek word Anthos which means Flower. In the Church it is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If you hear it as two separate names it celebrate the Virgin Mary (August 15) and Anthis (December 15) if you hear it as a whole it celebrates her (September 1).

The name Raphailia (Baptismal name) comes from Saint Raphael and from the words God and Healing which means God Heals. It is celebrated two days after Easter. Saint Raphael together with Saints Nicholas and Eirini were martyred in 1463 on Lesvos. The canonical name is Raphailia. Raphaela is another name and can only be used as a diminutive. It is the Catholic - Italian feminine of the name Raphaelo. It celebrates (Saint Raphael) on April 22 and the Archangels (Archangel Raphael) on November 8.

The name Emmanouilia comes from the name Emmanouil which is Holy and means God with us and was given to Christ as the prophets had predicted. The canonical name is Emmanuelia. The Emmanuela is the feminine of Emmanuelos and can only be used as a diminutive as it is another name.

The name Aliki is a proper name and does not originate as a diminutive of other names. It celebrates the day on which the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saint Alix of the Suffering (July 17.)

The name Phaedon is an Ancient Greek name. The etymology of the name means: Shining, Bright, Beautiful. Celebrates: the Holy Epiphany (January 6.)

The name Vasiliki is one of the most Aristocratic, Elegant Female, majestic and melodious names that exist. The etymology of the name means that she is a Royal woman, she is the one who belongs to the King. Diminutives of the name (Vasiliko, Vasilikoula, Vicky.) The diminutives do not come from the name Vasiliki: (Vasilio, Vasilo, Vaso, Vasoula, Vasia, Vana, Valia, Kiki, Koula, Betty, Bessy, Vili, Vasileia,Vasilitsa, Vasilina Silia, Sylia, Aliki.) Celebrated (January 1.)

Greek family names are most commonly patronymics but may also be based on occupation, personal characteristics or location. The feminine version is usually the genitive of the family name of the woman's father or husband; so, for example, Mr. Yannatos and Mrs. Yannatou.

As a result of their codification in the Modern Greek state, surnames have Katharevousa forms even though Katharevousa is no longer the official standard. Thus, the Ancient Greek name Eleutherios forms the Modern Greek proper name Lefteris. In the past, people in speaking used the family name followed by the given name, so John Eleutherios was called Leftero-giannis. In modern practice he is called Giannis Eleftheriou, where Giannis is the popular form of the formal Ioannis but Eleftheriou is an archaic genitive. For women, the surname is usually a Katharevousa genitive of a male name, whereas back in Byzantine times there were separate feminine forms of male surnames, such as Palaiologína for Palaiológos which nowadays would be Palaiológou.^[7][8]

In the past, women would change their surname on first marrying to that of their husband in the genitive case, so marking the change of dependence to husband from father. In early Modern Greek society, women were named with -aina as a feminine suffix on the husband's given name, for example "Giorgaina" signifying "wife of George". Nowadays, a woman's surname does not change upon marriage but she can use the husband's surname socially. Children usually receive the paternal surname, though some children receive the maternal surname in addition or exclusively.^[9]

The use of the patronymic as part of a personal name in everyday language is scarce and virtually non-existent, unlike languages with Eastern Slavic naming customs. It is used in lieu of the father's full name and it is inserted between a person's given name and surname. The use of the matronymic is even more rare.

In a dated, self-styling practice, if Ioánnis Papadopoulos has a daughter whose first name is María and a son whose first name is Andreas, their full names will be María Ioánnou Papadopoúlou and Andréas Ioánnou Papadópoulos. If María then marries George Demetriádes, she may retain her maiden name or choose to be styled María Geōrgíou Demetriádou. If she is widowed, she will revert to her father's patronymic but retain her husband's surname to become María Ioánnou Demetriádou. This largely obsolete styling practice is not reflected in official documents or the spoken language, but could be utilized by, e.g., authors or anyone who uses his/her name for business purposes.

The foremost-and compulsory-identification document in Greece, the Greek identity card, includes name information as follows:

1. Surname (Επώνυμο)
2. Given name(s) (Όνομα)
3. Father's name (Όνομα Πατέρα)
4. Father's surname (Επώνυμο Πατέρα)
5. Mother's name (Όνομα Μητέρας)
6. Mother's surname (Επώνυμο Μητέρας)

Out of the six fields, only the first three are transliterated in English per ELOT 743/ISO 843. The first two comprise the personal name and the rest is just identity information. The Cypriot identity card also includes father's and mother's name and surname in Greek and English; however, all fields are transliterated.

In other significant identity documents, like the Greek passport and Greek driving license, compliant to European standards, the mother's and father's names are completely omitted. Corresponding documents in Cyprus omit them as well.

In other official documents in Greece, such as a marriage certificate, names are included accordingly (Surname/Given Names/Father's Name/Father's Surname/Mother's Name/Mother's Surname).

In report cards and the Apolytirion, the students' names are displayed as "(student's full name) of (father's full name) and (mother's full name)".

However, in universities and specifically university degrees, the practice varies. For example, university degrees of the Aegean University displays graduates' names as "(student's surname and name) of (father's given name)",^[10] whilst degrees from the University of West Attica display both the patronymic and the matronymic.^[11]

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• Valeria / Violeta
• Daphne / Danae

• Vasiliki / Emmelia

• -akis (-άκης): diminutive suffix associated with Crete. A surname such as Michalakis would mean "little Michalis", "young Michalis" or "son of Michalis". Examples are: "Mitsotakis", "Theodorakis" and "Androulakis". This suffix was also very common for Cretan Turks up until they were officially changed with the Surname Law. The suffix was introduced in the 19th century.^[13]
• -akos (-άκος): associated with Laconia, particularly Maniots from the Laconian part of the Mani peninsula. Examples are: "Xarhakos", "Antonakos" and "Polymenakos".
• -eas (-έας): associated with Maniots from the Messinian part of the Mani peninsula. Examples are: "Koteas", "Georgeas" and "Michaleas".
• -opoulos (-όπουλος): meaning "descendant of", originated from the Peloponnese but has become very widespread. Examples are: "Stamatelopoulos", "Papadopoulos" and "Anagnostopoulos". It can also be coined using ethnonyms, such as Frangopoulos (Φραγκόπουλος) meaning "son of a Frank", or Voulgaropoulos (Βουλγαρόπουλος) meaning "son of a Bulgarian".
• -oulis (-ούλης): mainly from Thessaly, it is a diminutive, which is also used as a diminutive for place names in the region such as Giannouli and Damasouli . Examples are: "Georgoulis", "Giannoulis" and "Spanoulis".
• -as (-ας): names with two syllables ending in -as are associated with Epirus. Examples are: "Melas", "Dimas" and "Zappas".
• -atos (-άτος): from Kefalonia, of Venetian derivation.^[14][15] Examples are: "Marinatos", "Cosmatos" and "Laskaratos".
• -ellis (-έλλης): associated with the island of Lesbos, possibly of Italian derivation. Examples are: "Kanellis" and "Alepoudellis".
• -ousis (-ούσης): the suffix -ousis (often transliterated as -oussis in English) is associated with the island of Chios. Examples are: "Angelicoussis" and "Merousis".
• -oudis (-ούδης): associated with Thrace. Examples are: "Alexoudis" and "Barboudis".
• -idis or -ides and -iadis or iades (-ίδης/-ιάδης): meaning 'son of' or 'descendant of'. The suffix -idis (often transliterated as -ides in English and French) is the oldest in use. Zeus, for example, was also referred to as Cronides ("son of Cronus"). -idis was the most common suffix in Byzantium, Bithynia and Byzantine Thrace, and was extensively used by Pontic Greeks and Caucasus Greeks in the Pontic Alps, northeast Anatolia, Georgia, the former Kars Oblast, and sometimes in Epirus, Corfu and some Aegean islands. Since the 1923 Population exchange between Greece and Turkey, it has become prevalent in areas where large numbers of Pontic refugees settled, particularly Macedonia, Western Thrace and the Athens metropolitan area. Examples are: "Stavridis", "Athanasiadis" and "Kastanidis".
• -itis, -iotis (-ίτης, -ιώτης): meaning "of" or "from" a place. Examples are: "Politis" from polis (meaning city, usually referring to Constantinople, which in Greek is simply known as "the city") and "Chiotis" from Chios.
• -lis (-λής): Turkish suffix for "of" or "from" a place, like the Greek suffixes -itis and -iotis. Examples are: "Karamanlis" and "Kasdaglis".
• -oglou (-όγλου): from the Turkish -oğlu meaning "son of", generally associated with Greeks from Asia Minor. Examples are: "Tsolakoglou", "Ardizoglou" and "Patsatzoglou".
• -ou (-ου): a genitive mainly from Cyprus. Examples are: "Afxentiou", "Konstantinou" and "Georgiou".
• -tzis (-τζής): suffix to signify a profession derived from the Turkish suffix -cı/-ci/-cu, like the English -er in Baker or Butcher. Examples are: "Arabatzis" (from the Turkish arabacı meaning "cart driver") and "Kouyioumtzis" (from the Turkish kuyumcu meaning "jeweller").
• -ois (-όης, -ώης): mostly found in Aetolia-Acarnania. Examples are: "Kois", "Lois" and "Zois".^[9]
• -e (-ε): many are dating back to the Frankokratia and are of Romance etymology. Examples are: "Portosalte" and "Negroponte".^{[citation needed]}

• Onomastics