Greek mythology is filled with fantastic stories
and legends about incredible people, and while
many of the names found within these ancient
stories are a little too archaic for day-to-day
use, the vast array of characters means that
there's still a lot of inspiration for baby
names.
Since some of the even the most obscure ancient
names have been updated, their modern incarnations
could make a perfectly charming name for your
own little hero or heroine.
Sibyl
Sibylla was a prophetess in Greek legend,
and she was an ancient figure even by ancient
Greek standards.
The original Sibylla was rumored to have lived
somewhere in Turkey some time in the 5th century
BC, spouting her prophecies while in the grip
of an ecstatic frenzy.
By the next century, the name had morphed
into the title of sibyl, and was given to
all oracles who made prophecies and relayed
messages from the gods.
Sibyls were also respected by the Romans and
even revered as prophetesses by early Christians.
As a name, Sibyl became popular in the Middle
Ages, although it eventually fell out of fashion.
Today, Sibyl's lull in popularity once again
makes it a unique name with a long history.
Zeno
In Greek mythology, Zeus was the chief deity
who wielded thunderbolts and sent storms,
rain, and wind to the earth.
While the name Zeus might be a rather unorthodox
choice for a baby name, there's an adorable
variation derived from the name that feels
a little more modern in spite of its ancient
roots.
Zeno is an shortened version of Zenon, which
ultimately comes from Zeus.
The father of men and gods alike, Zeus is
the all-seeing, all-powerful deity, symbolized
by the eagle and the thunderbolt.
He rewarded good behavior, punished the bad,
and was seen as a protector of cities, the
home, and the hearth.
Even in the ancient world, parents were naming
their children after the father god: several
Greek philosophers bore this version of his
name.
Ariadne
There are several women from Greek mythology
who bore the name Ariadne, but the most famous
was a princess, the daughter of King Minos
who fell in love with the Athenian hero Theseus.
She was instrumental to the famous myth of
King Minos and the Minotaur, gifting the hero
Theseus with a ball of thread and a sword
that would allow him to enter the Labyrinth,
kill the beast, and find his way out of the
maze again.
But she was poorly repaid, abandoned by the
hero, and left brokenhearted.
She eventually caught the attention of Dionysus,
god of winemaking and grapes, and was whisked
away to marry him.
A favorite subject of artists and composers,
some scholars also suggest she was worshipped
in her own right, as a goddess of weaving
and spinning.
Thalia
The name Thalia is derived from the Greek
word "to blossom," and it's a slightly modernized
version of a name with ancient origins.
Thalia pops up a couple of times in Greek
mythology, most popularly as one of the nine
Muses, a group of sisters who were the goddesses
of the arts.
As a Muse, Thalia was the patron of comedy
and pastoral poetry, often portrayed as wearing
boots, and holding either a mask, a trumpet,
or a wreath of ivy.
Thalia was also the name of one of a group
of Greek Graces, and was worshipped as a goddess
of things rich and luxurious.
The name was used again for one of mythology's
fifty Nereids, and she's also mentioned as
the daughter of Hephaestus, a nymph who turns
the ash from her father's forge back into
fertilizer for new growth.
Leda
Leda has been an inspiration for generations
of artists, for good reason: she's the mythological
mother of the most beautiful woman in the
world, Helen.
According to legend, Zeus fell madly in love
with Leda but could not seduce her away from
her husband.
Instead of appearing in his normal form, he
took the shape of a swan to get close to her
while she bathed.
The result of their pairing varies, but usually
includes Helen, along with twins Castor and
Pollux.
Some legends say they were hatched from eggs,
and while there are a number of stories about
the divinity or mortality of her children,
Leda's encounter with the swan always stays
the same.
Leda's story was a popular subject in art
through the ages, with artists like Leonardo
da Vinci painting the scene.
While his students' similar works remain intact,
Da Vinci's original interpretation has been
lost to history.
Fortunately, this beautiful name hasn't been.
Moira
As powerful as the gods were, when it came
to the fate of every living man and woman
in ancient Greece, that was the realm of the
Moirai.
Homer referred to the three individual goddesses
as a single power called Moira, and it was
these three who manipulated the threads of
every life.
The first goddess spun the thread, the second
measured it, and the third cut it.
This makes the Moirai some of the most powerful
figures in Greek mythology, as they held life
in their hands.
They were responsible for setting people on
their path in life, and their decisions were
final.
Choose this name for your little one, and
you're choosing something that also has ancient
Irish roots and a long, long history.
