Literary Names: The Iliad

We everlasting gods . . . Ah what chilling blows
we suffer—thanks to our own conflicting wills— 
whenever we show these mortal men some kindness.

The above is a line from Homer's Iliad, an ancient Greek poem about the Trojan War, and the precursor to the Odyssey. A few weeks ago I reviewed some of the names in the Odyssey, so today I'll be looking at the great options found in the prequel!

Achilles

It hadn't occurred to me that this could be a viable name until I saw it on the French name site, JolisPrénoms, as Achille. In English, unfortunately, the "Achilles' heel" connotation might be hard to shake. In the Iliad, Achilles is a powerful and confident warrior, albeit with a few minor weaknesses (his heel and women among them). But this name could be a nice alternative to Axel or Asher! The name meaning is unknown, but could be related to "pain" or the Achelous River in Greece.

Aeneas

Another warrior and the son of Aphrodite, Aeneas is the protagonist of another classical epic, the Aeneid. While I would recommend this name based on its similarities to Elias or Ansel, the sound is too similar to a human body part for me to recommend it wholeheartedly. Instead, here are some other Trojan warriors I'm not reviewing below: Polydamas, Glaucus, Agenor, Dolon, Pandarus, Antenor, Asius, Asteropaeus, Cebrionus, Deiphobus, Euphorbus. 

Aphrodite

The Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite is a supporter of the Trojans in this epic. As a namesake, she suggests strength, femininity, and compassion - but that might be a hard name to live up to. There are a few fictional Aphrodite's floating around, and at least one with the cute nickname Afy. Roman form Venus has been used far more often, especially during the mid-twentieth century. What do you think, readers? Is Aphrodite wearable or best left to the classics? 

Hector

The mightiest warrior in the Trojan army and brother of Paris, Hector has a typically masculine feel. Hector means "holding fast", and works well cross-culturally. Its popularity in the Spanish-speaking community has made it popular in the US, UK, and Spain. I think it could be a great substitute for trendy Hunter or Victor, with the same warlike connotation. 

Helen

The "face that launched a thousand ships", I think Helen has gotten a worse reputation than she deserved - it's not her fault that childish men chose to fight over her. The name Helen has also been incredibly desirable - it was in the top 10 for about 40 years. Nowadays, variation Elena is more popular, with similar Eleanor, Ella, and Helena not far away. But this name is a classic, and will connote elegance, maturity, and beauty for years to come. 

Hera

Queen of the gods and wife of Zeus, Hera is the goddess of marriage and motherhood. While she's often painted as jealous or vengeful, I see her as another powerful goddess standing up for herself. The name Hera is a nice combination of Hannah and Sarah, aurally, and won't raise eyebrows like some of the other Greek goddess names. Hera has also been used in a few sci-fi TV shows and video games, for other nerds like me out there. 

Paris

Now a very common name for girls, the original Paris was a Trojan prince whose actions were guided by self-interest (not "love for Helen"). Personally, I think the name works better for boys, and a few celebrities have agreed. The undertones of a Trojan warrior might be missed in favor of Ms. Hilton or the city, so beware of confusion surrounding Paris. 

Priam

The king of Troy and a wise and benevolent leader, I'm surprised this name hasn't gotten more popular with its similarities to Liam. It's certainly unique - I haven't found any records of its use in SSA data - and it means "exceptionally courageous". His wife, on the other hand, has a less euphonic name: Hecuba. Priam may surprise some, but I think it's a winner. 

Thetis

The devoted mother of Achilles, Thetis is also known as the goddess of water - an unexpected option for babies born near oceans or lakes? It's an uncommon alternative to -is names, like Paris, Isis, or Alexis. Thetis' grandmother was also an "aquatic sea goddess", similarly named Tethys (a great option). To me, there aren't many drawbacks to this ethereal name!

Zeus
Ruler of the gods and all-powerful deity, Zeus ends up on the side of the Trojans in the Iliad. As a name, however, it would be pretty difficult to wear. Still, 99 babies were born Zeus in 2014, and the numbers have been rising over the past decade. Like Aphrodite, I'll leave this up to you, readers! Is Zeus going too far, or is it a rising star?

Other names related to the Iliad include Troy, Homer, and Ilia (a region of Greece). What are your favorites? Tell me in the comments!

Literary Names: The Odyssey

Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns, driven time and again off course...

The man referred to above is literary idol Odysseus, whose story is still taught in high schools across the country and referenced in hundreds of books and films - including one of my favorites, O Brother Where Art Thou? Today we'll be looking at just a few of the names of characters in his epic journey.

Odysseus

While some etymologies of this name list the meaning as "hate" or "wrath", the Odyssey itself lists the meaning as "trouble" - and one would really have trouble either wearing or pronouncing Odysseus. His character, however, is a persevering, brave warrior delayed by divine circumstances. The variation Ulysses or Ulises (in the top 1000) is a bit more usable, especially with the namesake Ulysses S. Grant, US general and president. 

Penelope

Another name of uncertain meaning - either "weaver" or "duck". But Penelope is infinitely more wearable. In the epic, she's the faithful wife of Odysseus who fends off suitors and raises her son alone while waiting for her husband to return from war. Today, this feminine name is in the top 50 in the US, and only slightly less popular in England and Australia. There are also quite a few nicknames and variations to choose from: Penny, Nell, and Poppy, for example. 

Athena

The Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, Athena is Odysseus' personal guardian throughout his troubles in the Homeric epic. As a name, Athena is fantastic - the a-ending and beginning help it fit in with Arianna, Alyssa, etc; the meaning is strong and inspiring; and the namesake is a literal divinity. I'm definitely a fan (and not just because it's also rife with pop culture references!)

Calypso

Meaning "she who hides", Calypso's character in the Odyssey is that of a lovesick nymph who tricks Odysseus into staying with her for seven years - so not super positive. However, the name itself holds a lot of possibilities: the reference to Calypso music, the nicknames Cal or Callie, and the completely unique sound and spelling. Other trivia: her father is Atlas, and her symbol is a dolphin. 

Tiresias

I include this name in the list because of the aural similarities to Tyrese and Tyson, both in the top 1000 over the past 10 years. In the epic, Tiresias is the prophet of Apollo who meets Odysseus in his journey to the underworld. According to some sources, his name means "seer" or "sign", which is very auspicious. Of course, there are plenty of nicknames that go along with Tiresias too!

Eumaeus

Always on the lookout for E-names, Eumaeus stood out to me because of its many vowels - with names like Noah and Aaliyah at the top of the charts, I predict the vowel-heavy names will get longer! In the Odyssey, Eumaeus is a loyal shepherd and friend to Odysseus who helps him reclaim his throne (spoilers, sorry). While this name might not be modern enough, there might be some other Eu-names that could make a comeback: Euphemia, Eulalia, or Euan.

Telemachus
Meaning "far from battle", this name is also a mouthful. But the devoted son of our noble hero Odysseus is a great namesake, and there are quite a few nickname possibilities: Tel, Mac, Clem (?). Established names that sound the same include Theophilus, Thelonius, or Timotheus. Other warlike names include Marcus, Ptolemy, and Arrio.

Poseidon
Odysseus' greatest enemy throughout the epic, the god Poseidon throws obstacle after obstacle in front of him throughout the Odyssey. However, the god of the sea has an aurally appealing name that would fit in with the current -don names, like Brandon or Jadon. I'm a little skeptical of Poseidon, because unlike Athena, it seems to be associated only with the divinity. But if your child has a confident nature, Poseidon might hit all the right notes.

Circe
Her name sounds perfectly formed to stand on its own while fitting in with trends like Sydney or Sierra. But her character leaves much to be desired: like Calypso, she tricked Odysseus into staying with her for a year before returning to his wife and son. Still, this goddess of magic is mentioned in all sorts of stories, and Circe is more complicated than Homer makes her out to be.

Alcinous
Meaning "mighty mind", Alcinous is an interesting character to inspire a name. In the Odyssey, he helps Odysseus return to his wife and son; in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, he protects Jason's wife Medea. As a name, Alcinous may be hard to swallow, so similar-meaning alternatives might be a better bet: Aydin, Akira, or Hugo.

Are any of these names totally unusable? What about Homer? Tell me what you think in the comments!