How to pronounce Greek Mythological Names

General Name Discussion
1

I see them all over the forums and as someone who speaks Greek, knows a lot of Greek people, and worshiped the Greek Gods, I get a little frustrated to see people mispronouncing them and then telling me that I’m wrong (even with all those qualifications up there) so I hope people don’t get offended but I’d like people to know how to properly say these names. I realize that some, like [name]Hermione[/name], aren’t going to be pronounced the Greek way due to [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name], or [name]Ione[/name] which is commonly pronounced eye-oh-nee in english, but here’s my 2 cents. If there’s something I fail to mention in this post, feel free to ask about it in the comments :slight_smile:

Acheron {ack-uh-ron}
[name]Achilles[/name] {uh-kil’-eez}
[name]Actaeon[/name] {ak’-tee-uhn}
Adrasteia {a-dras’-tee-uh}
Aeacus {ee’-uh-kuhs}
Aegisthus {ay’-gis-thus}
Aeolus {ee’-oh-luhs}
Agamemnon {ag-uh-mem’-nahn}
Aganippe {ag’-uh-nip-ee}
Aias {i’-uhs}
[name]Al[/name] Borak {al baw’-rak}
Alcestis {al-kes’-tis}
Alcinous {al-ki’-no-uhs}
[name]Alcyone[/name] {al-kee’-oh-nee}
Amaltheia {am-al-thee’-uh}
[name]Ambrosia[/name] {am-broh’-zhuh}
Amphitryon {am-fi’-tree-ahn}
Ananke {a’-nan-kee}
[name]Andromeda[/name] {an-drahm’-uh-duh}
Antaeus {an-tee’-uhs}
Antilochus {an-til’–o-kuhs}
Antinous {an-tee’-no-uhs}
Antiope {an-tee’-oh-pee}
[name]Aphrodite[/name] {af-roh-dy’-tee}
[name]Apollo[/name] {a-pol’-lo}
Arachne {uh-rak’-nee}
Ares {air’-eez}
[name]Arethusa[/name] {ar-uh-thoo’-zuh}
[name]Ariadne[/name] {air-ee-ad’-nee}
Aristaeus {air-ee-sta’-uhs}
[name]Artemis[/name] {ahr’-tuh-mis}
Asclepius {as-kleh’-pee-uhs}
Astyanax {as-tie’-a-naks}
[name]Athena[/name] {a-thee’na}
Atreus {ay’-tree-uhs}
Augeas {aw-jee’-uhs}
Automedon {aw-tom’idon}

B
Bellerophon {beh-lair’-oh-fone}
Boreas {bohr’-ee-uhs}
Briseis {bri-say’-is}

C
Cabiri {kah-be’re}
Calchas {kal’-kuhs}
[name]Callisto[/name] {kuh-lees’-toh}
[name]Calypso[/name] {ka-lip’-so}
[name]Cassandra[/name] {kuh-san’-druh}
[name]Cassiopeia[/name] {kas-ee-oh-pee’-uh}
Cecrops {kee’-krohps}
Cephalus {kef’-ah-luhs}
Cerberus {kehr’-behr-uhs}
Charon {kar’-uhn}
Charybdis {kar-ib’-dis}
Chiron {kee’-rone}
[name]Circe[/name] {keer’-kee}
Clytemnestra {kly-tem-nes’-truh}
[name]Cronus[/name] {kroh’-nuhs}
Cylleneius {kee-leh’nee-uhs}

D
[name]Danae[/name] {dah’-nay}
Danaus {dan’-ay-uhs}
[name]Demeter[/name] {deh-mee’-tur}
Deucalion {due-kay’-lee-uhn}
[name]Dido[/name] {dy’-doh}
Diomedes {dy-oh-meed’-eez}
[name]Dionysus[/name] {dy-uh-ny’-suhs}
Dodona {doh-doh’-nuh}

E
Echidna {e-kid’nah}
[name]Echo[/name] {ek’o}
[name]Elara[/name] {ee-lah’-ruh}
[name]Electra[/name] {ee-lek’-truh}
Enceladus {en-kell’-ah-dus}
[name]Endymion[/name] {en-dim’-ee-uhn}
Eos {ee’-ahs}
Epimetheus {ep-ee-mee’-thee-us}
Erebus {air’-eh-buhs}
Erechtheus {ir-ek’-thee-uhs}
[name]Eris[/name] {air’-ees}
[name]Eros[/name] {air’-ohs}
Eumenides {u-men’-ee-dez}
Europa {yur-oh’-puh}
Eurynome {ue-rin’-ah-mee}

G
[name]Gaia[/name] {guy’-uh}
[name]Galatea[/name] {gal-uh-tee’-uh}
[name]Gemini[/name] {jem’-in-y}
Glaucus {glaw’-kuhs}

H
Hades {hay’-deez}
[name]Hebe[/name] {hee’-bee}
Hecate {hek’-a-tee}
[name]Hector[/name] {hek’-tur}
[name]Hecuba[/name] {hek’-yoo-buh}
[name]Helen[/name] {hel’-en}
Helenus {hel’-uh-nuhs}
[name]Helios[/name] {hee’-lee-ohs}
Hephaestus {heh-fays’-tuhs}
[name]Hera[/name] {hair’-uh}
Hermaphroditus {hair-maf-roh-dy’-tuhs}
[name]Hermes[/name] {hair’-meez}
[name]Hermione[/name] {hair-me’-oh-nee and the common pronunciation is hur-my-oh-nee}
[name]Hero[/name] and [name]Leander[/name] {heer’-oh, lee-an’-dur}
Hesperides {hes-pair’-i-deez}
[name]Hestia[/name] {hes’-tee-uh}
Himalia {hy-mal’-ee-uh}
Hippolyta {hi-pahl’-i-tah}
Hippolytus {hi-pahl’-i-tuhs}
Hyacinthus {hy-uh-kin’-thuhs}
Hygieia {hy-jee’-uh}
Hyperion {hy-peer’-ee-uhn}

I
[name]Ianthe[/name] {ee-an-thee}
[name]Icarus[/name] {ik’aruhs}
[name]Io[/name] {ee’-oh}
[name]Ione[/name] {ee-oh-nee}
[name]Iphigenia[/name] {eef-ee-jeh-nee’-uh}
[name]Iris[/name] {i’-ris}
Irus {i-ruhs}
Ixion {iks’-ee-ahn}

L
Laestrygones {lay-stri-go’-nees}
[name]Lamia[/name] {lahm’-ee-uh}
Laomedon {lay-ahm’-eh-dahn}
[name]Larissa[/name] {la’-ree-suh}
[name]Leda[/name] {leh’-dah}
[name]Lethe[/name] {lee’-thee}
Leto {lee’-toh}
Lotophages {lo-to-fag’-es}
Lysithea {ly-see’-thee-uh}

M
Maenads {may’-nadz}
Marsyas {mahr-see-uhs}
[name]Medea[/name] {meh-dee’-uh}
Medusa {meh-doo’-suh}
Meleager {mel-ee-ay’-jur}
Memnon {mem’-nahn}
Menelaus {men-uh-lay’-uhs}
Metis {meh’-tis}
Midas {my’-duhs}
Mimas {my’-mas}
Minos {my’-nuhs}
Mnemosyne {nemoz’eenee}
[name]Morpheus[/name] {mohr’-fee-uhs}

N
Naiads {ni’-ads}
[name]Narcissus[/name] {nahr-kis’-uhs}
Nemesis {nem’-uh-sis}
Neoptolemus {nee-ahp-tahl’-eh-muhs}
Nereids {neh’-reeds}
[name]Nereus[/name] {nee’-reh-uhs}
[name]Nestor[/name] {nes’-tur}
[name]Nike[/name] {ny’-kee}
[name]Niobe[/name] {ny’-oh-bee}

O

[name]Odysseus[/name] {oh-dis’-ee-uhs}
[name]Orestes[/name] {ohr-es’-teez}
[name]Orion[/name] {oh-ry’-uhn}
[name]Orpheus[/name] {ohr’-fee-uhs}

P
Palamedes {pal-uh-meed’-eez}
[name]Pandora[/name] {pan-dohr’-uh}
[name]Paris[/name] {par’-ees}
Patroclus {pa-tro’-kluhs}
Pegasus {peg’-uh-suhs}
Peleus {pe-lay’-uhs}
Pelops {pee’-lahps}
[name]Penelope[/name] {puh-nel’-uh-pee}
[name]Persephone[/name] {pur-sef’-uh-nee}
[name]Perseus[/name] {pur’-see-uhs}
Phaeton {fay’-ton}
Philoctetes {fil-ahk-tee’-teez}
[name]Philomela[/name] {fil-oh-mee’-luh}
Phobos {fo’-bos}
[name]Phoebe[/name] {fee’-bee}
[name]Phoenix[/name] {fee’-niks}
Pirithous {py-rith’-oh-uhs}
Pleiades {plee’-uh-deez}
Polyphemus {pah-lee-fee’-muhs}
[name]Poseidon[/name] {puh-sy’-duhn}
[name]Priam[/name] {pri’-am}
Prometheus {proh-mee’-thee-uhs}
Proteus {proh’-tee-uhs}
[name]Psyche[/name] {sy’-kee}
Pygmalion {pig-mayl’-ee-uhn}
Pyramus {peer’-uh-muhs

R

[name]Rhea[/name] {ray-uh}

S
Sarpedon {sahr-peh’-duhn}
Satyrs {say’-tur}
Sciron {ski’ron}
Scylla {skil’-uh}
[name]Selene[/name] {suh-leh’-nee – though pronouncing it sel-leen isn’t such a big deal
Semele {sem’-uh-lee}
[name]Sibyl[/name] {sib’-ul}
Silenus {sy-leh’-nuhs}
Sinon {si’non}
Sinope {see’-noh-pee}
[name]Sisyphus[/name] {sis’-i-fuhs}
Styx {stiks}

T

Tantalus {tan’-tuh-luhs}
Tartarus {tahr’-tuh-ruhs}
Telemachus {tuh-lem’-a-kuhs}
Tethys {teh’-thees}
[name]Thalassa[/name] {thuh-lass’-uh}
Thaylia – {thay’-lee-uh}
Thanatos {than’-uh-tohs}
Thebe {thee’-bee}
[name]Theseus[/name] {thee’-see-uhs}
[name]Thetis[/name] {thee’-tis}
[name]Thisbe[/name] {thiz’-bee}
Tiresias {ty-ree’-see-uhs}
Triton {tryt’-uhn}

X

[name]Xanthe[/name] – {zan’-thee}

Z
[name]Zeus[/name] {zoos}

2

[name]Ah[/name], thank you for that! I’ve been saying [name]Electra[/name] as “ah-lek-tra”. :stuck_out_tongue: And Briseis as “bree-sus”, lololol.

3

I’m glad to see I get most of them right most of the time, and have a plausible excuse for [name]Ione[/name]. :wink:

[name]Iphigenia[/name] is one I’ve looked up before and I get all different answers depending where I go, including dictionaries. [name]Kinda[/name] grumpy-making - not at you. Also seen it spelt [name]Iphigeneia[/name], if that makes any difference.

I was wondering about a few really obscure ones: Tyche, Hesperia, [name]Iole[/name] and Khione are the ones I can think of right now. Oh wait, one more, [name]Iolanthe[/name] - different sources I find say the first syllable should be “yo” as in [name]Yolanda[/name] and others say “eye-oh” and its driving me insaaaaane.

Thanks in advance - and that was a hella amazing list!

4

Thanks - I love a lot of the greek names and often wondered if I was geting some of them right or not!

I have to laugh though, because once the [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name] movies came out I thought I had been pronouncing it wrong in my head when I read the books (as I had never heard it before and wasn’t sure of the proper pronunciation) but turns out I was actually right! :slight_smile:

This will be a good reference list.

5

Interesting… this one stood out to me:

[name]Ariadne[/name] {air-ee-ad’-nee} or ah-ree-odd-nee is the common pronunciation now.

I’ve never hear the “new” common pronunciation… but then again I guess I’ve never heard it out loud. I’ve always said air-ee-add-nee. Weird to me that people pronounce it the other way O.o

6

[name]Larissa[/name] is LA RISS [name]AH[/name]
and I have always [name]Ione[/name] IOH NEE

7

[name]Larissa[/name] is la’-ree-suh for me since that’s my aunt’s name and that’s how she says it, so that’s correct

8

Ditto this! Also I was proud of myself that I pronounced most of these correctly intuitively. [name]Iphigenia[/name] is one that I’ve heard two ways as well - Iff-ih-[name]GEE[/name]-nee-ah or Iff-uh-juh-[name]NYE[/name]-ah, though I prefer the second.

9

I agree that people should learn how to say names correctly that being said, if we pronounce it a different way it could be an indication of what other people are going to call your child. IE: [name]Circe[/name] - I would want to know that she’ll get Sirce all the time and not {sur’-see}.

10

mollykat – [name]Larissa[/name] is pronounced that way in English, not in Greek. And just because you’ve heard [name]Ione[/name] pronounce that way doesn’t mean it’s correct, it means its an accepted mispronunciation.

the others mentioned:

Tyche – I’ve heard a lot of people say tie-kee and tee-kee is closer to the traditional
Hesperia – hes-PEAR-ee-ah
[name]Iole[/name] – ee-oh-lee
Khione – key-oh-nee
[name]Iolanthe[/name] – [name]IO[/name] is never pronounced [name]YO[/name] in Greek. ee-oh-lan-thee

I’ve heard people on here say [name]Ariadne[/name] as ah-ree-odd-nee which is why I’ve included it as a common mispronunciation.

11

I was always taught that “th” was pronounced “t” in Greek.

Ae is “ee” in Greek as opposed to the long i sound as it is in Latin? Lots of good work here but it should have been done as a blog, I think.

12

I accept that [name]Hermione[/name] isn’t generally pronounced in the “correct” way. But that isn’t because of [name]Harry[/name] [name]Potter[/name],it’s just the English pronunciation of it.

Much like [name]Rhys[/name] is never pronounced correctly by anyone who isn’t actually Welsh.

Most of those I knew though,and generally the newer pronunciations are actually counter intuitive!

Really interesting list, enjoyed reading it! :slight_smile:

13

I’ll most likely put it on my blog, I put it here because it seems like a ton of people on here like these names and I wanted it to be for you guys too (I know not everyone on here looks at my blog). :slight_smile:

14

thank you for making this list! Extremely good reference, and people should read it through.
I’ve gotten so sick of people pronouncing my name [name]Xanthe[/name] as Zantha, and then I must go through and explain that it is Greek and that the e is pronounced. erg.
Thanks so much!

15

The basis for my pronunciations of most of these has been the audio books for the [name]Percy[/name] [name]Jackson[/name] series, lol.

Based on the list above, the regular ones I’ve been pronouncing pretty much right and the obscure ones I’ve mostly not heard of.

16

You can always check forvo.com for names, there’s a good chance someone recorded a Greek and English prn.

17

This is completely fantastic, dantea! I am a lover of ancient names, and Greek names in particular.

Is it totally and completely horrible to pronounce [name]Ianthe[/name] as eye-[name]ANN[/name]-thee? :frowning: I came to it via [name]Io[/name] (which I am familiar with as a moon firstly, common (mis)pronunciation for the moon is eye-oh) as a way to get the nickname [name]Aya[/name](/Ia in this case), hence my choosing to buy into the eye-- pronunciation, and have come to love the name pronounced that way. I love ee-an-thee as well, but it doesn’t give me Ia pn [name]Aya[/name]. I fully concede that that pronunciation may make it sound like a “yokel” bastardization, yet I still love it. I wouldn’t want to solicit eye-rolls at my “stupid American butchering a foreign name”-ness, though, so if it has to be ee-an-thee I’ll let it go.

[name]Niobe[/name] is another favorite, and I’m relieved to see I’ve been pronouncing it right (as it was pronounced in the series [name]Rome[/name]).

18

I’m actually sad that -the ending is often pn -thee :frowning: I much prefer the “the/thuh” ending. I always thought it sounded better…

19

Well, [name]Ianthe[/name] is pronounced ee-an-thee like [name]Ian[/name] is pronounced ee-an, so that’s one that I find strange that people often mispronounce it. I don’t know if a lot of people would know you’re pronouncing it wrong, but I would assume a lot of people would try to pronounce it ee-an-thee or ee-an-the like [name]Ian[/name].

@catloverd – 99% of names ending in E in Greek end in the ee sound (which includes -the endings). [name]Daphne[/name], [name]Penelope[/name], [name]Xanthe[/name], [name]Phoebe[/name], [name]Selene[/name], etc… Sorry to say! :slight_smile:

20

Thanks for the pronunciations! I am a personal fan of Greek names and it’s nice to finally see a list that has the name AND its proper pronunciation! I’ll definitely be saving this thread for reference :slight_smile: