🫒 The Rarest Greek Names - A & V!

[tallemaja]

Hi berries! Basically, I have a fever right now and needed a way to pass the time
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One of my favourite resources on Greek names is this website, which discusses the results of a study done in 2008 analysing the names of (almost) 100.000 Greeks! But one of the sections I haven’t looked that much into before was the “unique names” section – names that were only registered once out of those 100.00 Greeks! Obviously, the study is many years old, but I don’t believe any of these names have gotten significantly more or less common since then.
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[name_m]The[/name_m] list is ridiculously long, so I’m going alphabetically and doing the A & V names!
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Pronunciation guide

G = hard G (like “egg”)
J = soft G (like “gym”)
DH = th like in “this”
O = AW (like “dog”)
GH = [ɣ], think sort of like a [name_f]French[/name_f] R (or listen to the first sound in [this word])(https://forvo.com/word/γάτα/#el))
This is about how to read my explanations of the pronunciations, rather than the actual names! So If I say Diogenis = dhee-o-GHE-nees you will know how the “dh”, “o” and “gh” are meant to be said

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A Girls

Agathokleia - ah-gha-THO-klee-ah - “good glory”
Agapia - ah-GHA-pee-ah - “love”
[name_f]Angelika[/name_f] - ah-GEH-lee-kah - “angelic, messenger”
Angeroula - ah-geh-ROO-lah - “angelic, messenger”
Agisileia - ah-yee-see-LEE-ah - “to guide the people”
Agoro - ah-GHO-ro - “boy”
[name_f]Adelais[/name_f] - ah-dheh-la-EES - “nobleness, nobility”
Adriani - ah-dhree-ah-NEE - “from Hadria”
Aello - ah-eh-LO - “whirlwind”
Akindyna - ah-keen-DHEE-nah - “without danger”
Alithini - ah-lee-thee-NEE - “true, real”
Amvrosia - ahm-vro-SEE-ah - “immortal” but also literally “ambrosia”
Ameriso - ah-meh-ree-SO - “myrtle”
Anargyria - ah-nahr-yee-REE-ah - “incorruptible”
Andreani - ahn-dhreh-ah-NEE - “manly”
Anezinio - ah-neh-zee-NYO - “chaste”
Anezina & Annezina - ah-neh-ZEE-nah - “chaste”
Anestina - ah-nes-TEE-nah - “resurrected, risen”
Anthoniki - ahn-tho-NEE-kee - “flower victory”
Anthousa - ahn-THOO-sah “flower”
Anneza - ah-NEH-zah - “chaste”
Anoixia - ah-nee-KSYAH - “spring”
Antikleia - ah-DEE-klee-ah - “like glory”
Antri - AH-dree - “manly”
[name_f]Antria[/name_f] - AH-dree-ah - “manly”
Antriani - ah-dree-ah-NEE - “manly”
Antrianna - ah-dree-AH-nah - “manly”
Antroulla - ah-DROO-lah - “manly”
Ariathni - ah-ree-ATH-nee - “most holy”
[name_f]Aristeia[/name_f] - ah-REE-stee-ah or ah-ree-STEE-ah - “best”
Aristeidoula - ah-ree-stee-DHOO-lah - “best”
Aristela - ah-ree-STEH-lah - ?
Aristina - ah-ree-STEE-nah - “best”
Aristovoula - ah-ree-sto-VOO-lah - “the best judgement”
Aristothea - ah-ree-sto-THEH-ah - “the best of god, the best goddess”
Aristokleia - ah-ree-STO-klee-ah - “the best glory”
Aristotela - ah-ree-sto-TEH-lah - “the best purpose”
Aristoteleia - ah-ree-sto-TEH-lee-ah - “the best purpose”
[name_f]Arleta[/name_f] - ahr-LEH-tah - “silver victory of the people”
Arsenoi - ahr-seh-NO-ee - “elevated intellect”
Asproula - as-PROO-lah - “white one”
Asteropi - ah-steh-RO-pee - “lightning”
Astrini - ah-STREE-nee - “star”
Asynoula - ah-see-NOO-lah - ? potentially “silver”
Avgousta - av-GOO-sta - “venerable”
Afentia - ah-feh-DEE-ah - “nobility, ruler”
Afento - ah-FEH-do - “nobility, ruler”
Afroula - ah-FROO-lah - “(sea) foam”
Achilleia - ah-hee-LEE-ah or ah-HEE-lee-ah - “yarrow” or “pain”

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A Boys

Agathangelos - ah-gha-THA-geh-los - “bearer of good news”
Agathonikos - ah-gha-THO-nee-kos - “good victory”
Agis - AH-yees - “to lead, to guide”
Athanatos - ah-THA-na-tos - “immortal”
Akrivos - ah-kree-VOS - “expensive”
Akylas - ah-KEE-las - “eagle”
Amanatios - ah-mah-NAH-tee-os - potentially “pledge”
[name_m]Amyntas[/name_m] - ah-MEE-das - “defender”
Anagnostis - ah-nah-GHNO-stis - “reader, lector” (likely in a church context)
[name_m]Ananias[/name_m] - ah-nah-NEE-as - “God is gracious”
Antigonos - ah-DEE-gho-nos - “worthy of one’s parents”
[name_m]Axios[/name_m] - AH-ksee-os - “worthy”
Aristodimos - ah-ree-STO-dhee-mos - “the best (of the) people”
Arrianos - ah-ree-ah-NOS - “bane, ruin”
Archontion - ar-ho-DEE-on - “leader, ruler, commander, rich”
Asimis - ah-see-MEES - “silver”
Avgeris - av-YEH-rees - “dawn”

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V Girls

Valsamina - vahl-sah-MEE-nah - “basalm tree, impatiens flower”
Valsamo - vahl-SAH-mo - “basalm tree”
Vasiliana - vah-see-lee-AH-nah - “royal, kingly”
Vasilina - vah-see-LEE-nah - “royal, kingly”
Venedikti - veh-neh-DHEEK-tee - “blessed”
Venetsana - veh-neh-TSAH-nah - “from Venice”
Venetsiana - veh-neh-TSYAH-nah - “from Venice”
Vergoula - vehr-GHOO-lah - “little stick of wood”
Verini - veh-REE-nee - “bringing victory”
[name_f]Viki[/name_f] - VEE-kee - from [name_f]Viktoria[/name_f] or [name_f]Vasiliki[/name_f]
Violanthi - vyo-LAHN-thee - “violet flower”
Vrettania - vreh-tah-NEE-ah or vreh-TAH-nee-ah - “Britain”
Vrisiida - vree-see-EE-dha - unknown

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V Boys

Vagios - VAH-yos - “palm branch”
Vasilakis - vah-see-LAH-kees - “royal, kingly”
Venetios - veh-NEH-tee-os - “from Venice”
Vikentios - vee-KEH-dee-os - “to conquer”
Vlassios - VLAH-see-os - “lisping”
Vrasidas - vrah-SEE-dhas - “boiling, bubbling”

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Bonus: the non-Greek names (could be a Greek with a foreign name, a foreigner who resides in Greece, or a Greek citizen with a foreign background, can’t say!)

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[name_f]Aiman[/name_f] - ah-ee-MAN - “right-handed” (Ayman)
Alexanter - ah-leh-XAH-der - “defending men” (Alexander)

Ainour - ah-ee-NOOR - “moonlight” (Aynur)
[name_f]Aida[/name_f] - ah-EE-dah - “visitor”
[name_f]Alina[/name_f] - ah-LEE-nah - “noble, bright”
[name_f]Alis[/name_f] - AH-lees - “nobleness, nobility” (Alice)
[name_f]Alisa[/name_f] - ah-LEE-sah - “nobleness, nobility”
[name_f]Alma[/name_f] - AHL-mah - “soul”
Almpana - ahl-BAH-nah - “from Alba” (A) (Albana)
[name_f]Altana[/name_f] - ahl-TAH-nah - “golden”
[name_f]Alya[/name_f] - AH-lya - “heaven”
[name_f]Anela[/name_f] - ah-NEH-lah - “grace”
[name_f]Anika[/name_f] - AH-nee-kah or ah-NEE-kah - “grace”
[name_f]Anta[/name_f] - AH-dah - “noble, island” (Ada)
Arampela - ah-rah-BEH-lah - “yielding to prayer, lovable” (Arabella)
[name_f]Arinna[/name_f] - ah-REE-nah - ?
[name_f]Arisa[/name_f] - ah-REE-sah - potentially “gold”
Arousiak - ah-roo-SYAK - “Venus” (Arusiak/Arusyak)
Valmpona - val-BO-nah - (place name) (Valbona)
[name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] - vah-NEH-sah - N/A
[name_f]Vasilisa[/name_f] - vah-see-LEE-sah - “royal, kingly”
[name_f]Viera[/name_f] - VYEH-rah - “faith, true”

Let me know if you have any favourites or any that interest you!

[lagoon_moth]

i hope you feel better soon! there are so many cool names here, thank you for sharing!

some of my favourites…
[name_f]Adelais[/name_f]
Adriani
Amvrosia
Anthoniki
Anneza
Ariathni
[name_f]Aristeia[/name_f]
Arsenoi
Asteropi
Agathonikos
[name_m]Amyntas[/name_m]
Valsamina
Vasiliana
Vasilina
Venedikti
[name_f]Viki[/name_f]
Violanthi
Vasilakis
Vrasidas
Ainour, [name_f]Alisa[/name_f], [name_f]Alma[/name_f], Arousiak, [name_f]Vanessa[/name_f] & [name_f]Vasilisa[/name_f]

[mellona]

These are all such gems! Thank you ever so much for sharing them with us!

I have far too many favorites to properly list them all, but the names that strike me the most have to be Amvrosia, Valsamina & Violanthi!! They are immediately going onto my favorites list!

Thank you again for posting this incredible list, and I hope you feel better and have a wonderful day!

[baya44]

I LOVE Verini Asynoula and Ameriso are also gorgeous!!

[ricepud]

[name_f]Gorgeous[/name_f] names! Some have a familiar appearance/ intuitive pronunciation as a Lithuanian speaker. Your names often end in ‘is’ or ‘as’ like ours. It always trips me for a moment!

Ones that stand out to me

Agathokleia
Agapia
Agisileia (nice pronunciation!)
Agoro
[name_f]Adelais[/name_f] (love the emphasis on the ees)
Amvrosia
Anezina
Anthoniki
Antikleia
[name_f]Antria[/name_f]
Ariathni
Aristothea
Aristokleia
Aristotela
Afentia
Achilleia

Agathangelos
Agis
Akrivos
[name_m]Amyntas[/name_m]
Anagnostis
[name_m]Ananias[/name_m]
Antigonos
[name_m]Axios[/name_m]
Archontion
Asimis

Omg the V ones!
Valsamo
Vasiliana
Vasilina
Venedikti
Venetsana
Venetsiana
[name_f]Viki[/name_f] (we use VEE-ka)
Violanthi
Vrettania

Vagios
Vasilakis
Venetios
Vikentios

Thank you for sharing!

[FreyByTheWay]

Ooh, there are so many stunning names here. Some of my favorites:

Vasilakis - such a lofty, cool meaning.
Verini - I love how this one has such a pretty sound and feels strong and delicate
Violanthi - I don’t know what it is about [name_f]Violet[/name_f], but every version of that name is stunning to me
Athanatos - Reminds me of [name_m]Athanasios[/name_m], a character from a book I loved.
Avgousta - [name_f]Augusta[/name_f] already has so much gravitas and Avgousta feels even stronger to me.

[tallemaja]

@ricepud

Your names often end in ‘is’ or ‘as’ like ours. It always trips me for a moment!

I know what you mean! It’s especially hard with male surnames - I can’t tell if they’re Lithuanian or Greek sometimes So interesting linguistically, considering how far away we are from one another! (From the list of names you said you liked, I feel like [name_m]Amyntas[/name_m] could even pass as Lithuanian, at least to me )

[ricepud]

I have often had to search actors to find out if they’re Greek or Lithuanian xD

Ikr! Very strange. And Lithuanian has links with Sanskrit, which again is so far away

[fledermayz]

So many beautiful names! I love…
[name_f]Adelais[/name_f], Akindyna, Anestina, Antikleia, Aristela, Aristotela, Valsamina, Venetsiana
—
Akrivos, Akylas, Asimis

[Greyblue]

[name_f]Hope[/name_f] you feel better soon

My favourite/stand-outs:

Aello !! love that
[name_f]Adelais[/name_f]
Alithini
Anezina
Athoniki
Anoixia (love the sound, alas, looks like another word)
Antroulla
[name_f]Aristeia[/name_f]
Aristothea
Aristokleia
[name_m]Amyntas[/name_m]
[name_m]Axios[/name_m]
Veneditki
Verini !!
Violanthi
Venetios

Also like: [name_f]Aiman[/name_f] (I’ve only ever met those who pronounce it AY-muhn!), [name_f]Alis[/name_f], [name_f]Alma[/name_f], [name_f]Anika[/name_f], Arousiak, [name_f]Viera[/name_f]

[Johannaa]

My favourites are Agathokleia, [name_f]Adelais[/name_f], Alithini, Ameriso, Annezina, Anestina, Anthousa, Antikleia, [name_f]Aristeia[/name_f], Aristina, Aristothea, Aristokleia, Aristotela, Aristoteleia, Afentia, Achilleia, Agis, [name_m]Ananias[/name_m], [name_m]Axios[/name_m], Asimis, Vasiliana, Vasilina, Verini, Vrasidas, [name_f]Aida[/name_f], [name_f]Alina[/name_f], [name_f]Alis[/name_f], [name_f]Arinna[/name_f], [name_f]Vasilisa[/name_f] and [name_f]Viera[/name_f]