We’re expecting baby #2, and we are so excited to expand our little family! Our daughter’s name is Ephyra [name]Belle[/name], and we are looking for something that is just as unusual and yet accessible for our next little bean. We’re starting out with the girls names, and then, once we find something, we will probably venture out into the boys territory. Ephyra (pn eh-FEER-ah) is a sea nymph from Greek mythology known as a nereid. [name]Both[/name] my husband and I are really into water-related activities, and I love mythology, so we want something that draws from either of those sources. I seem to be a bit stuck for names, but so far we have:
[name]Clio[/name] - muse of history, perhaps too common next to big sis Ephyra? [name]Ianthe[/name] - there were a few [name]Ianthe[/name]'s in Greek mythology, one of which was also a sea nymph. Thebe - pn THEE-bee, she was a bull-dancer in the re-telling of the myth “[name]Theseus[/name] and the Minotaur” called The [name]King[/name] Must Die. She was in a group called the Cranes, and they all managed to escape their slavery and free the people of [name]Crete[/name]. I think this name matches Ephyra in unusualness. Sose - pn SOH-see, a nymph who was a prophetess
That’s pretty much all we’ve got - I’m going to try to do some more research, but this pregnancy’s been a bit hard on me, and I haven’t really had the strength and the will to really go through my favorite myths and find something. Any thoughts or suggestions would be wonderful. Thank you! Best wishes.
[name]Hi[/name]! Ephyra [name]Belle[/name] is gorgeous! I love mythology too and it’s such an awesome source to get names from. From your list I think [name]Ianthe[/name] is my favorite. [name]Ianthe[/name] was a sea-nymph, which connects the name to Ephyra, and it’s unusualness, imo, is on the same level as well. I think [name]Clio[/name] sounds too familiar (plus a lot of people connect it with [name]Cleo[/name]/[name]Cleopatra[/name] first, and not mythology, though that might not bother you) and Thebe sounds a bit too much like [name]Phoebe[/name] for me. It’s not terrible but [name]Ianthe[/name] is better, I think. Sose is nice, sound wise it lacks the unusualness of Ephyra, but of course it’s technically unusual. Since I don’t know which myths are your favorite, I’ll list some mythological names (particularly water-related ones if I can find some) and hope something strikes you!
[name]Artemis[/name] - so obviously she wasn’t a nymph (not sure if you’re mostly looking for nymph related names or not) but nymphs are often associated with [name]Artemis[/name]. This also happens to be my favorite mythological name.
[name]Ariadne[/name] - You mentioned [name]Theseus[/name] and the Minotaur, so this name comes to mind. Ephyra aided sailors, right? Well, [name]Ariadne[/name] aided [name]Theseus[/name]. Not a bad connection. The only reason I’d be weary of this name is that it was just used in the film “Inception” but I doubt that will have much, if any, effect on it.
Polyxo - a naiad of the nile river. Definitely unusual, but [name]Polly[/name] would be a cute nickname.
Kleodora (or Cleodora) - she was a super cool nymph, and a naiad, I believe, who also had prophetic tendencies. And her name is just awesome.
[name]Calypso[/name] - I love love love this name with Ephyra. I think it’s perfect. [name]Calypso[/name] is noted as an Ocenid and Nereid daughter (there’s debate as to if these are two separate Calypsos or the same one). [name]Calypso[/name] doesn’t have a ton of redeeming qualities to her - in the Odyssey she keeps [name]Odysseus[/name] hostage for seven years. But it’s still a great name.
[name]Eurydice[/name] - The tale of [name]Orpheus[/name] and [name]Eurydice[/name] is, I think, one of the most powerful ones out there, and the names are fabulous! [name]Eurydice[/name] was also an oak nymph and a daughter of [name]Apollo[/name]
[name]Calliope[/name] - muse of music with a gorgeous name. Also not a bad role model as she was [name]Homer[/name]'s muse for the Iliad and the Odyssey.
[name]Andromeda[/name] - this name sounds so strong to me, and the myth behind it is a good one.
Nausicaa - the spellings not great, but I thought you’d like the story behind it - when [name]Odysseus[/name] was shipwrecked Nausicaa received him from the sea and more or less restores him back to health.
That’s all I can think of at the moment. [name]Hope[/name] that helps!
Sinope [name]Fleur[/name]
Sinope is, in Greek myth, a goddess of rivers, and not only is it unusual but it has an option of an unusual nickname too, Sini, like Ephyra has Ephy.
[name]Fleur[/name] to me has the same tone as [name]Belle[/name]. Single syllable and French
Wow, thank you so much freckles! Your ideas are just awesome - I love almost every one!
[name]Artemis[/name] - I wasn’t specifically looking for nymph names - I guess some nymph names just caught my eye. I really like [name]Artemis[/name]! Its different from Ephyra and a bit more well known, but certainly not a common name by any means! Plus, I’ve been watching Food Network [name]Star[/name] and I just watched the first episode of Aarti Party tonight, and Aarti has really made me love the nickname [name]Arty[/name]. Aarti is fun and nice and just has this great personality, moving [name]Arty[/name] from an old, grandpa name to a fun, quirky, almost flirty nickname.
[name]Ariadne[/name] - I actually did consider [name]Ariadne[/name], but when I saw “Inception” (which I loved, btw!), I was a bit worried that it would get too much attention (either positive, with parents using the name, or negative, with parents who used the name considered trashy or dated). [name]Ari[/name] is such a cute nickname ([name]Addy[/name] is too!) and I love its unusualness with Ephyra. Plus, [name]Theseus[/name] and the Minotaur is probably my favorite myth
Polyxo - actually, this name would be kind of cool since nereids inhabit oceans and seas (for Ephyra) and naiads inhabit rivers and streams (for Polyxo). So, both water nymphs, but a little different. The sound of Polyxo isn’t too appealing, but when I searched Polyxo in google, it came up with a site that helps parents with kids who have autism. And this actually draws me to the name because my best friend’s son has pretty severe autism, and even though it can be really tough sometimes, she is just the best mom I know- she loves that little boy to pieces and handles many difficult situations almost flawlessly. I highly admire her. This could be a cool and subtle way to honor her and her son.
Kleodora (or Cleodora) - Ooooh! This is a fun, less familiar way to get to spunky [name]Cleo[/name] (or Kleo!) Plus a nice connection with nymphs to Ephyra.
[name]Calypso[/name] - The Odyssey is such an amazing epic poem. Haha, yes, [name]Calypso[/name] is not the best character in the book, but I have to agree, her name is pretty cool. I’m not sure if I’m ready to use a name that has such strong known associations, but I’m definitely adding it to the list.
[name]Eurydice[/name] - Oh yes! I [name]LOVE[/name] this tale. Absolutely beautiful story (albeit a tragic one). Plus, [name]Eurydice[/name] is a gorgeous name.
[name]Calliope[/name] - Gosh, for some reason, I just have not been able to like the sound of this name. I don’t know what it is, but I just don’t like it. Its got a cool history though.
[name]Andromeda[/name] - An ex was named [name]Andrew[/name] so this is a bit too close for me.
Nausicaa - I adore the character Nausicaa. She was probably my favorite character in the Odyssey. Not sure how much I love her name though…
After reading your post, I was so inspired to find a few ideas of my own I decided to look a bit outside the realm of the Greek myths (since I do love myths from many different cultures) and here are two more. Thoughts?
Mielu - pn mee-eh-loo, this is an ancient Finnish word meaning “lucky” which is the root for the goddess of the forest’s name Mielikki (the pronunciation is a bit hard on this one to say in every day life).
[name]Isis[/name] or Iset - eye-sis or ee-seht, she is an Egyptian goddess.
I’m also thinking of using the middle name [name]Jade[/name]. In the story of the Mid-[name]Autumn[/name] [name]Moon[/name] Festival in [name]China[/name], the [name]Jade[/name] Hare plays a key role (it varies depending on the story teller). Plus, [name]Jade[/name] is beautiful and short and simple like [name]Belle[/name]. Not 100% on this, but its an idea.
Once again, thank you so much! My list is definitely growing! At this moment, my favorites are [name]Ianthe[/name], [name]Artemis[/name], [name]Ariadne[/name], and Cleodora. Hubby’s off to bed, so not sure how he feels quite yet, but I will definitely “attack” him with name ideas first thing in the morning
[name]Calypso[/name] [name]Jane[/name] is such a sweet combo. What do you think of [name]Calypso[/name] [name]Jade[/name]? It has almost the same sound, but a bit more meaning for us.
[name]Thisbe[/name] is an interesting idea! However, personally, I find the story a fit too “[name]Romeo[/name] and [name]Juliet[/name]” for me. Thanks though!!
Sinope is lovely!! Definitely adding this one to the list. I do love the connection with the goddess of rivers, since then both my daughters would inhabit different waters [name]Fleur[/name] is a lovely idea. Right now, I was thinking of [name]Jade[/name], but [name]Fleur[/name] is so beautiful! And it totally is in sync with [name]Belle[/name]. They are like the perfect middle name sisters: [name]Belle[/name] and [name]Fleur[/name]. Thanks so much!
I love Thebe! Absolutaly love it, [name]Thisbe[/name] is on my list, because of The [name]Bard[/name], so I love this sort of sound and I think it’s fab alongside Ephyra!
[name]Just[/name] because I want you to pick this so badly here are some mn thoughts that are similar to the ‘[name]Belle[/name]’ mn
Wow, thank you so much freckles! Your ideas are just awesome - I love almost every one!
[name]Artemis[/name] - I wasn’t specifically looking for nymph names - I guess some nymph names just caught my eye. I really like [name]Artemis[/name]! Its different from Ephyra and a bit more well known, but certainly not a common name by any means! Plus, I’ve been watching Food Network [name]Star[/name] and I just watched the first episode of Aarti Party tonight, and Aarti has really made me love the nickname [name]Arty[/name]. Aarti is fun and nice and just has this great personality, moving [name]Arty[/name] from an old, grandpa name to a fun, quirky, almost flirty nickname.
[name]Ariadne[/name] - I actually did consider [name]Ariadne[/name], but when I saw “Inception” (which I loved, btw!), I was a bit worried that it would get too much attention (either positive, with parents using the name, or negative, with parents who used the name considered trashy or dated). [name]Ari[/name] is such a cute nickname ([name]Addy[/name] is too!) and I love its unusualness with Ephyra. Plus, [name]Theseus[/name] and the Minotaur is probably my favorite myth
Polyxo - actually, this name would be kind of cool since nereids inhabit oceans and seas (for Ephyra) and naiads inhabit rivers and streams (for Polyxo). So, both water nymphs, but a little different. The sound of Polyxo isn’t too appealing, but when I searched Polyxo in google, it came up with a site that helps parents with kids who have autism. And this actually draws me to the name because my best friend’s son has pretty severe autism, and even though it can be really tough sometimes, she is just the best mom I know- she loves that little boy to pieces and handles many difficult situations almost flawlessly. I highly admire her. This could be a cool and subtle way to honor her and her son.
Kleodora (or Cleodora) - Ooooh! This is a fun, less familiar way to get to spunky [name]Cleo[/name] (or Kleo!) Plus a nice connection with nymphs to Ephyra.
[name]Calypso[/name] - The Odyssey is such an amazing epic poem. Haha, yes, [name]Calypso[/name] is not the best character in the book, but I have to agree, her name is pretty cool. I’m not sure if I’m ready to use a name that has such strong known associations, but I’m definitely adding it to the list.
[name]Eurydice[/name] - Oh yes! I [name]LOVE[/name] this tale. Absolutely beautiful story (albeit a tragic one). Plus, [name]Eurydice[/name] is a gorgeous name.
[name]Calliope[/name] - Gosh, for some reason, I just have not been able to like the sound of this name. I don’t know what it is, but I just don’t like it. Its got a cool history though.
[name]Andromeda[/name] - An ex was named [name]Andrew[/name] so this is a bit too close for me.
Nausicaa - I adore the character Nausicaa. She was probably my favorite character in the Odyssey. Not sure how much I love her name though…
After reading your post, I was so inspired to find a few ideas of my own I decided to look a bit outside the realm of the Greek myths (since I do love myths from many different cultures) and here are two more. Thoughts?
Mielu - pn mee-eh-loo, this is an ancient Finnish word meaning “lucky” which is the root for the goddess of the forest’s name Mielikki (the pronunciation is a bit hard on this one to say in every day life).
[name]Isis[/name] or Iset - eye-sis or ee-seht, she is an Egyptian goddess.
I’m also thinking of using the middle name [name]Jade[/name]. In the story of the Mid-[name]Autumn[/name] [name]Moon[/name] Festival in [name]China[/name], the [name]Jade[/name] Hare plays a key role (it varies depending on the story teller). Plus, [name]Jade[/name] is beautiful and short and simple like [name]Belle[/name]. Not 100% on this, but its an idea.
Once again, thank you so much! My list is definitely growing! At this moment, my favorites are [name]Ianthe[/name], [name]Artemis[/name], [name]Ariadne[/name], and Cleodora. Hubby’s off to bed, so not sure how he feels quite yet, but I will definitely “attack” him with name ideas first thing in the morning :)[/quote]
You’re welcome! I love myth names so much, I was glad to help I love [name]Isis[/name]! Such a gorgeous name. I’m glad you like Cleodora. I recently added it to my own list of names. It’s got a great balance of familiar sounds with general unusualness, if that makes sense. Keep us updated with your choices!
Since Ephyra is the Homeric name for Corinth, perhaps a name associated with that city might be an unexpected connection between your daughters? Or maybe another name used in the Iliad? There are some lovely nymph names, among them [name]Thetis[/name], mother of [name]Achilles[/name]. [name]Thaleia[/name], Thoe (with the two dots on then o!, rhymes with [name]Chloe[/name]) [name]Halia[/name], Iaira, Galateia, [name]Maira[/name], Amatheia - these are all names of the nereids, or daughters of [name]Nereus[/name]. I love Thoe, some of these names may not be usable today! I’ve discounted truly unpronounceable names like Ianeira or Apseudes, and some names (eg [name]Doris[/name]) aren’t quite unusual enough next to the lovely Ephyra! Achaia is the Homeric name for Greece, an old university friend of mine used it for her daughter, it suits her perfectly! Other names from the Iliad that spring to mind are [name]Althaia[/name], (could transfer that to the more manageable [name]Althea[/name]), [name]Athene[/name]/a and [name]Artemis[/name], Chryseis/[name]Cressida[/name], [name]Dione[/name], [name]Hebe[/name] (rhymes with [name]Phoebe[/name]), [name]Iris[/name], Kleopatra, [name]Maris[/name], Marpesa, Myrine, [name]Niobe[/name], [name]Persephone[/name], Polydore, [name]Rhea[/name]/Rheia, Semele, Theano…
Haha how’s your ancient Greek? Many of these don’t have the most… Intuitive pronunciations, do any appeal?
I like [name]Clio[/name], I actually love this name!
other suggestions:
[name]Calliope[/name]
[name]Thisbe[/name]
[name]Jocasta[/name]
I think these all go nicely with Ephyra [name]Belle[/name] (which I love by the way!)
I think the other names on your list might just be a prounounciation nightmare… but I might be totally wrong!
Ephyra and [name]Clio[/name]
Ephyra and [name]Thisbe[/name]
Ephyra and [name]Calliope[/name]
Ephrya and [name]Jocasta[/name]
… I think all of these go beautifully!
I actually love [name]Ianthe[/name]! I didn’t think I would, but I kept saying it in my head and I really, really do! I think that’s a lovely name and its just as unique as Ephyra. I also like the suggestion of [name]Fleur[/name] for a middle name. [name]Ianthe[/name] [name]Fleur[/name] has a decent flow to it.
Haha, it is very very clear that you love the name Thebe!!! While I am not sure if we’re going to go with Thebe yet, your middle name suggestions are fantastic! They all have that simple elegance of [name]Belle[/name]. My favorites are:
[name]Violet[/name]
[name]Alba[/name]
[name]Wren[/name]
[name]Lark[/name]
[name]Blossom[/name]
[name]Mirielle[/name]
[name]Aria[/name]
[name]Noelle[/name] ([name]Christmas[/name] is my favorite time of year)
Sea
Oc”ane
[name]Oona[/name]
[name]March[/name] (funny you should suggest this- all of my siblings (except me) were born in [name]March[/name])
*[name]Fleur[/name]
*[name]Jade[/name]
That’s what draws me to Cleodora too! [name]Cleo[/name] is very well known and -dora is reminiscent of [name]Isadora[/name], but the combination of the two is completely unique and lovely.
Thank you!
Oooh, Breiseus is very interesting, but I think I would prefer the slightly slightly more recognizable Briseis. Great suggestions! (Thebe is still on our list!)
To be completely honest, this is how I felt about [name]Ianthe[/name] too. At first glance, I wasn’t immediately drawn to it, but now, it is very near the top of my list! I like [name]Ianthe[/name] [name]Fleur[/name], but I think I like [name]Ianthe[/name] [name]Wren[/name] better as a combo. [name]Wren[/name] is just too sweet! (Plus, I love the comic [name]Baby[/name] Blues!)
Its got a cool history though.
I decided to look a bit outside the realm of the Greek myths (since I do love myths from many different cultures) and here are two more. Thoughts?