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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
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Why aren't names from Greek mythology more popular?
Greetings.
Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological characters (or their Roman equivalents). Sure, you hear about the occasional Ulysses, Homer, and Penelope, and it's more than understandable why more English-speaking parents don't choose to name their sons Uranus or Oedipus. But where are the Herculeses, the Zeuses, the Atlases, the Achilleses, the Perseuses, the Theseuses, the Saturns, the Jupiters, the Mercurys? Why are there so few Athenas and Aphrodites and Calypsos and Irises? Are not these namesakes worthy of more popularity in the West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?
Regards,
Tristan
V.-o Tristan Miller (en,(fr,de,ia)) >`-' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= <> In a haiku, so it's hard (7 \\ http://www.nothingisreal.com/ >
Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological characters (or their Roman equivalents). Sure, you hear about the occasional Ulysses, Homer, and Penelope, and it's more than understandable why more English-speaking parents don't choose to name their sons Uranus or Oedipus. But where are the Herculeses, the Zeuses, the Atlases, the Achilleses, the Perseuses, the Theseuses, the Saturns, the Jupiters, the Mercurys? Why are there so few Athenas and Aphrodites and Calypsos and Irises? Are not these namesakes worthy of more popularity in the West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?
Regards,
Tristan
V.-o Tristan Miller (en,(fr,de,ia)) >`-' -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= <> In a haiku, so it's hard (7 \\ http://www.nothingisreal.com/ >
Top answer
Tristan Miller wrote on 30 Aug 2004: [nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West?
- Tristan Miller wrote on 30 Aug 2004: [nq:1]Greetings.
- Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ...
- West?
- [/nq] Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious.
- I gave one of my sons the middle name Daedalus.
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170 Answers
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Tristan Miller wrote on 30 Aug 2004:
[nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are
[nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are
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[nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]Both, I would think. After the Empire and the Church had co-opted each other, the names would have lost their mana and might have been us
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On 30 Aug 2004 11:32:42 GMT, CyberCypher
[nq:2]Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem ... monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
[nq:1]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious.[/nq]
Hercules / Atlas: ridiculously strong guy; definitely pretentious. And in Atlas's
[nq:2]Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem ... monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
[nq:1]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious.[/nq]
Hercules / Atlas: ridiculously strong guy; definitely pretentious. And in Atlas's
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Peter Boulding wrote on 30 Aug 2004:
[nq:2]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious.[/nq]
[nq:1]Hercules / Atlas: ridiculously strong guy; definitely pretentious. And in Atlas's case, carrying the world on his shoulders. Zeus / Saturn / Jupiter: Even more so. A bit like calling your child "***."[/nq]
Don't forget that
[nq:2]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious.[/nq]
[nq:1]Hercules / Atlas: ridiculously strong guy; definitely pretentious. And in Atlas's case, carrying the world on his shoulders. Zeus / Saturn / Jupiter: Even more so. A bit like calling your child "***."[/nq]
Don't forget that
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[nq:1]Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
Well, a former co-worker was named Zak (not Zachary) and grew up in a Southern state, Alabama as I recall. When he when to get his first driver's license (or was it his birth certificate? It's been 35 years since I heard the story), the clerk refused to grant one, beca
Well, a former co-worker was named Zak (not Zachary) and grew up in a Southern state, Alabama as I recall. When he when to get his first driver's license (or was it his birth certificate? It's been 35 years since I heard the story), the clerk refused to grant one, beca
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On 30 Aug 2004 13:28:09 GMT, CyberCypher
[nq:2]I gave one of my sons the middle name Daedalus. ... mother. So long as he doesn't name his son Icarus...[/nq]
[nq:1]He's well educated and sensible, so he wouldn't do that.[/nq]
So was Daedalus, but that didn't stop him.
Regards
Peter Boulding
(Email Removed) (to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM") Fractal music & images:
[nq:2]I gave one of my sons the middle name Daedalus. ... mother. So long as he doesn't name his son Icarus...[/nq]
[nq:1]He's well educated and sensible, so he wouldn't do that.[/nq]
So was Daedalus, but that didn't stop him.
Regards
Peter Boulding
(Email Removed) (to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM") Fractal music & images:
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[nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
Venus Williams isn't good enough for you?
Jan
Venus Williams isn't good enough for you?
Jan
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[nq:1]Tristan Miller wrote on 30 Aug 2004:[/nq]
[nq:2]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't ... monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
[nq:1]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious. I gave one of my sons the middle name Daedalus. He's happy with it. So am I an
[nq:2]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't ... monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
[nq:1]Iris is a common enough English name, but the rest of those names from Greek mythology are pretty pretentious. I gave one of my sons the middle name Daedalus. He's happy with it. So am I an
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[nq:1]Greetings. Apart from Jason, Helen, Victoria, and Diana, there don't seem to be too many people named after Greek mythological ... West? Did the advent of Christianity kill off such pagan monikers, or were they never traditionally used for real humans?[/nq]
Iris was not uncommon in my mother's generation. I know several Penelopes and I know of children named Calypso and Athena. I suspect
Iris was not uncommon in my mother's generation. I know several Penelopes and I know of children named Calypso and Athena. I suspect
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Peter Boulding wrote on 30 Aug 2004:
[nq:2]He's well educated and sensible, so he wouldn't do that.[/nq]
[nq:1]So was Daedalus, but that didn't stop him.[/nq]
Good point. :-)
Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.
For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.
[nq:2]He's well educated and sensible, so he wouldn't do that.[/nq]
[nq:1]So was Daedalus, but that didn't stop him.[/nq]
Good point. :-)
Franke: EFL teacher & medical editor.
For email, replace numbers with English alphabet.
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