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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Greek girl's names

86 replies

Raggeo · 21/07/2021 14:03

We are a half British, half Greek family. We live in the UK but any name has to work in both languages/cultures. What do you think of our shortlist of baby girl names? Please rank and happy to hear positive and negative comments.

Artemis
Zoe
Melina
Arianna
Sophia

Middle name and surname will be Greek,if that makes any difference.

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3womeninaboat · 21/07/2021 20:04

I would give an additional English name in their somewhere. I have first middle and surname from a Mediterranean country although I’m British and it’s so tiring dealing with the comments and assumptions since Brexit.

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 21/07/2021 20:03

Artemis is one of my fav names.
I also love Calliope and Irini. Irini was my aunt's middle name and so nearly what I named my daughter.
I also adore Hero for a girl.

BoatsBoatsBOOOATS · 21/07/2021 20:03

I love Haidee! Never met one but read it in a book 20 years ago and loved it ever since.

NewYearNewOldMe · 21/07/2021 20:00

Eliada is a favourite of mine and I've always resented that my mother wasn't brave enough to name me it and gave me a very English name instead.
My very Greek surname was a bit of a pain when I was younger, but I grew to love it and definitely would have loved it more if my first name was very Greek to match 😂

FawnDrench · 21/07/2021 19:59

Athena

princesspenny · 21/07/2021 19:58

Melina is my favourite girls name ever. I think it's a name you can't say without a big smile on your face. It makes me think of Melina Merkouri and sunshine

whatausername · 21/07/2021 19:56

Its popularity* doh!

whatausername · 21/07/2021 19:55

Melina - no. I also thought of melena (black, tarry stools). A Google Image of it will be enough to put you off. They're pronounced the same way.

Zoe is dull, imo. Perhaps because there were always a few around in any setting growing up.

Arianna is pretty for sure. Will date if that bothers you.

Artemis I love but those who don't know it sometimes try to claim that it's for boys. I wouldn't let that put me off at all.

Sophia is a classic and beautiful name. I'm not 100% sure on it's popularity - Sophie is very popular. I think Sophia is timeless so won't date like Arianna.

They are all nice apart from Melina. The above is obv all my opinion. I'd pick Artemis ;-)

midsomermurderess · 21/07/2021 19:53

I rather like Calliope. But there might be pronunciation issues.

Zarene · 21/07/2021 18:45

Artemis is fantastic, and I've always loved Zoe.

Also a vote for Irini as PP said - very cool.

I also love Clio, but I worry most people would think 'car'.

ILoveBodger · 21/07/2021 18:27

Diana

weebarra · 21/07/2021 18:26

I like Eleri, Melissa, Irini

Eleoura · 21/07/2021 18:23

I'd always assumed Artemis was a male name! Now I know.

Melina-absolutely NOT! Its pronounced the exact same as a horrid medical condition involving bleeding from your back passage!!! Anyone vaguely medical will know exactly what it is.

I like Zoe and Sophia. I always thought Olympia was a strong, Greek name.

nocoolnamesleft · 21/07/2021 18:20

I'd avoid Melina. It sounds just like melaena, which is the sticky tarry poo that people produce if they have intestinal bleeding.

I love Arianna.

DennisTMenace · 21/07/2021 18:13

I like all of the names on your list, but Artemis is definitely the best one. You will probably have some English people assume it is a boys name if that is an issue, but that would be the same with plenty of other non-English names.

MangosteenSoda · 21/07/2021 17:21

Efthimia. Can be either Effy or Mia as nn.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 21/07/2021 16:08

Gosh can't believe I forgot Gaia too !

brokenbiscuitsx · 21/07/2021 16:07

I love Sophia.

I have a Greek friend called Marina. Love that name too.

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 21/07/2021 16:07

Artemis is gorgeous and I think very useable if you have a Greek surname. Imo it can look a bit incongruous on a more typical Smith/Jones type British surname unfortunately.

Melina and Zoe aren't my taste, and Arianna and Sophia are a bit trendy/popular here now.

Other Greek origin names I love (not sure how they would actually work in Greece though!) - Helena, Marina, Athena, Calista, Thalia, Xanthe, Ianthe, Selene/Selena, Persephone, Cassiopeia.

ZeusandClio · 21/07/2021 16:05

Penelope! Best Greek name there is. 😁

BiBabbles · 21/07/2021 15:52

I think it's a lovely shortlist. I struggle to rank between Zoe, Melina, Arianna and Sophia.

Artemis is also nice, but makes me wary, only because - having grown up with a similar very obviously mythological name, it was very tiring to have people talk at me about it (sometimes about an entirely different mythological figure), give gifts based on it, and such. The Artemis Fowl series has created a bit more distance for the name, though it has caused other kinds of confusion...

My favourite Greek girl name is Chrysanthi, but I like long girls names with many nickname options.

Gensola · 21/07/2021 15:44

Artemis definitely a girl’s name - she was one of the most powerful goddesses, her areas of influence were archery, hunting, childbirth and the moon, and girls would dedicate their dolls to her before getting married. It’s a great name!

stickygotstuck · 21/07/2021 15:38

All beautiful.

My favourite is Artemis. Almost gave that to DD Wink.

PrettyBlunt · 21/07/2021 15:33

Oh ffs. I meant Melina.

PrettyBlunt · 21/07/2021 15:33

Mailing & Arianna are the nicest.