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Baby names

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

Original poster

Dionysios

115 replies

Circleofshroom · 12/10/2024 13:40

Half Greek baby boy due soon. Will likely grow up in London. Struggling for names!!

Nickname would be Dio (to rhyme with Leo).

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giadaros · 18/10/2024 03:37

DPotter · 18/10/2024 03:28

Just back from Greece - met a lot of Georges. Dionysius just sounds like you're trying too hard.

And don't under-estimate the hassle of alternative spellings - I have the double whammy of 3 alternatives for my first name and 2 for my surname, and neither are 'out there' names.

It doesn't sound like they are trying too hard if they are Greek. It's a perfectly standard Greek male name.

Anxiouswaffle · 18/10/2024 03:36

Georgios/ Yiannis?
I like peracles and perseus - or the different ones that shorten to Nick (Nick is pretty rare nowadays)
Are your girls' names goddesses or just normal greek names

I do know a Efstathios as well

giadaros · 18/10/2024 03:36

It's a great strong name. I also love Perseus and Phaedrus.

DPotter · 18/10/2024 03:28

Just back from Greece - met a lot of Georges. Dionysius just sounds like you're trying too hard.

And don't under-estimate the hassle of alternative spellings - I have the double whammy of 3 alternatives for my first name and 2 for my surname, and neither are 'out there' names.

NoisyDenimShaker · 18/10/2024 01:14

Hades would be cool, if not for its meaning!

What about Aeneas?

NoisyDenimShaker · 18/10/2024 01:11

A male Greek acquaintance of mine is called Photis, pronounced Foh-tis. I always thought it was a cool name.

user7654263 · 17/10/2024 22:34

RobertaFirmino · 17/10/2024 21:46

Call your child Dio and he will have a lifetime of being asked about Ronnie James Dio. He was a fantastic singer, he really was but it will soon wear thin.

He really won’t. I am 50 and have never heard of Ronnie James Dio. I’m pretty sure his mates in the playground won’t have either.

RobertaFirmino · 17/10/2024 21:46

Call your child Dio and he will have a lifetime of being asked about Ronnie James Dio. He was a fantastic singer, he really was but it will soon wear thin.

OuterSpaceCadet · 15/10/2024 19:43

I like the name op. And the shortenings Dio and Dion are lovely, friendly sounding names. I met a great kid called Dion once.

Where I live there's so many cultures that names are beautifully diverse in schools. I really feel it's fine for anyone to choose a name they love.

JaninaDuszejko · 15/10/2024 17:02

KittenBiscuit · 13/10/2024 07:08

How about Perceus?
When he gets to school lots of teachers will be familiar with the name from the Percy Jackson books, as they've been popular for years now.

Actually the popularity of the Percy Jackson books (and now the TV show) will mean his name will be much more accessible to children than the middle aged Mums of MN. My kids are obsessed with all things greek so I suspect Dionysios will be considered a very cool name by all his friends as they get older.

sadeightiesthrowback · 15/10/2024 16:46

favouriteyellowsocks · 15/10/2024 16:44

I like it.
My Dion is known as Dio at home

Both really nice names, given and shortened.

favouriteyellowsocks · 15/10/2024 16:44

I like it.
My Dion is known as Dio at home

Narcissisticflipflop · 15/10/2024 16:34

Zephyr

mathanxiety · 15/10/2024 16:30

Aris
Ioannis
Markos
Xenofon
Dimosthenis

fizzybootlace · 15/10/2024 16:18

I don't think anyone has mentioned Odysseus, nicknames Ody or Odi. I used to teach in north London and had a few over the years, I really like it. Only downside is that it's Garfield's dog friend but that didn't seem to put anyone off.

sadeightiesthrowback · 15/10/2024 16:17

Stavros Andreus sounds nice, but Dionysius is okay if it's shortened to Dion.

liveforsummer · 15/10/2024 16:09

Circleofshroom · 12/10/2024 14:02

Sisters have very Greek names so I’ve committed now. Would be a bit off if he gets called Nick or Michael.

I don’t think I am struggling to spell it? There are different variants. I’d pick one and presume people would learn. Maybe I’m being too optimistic.

But Nikos or Mihalis would be ok? How about Dimitrios? You could still use Dio but Dimi is nice too. I also Love Angelos and Valentinos. Markos also nice. Agree with PP that there are loads of nicer names than that one and that it looks like a misspelling to me

Bluevelvetsofa · 15/10/2024 16:02

Thalassi

sadeightiesthrowback · 14/10/2024 00:56

Stavros Nikolaos Demitrio Andreas

Limoncellotape · 13/10/2024 23:00

Though I would find it bizarre/try hard if you were not Greek, it's a completely usable name given that you are, imo.

Dio in particular is really cute as a nickname.

I've got a soft spot for Kypros but I don't know whether that is considered to be a bit middle aged to actual Greeks?

Original poster
Circleofshroom · 13/10/2024 22:51

OK, so going through all of your suggestions and I also like:

Asterios - but I worry about the “ass” sound

Demitrius - not sure which shortening would work well in the UK

Hector - feel like it doesn’t sound that Greek, although I know it’s of Greek origin

Leonidas - like it but not sure I love it

Panagiotis - I like Panos but not so keen on the longer version

Vasileios - wary of Vasili sounding like “silly”, but I like Vas

Perseus and Apollo are great, but somehow seem bolder than Dionysius to me and I don’t think I’d be able to use them.

OP posts:
Lampzade · 13/10/2024 13:55

Christos is nice

Original poster
Circleofshroom · 13/10/2024 13:50

Thanks all! Lots of opinions to take on board, and thanks for all the suggestions as well!

Definitely not set on using an “out there” name by any stretch, so am open to anything that works in both languages.

I know that people will muck up spelling and pronunciation and I won’t be surprised about that - one of my daughters has a name spelt phonetically and it is often butchered. I think it’s just a matter of unfamiliarity.

I’d be happy with the nickname being different in Greece than in the UK - but it would be nice for him to have the option of a nickname that Brits can easily say and remember.

The references to Deo meaning God are something to consider; however, Theo is God in Greek and I don’t think every parent of a Theo is “a bit of a twat”!

OP posts:
kαλοκαλοκαιρι · 13/10/2024 12:22

To add ofc, that names and nicknames are and should only be governed by what you make of them and your personal preferences, so F what anyone else thinks largely.

i just think the cultural context your son will be spending time in here could be significant, eg: something like Astérios > Rio sounds cool as hell in English but just wouldn’t stick in Greece, due to the inflection being on a totally dif. part of the name, alongside the way diminutives work.

MoralOrLegal · 13/10/2024 12:15

I know this article uses the Latin spelling, but how you can miss the chance to honour one of the most wonderful name/title combinations in Late Antiquity?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudo-Dionysius_the_Areopagite

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudo-Dionysius_the_Areopagite

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