Mythology Names

Echetus

2011-05-02T16:47:00.000+07:00

Echetus was a king of Epirus proverbial for his cruelty. His name does not reveal this, however, since it seems to mean 'possessor', from echo, 'to have', 'to know'. However, perhaps it implies 'possessing cruelty'. (Echo is a very versatile verb with several different meanings and shades of meanings.)

Echidna

2011-05-02T16:44:00.000+07:00

Echidna was a monster, the offspring of Chrysaor and Oceanus' daughter Callirrhoë. (Other accounts give her parents as Tartarus and Gaia, however, or Ceto and Phorcys.) She was part beautiful woman, part snake, and bore Chimaera, Hydra and Cerberus (a fearsome threesome!) to Typhon. She also bore the Sphinx by her brother Orthus. Her name simply means 'viper', 'adder' (echidna).

By something of a semantic twist, the modern English word 'echidna' is used for the creature known as the spiny ant-eater, otherwise, as Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary describes it, 'a genus of Australian toothless, spiny, egg-laying, burrowing monotremes'. This sounds even more horrific than the original mythological monster.

Echion

2011-05-02T16:37:00.000+07:00

Echion was the name of one of the Sown Men who married Agave and became the father of Pentheus. It was also the name of one of the Argonauts, a son of Hermes and Antianira. As with Echidna, the basic meaning is 'viper'.

The direct link with the Sown Man is not clear here, but for the Argonaut the name may refer to the heraldic white ribbons on Hermes' staff which were later mistaken for snakes as he was the herald to Hades. However, the first Echion mentioned here was, like all the Sown Men, planted in the ground (as a dragon's tooth) by Cadmus, and Cadmus was eventually turned into a snake by Ares, so perhaps there is after all a sinuous
link.

Echo

2011-05-02T16:33:00.000+07:00

Echo was the nymph on Mount Helicon sentenced (forgive the word-play) by Hera to speak only when she was spoken to, and even then merely to repeat the final syllables uttered by another. She loved Narcissus, who spurned her - or according to another story was loved in vain by Pan.

All in all, a frustrating life. Her name, of course, means what it says, although originally the Greek word (echo) meant 'sound', 'noise'. Let us perhaps compromise, and call her 'The Resounder'.

Eëtion

2011-05-02T16:26:00.000+07:00

Eëtion was the father of Andromache. He and seven of his sons were killed by Achilles. His name seems to be based on êtes, 'kinsman'. This may perhaps refer either to his sons or to the citizens of Cilicium whose king he was.

Egeria

2011-05-02T16:24:00.000+07:00

Egeria was a rather obscure Roman water nymph who was the 'patroness' of Diana's grove at Aricia. Her name means 'black poplar' (aigeiros), and doubtless these were the predominant trees in the grove. Persephone also had a grove of black poplars, trees associated with death.

However, since she was a Roman goddess (or nymph) perhaps we should be looking for a Latin source for her name, and we could consider egero, 'to carry away' - perhaps as a kind of optimistic opposite of infero, 'to bring in' (suggesting something lower or inferior or even infernal).

Eidomene

2011-05-02T16:21:00.000+07:00

Eidomene (or Idomene) was the wife of Amythaon and the mother of Bias and Melampus. Melampus was a famous seer, and thus Eidomene's name is appropriate for his mother, deriving from eido, 'to see', and menos, 'force', 'spirit', 'wish'.

Eidothea

2011-05-02T16:19:00.000+07:00

Eidothea (or Idothea, or Ido) was the daughter of Proteus, the 'Old Man of the Sea'. Her name means 'divine form', from eidos, 'that which is seen', 'form' and thea, 'goddess'. This could mean either that she herself had a 'divine form', that is, a heavenly appearance, or that she saw things with the eyes of a goddess.

Eidyia

2011-05-02T16:17:00.000+07:00

Eidyia (or Eidia, or Idyia) was an Oceanid, the wife of Aeëtes and the mother of Medea. Her name means 'the knowing one', from eido, 'to know', eidyia, 'knowing'. This is a very fitting name for the mother of cunning Medea.

Eileithyia

2011-05-02T16:15:00.000+07:00

Eileithyia (or Ilithyia) was the Greek goddess of childbirth whose Roman equivalent was Lucina (later Diana). As befits her speciality, her name means 'she who comes (to help)', from elelytha, 'she has come', since she came to the aid of women in labour.

However, the 'light' meanings of her Roman names also suggests a possible derivation from hele, 'sunlight' and thyo, 'to move rapidly'. In the Knossos Linear Β tablets her name appears as Eleuthia, which in turn suggests eleutheria, 'freedom', 'liberty'.

Eioneus

2011-04-30T13:18:00.000+07:00

Eioneus was a king of Magnesia and the father of Dia who married Ixion. He may have been related to Ixion, and was indeed killed by him. His name seems to derive from eon, 'bank', with perhaps a reference to a river or its god - not that he was either.

Elaïs

2011-04-30T13:15:00.000+07:00

Elaïs was one of the three daughters of Anius and Dorippe. Her name means Olive oil', from elaeon, thus according with the names of her two sisters, Oeno and Spermo, which together promote the growth of oil, wine and grain.

Elatus

2011-04-30T13:13:00.000+07:00

Elatus was the name of several persons, including the son of Aries who was a king of Arcadia and married Laodice, a Centaur killed by Heracles, the father of Caenis, Ischys and Polyphemus (the Argonaut), a Trojan ally killed by Agamemnon, and one of Penelope's suitors. For all five the name Elatus seems to derive from elater, 'driver', that is, 'charioteer'. This could be suitable for almost all of them, although there is no record of a Centaur turning charioteer.

Electra

2011-04-30T13:10:00.000+07:00

Electra was the name of three women: the daughter of Atlas and Plei'one, the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and (probably the best known) the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra who is the heroine of two well-known tragedies, respectively by Sophocles and Euripides.

Her name conjures up 'electric', of course, but this is merely coincidental (although etymologically justified), since it really means 'amber' (electron) or, possibly, the word of which this is a derivative, 'the beaming sun' (elector). Exactly why this famous name should have the meaning it does is something of a mystery. We know that the Greeks valued amber highly, but the precise link with any of the Electras mentioned here is not clear.

Perhaps the name is purely a 'bright and shining' propitious one. Stesichorus, a lyric poet of the fifth century BC, suggests - perhaps not all that seriously - another derivation. He takes the Doric form of Electra's name, Alectra, and makes it mean 'unmarried', from a-, 'not' and lectra, 'bed', that is, someone who is 'unbedded'.

But he may have been echoing what another poet, Xanthus, had said two centuries earlier, when he pointed out that Agamemnon's daughter was originally called Laodice but had her name changed by the Argives as for a long time she was not married.

Electryon

2011-04-30T12:37:00.000+07:00

Electryon was a son of Perseus, whom he succeeded as king of Mycenae. His mother was Andromeda. Electryon married Anaxo, who bore him Alcmene (who became the mother of Heracles). Let us here stick simply to the 'beaming sun' that we proposed for Electra, and regard the name as just one of fair omen.

Elpenor

2011-04-30T12:35:00.000+07:00

Elpenor was the youngest member of Odysseus' crew. He under went a number of adventures (including falling from the roof of a house where he was sleeping off a hangover), but his name means simply, and rather charmingly, 'man's hope', from elpis, 'hope' and aner, 'man'.

Elymus

2011-04-30T12:33:00.000+07:00

Elymus was a friend of Acestes (otherwise Aegestes) who returned to Sicily with him after the Trojan War. His name seems to mean 'quiver' (elymos) which presumably is a propitious name for a warrior.

Empusa

2011-04-30T12:31:00.000+07:00

Empusa was a female monster, an 'amorous fiend' who assumed various shapes and like Lamia devoured her human lovers. Her name looks Greek enough, but is not so easy to explain. Perhaps it derives from empoieo, 'to put in', 'insert', with some sort of reference to her seductiveness or actual seduction.

Enalus

2011-04-30T12:29:00.000+07:00

Enalus was a young man who was rescued by a dolphin (like Arion) when he leaped overboard from a ship to join his love Phineïs. (She had been thrown into the sea to appease Amphitrite, and was herself also rescued by a dolphin - the mate of the one that rescued Enalus.)

His name means 'one of the sea' - perhaps we should call him 'Young Man of the Sea' to counterbalance all those Old Men of the Sea - from enalion, 'of the sea' (en, 'in' and hals, 'sea').

Enarephorus

2011-04-30T12:26:00.000+07:00

Enarephorus was the son of Hippocoön and the nephew of Tyndareüs. He planned to abduct Helen when she was still a child, so the wary Tyndareüs entrusted her to Theseus to look after. In view of his failure as a cradle-snatcher, Enarephorus has a highly inappropriate name, since it means 'spoil winner', from enara, 'booty', 'spoil' and phero, 'to win'.

Enarete

2011-04-30T12:23:00.000+07:00

Enarete was the wife of Aeolus, to whom she bore six sons and six daughters (who to their parents' horror committed incest with one another). Perhaps Enarete's name is intended to offset all this wantonness, for it means 'virtuous' - literally 'in virtue', from en, 'in' and arete, 'virtue' (compare Arete).

Enceladus

2011-04-30T12:22:00.000+07:00

Enceladus was " a giant who fought against Athena (and lost when she flung the island of Sicily after him and crushed him as he fled). His name seems to suggest more noise than nous, for it basically means 'cheerer', 'urger on', from enceleuo, 'to cheer', 'urge on', 'shout huzzah'.

Endeïs

2011-04-30T12:20:00.000+07:00

Endeïs was the wife of Aeacus and the mother of Peleus and Telamon. Her name would appear to derive from endo, 'to entangle', presumably meaning 'one who lives at cross purposes', or even 'enemy'. We do know that she hated her step son Phocus (Aeacus' son by Psamathe) and that she and one of her sons killed him and hid the body.

Endymion

2011-04-30T12:16:00.000+07:00

Endymion was the son of Aëthlius, son of Zeus, and Calyce. He is usually described as a king of Elis. He was loved by the moon, Selene, and this is usually explained as the fact to which his name alludes, since it derives from endyo, 'to go in', 'enter' (the same verb as Latin induco), this referring to the moon's seduction of the king.

It could also refer, of course, not to the moon but to the setting sun which 'enters' the sea, or else allude to the cave where Endymion met the moon. (In Hesiod's Theogony Night and Day live alternately in the same building, and some accounts tell of Endymion being a hunter who hunted at night and slept in a cave by day, so was thus always thought to be asleep.) So maybe it is the moon that 'enters' Endymion, or perhaps it is Endymion who finds himself 'entered', that is, encompassed or 'bathed' by his love the moon.

The reference to sleep could be significant, too, since Selene put Endymion to sleep for ever so that he should not die (or according to another tale, Zeus gave him a wish and he chose to sleep forever in a cave). It was this that some classical name explainers had in mind when they derived his name from the Latin somnum ei inductum, 'the sleep put upon him'.

Enyo

2011-04-30T12:12:00.000+07:00

Enyo was the goddess of battle and the personification of war. She was also one of the Graiae. Her name seems to be a belligerent one meaning something like 'goader', 'inciter', from nysso, 'to prick', 'goad'. Enyo's Roman equivalent was Bellona (which name see).

Eos

2011-04-28T22:31:00.000+07:00

Eos was the goddess of the dawn, and the daughter of Hyperion and Theia. She was the sister of Helios (the sun) and Selene (the moon). Her name is the Greek word (eos) which means either 'dawn' or 'east', although one theory suggests that her name could derive from ao, 'to blow', with reference to the cool morning breeze before sunrise.

This is attractively poetic, but possibly smacks more of poetic licence than reality. In some stories Eos is also the name of one of the four horses that drew Helios in his chariot. Eos' Roman equivalent was Aurora.

Eosphorus

2011-04-28T22:26:00.000+07:00

Eosphorus was the god of the morning star and the star itself. He (or it) was the child of Eos by Astraeüs, the father of Ceyx. The name is readily translatable as 'dawn bringer', from eos and phero, 'to bring'. His Roman opposite number is Lucifer.

Epaphus

2011-04-28T22:21:00.000+07:00

Epaphus was the son of Zeus and Io, and his name means 'touching', from epaphao, 'to touch', 'stroke', since Io became pregnant simply by a touch of the hand of Zeus. His name is actually a good example of 'wilful translation', since really he began life as the Egyptian bull-god Apis (with whom Herodotus equates him). To the name of Apis was added the prefix pe-, and this produced the 'Greek' word that translates as 'touches'.

Epeius

2011-04-28T22:17:00.000+07:00

Epeius was the son of Endymion who married Anaxirrhoë. There was also an Epeius who was the son of Panopeus and built the Trojan horse (with, of course, the help of Athena). The name means 'successor' (epion), and certainly Endymion's son won the race for the succession to the throne. The same word can also mean 'attacker', and this will do very well for the other Epeius.

Ephialtes

2011-04-28T00:55:00.000+07:00

Ephialtes was a giant who in the 'Gigantomachia' or battle between the giants and the gods was hit by arrows in each eye, from the bows of Apollo and Heracles. Most of the giants have sinister names, and this is no exception, since it means 'he who leaps on', from epi, 'on' and iallo, 'to put'.

This seems to indicate a personified nightmare. There is, however, a later story that tells how he and his brother Otus ('pusher') piled up mountains, this being the 'putting on'. Of course, one who leaps on someone could perhaps be nothing more than some kind of personification of the wind.

Epicaste

2011-04-28T00:51:00.000+07:00

Epicaste was the name Homer used for Jocasta. It is not clear what it means: perhaps it comes from a word formed from epi, 'before' and cazo (in the form cosmeo), 'to adorn' (compare Castor). This could mean 'fore-adorned', with reference to her name being changed to Jocasta (the Greek form is locaste) when her fate changed. Robert Graves impressively suggests that the meaning could be 'upsetting over', with the name being a worn-down form of epicatastrephomene.

Epidaurus

2011-04-28T00:46:00.000+07:00

Epidaurus was the man who gave his name to the city so called on the east coast of Argolis. He was the son of Argus and Evadne (or else the son of Pelops or Apollo), and his name rather strangely seems to mean 'with shaggy hair', from apt, 'over', 'with' and daulos, 'shaggy'. There is nothing in any story about him to justify this. Perhaps being hirsute (like Samson) could signify strength.

Epigoni

2011-04-28T00:43:00.000+07:00

Epigoni was the title, rather than name, given to the sons of the Seven Against Thebes. Ten years after the original attack on Thebes by the Seven, their sons renewed the attack on the advice of the Delphic Oracle, mainly to avenge their fathers who had all been killed, except Adrastus.

The names of the Epigoni were: Alcmaeon (their leader), Diomedes, Sthenelus, Euryalus, Promachus, Amphilocus and Aegialeus (son of Adrastus, who was the only one to perish as his father had been the only one to survive). The name means simply 'successors', more precisely 'those born after', from epi, 'after' and gonos, 'child', 'offspring'.

Epimedes

2011-04-22T00:13:00.000+07:00

Epimedes was one of the Dactyls. His name boils down to meaning 'fool', from epi, 'after' and medea, 'plans', 'counsels', that is, one who makes plans too late. (Compare Epimetheus.) The Dactyls were a form of fingers, and in some western countries a nickname for the middle finger is the 'fool's finger'.

Epimetheus

2011-04-22T00:10:00.000+07:00

Epimetheus was the son of the Titan Iapetus who married Pandora. More relevantly as far as his name is concerned, he was the brother of Prometheus. His name thus means 'afterthought', from epi, 'after' and medos, 'plans', 'schemes', in other words he thought when it was too late, instead of planning in advance, as did his brother Prometheus (whom see). Epimetheus' big mistake was to marry Pandora; he did so in spite of the warning of his brother who saw the danger of accepting gifts from the gods.

Epistrophus

2011-04-22T00:07:00.000+07:00

Epistrophus, with Mynes, was the son of king Evenus. He was killed in a battle against Achilles (who was fighting the Trojans). Epistrophe means 'wheeling round', 'returning to the charge': no doubt this was Epistrophus' tactical error.

Epopeus

2011-04-22T00:04:00.000+07:00

Epopeus was a king of Sicyon, of uncertain or disputed parentage. His wife was Antiope. His name means 'all-seer', from epopao, 'to look out', 'observe' (in turn from epi, 'over' and ops, 'eye'). This would seem to be a propitious name, suitable for one who is to be a king and oversee his people.

Erato

2011-04-22T00:02:00.000+07:00

Erato was the Muse of lyric poetry or songs. Her name simply means 'lovely', 'passionate' (eratos).

Erebus

2011-04-22T00:01:00.000+07:00

Erebus was the son of Chaos and Nyx, and the father of Aether (the air), Hemera (the day) and Charon. He is almost more a place than a person, since his name means 'darkness', this being the region that was located above the even deeper Hades. The name is apparently related to the Gothic word riqis, 'darkness'.

Erechtheus

2011-04-21T23:58:00.000+07:00

Erechtheus was a king of Athens married to Praxithea. He is often confused with his grandfather Erichthonius, indeed, they may have been one and the same person. His parents were Pandion and Zeuxippe - or (according to Homer) he sprang straight from the soil without any human parents.

He fought a war against the neighbouring people of Eleusis and was involved in a number of violent episodes, including the sacrifice of one of his daughters (Chthonia). His name may, of course, mean much the same as that of Erichthonius (which see), otherwise it could be a shortened form of Erechthochthonios, from erechtho, 'to shake' and chthon, 'earth', thus 'earth-shaker'.

Erginus

2011-04-21T23:53:00.000+07:00

Erginus was the son of Clymenus, king of the Minyans of Orchomenus in Boeotia. Another Erginus was one of the Argonauts, usually regarded as the son of Poseidon. The name may derive from eirgo, 'to confine', although in what sense is not clear. Perhaps it is a militant name for one who will capture prisoners.

Eriboea

2011-04-21T23:50:00.000+07:00

Eriboea was the second wife of Alöeus. It was also another name for Periboea, the daughter of Alcathoüs. It seems to be a propitious name, meaning 'one who has much cattle', from eri, 'much' and bous, 'ox'. It could also derive from eri, 'much' and bosco, 'to feed', 'pasture', which is almost the same thing.

Erichthonius

2011-04-14T14:49:00.000+07:00

Erichthonius was both the name of an early king of Athens described as the son of Hephaestus and that of the son of Dardanus and Batia who married Astyoche and was the father of Tros. For the first Erichthonius there are several popular origins.

One is to derive his name from eris, 'strife' and chthon, 'earth' with reference to the strife between his father Hephaestus and Athena: the story went that Hephaestus embraced Athena and made to possess her but she pushed him away and his semen fell on the earth.

According to another version of this incident Hephaestus ejaculated against Athena's thigh when she pushed him away and in disgust she wiped off the semen with a piece of wool (erion), which she then threw to the ground (chthon).

Another explanation of his name derives it from eri, 'very', 'much' and chthon 'earth' in the sense 'plentiful land', a suitable name for a king. But perhaps his name is really just an expanded form of Erechtheus. The two are sometimes confused. The second Erichthonius above was reputed to be very wealthy and to own three thousand mares: for him the 'plentiful land' definition seems best.

Erigone

2011-04-14T14:45:00.000+07:00

Erigone was the name of the daughter of Icarius and also the daughter of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra. The name could mean 'child of strife', from eris, 'strife' and gonos, 'child', 'offspring', or 'much offspring', from eri-, 'very', 'much' and the same gonos.

For Icarius' daughter, at least, the first interpretation would be fitting since she hanged herself and prayed that all the daughter of Athens should do likewise. The second Erigone does not seem to merit either version, so we must perhaps settle for the propitious 'plentiful offspring' meaning for her.

There is no record of this being fulfilled. But possibly another meaning altogether could be appropriate. One alternative is 'born in spring', from ear, 'spring' and gonos, 'child'. A spring child is clearly one born at a propitious and fruitful time.

Erinyes

2011-04-14T14:42:00.000+07:00

Erinyes was the Greek name for the Furies, the female spirits of justice and vengeance. The derivation of the word is uncertain, although Hesiod claimed it meant 'the strong ones', presumably from the root eri, 'very', 'much'.

Other conjectures have been elinuo, 'to rest', 'sleep' - hardly appropriate for angry beings seeking vengeance - and even the ingenious en era naiein, 'dwelling in the earth'. The Erinyes were said to have been born when the blood of the castrated Uranus fell on to Gaia, the earth.

Eriopis

2011-04-14T14:40:00.000+07:00

Eriopis was probably the name of the daughter of Arsinoë or, according to some writers, of the daughter of Jason and Medea. If we take the eri- again as 'very', 'much', then we can try a meaning of either 'large-eyed' (from ops, 'eye') or 'very rich' (from pion, 'rich'). The former could suggest a gentle attractiveness, the latter be highly propitious.

Eripha

2011-04-14T14:37:00.000+07:00

Eripha was the name of a mare that belonged to Marmax, the first of the many suitors of Hippodamia (notice her 'mare' name, incidentally). Another mare who belonged to Marmax was Parthenia, and both poor horses were killed, together with their master, by Oenomaüs, who was systematically disposing of Hippodamia's suitors as he wanted her for himself. (Strangely, Oenomaüs was said to be fond of horses . . . ) Eripha's name means 'kid', 'young goat' (eriphos), which seems somewhat out of place.

Eriphyle

2011-04-01T00:50:00.000+07:00

Eriphyle was the daughter of Talaüs and Lysimache. She was killed by her son, Alcmaeon, after she had been bribed by Polynices to send her husband Amphiaraüs to his death with the Seven Against Thebes. This was as a result of Eriphyle having become the arbiter between Amphiaraüs and her brother Adrastus.

From this family dissension springs her name, meaning 'strife producer', from eris, 'strife' and phyo, 'to produce'. True, we could make her name mean 'many leaves' (eri-, 'many' and phyllon, 'leaf), referring to some ritual or fertility rite, but this would be more speculative than suitable.

Eris

2011-04-01T00:46:00.000+07:00

Eris was, as her name clearly indicates, the goddess of discord (eris). According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx. She is famous for her part in the marriage of Peleus and Thetis: at the gathering she threw a golden apple inscribed 'for the fairest' among those present.

Zeus suggested that the three goddesses who claimed the title, Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, should ask Paris to decide who was the rightful winner. Aphrodite was selected, and this was one of the main causes of the Trojan War. The apple was the proverbial 'apple of discord'. The Roman equivalent goddess was named, predictably, Discordia.

Eros

2011-04-01T00:07:00.000+07:00

Eros was, of course, the god of love, corresponding to the Roman Amor or Cupid. Hesiod said he was born out of Chaos, together with Tartarus and Gaia. The Greek word eros specifies erotic (i.e. sexual) love.

Ersa

2011-04-01T00:05:00.000+07:00

Ersa was the daughter of Zeus and Selene (the moon). Her name means 'dew' (erse), which was believed to have been caused by the moon - compare the lines from A Midsummer Night's Dream where the Fairy sings: Ί do wander everywhere, Swifter than the moone's sphere; And I serve the fairy queen, To dew her orbs upon the Green', and where Oberon speaks of 'young Cupid's fiery shaft Quench'd in the chaste beams of the wat'ry moon'. Ersa's name was also doubtless metaphorical to denote a young and tender being, one born in the freshness of the morning.

Erymanthis,

2011-04-01T00:01:00.000+07:00

Erymanthis, in the tale of Heracles' Fourth Labour, was the name of the mountain in Arcadia where the Erymanthian Boar lived. This mountain was said to have taken its name from a son of Apollo who had been blinded by Aphrodite because he had seen her bathing naked (compare the fate of Actaeon).

The name seems to be based on mantice, 'divination' with the suffix ery- coming from eryo, 'to draw'. It thus means 'divining by lots', which is presumably intended as a powerful and propitious name.

Erysichthon

2011-03-31T23:57:00.000+07:00

Erysichthon was the name first of a son of Cecrops and Aglaurus and, second, of a son of Triopas, king of Dotion in Thessaly. This second Erysichthon dared to invade a grove of Demeter at Dotium, and began cutting down the sacred trees to provide timber for his new banqueting hall. Demeter punished him by making him perpetually hungry, so that he became a street-beggar, eating filth from the ground.

The trouble here is that eryo means both 'to tear' and 'to guard', so his name can mean either 'earth tearer' (with the latter half of his name from chthon, 'earth') or 'earth guardian'. As a beggar he had to 'tear earth' in order to eat and survive, but we are not told how he guarded any land.

Perhaps we can compromise and consider 'ploughman' (one who both 'tears' the earth and guards it). One theory suggests erysibe, 'mildew' as lying behind his name: mildew, after all, devours, and this represents Erysichthon's insatiable hunger.

Erythea

2011-03-31T23:52:00.000+07:00

Erythea was the name of one of the Hesperides. Her name means 'red' (erythros), this obviously referring to the colour of the sun setting in the west.

Erytheïs

2011-03-31T23:49:00.000+07:00

Erytheïs was another of the Hesperides. Her name, too, means 'red'.

Eryx

2011-03-31T23:47:00.000+07:00

Eryx was a son of Aphrodite and Poseidon (or Butes), who became a king of part of north-west Sicily. His name seems to mean 'heather' (ereice) - compare the Latin botanical name for heather, Erica. Heather was a plant that had a special significance for the Greeks, perhaps because of some medical or magical association.

Eteocles

2011-03-31T23:44:00.000+07:00

Eteocles is a name that one would expect to find belonging to a king, since it means 'true glory', from eteos, 'true', 'real' and cleos, 'glory'. And indeed we find that it was the name of a son of Andreus and Euippe who was an early king of Orchomenus in Boeotia, and of a more famous king of Thebes who was the son of Oedipus and Jocasta, The latter's brother was Polynices, and their names indicate clearly who was the 'good' brother and who was the 'bad' one.

Eteoclus

2011-03-31T23:40:00.000+07:00

Eteoclus has a name that means exactly the same as that of Eteocles, 'true glory'. He was one of the Seven Against Thebes.

Euanthes

2011-03-31T23:38:00.000+07:00

Euanthes was the son of Dionysus and Ariadne. His name means 'blooming' or 'flowering', from euanthes, literally 'fine flower'. This is a 'winy' name like those of his brothers: Oenopion, Thoas, Staphylas, Latronis and Tauropolus.

Eubuleus

2011-03-31T23:25:00.000+07:00

Eubuleus was the by-name, or rather the euphemistic title, of Hades - although sometimes he is said to be a brother of Triptolemus. The name means 'good counsel', 'prudence', from euboulia (eu-, 'good' and boule, 'counsel'). A name like this would be used not to anger the bearer of the real, fearsome name, in fact to avoid even mentioning his real name.

Euippe

2011-03-31T21:07:00.000+07:00

Euippe means 'good mare', referring not so much to the person so named (as a sort of'fine filly') but as a propitious name for one who could possess several horses. One woman so called was the wife of king Pierus, who bore him nine daughters, the Piérides. Another was the daughter of Leucon who married Andreus, son of the river god Peneius.

Eumaeüs

2011-03-31T21:04:00.000+07:00

Eumaeüs, in the Odyssey, was the name of Odysseus' swineherd who had been the swineherd of Odysseus' father Laertes before him. His name is a good, honest one, meaning 'one who strives well', from eu-, 'good' and maiomai, 'to endeavour', 'strive'.

Eumelus

2011-03-31T21:01:00.000+07:00

Eumelus was a king of Patrae in Archaea and the father of Antheas. He was also (as another Eumelus) the son of Admetus and Alcestis who became king of Pherae in Thessaly. The name is an agreeable one meaning 'sweet melody' or 'good tune', from eu-, 'good' and melos, 'song', 'melody'.

Eumenides

2011-03-31T20:56:00.000+07:00

Eumenides was a euphemistic name used for the Erinyes (the Furies), whose real name was best avoided (compare Eubuleus). It apparently means 'well-minded', 'well-disposed', from eu-, 'good', 'well' and menos, 'spirit'. The name was first given to the avenging ladies by Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and is familiar as the title of a play by Aeschylus.

Eumolpus

2011-03-31T20:52:00.000+07:00

Eumolpus was a son of Poseidon and Chione (or Dysaules and Baubo). It means 'sweetly singing', from eu-, 'good' and molpe, 'song', 'singing'. The name suggests some religious or mystical ceremony, and in fact Eumolpus was associated with the founding of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Lucian tells us that Eumolpus was a title adopted by the chief priest of the Eleusinian Mysteries when in office, since he was not supposed to use his own name at this time.

Euneo

2011-03-31T20:46:00.000+07:00

Euneo was a nymph who married Dymas, to whom she bore Hecabe. Her name is a favourable one, meaning 'good intelligence', from eu-, 'good' and noos, 'intelligence'.

Euneiis

2011-03-31T20:44:00.000+07:00

Euneiis was the son of Jason and Hypsipyle, queen of Lemnos. His name seems to mean 'of the bed', from eune, 'bed'. Perhaps this is a favourable name for one born of a propitious marriage. (An echo of his name can be seen in the word 'eunuch', which means 'one who guards the bedchamber', from eune and echo, 'to protect'.)

Eunomus

2011-03-31T20:38:00.000+07:00

Eunomus was the son of Architeles and the boy cup-bearer of Oeneus. He was accidentally killed, poor fellow, when Heracles boxed his ears. In spite of this, he obviously carried out his duties well, for his name means 'orderly', from eunomes, 'well-ordered'. Compare the fate of Cyathus.

Eupalamus

2011-03-31T20:35:00.000+07:00

Eupalamus must have been 'good with his hands', as they say - perhaps even an inventor. He was the son of Erechtheus and father of Daedalus (who was similarly gifted). His name derives from eupalamos, 'inventive', from eu-, 'good' and palame, 'palm of the hand', 'hand'.

Euphemus

2011-03-31T20:32:00.000+07:00

Euphemus was the son of Poseidon and Europa (daughter of Tityus), who was also one of the Argonauts. His name must be the ultimate in propitious names, since it actually means 'of good omen', from euphemos, a word applied to people who used only words of good omen (or avoided words of bad omen).

Euphorbus

2011-03-31T20:28:00.000+07:00

Euphorbus was the son of Panthoüs, a Dardanian. His name is one more favourable one, meaning 'good pasture', from euphorbia, 'rich pasture' (with phorbe meaning 'pasture').

Euphrosyne

2011-03-02T18:01:00.000+07:00

Euphrosyne was one of the Graces, and she has an appropriately agreeable name, meaning 'cheery' (euphrosynes).

Europa

2011-03-02T17:59:00.000+07:00

Europa was the daughter of the Phoenician king Agenor and his wife Telephassa. Her main claim to fame, of course, is that she gave her name to Europe. So what does her name mean? A popular theory is that it means either 'broad-browed', from eurys, 'broad' and ophrys, 'brow', or 'broad face', from eurys and ops, 'face'.

It could also mean 'she of the wide eyes', from eurys and ops, 'eye' or even, at a pinch, 'well watered' or 'fair-flowing', from eu-, 'good', 'well' and rheo, 'to flow'. Maybe the name of her mother (which means 'far-shining') is somehow significant. The actual name of the continent is generally held to mean 'west' (as opposed to Asia which is 'east').

The nineteenth-century French traveller and geographer Jean-Jacques Elisée Reclus wrote: 'Herodotus naively claims that not a single mortal has ever succeeded in discovering the true meaning of this word.' Europa is famous for her ride on the white bull (really Zeus) to Crete, where Zeus made love to her. She bore him three sons: Minos, Rhadamanthys and Sarpedon.

Eurotas

2011-03-02T17:57:00.003+07:00

Eurotas was an early king of Laconia, and the father of Sparte. His purely propitious name means 'fair flowing', from euroos (eu-, 'well' and rheo, 'to flow'). This could suggest a rich and easy life or, more precisely, the gift of eloquence.

Euryale

2011-03-02T17:57:00.000+07:00

Euryale is one of the three Gorgons, and the mother of Orion by Poseidon. If we interpret her name as 'wide sea' (eurys, 'wide' and hals, 'sea'), this will accord well with the names of her son and husband.

Euryanassa

2011-03-02T17:55:00.002+07:00

Euryanassa was the daughter of the river Pactolus. Her name, as befits a riverine offspring, means 'wide-ruling queen', from eurys, 'wide' and anassa, 'queen'.

Eurybatus

2011-03-02T17:54:00.002+07:00

Eurybatus was the twin of Olus, with both brothers being the two Cercopes who harassed Heracles. His name means 'wide walker', from eurys, 'wide' and baino, 'to walk'. This is not so much a propitious name as a descriptive one, since he roamed abroad doing mischief.

By a happy coincidence, the sense of 'wide' here is almost exactly that of the English word in the slang 'wide boy', where 'wide' (according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary) means 'skilled in sharp practice'. That was Eurybatus exactly.

Eurybia

2011-03-02T17:53:00.002+07:00

Eurybia was the daughter of Pontus and Gaia. By the Titan Crius she was the mother of Astraeüs, Pallas and Perses. For one born of the sea and the land, her name is highly appropriate, since it means 'wide force', from eurys, 'wide' and bia, 'force', 'might'.

Euryclea

2011-03-02T17:52:00.000+07:00

Euryclea was Odysseus' old nurse who recognised him on his eventual return from Troy. Her name means 'wide fame' (eurys, 'wide' and cleos, 'fame'), which is really more appropriate for her famous charge. But perhaps she was destined to bask in his glory.

Eurydamas

2011-03-02T17:51:00.000+07:00

Eurydamas was an Argonaut, the son of Ctimenus. His name would seem to be simply a favourable one, meaning 'wide tamer', from eurys, 'wide' and damazo, 'to tame'.

Eurydice

2011-03-02T17:50:00.000+07:00

Eurydice was the name of more than one mythological female. First there was the famous Dryad who was loved by Orpheus (whose tale came to be told in several operas, plays and films), then there was Eurydice the mother of Danaë, thirdly there was the wife of Creon, and fourthly (and by no means last) there was Eurydice the daughter of Adrastus and wife of Ilus, king of Troy.

The popular name means literally 'wide justice', from eurys, 'wide' and dice, 'right', 'justice', so thus loosely really means 'queen' or 'princess'. In this respect it is more of a 'title' name, like Creusa.

Eurylochus

2011-03-02T17:48:00.000+07:00

Eurylochus was the leader of the 'recce party' that explored Circe's island when Odysseus and his crew landed there, and generally he was something of an aggressive character. Perhaps this is reflected in his name, which means 'wide ambush', from eurys, 'wide' and lochos, 'ambush'.

Eurylochus

2011-03-02T17:47:00.000+07:00

Eurymachus

2011-03-02T17:45:00.000+07:00

Eurymachus was the son of Polybus, a nobleman from Ithaca. He was the most favoured of the suitors of Penelope, Odysseus' wife, and was the second to be killed by Odysseus on his return. His name means 'wide fighter', from eurys, 'wide' (yet again) and mache, 'fight', 'battle'. His final battle with Odysseus is described in gory detail by Homer in the Odyssey.

Eurymedon

2011-03-02T17:43:00.002+07:00

Eurymedon was the giant who led his colossal colleagues in the 'Gigantomachia', the battle of the giants and the gods. His name appropriately means 'wide rule', from eurys, 'wide' and medon, 'rule' (as in Medusa, among other names).

Eurymedusa

2011-03-02T16:29:00.000+07:00

Eurymedusa was the daughter of king Myrmidon who in spite of her name ('being of wide cunning') was seduced by Zeus disguised as an ant. Her name is a combination of eurys, 'wide' and Medusa.

Eurynome

2011-03-02T16:27:00.002+07:00

Eurynome was the name of two noted women: the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys who bore the Graces to Zeus, and the daughter of Nisus, king of Megara, who married Glaucus and bore Bellerophon to Poseidon. The name means either 'wide wandering' or 'wide rule', from eurys, 'wide' and nomos, 'district', 'range' or nomao, 'to direct', 'control'. Both senses are ones of good omen.

Euryphaëssa

2011-03-02T16:05:00.002+07:00

Euryphaëssa was a Titaness, the mother of Helios, Selene and Eos by Hyperion. Not surprisingly for one who bore such radiant offspring, her name means 'wide shining', from eurys, 'wide' and phaeno, 'to shine'.

Eurypylus

2011-03-02T16:04:00.000+07:00

Eurypylus was a name borne by several men, including a son of Poseidon who was a king in Libya, a son of Telephus who was a king of Pergamum, a former suitor of Helen from Thessaly, and another son of Poseidon who was another king (on the island of Cos).

With such a wealth of lordly personages we must expect a rather grand meaning for the name, and it is in fact 'wide gates', from eurys, 'wide' and pyle, 'gate'. 'He of the wide gate' is obviously a suitable name for the king of a city.

Eurysaces

2011-03-02T16:01:00.002+07:00

Eurysaces was a son of Ajax and Tecmessa, and a king of Salamis. His warlike (or defensive) name means 'broad shield', from eurys, 'wide', 'broad' and sacos, 'shield'.

Eurysthenes

2011-03-02T16:00:00.000+07:00

Eurysthenes was a son of Aristodemus, and a twin brother of Procles. His propitious name means 'wide strength', from eurys, 'wide' and sthenos, 'strength'. (Note the possibly even more propitious name of his father, which means 'best of people'.)

Eurystheus

2011-03-02T15:35:00.002+07:00

Eurystheus was a son of Sthenelus and Nicippe (or maybe Menippe), and he was the bitterest enemy of Heracles, who was enslaved to him while he carried out his Twelve Labours. A man to be reckoned with, therefore, as his name tells us, for it means 'widely powerful', for the same words as Eurysthenes. Note the echo of 'power' in his father's name.

Eurytion

2011-03-02T15:33:00.002+07:00

Eurytion means 'widely honoured', from eurys, 'wide' and tio, 'to esteem', 'honour'. This is a suitable interpretation for the several people who bore the name, including a Centaur (who admittedly led a riot at the wedding of Pirithoüs and Hippodamia), a herdsman of the monster Geryon, and the son of Actor and Demonassa.

If we are not too happy about the Centaur, then we can try another meaning for him, from eu-, 'good' and rhytor, 'drawer', meaning a good archer. However, even here it must be said that there was some doubt as to whether Centaurs actually used bows and arrows, although eastern artists represented them as archers.

Eurytus

2011-03-02T15:32:00.002+07:00

Eurytus was a grandson of Apollo and the son of Melas. He became a king of Dechalia (possibly this was in Thessaly) and was himself the father of Iphitus.

Eurytus was also the name of a giant who was struck down by Dionysus in the battle of the giants against the gods. It was, too, the name of one of the Moliones, a son of Actor and Molione.

We can take our choice here, deriving the name from eu-, 'good' and rheo, 'to flow' (thus 'fair-flowing', like Eurotas), or from eryo, 'to keep guard', so 'holding fast', or even, like the Centaur Eurytion, from eu-, 'good' and rhytor, 'drawer', so 'good archer'.

This last interpretation would certainly suit the grandson of Apollo, who himself was described by Aristophanes as rhytor toxon, 'drawer of bows', in his play Thesmophoriazusae (approximating to 'Women Celebrating the Festival of Demeter the Law-Giver').

Euterpe

2011-03-02T15:31:00.002+07:00

Euterpe was the Muse of flute-playing, with her name meaning sweetly and simply 'delightful', from eu-, 'well' and terpo, 'to delight'.

Euthymus

2011-03-02T15:30:00.002+07:00

Euthymus, in spite of cosmetic associations, has a name that means 'well-disposed', 'cheerful', from eu-, 'well' and thymos, 'soul', 'spirit'. He was the son of the god of the river Caecinus, and a famous boxer.

http://www.liriklagufavorit.com/2010/09/craig-david-you-dont-miss-your-water-til-the-well-runs-dry/

Evadne

2011-03-02T15:29:00.000+07:00

Evadne was the daughter of Poseidon and the nymph Pitane. Her name may be pre-Greek or it may be related to euanthe and so mean 'fair-flowering', from eu-, 'well' and anthos, 'flower'. It has a certain currency as a modern first name.

Evander

2011-03-02T15:28:00.000+07:00

Evander was originally the name of Pan, meaning 'good man', from eu-, 'good' and aner, andros, 'man'. We can perhaps interpret the name more loosely to mean 'one who is good for men'.

Evenus

2011-03-02T15:25:00.000+07:00

Evenus was the son of Ares by Demonice, a mortal woman. He became the father of Marpessa. There was another Evenus who was the son of Selepus. He became king of Lyrnessus, near Troy. The name is fitting for a king or for one in authority since it means 'reining well' (no pun intended), from eu-, 'good' and henia, 'rein'.

Fates

2011-03-02T15:23:00.000+07:00

Fates, otherwise Parcae, was the Roman title of the three female deities who supervised fate rather than determining it. Their names were Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, and they were the daughters of Nyx. The Latin word Fata is a plural that is probably an adaptation of the singular word fatum, meaning 'that which is spoken'.

In the course of time, however, the neuter plural noun fata became a feminine singular (not in classical Latin), and this is now seen in the Italian fata and French, 'fairy'. The Greeks called the Fates Moirai.