Main Names of Greek Goddesses – Meet them and get inspired!

“A goddess, a madwoman, a sorceress, she is awesome.” This is an excerpt from a famous Brazilian song by the duo Rick & Renner. And this is just one of several that cite the term “goddess” as a way of praising female beauty. And, without a doubt, we can say that Greek culture is full of these beauties. Now the big question remains: can you remember, at least one, Greek goddess name?

Well, first let’s talk a little about how we inherited many things from Greek culture. For example, praise is not exclusive to women. Handsome men may also hear terms like “Greek god” when referring to their beauty.

The truth is that much of what we currently have in our lives is a direct reflection of what the Greeks did. Baptism is another clear reference to this influence. How many women are not named after Greek goddesses as a form of homage on the part of their parents? There aren’t many, believe me. Check out some below Greek goddess names and their meanings. Have you ever thought you know someone who is named like that, and you don’t even know it?

Know some names of Greek goddesses

Athena – She was an extremely important goddess within Greek mythology. In addition to being considered a symbol of wisdom, she was also the daughter of Zeus – the ruler and leader of the Olympian gods. Her name ended up being officially marked for the Greeks through her main city: Athens. But do you happen to have any idea what that term means? The meaning of the word falls somewhere close to “sharp praise”.

ivy – In Greek mythology, the goddess Hera has a fundamental role. She is the third wife of Zeus (who has multiple affairs, wives, and children throughout the entire story). And for this reason, Hera is considered as a symbol of marriage and the union between man and woman. Her name can be defined as “warrior” or “chosen”, meanings that have a direct relationship with the fact highlighted above of marrying Zeus even with his womanizing temper.

While these definitions are not 100% correct, they are very close to their context for mythology. This name also carries a lot of personality. Even though she was a goddess, Hera was an extremely vengeful person with whom she tried to interfere with her relationship with Zeus.

Irene – This is another inspirational Greek goddess name. Unlike the two previous examples, Irene was not an Olympian goddess. Her symbolism to the Greeks was about peace. This pacifying meaning had an influence on other moments of society. And as a result, she was becoming more and more known and with a greater number of followers. A fact that resulted in the baptism of many saints with this name at the beginning of the century as a tribute.

iris – Another goddess who was also not among the top twelve was Iris. Her function within Greek mythology was that of a messenger, also symbolizing the relationship between heaven and earth through the image of the rainbow. She is represented as a virgin with her beautiful golden wings, who moves with such lightness that she fascinates everyone.

Aphrodite – Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and sexuality within Greek mythology. Her name is associated with the meaning of “sea foam” – the place, where, supposedly, it had arisen, after her father’s testicles (Uranus) were thrown into the sea. Her name is used a lot, because in addition to her beautiful appearance, she is responsible for the perpetuation of life, pleasure and a lot of happiness. And who doesn’t want a life filled with all that, right?

Now that you know the names of Greek goddesses, enjoy and read too: