Contents:
Why choose a Greek Mythology Dog Name?
Greek Mythology Male Dog Names
Greek Mythology Female Dog Names
Why choose a Greek Mythology Dog Name?
Do you think your dog is going to grow up swift and strong (like the great heroes Achilles or Hector)? Or maybe your dog can be a little tempestuous as he runs around the house (like the king of all gods, Zeus)? Or perhaps she comes into your lives every day like a sun rising at dawn (like Eos, goddess of the Dawn)? If so you could look to Greek Mythology Dog Names for a name that might reflect either their appearance, temperament or even both.
These names from mythology have never gone away. You only have to read or watch ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’ to see that the power of these mythical names means that they are still circulating today. Of course we are often using them without even realizing, such as Flora or Daphne.
The Ancient Greeks over a couple of millennia wove a fascinating tapestry of story, myths and legends. In these legends of heroes, gods and mortals they attempted to understand human life, our place in the cosmos and also the natural world around them.
The names given to Greek Gods such as Zeus, Hades, Poseidon became synonymous with power and ideas that controlled the lives of humans such as storms and lightning, death and the tempestuous power of the sea to take or spare life. Similarly with Greek Goddesses such as Aphrodite (goddess of love), Eos (goddess of the Dawn, Nyx (goddess of night) and Artemis (goddess of the hunt) all represented complicated areas of human existence or the natural world around them.
Add to this the exciting gallery of heroes, such as Achilles representing the ultimate warrior, unbeaten and unbeatable in his strength and speed, the wily Odysseus full of clever strategies and deceptions (such as the Trojan Horse) and noble female characters such as Penelope his wife, symbolizing faithfulness as she waited for her husband for 20 years and Helen who represented the ultimate in human beauty. But that is not to say there were not some feisty women such as Penthesilia, the Amazon queen, was a strong warrior who would not back down from facing any man.
There are also some very exciting monsters and fabulous beasts (although this is not to suggest that your beloved dog could ever be a ‘little monster’). Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guards at the gates of the kingdom of the dead (in effect, Hades’ pet dog), springs immediately to mind.
There are also some famous dogs in Greek mythology that might be a good source for names. This includes Sirius, the beloved hound of the famous hunter Orion, who now has his own star in the constellation of Orion, from where we get the phrase ‘the dog days of summer’. This being because Sirius appears at the hottest times of the year. It also includes Argos, Odysseus dog, who waited for his return for 20 years. Argos is the only one to recognize his master who is disguised as a beggar. Poignantly after seeing Odysseus safe return he wags his tail in greeting and dies.
If Shakespeare asked ‘What’s in a name”, for the Greeks and their mythology, the answer was a lot. These names were powerful and full of important meanings. They suggested both physical qualities and also temperament. Zeus and Poseidon in keeping with storms and sea were unpredictable while Aphrodite, with her son Eros, used the power of love to get whatever she wanted. Perhaps you already know a dog who is also very capable of exploiting their cuteness in a similar way in your own home?
This all means that using Greek Mythology dog names can be great fun as these names actually could fit either the way they look or even suggest something about your dog’s character or appearance. I have therefore added a description of what temperament would be potentially be suggested by a name for your reference.
You could also find names that are quite unique and have people at the park scratching their heads. Also, some many of the names are just beautiful and offer a fitting tribute to your new treasured canine companion.
I hope you enjoy exploring these Greek Mythology Dog names, but whatever you call them, like the stories of Sirius and Argos shows us, you will have a very faithful and loyal friend for life.
Greek Mythology Male Dog Names
| Name | Info | Suits this dog |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles (Hero) | The Greek hero of the Trojan War narrated in Homers ‘Iliad’. Son of the sea nymph Thetis. | Strong, fast but with a hidden sensitive side. Might mope occasionally if they don’t get their own way. |
| Apollo (God) | God of Archery and Music. Associated with the sun and light. | This name suggest a sunny personality which will immediately light up a room. But will stand up for himself. |
| Ares (God) | Son of Zeus, king of the gods. The God of War. | Passionate and tempestuous. On occasion a little bit unpredictable and can charge around and cause mayhem. |
| Argos (Dog) | Argos is the faithful hound of Odysseus who waits for him for 20 years and dies when he has greeted him one last time. | An ultra faithful dog who tends to have a favorite who they cannot be without. |
| Atlas (God/Titan) | Made to hold up the sky as punishment by the new gods. | A strong, persistent dog. But one who occasionally gets grumpy and looks like they carry the world on their shoulders. |
| Boreas (God) | The God of the North Wind | A speedy dog who spends a lot of their time whizzing around |
| Cadmus (Hero) | Founder of the important Greek city Thebes – Rewarded by Athena, goddess of Wisdom, for his loyalty | Trustworthy. Will usually behave but might expect a treat afterwards. |
| Cerberus (Monster Dog) | Fearsome three-headed watchdog of the Underworld (also now famous as fluffy in ‘Harry Potter’) | A very good watchdog with a bark as loud as three dogs put together |
| Dionysius (God) | The god of wine and mad parties | This party dog will always be rushing around the house ready to play. Might occasionally knock things over in his frenzy. |
| Eros (God) | The youngest god who loved inflaming passion with his arrows and generally wreaking havoc. | This dog will always pull on the heart strings. At the same time he will always be up for some mischief. |
| Hades (God) | One of the three main gods alongside his brothers Zeus and Poseidon. God of the underworld and the dead. Liked stealing things (like the living) and not returning them. | This dog may occasionally brood or be gloomy if he doesn’t get his own way. Might like stealing things that he shouldn’t. Also likes burying things that you might never see again. |
| Hector (Hero) | The most powerful hero of the Trojan army. His death marks the end of Homer’s ‘Iliad’ narrating the Trojan War where he was sadly fated to lose his life in a duel with Achilles. | A strong and persistent dog who will never give up even against all the odds. This name suggests loyalty and dedication |
| Heracles (Hero) | Son of Zeus. Strongest man. Though trickery by Hera, Zeus’ wife, ended up having to complete a number of labors. | Would suit a strong dog who will be obedient and complete all trained commands to a good standard. |
| Hermes (God) | Son of Zeus. Greek messenger god with winged sandals. Guided the dead to the underworld. | This would suit a winged-pawed dog who can fly across a field or meadow at a very swift pace. This dog might also have good navigational skills and always find its way back to its owner. |
| Hypnos (God) | God of Sleep. | Will suit a dog who really likes to sleep and ‘rest hard’ on his bed after a good walk. |
| Icarus (Mortal) | Son of Daedalus. His dad invented wings of wax so that they could escape the king of Crete. Sadly despite the warning he flew too close to the sun, the wax melted and he plunged to his death. | This would suit a dog who is a bit of an adventurer and a risk-taker. |
| Midas (Mortal) | A king so popular with gods was offered a wish. Unfortunately, he wished for everything that he touched to turn to gold. | Everything that this dog’s paws touch will turn to gold. Would suit a dog that is the ‘real golden boy’ of the house and rarely puts a paw wrong. Alternatively maybe this dog has beautiful golden coat. |
| Narcissus (Mortal) | A very beautiful man who fell in love with his own reflection. He rejected the love of the nymph Echo. | This name would suit a dog who really does think a lot of himself. To be fair you probably think a lot of him too. |
| Odysseus (Hero) | A very famous hero of the Trojan War known for his clever stratagems. He upset Poseidon and ended up taking 10 years to get home. | This would suit a clever dog who never gives up. Perhaps out on walk likes to hang back and sniff meaning that the walk can sometimes feel that it goes on forever. Hopefully not 10 years. |
| Orpheus (hero) | A brilliant musician who tried to rescue his wife from the underworld by charming Cerberus with his music. Unfortunately she looked back and he lost her forever. | If you have an incredibly charming and loyal dog he might be a good fit for this name. Or perhaps a Siberian Husky who likes to sing. |
| Sirius (Dog) | The loyal hound of the giant Orion. The brightest star in the sky is named after him. | This dog will be the brightest star in the house. This hound will also be unfailingly loyal. |
| Typhon (Monster) | A huge powerful beast who nearly defeated Zeus in an evenly balanced battle. | Would suit a strong dog who sometimes can be a little stubborn or challenging. |
| Zephyrus | God of the west wind. | Another good name for a dog who zips around as swift as the wind |
Greek Mythology Female Dog Names
| Name | Info | Suits this dog |
|---|---|---|
| Aphrodite (Goddess) | Daughter of Zeus, king of the gods. The Greek goddess of love. | Affectionate but might be likely to be a bit fickle and she is happy to be anyone else’s friend. |
| Athena (Goddess) | Daughter of Zeus, king of the gods. Goddess of wisdom, art and crafts | A good name for a little dog that stands up for herself. Very active but sensible and clever. |
| Cassandra (Mortal) | A prophetess who was cursed to know the future but never be believed. | Would suit a switched on little dog who is so attuned to routine and the people around her that she knows exactly what’s coming. She will appear with her lead at 6am every day like clockwork. |
| Circe (Minor Goddess/Sorceress) | Daughter of Sun God Helios. Tricked Odysseus turning his men into swine | A beautiful dog who might have you eating out of her paw. But watch out as always up to some kind of mischief |
| Daphne (Minor Goddess) | Daughter of a river god. A virgin huntress | This dog will be far more interested in hunting for a ball or Frisbee than playing with other dogs. Might get a little cross if cavorting male canines don’t leave her alone. |
| Demeter (Goddessis) | Goddess of the harvest. Refused to give up on her daughter Persephone when she was whisked off to the underworld. | A motherly or maternal dog always looking out for others. She won’t leave anyone behind on a walk and generally never give up when she puts her mind to something. |
| Delphi (Site of Oracles) | The site of the famous oracle where heroes came to learn their fate. | A nice name for a wise female dog who can read situations really well and generally stays out of trouble. |
| Dido (Mortal Queen) | Queen of Carthage. Abandoned by the Roman hero Aeneas and died from a broken heart. | A loyal and loving little dog but sadly she suffers terribly when left alone. Don’t be like Aeneas and get back to her as soon as you can. |
| Echo (Nymph/Minor Goddess) | Covered up for the philandering Zeus. Zeus’ angry wife, Hera, cursed her so that she could only say what was last said to her. | A lovable dog even if you do occasionally feel that you have to repeat yourself occasionally. |
| Electra (Mortal Princess) | Daughter of the Greek king Agamemnon. Name means ‘fiery’ or ‘spark’. Rescued her brother from an evil usurper | Will suit a fiery dog full of spark. She will never fail to rescue you from boredom with her antics. |
| Gaia (Goddess) | Mother Earth with her gifts of plenty and fruitfulness | A new age name for a dog who means the earth to her family. |
| Leda (Mortal) | Loved by Zeus. Became mother to Helen of Troy whose beauty launched a thousand ships | Lovely name for a dog who finds herself beloved by all who meet her. |
| Muse (A Minor Goddess) | The muses represented inspiration in the arts such as poetry and music | An inspirational little dog who inspires you to extra exercise and enjoys inventive games like treasure hunts. |
| Pandora (Mortal) | The Greek version of Eve. Her name means ‘all gifts’ The first woman who open the sealed jar (or box) which contained all the miseries of mankind | This little dog is likely to be curious and always investigating and looking into things. |
| Penelope (Mortal Queen) | The wife of Odysseus. She waited faithfully for 20 years for her husband to return from Troy. | This name will suit a faithful and loyal dog. Although hopefully she will only need to wait faithfully for a couple of hours |
| Rhea (Goddess) | The mother of Zeus. She prevented her son and his sons being eaten by her husband Chronos by putting a boulder in swaddling. Must have been tough for her husband to swallow. | A lovely name for an intelligent and resourceful dog |
