Guide to the Valkyries

I know, it's been a while, but I suddenly find myself with a lot more free time right now....


Anyway, my husband asked in passing earlier if the Valkyries of Norse mythology had individual names [before you go thinking we're cultured intellectuals or something, the context was.....watching the MCU :p ], and I realized that I had no idea!
Turns out: yes they did, and while some are familiar Nordic names, most are not.

Enjoy this Scandi-themed jump back into my name blog. ;)

• Brynhildr (BRUN ['u' like in German "über"] -hildr)--"armor-battle". Most common modern form is Brynhild (BREEN-hil, BREEN-hild).
• Eir (AYR)--"help, mercy". Modern form is Eira (AY-rah). [some sources have Eir as a Valkyrie; others as a separate goddess of healing]
• Geirahǫð (GAY-rah-hoth ['th' like in "the"])--"spear-battle"
• Geiravǫr (GAY-rah-vahr)--"spear-defender" or "spear-woman"
• Geirdriful (GAYR-dree-vool)--"spear-flinger"
• Geirskǫgul (GAYR-skog-ool)--"spear-battle" or "spear-shaker"
• Geirǫlul (GAY-rah-lool)--poss. "spear-luck"
• Geirǫnul (GAY-rah-nool)--unknown, "spear" + ?
• Guðr (GOOTHr ['th' like in "the"])--"battle". Also called Gunnr (GOONr). Modern form is Gun/Gunn (GOON, 'oo' like in "foot"). 
• Gǫll (GAHL)--"noise, tumult"
• Gǫndul (GAHN-dool)--"magic" or "magical creature"
• Herfjǫtur (HEHRV-yah-toor)--"army-fetter"
• Herja (HEHR-yah)--"devastate"
• Hervǫr (HEHR-vahr)--"army defender" or "army-woman". Modern forms are Hervor (HEHR-vohr, Swedish) and Hervör (HEHR-vur, Icelandic). 
• Hildr (HEEL-dr)--"battle". Most common modern form is Hilda/Hilde. 
• Hjalmþrimul (HYAHLM-threem ['th' like in "the"] -ool)--"helmet-battle"
• Hjǫrþrimul (HYAHR-threem ['th' like in "the"] -ool)--"sword-battle"
• Hlaðgunnr (HLATH ['th' like in "the"] -goonr)--"weaving battle". Also called Hlaðguðr (HLATH-goothr [both 'th' like in "the"]). 
• Hlǫkk (HLAHK)--"noise". Moden Icelandic form is Hlökk (HLUK). 
• Hrist (HREEST)--"shake"
• Hrund (HROOND)--poss. "push". Modern Icelandic form is Hrund (HROONT ['oo' like in "foot"]). 
• Kára (KAH-rah)--"curly" or poss. "obstinate". Most common modern form is Kara (KAH-rah). 
• Mist (MEEST)--"mist, cloud". Modern form is still Mist. :) [don't you love the easy ones?]
• Ráðgríðr (RAHTH-greethr [both 'th' like in "the"])--"counsel-eagerness" [fig. "bossy"] or "counsel-peace"
• Randgríðr (RAHND-greethr ['th' like in "the"])--"shield-eagerness" or "shield-peace"
• Reginleif (REG-een-layf)--"might-heir"
• Róta (ROH-tah)--poss. "storm" or "make messy"
• Sangríðr (SAHN-greethr ['th' like in "the"])--"true eagerness" or "true peace". Modern Swedish form is Sangrid (SAHN-grid). 
• Sigrdríf (SEEGr-dreef)--"victory-drive". Modern Icelandic form is Sigurdrif (SIG-ur-dreef). 
• Sigrún (SEEG-roon)--"victory-secret". Most common modern forms are Sigrún (SIG-roon, Icelandic) and Sigrun (SEEG-roon ['oo' like in "foot"], Norwegian, Swedish, Danish). 
• Skaga (SKAH-gah)--"promontory, cape". Modern [masculine] Norwegian form is Skage (SKAH-geh).
• Skalmǫld (SKAHL-mahld)--"sword-time"
• Skeggjǫld (SKEG-gyahld)--"battleaxe-time"
• Skuld (SKOOLD)--"blame" or "future". Modern Icelandic form is Skuld (SKOOLT ['oo' like in "foot"]). [also a name of one of the Norns (Fates)]
• Skǫgul (SKAHG-ool)--"battle" or "shaker"
• Svafa (SVAH-vah)--"Swabian". Modern forms are Svava (SVAH-vah, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, Danish) and Svafa (SVAH-vah, Icelandic). 
• Svanhvít (SVAHN-hveet)--"white swan". Modern Icelandic form is Svanhvít (SVAHN-kveet). 
• Sveið (SVAYTH ['th' like in "the"])--poss. "noise, vibration"
• Svipul (SVEE-pool)--"changeable"
• Tanngniðr (TAHNG-neethr ['th' like in "the"])--"tooth-grinder"
• Ǫlrún (AHL-roon)--"luck-secret". Modern forms are Åro (AWR [not quite like the English 'aw', but partway between English 'aw' and 'oh' sounds] -oh, Norwegian) and Ölrún (UL-roon, Icelandic).
• Þrima (THREE ['th' like in "three"] -mah)--"fight"
• Þrúðr (THROO-thr [first 'th' like in "three", second like in "the"])--"strength". Most common modern form is Trude (TROO-deh). [also, same root as English Trudy :) ]
• Þǫgn (THAHGn ['th' like in "three")--"silence"

You're a Star, pt. 3

I've already done a post on named stars, as well as one on names that mean 'star'. However, that overlooks one very narrow category of stellar names: those referring to one specific star--in this case, the morning and evening star (both are actually Venus, but let's not get too semantic). ;)

Danica and Lucifer are probably the only ones familiar in the US, but there are a quite a few others....
(surprisingly, most of the names I found are commonly used on people; the few that are mainly mythological/literary are marked with an *. Also, almost all the names refer to the morning star--or Venus in general--the ones referring to only the evening star are noted as such)

Feminine:

• Arusiak (ah-ROOS-yak, Armenian)--also transliterated as Arusyak. 
• Aušrinė (oh-SHREEN-ay [trilled/rolled R], Lithuanian)
• Ayelet (ah-YEH-let, Hebrew)--lit. "gazelle". 'Ayelet hashachar ("gazelle of dawn") is the Hebrew name for the morning star.
• Berlewen (behr-LEOO-en ['EOO' roughly sounds like the short 'e' of English "let" and the short 'oo' of "took" smashed together], Cornish)--a modern revival Cornish name. Another form is Borlowen* (bor-LOO-en). 
• Danica (DAN-ik-ah, English; DAH-neets-ah, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovenian)
• Jitřenka (yih-TRZHENK-ah [no close English equivalent for the ř, sort of a buzzy rolled R], Czech)
• Lucero (loo-SEH-roh, Spanish)--lit. "light-giver, brilliance". Lucero del alba ("light-giver of dawn") is the Spanish name for the morning star. 
• Quetzalli (ket-SAHL-lee, Nahuatl)--lit. "feather". Quetzalcoatl is the god of the morning star in Aztec mythology. Modern Spanish spelling is Quetzali.
• Sagal (sah-GAL, Somali)
• Vakarinė* (vah-kah-REE-nay [trilled/rolled R], Lithuanian) [evening]
• Zornitsa (zor-NEET-sah, Bulgarian)
• Zorya* (ZOHR-yah, Russian, Ukrainian)--lit. "dawn". Zorya Vechernyaya and Zorya Utrennyaya are the goddesses of the evening star and morning star, respectively, in Slavic mythology.
  [related names Zora/Zoran/Zorana are common in the Slavic languages]

Masculine:

• Ēarendel* (AYR-en-del, Old English)--Old Norse form is Aurvandil* (AWR-vahn-dil). Orentil*, Orendel*, and Erentil* are related names found in medieval German literature.
  [Tolkien fans might notice the similarity between Ēarendel and Eärendil--well, Tolkien was an Old English scholar. ;) ]
• Lucifer* (LOO-sif-er, [anglicized] Latin)--lit. "bringer of light"
• Tariq (TAH-rik, Arabic)--lit. "knocker, striker"
• Tāwera (TAH-weh-rah, Maori)
• Vesper* (VES-per, [anglicized] Latin)--Original Greek form is Hesperos*. [evening]

Unisex:

• Khwezi (KWEH-zee, Zulu)
• Tsolmon (TSAHL-mun, Mongolian)

Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name--Finn

I know, I know: how have I not done Finn yet? It's trending in several countries across Europe, as well as in the US, Australia, & New Zealand, so if you don't know any Finns yet, you probably will soon. :)
It's a full name on its own in two different origins (Old Irish, "fair, white"; & Old Norse, originally "wanderer", now "Sámi/Lapp", and metaphorically "magician"), but there are several longer names that can also lend themselves to a Finn nickname.

• Alfinn (AHL-finn, Norwegian)--"elf Sámi"
• Arnfinn (ARN-fin, Norwegian)--"eagle Sámi". Another form is Anfinn (AHN-fin). 
• Audfinn (OWD-fin, [archaic] Norwegian)--"wealth Sámi"
• Bergfinn (BEHRG-fin, Norwegian)--"fortress Sámi"
• Eldfinn (ELD-fin, [archaic] Norwegian)--"fire Sámi"
• Elffin (EL-fin, Welsh [mythology])--poss. from Latin or Pictish "white". Also spelled Elphin. 
• Finbar (FIN-bar, Irish)--"fair head"
• Finlay (FIN-lee, Irish, Scottish, English)--"fair warrior". Also spelled Finley. [unisex in the U.S., but exclusively masculine elsewhere]
• Finlo (FIN-loh, Manx)--"fair Lugh" [Irish god]
• Finnegan (FIN-eh-gan, Irish [surname])--"little fair one"
• Finnegas (FIN-eh-gas, Irish [mythology])--poss. "Finn the Seer". Also written as Finegas or Finneces.
• Finnian (FIN-ee-an, Irish)--"fair, white". Other forms include Finnán (FIN-awn) and Finnén (FIN-ayn).
• Finnleif (FIN-life, Norwegian)--"Sámi-heir". An older form is Finnleiv (FIN-live). 
• Finnvid (FIN-vid, [somewhat archaic] Swedish)--"Sámi-tree". Other forms include Finnevid (FIN-eh-vid, also somewhat archaic Swedish), Finnved (FIN-ved, archaic Norwegian), and Finwith (FIN-vit, old Danish, old Swedish)
• Finnulf (FIN-ulf, [archaic] Norwegian)--"Sámi wolf". Also spelled Finulf. 
• Finnur (FIN-nur, Icelandic)--form of Finn (the Old Norse one, not the Irish ;) )
• Finnvald (FIN-vahld, [archaic] Norwegian)--"Sámi-ruler"
• Fintan (FIN-tan, Irish)--poss. "white bull" or "white fire"
• Fiorenzo (fee-oh-REN-tsoh, Italian)--form of Florence
• Franklin (FRANK-lin, English)--from Old English, "free man"
• Geirfinn (GIRE-fin, Norwegian)--"spear Sámi"
• Griffin (GRIF-fin, English)--anglicized form of Welsh Gruffudd, poss. "strong prince"; or from the mythological creature
• Kolfinn (KOHL-fin, [slightly archaic] Norwegian)--"dark Sámi"
• Norfinn (NOR-fin, [slightly archaic] Norwegian)--"north Sámi"
• Philemon (fye-LEE-mon, fil-EE-mon, English; fee-LAY-mohn, [Biblical] Greek)--from ancient Greek, "affectionate, kind"
• Philion (FIL-ee-on, FYE-lee-on, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--prob. "beloved". Also spelled Phileon. 
• Phineas (FIN-ee-as, English)--from Hellenized Hebrew, meaning uncertain. Also spelled Phinehas. 
• Phinias (FIN-ee-as, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--poss. "vulture", or a form of Phineas
• Phinus (FIN-us, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--poss. "vulture"
• Phintias (FIN-tee-as, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--poss. "dearest". Other forms include Phintas, Phinteas, and Phinton. 
• Seraphin (SEHR-ah-fin, English; SEHR-ah-feen, German)--masculine of Seraphina. Spanish form is Serafín (seh-rah-FEEN). 
• Tophinus (TOH-fin-us, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--poss. "tuff" [a volcanic rock]
• Torfinn (TOR-fin, Norwegian)--"Thor-Sámi". Also spelled Thorfinn. 

Elias, Silas, Titus, Tobias, Cyrus, Leonidas, Matthias....

It's pretty easy to come up with multiple phonetic trends for girls, but I've been trying to even things up and discover some for boys. Surnames, obviously: -ers, -sons, and -dens, but surely there's an alternative trend or two, right?
Well, I think I found one--"eye_as". The names listed in the title: all Top 1000, and all rising! It makes sense--"eye"-sounding names are trending all over the place for both genders, and the softer vintage-y -s ending makes some interesting and handsome combinations.
Can we find more? Of course! :D

• Achaios (ah-kye-AHS, [ancient] Greek)--Latin form is Achaeus (ah-KYE-us). 
• Aelius (EYE-lee-us, Latin)--poss. from Greek Helios, "sun"
• Alkaios (AHL-kye-os, [ancient] Greek)--"strength". Latin form is Alcaeus (al-KYE-us). 
• Amias (ah-MYE-as, English)--poss. from Latin "friend"
• Aineias (eye-NAY-as, [ancient] Greek)--"praise". Latin spelling is Aeneas. 
• Aias (EYE-as, [ancient] Greek)--original form of Ajax, prob. "eagle" or "earth"
• Alphaios (AHL-fye-os, [Biblical] Greek)--from Hebrew, poss. "change, renew". Latin form is Alphaeus (al-FYE-us). 
• Ananias (an-an-EYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--from Hebrew, "Yahweh is gracious"
• Argyros (ar-GYE-ros, [anglicized] Greek)--"silver"
• Aristaios (ah-ris-TYE-os, [ancient] Greek)--"most excellent". Latin spelling is Aristaeus. [Greek god of rustic occupations: beekeeping, shepherding, cheesemaking, etc]
• Astraios (AS-trye-os, [ancient] Greek)--"of the stars". Latin form is Astraeus (as-TRYE-us). [Greek Titan of the stars and astronomy]
• Azarias (az-ah-RYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--from Hebrew, "Yahweh has helped"
• Caiaphas (KYE-ah-phas, [Hellenized] Aramaic)--poss. "valley, depression"
• Caelius (KYE-lee-us, Latin)--masculine of Caelia/Celia, "heavenly"
• Esaias (eh-SYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--form of Hebrew Isaiah, "Yahweh is salvation". Other forms include Isaias (ee-SYE-as, Spanish) and Isaías (ee-ZYE-as, Portuguese). 
• Euryalus (yoo-RYE-ah-lus, [anglicized] Greek)--prob. "wide sea" or "wide roaming"
• Eutychus (yoo-TYE-kus, [anglicized] Greek)--"good luck"
• Ezekias (ez-eh-KYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--form of Hebrew Hezekiah, "Yahweh strengthens"
• Gaius (GYE-us, Latin)--origin unknown. Other forms include Caius (KYE-us) and Gaianus (GYE-an-us).  
• Hephaistos (HEF-eye-stos, [ancient] Greek)--Latin form is Hephaestus (hef-EYE-stus). [Greek god of fire, smiths, and craftsmen]
• Iairos (YIGH-ros, [Biblical] Greek)--from Hebrew, "he enlightens". Latin spelling is Iairus. 
• Josias (joh-SYE-as, [Biblical] Latin)--form of Hebrew Josiah, "Yahweh supports"
• Kairos (kye-RAHS, [ancient] Greek)--"opportunity". Latin form is Caerus (KYE-rus). [Greek god of opportunity and luck; means "weather" in modern Greek]
• Laelius (LYE-lee-us, Latin)
• Linus (LYE-nus, [anglicized] Greek)--"flax"
• Lycus (LYE-kus, [anglicized] Greek)--"wolf"
• Ozias (oh-ZYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--from Hebrew, "my strength is Yahweh"
• Phaidros (FYE-dros, [ancient] Greek)--masculine of Phaedra, "bright". Latin spelling is Phaedrus. 
• Phyleus (FYE-lee-us, [anglicized] Greek)--prob. "clan"
• Quirinus (kwer-EYE-nus, Latin)--prob. "spear"
• Tiberius (tye-BEER-ee-us, English)--from Latin "from the Tiber River"
• Timaios (TIM-eye-os, [ancient] Greek)--"honored". Latin form is Timaeus (tim-EYE-us). 
• Tiras (TYE-ras, [Biblical] Hebrew)
• Traianus (TRYE-an-us, Latin)--original form of Trajan, origin unknown
• Tydeus (TYE-dee-us, [anglicized] Greek)
• Urias (yoo-RYE-as, [Biblical] Latin)--from Hebrew, "Yahweh is my light"
• Zacharias (zak-ah-RYE-as, [Biblical] Greek)--form of Zachary, "Yahweh remembers"

(I can't seem to get away from the ancient boys' names, can I? Somehow I didn't expect that that's pretty much all this list would consist of......)

Legendary Princesses

Oh, princesses. They've been a part of pop-culture for a while, and I'm happy that the idea of a less passive-damsel-in-distress type princess is finally catching on. In the spirit of this trend, here are some legendary princesses (and a couple queens) who were known for more than just getting saved and/or married off. :)

• Æthelflæd (ATH-el-flad, Old English) of Mercia--"noble beauty". More modern form is Elfleda (elf-LEE-dah). 
• Anahí (ah-nah-EE, Spanish), Native American--from Guarani, poss. "ceibo flower"
• Aoife (EE-fah, Irish), Irish--"beauty". Her equally-awesome sister, with an arguably less-usable name, was Scáthach (SKAH-hahkh, prob. "shadow").
• Awilda (ah-WIL-dah, [Latinized] Old Norse), Scandinavian--"elf battle". Also called Alfhild, Alwilda or Alvilda. 
• Brunhilda (broon-HIL-dah, Germanic) of Austrasia--"armor-battle"
• Cordeilla (kor-DAY-lah, [literary] Middle English)--prob. from Welsh Creiddylad (krye-THUL-ad, poss. "heart-debt"). Also called Cordelia.
• Cynisca (sin-IS-kah, [Anglicized, ancient] Greek)--"female puppy". Greek form is Kyniska (koo-NEES-kah). 
• Disa (DEE-sah, Swedish)--from Old Norse, "goddess"
• Eréndira (eh-REN-deer-ah, Spanish), Native American--from Tarascan, meaning unknown. Also spelled Erendira (eh-ren-DEER-ah). 
• Gwendolen (GWEN-doh-len, [literary] Middle English)--poss. from Welsh, "white ring"
• Heledd (HEL-eth ['th' like in "that"], Welsh)--poss. "salt" or "estuary"
• Ness (NES, Old Irish)--prob. "not gentle". Also called Neas (NYAS, NAS), Neasa (NYAS-ah, NAS-ah), or Nessa (NES-sah). 
• Razia (rah-ZEE-ah, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu), Delhi--poss. "happy, content". Also transliterated as Raziyya.
• Tamar (TAH-mahr, Georgian; TAY-mar, English) of Georgia--from Hebrew, "palm tree". Also called Tamari (TAH-mah-ree). 
• Wanda (VAHN-dah, Polish; WAHN-dah, English), Polish--prob. from "Wend" [a tribal name, itself poss. from Germanic "friend" or Old Prussian "water"]
• Zenobia (zen-OH-bee-ah, [ancient] Greek), Palmyrene--poss. "Zeus-life" or from Arabic Zaynab (ZAY-nab, poss. "beauty")

Triple Goddesses!

No, that's not an anime (that I know of, anyway).
Goddess-trios are a common theme in mythology, and while the Greeks are most famous for them, they do exist in many ancient pantheons. And many of them have fun names! (perhaps better for cats than human babies, but still fun!)

The Charites (Greek) [sing.: Charis, "grace"]; goddesses of beauty and creativity:

• Aglaea (ah-GLYE-ah, ah-GLEE-ah) "glory"
• Euphrosyne (yoo-FROS-in-ee) "mirth"
• Thalia (THAHL-yah) "festivity"

The daughters of Maderakka (Sami); goddesses of childbirth and children:

• Sarakka (SAH-rahk-kah) "separating woman"
• Juksakka (YOOK-sahk-kah) "bow [archery] woman"
• Uksakka (OOK-sahk-kah) "door woman"

The Erinyes (Greek) [sing.: Erinys, poss. "angered" or "dark"]; goddesses of vengeance:

• Alecto (ah-LEK-toh) "unceasing"
• Tisiphone (tis-IF-oh-nee) "avenging murder"
• Megaera (meh-JEER-ah) "grudge"

The goddesses of Mecca (pre-Islamic Arabian):

• Allat (al-LAT) poss. "the goddess"
• Al-‘Uzzá (al-OOZ-ah) poss. "the mightiest"
• Manat (man-AT) poss. "fate"

The Gorgons (Greek) ["terrible"]; personifications of the dangers of the sea:

• Medusa (meh-DOO-sah) "queen"
• Euryale (yoo-RYE-ah-lee) prob. "wide step" or "wide sea"
• Stheno (STHEN-oh) "strength"

The Graeae (Greek) [sing.: Graea, "gray woman, old woman"]; personifications of sea foam:

• Pemphredo (pem-FREE-doh), poss "alarm" or "guide"
• Enyo (EN-yoh) "warlike"
• Deino (DEE-noh) "dread"

The Hesperides (Greek) [sing.: Hesperis, "of the evening"]; personifications of the evening:

• Aegle (EG-lee) "shining"
• Erytheia / Erytheis (eh-REETH-ay-ah / eh-REE-thays) "red"
• Hesperethousa (hes-pehr-eh-THOO-sah) "swift evening"; sometimes replaced with Hespere (HES-peh-ree) or Hesperia (hes-PEHR-ee-ah)

The Horae (Greek) [sing.: Hora, "hour" or "season"]; goddesses of nature, or of law and order:

• Thallo (THAH-loh) "blossom"
• Carpo (KAR-poh) "fruit"
• Auxo (OWKS-oh) "growth"
  
  

• Dike (DYE-kee) "justice"
• Eunomia (yoo-NOH-mee-ah) "good order"
• Eirene (eye-REE-nee) "peace"

The Hyperboreiai (Greek) [sing: Hyperboreia, "beyond the North Wind']; Artemis' archery attendants:

• Oupis (OO-pis) "sighting"
• Hecaerge (heh-SEER-jee) "distancing"
• Loxo (LOKS-oh) "angling"

The Moirai (Greek) [sing.: Moira, "portion"]; controllers of each person's fate:

• Clotho (KLOH-thoh) "spinner"
• Lachesis (LAK-eh-sis) "allotter"
• Atropos (AT-rop-ohs) "inevitable"

The Morrigna (Irish) [sing.: Morrigan, prob. "phantom queen"]; war & sovereignty goddesses:

• Badhbh (BIVE) "crow" 
• Macha (MAH-khah), prob. "field"
• Neamhain (NYAV-an), prob. "poison" or "seizer"; sometimes replaced with Anand or Morrigan

The (three original) Muses (Greek); goddesses of the arts:

• Aoide (ah-EE-dee, ay-EE-dee) "voice"
• Melete (MEL-eh-tee, mel-ET-ee) "practice"
• Mneme (NEE-mee) "memory"

The Norn (Norse) [prob. "whisper" or "twine"]; goddesses of destiny:

• Urd/Urth (OORD / OORTH [hard 'th', like "the"]) "fate"
• Verdandi/Verthandi (VEHR-dahn-dee / VEHR-thahn-dee [hard 'th']) "becoming"
• Skuld (skoold ['oo' like in "foot"]) "future" or "blame"

The Parcae (Roman) [sing.: Parca, prob. "frugal" or "slight"]; equivalent to the Greek Moirai:

• Nona (NOH-nah) "ninth"
• Decima (DES-ee-mah) "tenth"
• Morta (MOR-tah) "death"

The patron goddesses of Ireland:

• Éire (EHR-eh) poss. "abundant"
• Banbha (BAHN-uh-vah) poss. "unplowed land" or "sow"
• Fodhla (FOH-lah) poss. "sod"

The Praxidicae (Greek) ["exacting justice"]; goddesses of justice:

• Praxidike (prak-SID-ik-ee) "exacting justice"
• Arete (EHR-eh-tee) "virtue"
• Homonoea (hoh-MOH-nee-ah) "unanimity"

Anders & Andras

I like the -anders. Alexander is the most wide-spread, of course, and name-nerds can probably name a few others--Evander, Leander, Lysander. Most have a place in Greek mythology & legend--ander is the Anglicized form of andros "man", usually feminized as -andra.
Let's see if we can find some more fun names....

• Agesander/Agesandra--"leader of men". Also transliterated as Hagesander. 
• Alcander/Alcandra--poss. "strong man"
• Alexander/Alexandra--"defender of man"
• Amynander/Amynandra--"defender of man"
• Anaxander/Anaxandra--prob. "ruler of men"
• Archander/Archandra--"highest man"
• Aresander/Aresandra--prob. "favorable man"
• Aristander/Aristandra--"best of men"
• Cassander/Cassandra--poss. "shines upon man", "plots against man", or "tester of men"
• Charisander/Charisandra--"beauty of man" or "grace of man"
• Cleander/Cleandra--"glory of man"
• Dexander/Dexandra--prob. "courteous man"
• Eteander/Eteandra--poss. "true man"
• Ethelander/Ethelandra--poss. "willful man"
• Evander/Evandra--"good man"
• Isander/Isandra--poss. "equality of man" or "fair man"
• Kleitander/Kleitandra--"famous man"
• Kratander/Kratandra--"power of men"
• Leander/Leandra--"lion man"
• Lycander/Lycandra--prob. "wolf man" or "light of man"
• Lysander/Lysandra--"release of man"
• Melesander/Melesandra--prob. "care of man" or "study of man"
  [no, the resemblance to 'Melisandre' is not lost on me!]
• Menander/Menandra--prob. "patient man" or "might of man"
• Nicander/Nicandra--"victory of man"
• Onasander/Onasandra--prob. "prosperity of man" or "help of man"
• Ophelander/Ophelandra--"helping man"
• Peisander/Peisandra--poss. "persuading men"
• Periander/Periandra--prob. "among men" or "beyond men"
• Philander/Philandra--"love of man"
  [is 'philanderer' still a word people use? Hmmm....]
• Poemander/Poemandra--poss. "shepherd of men"
• Praxander/Praxandra--"practice of man"
• Proander/Proandra--"before man"
• Pyrander/Pyrandra--"fire of man"
• Sosander/Sosandra--prob. "secure man"
• Stasander/Stasandra--prob. "standing man" or "stable man"
• Telesander/Telesandra--prob. "accomplishment of man"
• Terpander/Terpandra--"delight of man"
• Thrasyander/Thrasyandra--"bold man"
• Thersander/Thersandra--prob. "brave man"
• Timander/Timandra--prob. "honored man"
• Tisander/Tisandra--"vengeance of man"
• Tychander/Tychandra--"lucky man"
• Xenander/Xenandra--"foreign man"

Names "of God"

Whoa, don't worry! Not going there!
Rather, I've recently realized just how many "-iel" names there are. The vast majority are masculine and derived from Hebrew, where they mean "of God", and I'm going to concentrate on those.
Traditionally, -iel names have been feminized to -iela/iella in English and many other languages, so I thought it'd be fun to list them as well, even those that have never really been used widely (if at all).

(This is mostly for interest's sake, but if you see a name you like for an actual human, pet, plant, car, etc; you may want to double-check the connotations & origins--while many reside in multiple traditions [Eastern, Catholic, Protestant, & Jewish] or all of them, some are specific to one or another, or may have very different stories)

• Abdiel/Abdiela--"servant of God"
• Abiel/Abiela--"God is my father". Also written as Aviel/Aviela.
• Adiel/Adiela--"ornament of God"
• Admiel/Admiela--"man of God"
• Adriel/Adriela--"flock of God" or "help of God"
• Ambriel/Ambriela--poss. "energy of God"
• Ammiel/Ammiela--"people of God"
• Aniel/Aniela--"grace of God" or "God's answer". Also written as Haniel/Haniela.
• Ariel/Ariela--"lion of God"
• Ashriel/Ashriela--poss. "blessing of God". Also written as Asriel/Asriela.
• Asiel/Asiela--"made by God"
• Azriel/Azriela--"help of God"
• Camiel/Camiela--"he sees God"
• Cassiel/Cassiela--"speed of God". Possible variant is Castiel/Castiela.
• Daniel/Daniela--"God is my judge"
• Eliel/Eliela--"my God is God"
• Ezekiel/Ezekiela--"God strengthens"
• Gabriel/Gabriela--"God is my strength". Also written as Gavriel/Gavriela. 
• Gaddiel/Gaddiela--"God is my happiness"
• Gameliel/Gameliela--"reward of God"
• Hiel/Hiela--"God lives" or "brother of God"
• Ithiel/Ithiela--"God is with me". Also written as Itiel/Itiela.
• Jaasiel/Jaasiela--"made by God". Also written as Jasiel/Jasiela.
  [For this and all J-names listed, spelling/pronouncing with a Y is also valid; e.g.: Yaasiel/Yaasiela.]
• Jaaziel/Jaaziela--"emboldened by God"
• Jahaziel/Jahaziela--"God sees". Also written as Jahziel/Jahziela.
• Jahdiel/Jahdiela--"unity with God"
• Jathniel/Jathniela--poss. "hired by God", "endurance of God", or "gift of God"
• Jehiel/Jehiela--"God lives" or "carried away by God"
• Jekuthiel/Jekuthiela--poss. "hope of God", "preservation of God", or "obedient to God"
• Jeremiel/Jeremiela--"God uplifts" or poss. "God's mercy"
• Jeriel/Jeriela--"taught by God"
• Jesimiel/Jesimiela--"placed by God"
• Jeziel/Jeziela--"sprinkling of God"
• Jophiel/Jophiela--"beauty of God". Possible variant is Zophiel/Zophiela.
• Kadmiel/Kadmiela--"everlasting God"
• Katriel/Katriela--"crown of God"
• Magdiel/Magdiela--"excellence of God"
• Malchiel/Malchiela--"God is my king"
• Nathaniel/Nathaniela--"given by God"
• Nuriel/Nuriela--poss. "fire of God"
• Othniel/Othniela--"force of God"
• Pagiel/Pagiela--"occurrence of God"
• Paltiel/Paltiela--"deliverance of God"
• Raziel/Raziela--"secret of God"
• Remiel/Remiela--poss. "mercy of God" or "thunder of God"
• Shealtiel/Shealtiela--"I have asked God". Also written as Salathiel/Salathiela.
• Shelumiel/Shelumiela--"peace of God"
• Uriel/Uriela--"God is my flame"
• Uzziel/Uzziela--"God is my strength". Also written as Oziel/Oziela.
• Zabdiel/Zabdiela--"my gift is God".
• Zadkiel/Zadkiela--"righteousness of God"
• Zaphkiel/Zaphkiela--"knowledge of God"
• Zerachiel/Zerachiela--"God's command"
• Zuriel/Zuriela--"God is my rock". Also written as Tsuriel/Tsuriela.

This is nowhere near an exhaustive list, by the way. Theophory is a fascinating subject, and I've only scratched the surface here. :)

Elemental Names (or Nominal Elements?)

I admit, I'm always looking for ways to make fun namesake posts. I already did female scientists (nowhere near a comprehensive list), and have been looking for some way to do a more guy-centered list about science--difficult, since well, there have been quite a few more male scientists than female, and they've gotten much more attention for their works.
I think I found a fun way, though: here are the people--male, female; fictional or real--who've had elements named for them (albeit occasionally in a round-about way). :)

• Albert Einstein--German physicist; Einsteinium (Es, 99)
• Alfred Nobel--Swedish chemist; Nobelium (No, 102)
• Cadmus (m)--figure in Greek mythology; Cadmium (Cd, 48)
• Ceres--Roman goddess; Cerium (Ce, 58)
• Dmitri Mendeleev--Russian chemist; Mendelevium (Md, 101)
• Enrico Fermi--Italian physicist; Fermium (Fm, 100)
• Ernest Lawrence--American physicist; Lawrencium (Lr, 103)
• Ernest Rutherford--British physicist; Rutherfordium (Rf, 104)
• Glenn T. Seaborg--American chemist; Seaborgium (Sg, 106)
• Iris--Greek goddess; Iridium (Ir, 77)
• Johan Gadolin--Finnish chemist; Gadolinium (Gd, 64)
• Lise Meitner--Austrian physicist; Meitnerium (Mt, 109)
• Marie Curie--French chemist; Curium (Cm, 96)
• Mercury--Roman god; Mercury (Hg, 80)
• Neptune--Roman god; Neptunium (Np, 93)
• Nicolaus Copernicus--Polish astronomer; Copernicium (Cn, 112)
• Niels Bohr--Danish physicist; Bohrium (Bh, 107)
• Niobe (f)--figure in Greek mythology; Niobium (Nb, 41)
• Pallas--alternate name for the goddess Athena; Palladium (Pd, 46)
• Pierre Curie--French chemist; Curium (Cm, 96)
• Pluto--Greek god; Plutonium (Pu, 94)
• Prometheus--Greek god; Promethium (Pm, 61)
• Tantalus (m)--figure in Greek mythology; Tantalum (Ta, 73)
• Thor--Norse god; Thorium (Th, 90)
• Uranus--Greek god; Uranium (U, 92)
• Vanadis--alternate name for the goddess Freyja; Vanadium (V, 23)
• Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets--Russian mining engineer; Samarium (Sm, 62)
• Wilhelm Roentgen--German physicist; Roentgenium (Rg, 111)

I admit, I was expecting more historical figures, and fewer mythological ones. Hmmph.

Unearthly Creatures--Beasts & Hybrids

An odd category for names, you ask? Well, I wouldn't recommend naming your kid 'Cyclops' or 'Cockatrice' or 'Banshee'; but if Griffin & Phoenix can catch on, I imagine others, especially more obscure ones that follow popular phonetic trends, could be usable as well.

• Abaia (ah-BYE-ah)
• Alerion (ah-LEHR-ee-on)
• Alphyn (AL-fin, English, al-FOON, German)
• Bennu (BEN-noo)
• Habrok (HAW-brok)
• Indrik (EEN-dreek)
• Mayura (mah-yoo-rah)
• Piasa (PYE-ah-sah)
• Turul (TOO-rul)
• Wyvern (WYE-vern)

Unearthly Creatures--Nymphs

I've done quite a few mythological name lists, but it occurred to me that limiting myself to gods & goddesses, and a few heroes and tragic figures, I've missed a ton of cool names & stories.
I was originally just going to do two lists--humans & non, but there are a ton of Greek nymphs! They'll need a list all their own.

Nymphs were minor deities, the personifications of various parts of nature--water, forest, earth, heavens/sky, or underworld--and they were all female.
Although 'nymph-' doesn't exactly have the best connotation in modern English, the nymphs of Greek mythology were not sex-crazed spirits--rather, many tales revolve around them running away from over-amorous gods!

(note: this is nowhere near a complete listing--just a compilation of a few names that are relatively "easy" in English!)

• Acantha (ah-KAHN-thah)
• Aethria (EYE-three-ah, ETH-ree-ah)
• Alcyone (al-SYE-on-ee)
• Anthe (AN-thee)
• Arethusa (ah-reh-THOO-sah)
• Asia (ah-SEE-ah, AY-zhah)
• Caliadne (kal-ee-AHD-nee)
• Calypso (kah-LIP-soh)
• Corycia (koh-REE-see-ah)
• Cyane (SYE-an-ee)
• Danais (DAN-ah-is, dah-nah-EES)
• Daphne (DAF-nee, DAHF-neh)
• Deaira/Daira (deh-EYE-rah / DYE-rah)
• Dione (dee-OH-nee)
• Doris (DOH-ris)
• Echo (EH-koh)
• Eidothea (ay-doth-EH-ah)
• Electra (el-EK-trah)
• Ephyra (eh-FEE-rah)
• Eudora (yoo-DOH-rah)
• Eurydice (yoo-RID-ih-see)
• Euadne/Evadne (yoo-AHD-nee / ev-AHD-nee)
• Eupheme (yoo-FEE-mee)
• Ianeira (yan-AY-rah)
• Ianthe (ee-AN-thee, YAN-theh)
• Ione (eye-OH-nee, EYE-oh-nee, YOH-neh)
• Kallirhoe/Calliroe (kal-lih-ROH-ee)
• Kallisto (kah-LEES-toh)
• Karya/Carya (KAHR-ee-ah)
• Klaia (KLYE-ah)
• Kleodora/Cleodora (kleh-o-DOH-rah)
• Koronis/Coronis (kor-OH-nis)
• Lara (LAH-rah)
• Larisa (lah-REE-sah)
• Lilaia (lil-EYE-ah)
• Maia (MYE-ah)
• Memphis (MEM-fis)
• Melaina (mel-EYE-nah)
• Melia (MEL-ee-ah)
• Melissa (meh-LIS-sah)
• Merope (MEHR-oh-pee)
• Morea (mor-EH-ah)
• Neaira (neh-EYE-rah)
• Nephele (NEF-el-ee)
• Nomia (nom-EE-ah)
• Oenone (ee-NOH-nee)
• Orseis (or-SEH-is)
• Phoebe (FEE-bee)
• Rhene (REE-nee)
• Samia (sah-MEE-ah)
• Sose (SOH-see)
• Thetis (THEH-tis)

It's A Tragedy

Maybe it's the cynic in me, but I've never seen the point in Valentine's Day. I can totally get behind a good romance, but a whole holiday dedicated to it? *coughcommercialismcough*
Anyway, because I am a cynic, and because I enjoy a bit of contrariness, a list of mythological tragic characters:
(and I can already predict that there'll be so, so many more girls' name than boys' names. Sigh.)

Boys:

• Alvis (AHL-vis, Norse)--a dwarf beloved of Thor's daughter, Þrúð (anglicized to Thrud). Thor disapproved, and turned him into stone. Anglicized as Elvis.
• Leander (lee-AN-der, Greek)--Swam across a river nightly to meet his love Hero, until he drowned in a storm. 
• Tristan (TRIS-tan, English)--a knight who fell in love with the already-betrothed Isolde, leading to their deaths.

Girls:

• Cassandra (kas-SAN-drah, Greek)--Rejected the god Apollo's advances, so he cursed her to foretell the future, but never be believed.
• Daphne (DAF-nee, Greek)--Another girl chased by Apollo, her father turned her into a laurel tree so she could escape him permanently.
• Deirdre (DEER-dreh, Irish)--Legendary beauty who died of grief after King Conchobhar [Conor] killed her love, Naoise, and forced her to marry him.
• Echo (EK-oh, Greek)--A nymph cursed to only repeat what others said; she pined away for Narcissus until only her voice remained.
• Hero (HEER-oh, Greek)--A priestess who killed herself when her love, Leander, drowned.
• Isolde (ee-ZOL-deh, English)--A princess whose accidental ingestion of a love potion leads to her & Tristan's deaths.  Variants include Eseld, Esyllt, Iseult, Isotta, and Yseult.
• Klytië (klye-TEE-eh, Greek)--A nymph who pined for the sun-god Helios, until she turned into a flower. Latinized as Clytia.
• Melusine (MEL-oo-seen or mel-oo-ZEEN, English & French)--fairy cursed to turn half-serpent one day a week. Should her husband see her in that state, she disappears forever. Sometimes written Melusina.
• Phaedra (FAY-drah, Greek)--Fell in love with Hippolytus (despite already being married to Theseus), and killed herself when he rejected her.
• Phyllis (FIL-lis, Greek)--despaired and killed herself when her husband Demophon temporarily left to help his father. 
• Sadhbh (SIVE, Irish)--turned into a deer (while pregnant) because she rejected the advances of a druid. Her son was later found; she was never seen again. Anglicized as Sive or Sabia.
• Semele (SEM-el-ee, Greek)--accidentally killed by her lover, the god Zeus. 

You're a God, part the final.

Grab-bag time!

Boys:

• Amon (AH-mon, Egyptian)--god of creation. Later merged with the sun-god, Ra. Also transliterated as Ammon, Amun, or Yamanu.
• Jarilo (yah-REE-loh, Slavic)--god of spring and fertility. Also spelled Yarilo.
• Perun (PEHR-un, Slavic)--god of thunder
• Tane (TAH-neh, Maori)--god of forests and animals
• Tapio (TAH-pee-oh, Finnish)--god of forests and hunting

Girls:

• Aušrinė (ow-SHREE-neh, Lithuanian)--goddess of the morning star [the planet Venus] and dawn. 
• Bastet (bahs-TET, Egyptian)--lioness/cat-goddess of the sun and fertility. Also transliterated to Bast or Baset.
• Dalia (DAHL-yah, Lithuanian)--goddess of fate and property
• Gabija (gah-bee-YAH, Lithuanian)--goddess of hearth and home.
• Isis (EYE-sis, Egyptian)--goddess of motherhood & magic. Also transliterated as Iset.
• Kolyada (kohl-YAH-dah, Slavic)--goddess of sun, particularly the winter solstice.
• Marama (MAH-rah-mah, Maori)--goddess of the moon
• Mielikki (mee-eh-lik-KEE, Finnish)--goddess of forests and hunting
• Morana (MOR-an-ah, Slavic)--goddess of winter
• Neith (NEETH or NAYTH, Egyptian)--goddess of war and hunting. Also transliterated as Neit.
• Pele (PAY-leh, Hawaiian)--goddess of volcanoes, fire, and lightning.
• Saule (SOW-lay, Lithuanian)--goddess of the sun, mother to the planets.
• Tanith (TAN-ith, Phoenician)--goddess of the moon, fertility, and war. Other forms are Tanis and Tanit.
• Vellamo (VEL-lah-moh, Finnish)--goddess of the sea
• Zaria (ZAHR-yah, Slavic)--goddess of beauty
• Živa (ZHEE-vah, Slavic)--goddess of love, fertility, and spring

Part 1 (Roman)--Part Deux (Greek)--Part III (Celtic)--Part D (Germanic)

You're a God, Part D

I admit, I've having a lot of fun doing this series. Apparently, I'm not as well-taught in history & mythology nearly as well as I thought, and I'm learning quite a bit!
Today's god-names are Germanic, a family of mythology that includes Norse, Anglo-Saxon, and of course, ancient German.

Boys:

• Bragi (BRAHG-ee, Norse)--god of poetry
• Delling (DEL-ling, Norse)--father of the day, poss. god of the dawn
• Donar (DON-ar, Germanic)--god of thunder, healing, protector of mankind. Norse equivalent is Thor.
• Freyr (FRAYR, Norse)--god of sunshine, rain, & fertility. Also written as Frey.
• Odin (OH-din, Norse)--god of war, poetry, death, & wisdom (among others). Anglo-Saxon equivalent is Woden; Germanic is Wodan or Wotan.
• Tyr (TYUR or TEERH, Norse)--god of combat & justice. Anglo-Saxon equivalent is Tiw; Germanic is Ziu.

Girls:

• Eir (AYRH, Norse)--healing goddess. Modern form is Eira.
• Ostara (OS-tah-rah, Germanic)--poss. goddess of dawn, or goddess of spring. Anglo-Saxon form is Eostre, from which the holiday Easter gets its name.
• Freyja (FRAY-yah, Norse)--goddess of love, war, beauty, & fertility (among others). Modern form is Freya.
• Iðunn (ee-THUN [th like in 'that'], Norse)--goddess of youth. Modern form is Idun. Anglicized as Idunn or Ithun.
• Saga (SAH-gah, Norse)--goddess of poetry & history. Possibly another name for major goddess Frigg.
• Siv (SEEV, Norse)--earth goddess. Also spelled Sif.
• Skaði (SKAH-thee [th like in 'that'], Norse)--goddess of mountains & hunting. Anglicized as Skadi or Skathi.
• Sól (SOHL, Norse)--sun goddess. Germanic equivalent is Sunna.
• Vár (VAHR, Norse)--goddess of oaths & promises. Also written as Vór.
• Verðandi (ver-THAHN-dee [th like in that], Norse)--one of the three goddesses of destiny, the others being Urðr & Skuld. Anglicized as Verdandi or Verthandi.
• Vör (VURH, Norse)--goddess of wisdom.

Names derived from deities:

Boys:

• Andor (AHN-dor)--Norwegian, "Thor's eagle"
• Tollak (TOL-lak)--Norwegian, "Thor's play"
• Tore (TOO-reh)--Scandinavian, "Thor's warrior". Variants include Thore & Ture.
• Tormod (TOR-mod)--Norwegian, "Thor's mind"
• Torsten (TOR-sten)--Norwegian, "Thor's stone". Variants include Thorsten (Swedish, Danish) & Torsti (Finnish)
• Torvald (TOR-vald)--Scandinavian, "Thor's ruler"

Girls:

• Idonea (ih-DOHN-ee-ah)--English, from Iðunn. Variant is Idony.
• Inga (EEN-gah)--Scandinavian, from Germanic fertility god Ing. Variants include Inka.
• Ingrid (EEN-grid)--Scandinavian, German; "beautiful Ing". Variants include Inger (Scandinavian) & Inkeri (Finnish).
• Thora (THOR-ah)--Scandinavian, from Thor
• Toril (TOR-il)--Norwegian, "Thor's battle"
• Tyra (TYE-rah or TEE-rah)--Scandinavian,  from Thor

Part 1 (Roman)--Part Deux (Greek)--Part III (Celtic)--Part the Final (Misc)

You're a God (Part III)

And now for a change of pace! Roman & Greek gods & goddesses have been part of the general culture for a while. Their names have been used for superheroes, brand names, scientific terminology, and yes, for baby names, too. Celtic mythologies, however, despite being just as old as Greek & Roman, have remained relatively untouched in modern culture. Unfortunately, this is likely because Celtic mythologies (especially continental/Gallic) merged with Roman, and the god-names were interchanged. Early Christian missionaries also attempted to "de-paganize" Celtic legends, leading to confusion over which legendary figures were gods, fairies, heroes, or mortals, and even whether they were really even part of the Celtic religions. Because of this, I've limited this list to gods with strong cultural or archaeological evidence.

Boys:

• Aengus (AYN-gus, Irish)--god of youth and love. Anglicized to Angus.
• Aeron (EYE-ron, Welsh)--god of war 
• Alaunus (al-AW-nus, Gallic)--god of healing & prophesy
• Amaethon (ah-MY-thon, Welsh)--god of agriculture
• Dylan (DUL-an, Welsh)--sea-god
• Govannon (goh-VAN-non, Welsh)--smith-god. Irish equivalent is Goibnu.
• Lenus (LEHN-us, Gallic)--god of healing
• Lir (LEER, Irish)--god of the sea. Welsh equivalent is Llŷr.
• Lugus (LOO-gus, Gallic)--god of trade, commerce, & travellers. Irish equivalent is Lugh; Welsh is Lleu.
• Mabon (MAH-bon, Welsh)--god of youth
• Taranis (TAHR-an-is, Gallic)--god of thunder

Girls:

• Agrona (ah-GROH-nah, Gallic)--goddess of war
• Andraste (an-DRAHST, Brythonic)--goddess of victory
• Brighid (BREED, Irish)--goddess of fire, poetry, & wisdom. Modern forms include Brigid (Irish), Bridget (Irish, English), Brigitta (German, Dutch), & Britta (Scandinavian)
• Ceridwen (KEHR-id-wen, Welsh)--goddess of poetry & inspiration
• Clíodhna (KLEE-o-nah, Irish)--goddess of beauty. Sometimes written as Clíona. Anglicized to Cleena.
• Danu (DAN-oo, Irish)--mother-goddess of a race of ancient Irish. Modern form is Dana ("DAN-yah").
• Epona (EP-ohn-ah or ee-POH-nah, Gallic)--goddess of horses and fertility
• Erecura (ehr-eh-CU-rah, Gallic)--earth-goddess
• Étaín (EH-dan or eh-DEEN, Irish)--goddess of horses. Modern Irish forms are Éadaoin and Eadan. Anglicized as Aideen.
• Fand (FAND, Irish)--sea-goddess. Sometimes written as Fann.
• Rhiannon (hree-AN-non, Welsh)--goddess of fertility & the moon
• Sirona (sih-ROH-nah, Gallic)--healing-goddess

Part 1 (Roman)--Part Deux (Greek)--Part D (Germanic)--Part the Final (Misc.)

You're a God (Part Deux)

Like the Romans, the Greeks' religion underwent a couple paradigm shifts, resulting in dozens of Titans, Olympians, and other sorts of gods. Surprisingly, many goddess names are in use today--Phoebe [intellect & prophecy], Athena [wisdom & warfare], Rhea [fertility & motherhood], Selene [the moon], Irene [peace], Iris [the rainbow], Thalia [muse of comedy].
God-names for boys seem to have not caught on for some reason.

Boys:

• Alpheus (AL-fee-us)--river god
• Apollo (ah-POL-loh)--god of poetry, light, healing, and truth (and many others). Original form was Apollon.
• Aristaeus (ar-is-TAY-us)--god of useful arts (beekeeping, cheese-making, net-making, etc)
• Atlas (AT-las)--god who kept the sky up
• Attis (AT-tis)--god of vegetation. Originally Phrygian, but adopted by the Greeks. Husband of Cybele.
• Carmanor (CAHR-man-or)--god of the harvest
• Comus (COH-mus)--god of festivals & revelry
• Epiphron (EP-ih-fron)--personification of thoughtfulness and shrewdness
• Hermes (HER-mees)--god of language, travel, and trade (and many others)
• Kratos (KRAH-tos)-personification of strength & power
• Nereus (NEHR-ee-us)--god of the sea and fishing
• Lelantos (leh-LAN-tos)--god of the air and hunters
• Palaemon (pal-AY-mon)--child-god who aided sailors in distress
• Pallas (PAL-las)--god of warcraft
• Pontos (PON-tos)--god of the sea
• Thaumas (THOW-mas)--god of the wonders of the sea
• Zephyr (ZEF-er)--god of the west wind

Girls:

• Aletheia (ah-LAY-thay-ah)--personification of truth & honesty
• Ananke (an-AHN-kay)--goddess of necessity
• Antheia (an-THAY-ah)--goddess of flowers
• Aphaia (ah-FYE-ah)--goddess of agriculture & fertility
• Arete (AHR-eh-tee)--personification of virtue & valor
• Arke (AR-kay)--messenger goddess, twin sister to Iris
• Artemis (AR-tem-is)--goddess of hunting, wilderness, and childbirth
• Brizo (BREE-zoh)--goddess of sailors & fishermen
• Chione (kee-OH-nay)--goddess of snow
• Eleos (EL-eh-os)--personification of mercy & compassion
• Eos (AY-ohs)--goddess of the dawn
• Hera (HEHR-ah)--goddess of marriage, women, and empires (and many others)
• Leto (LAY-toh)--goddess of motherhood
• Metis (MAY-tis)--goddess of wisdom, planning, and cunning
• Nyx (NIKS)--goddess of the night
• Persephone (per-SEF-oh-nee)--goddess of the underworld and of spring
• Soteria (soh-TAY-ree-ah)--personification of preservation and safety from harm
• Tethys (TETH-is)--goddess of springs, fountains, rivers, and clouds
• Thalassa (thah-LAS-sah)--goddess of the sea
• Theia (THAY-ah--goddess of sight
• Themis (THEM-is)--goddess of customs & natural law
• Tyche (TYE-kee)--personification of luck & providence

 Name derived from deities:

Boys:

• Artyom (ahr-TYOM, Russian)--from Artemis
• Denis (DEN-is, French)--from Dionysos, god of wine & revelry
• Demetrius (dem-EE-tree-us, Greek)--from Demeter, goddess of agriculture & harvest
• Dmitriy (dMEE-tree, Russian)--from Demeter
• Ermete (ehr-MEH-tay, Italian)--from Hermes 
• Zeno (ZEE-no, Greek)--from Zeus, king of the gods, and god of weather, law and many others

Girls:

• Demetria (deh-MEE-tree-ah, Greek)--from Demeter
• Denise (den-EES, French)--from Dionysos
• Hermione (her-MYE-oh-nee, Greek)--from Hermes

Part 1 (Roman)--Part III (Celtic)--Part D (Germanic)--Part the Final (Misc.)

You're a God (Part 1)

I started to do a post summarizing god & goddess names from mythology, and names derived from them, only to realize that guess what? There's an awful lot of them! So, today I'm going to focus on Roman mythology. (since the cultures overlapped so much, though, don't be surprised if some Greek sneaks in)
When we think of Roman mythology, most of us think of the big names like Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Diana. But over the course of Roman history, there were literally dozens of gods worshipped, some named by the various Roman cults, some incorporated from other religions.

Boy:

• Caelus (KYE-loos or KAY-loos)--god of the sky
• Janus (JAN-oos)--god of gateways and beginnings
• Jove (JOHV)--another name for Jupiter, god of the sky and thunder, king of all gods
• Sancus (SAHN-coos)--god of honesty, trust, and oaths
• Sol (SOHL)--god of the sun

Girl

• Abeona (ah-bee-oh-nah)--protector of children alone, especially guarding their first steps
• Aura (AW-rah)--personification of the breeze
• Aurora (aw-ROHR-ah)--goddess of the dawn
• Bellona (bel-LOH-nah)--goddess of war
• Cardea (car-DAY-ah)--goddess of hinges and change 
• Carmenta (cahr-MEN-tah)--goddess of childbirth and prophecy, the patron of midwives
• Ceres (SEER-ez or SEER-ess)--goddess of agriculture and fertility
• Cybele (SIB-el-eh or KIB-el-eh)--goddess of mountains and caves, and wild animals. Originally Phrygian, but adopted by both Greeks and Romans
• Deverra (deh-VEHR-ah)--goddess of childbirth, midwives, and purification
• Diana (dye-AN-nah)--among other things, goddess of the moon and the hunt
• Egeria (eh-JEER-ee-ah or eh-JEER-yah)--bestower of law and ritual
• Fessona (FES-soh-nah)--goddess who aids the weary
• Flora (FLOH-rah)--goddess of spring and flowers
• Juno (JOO-noh)--goddess of marriage and finance, protector of the community
• Juturna (joo-TUR-nah)--goddess of fountains and springs
• Levana (leh-VAH-nah)--goddess of newborn babies
• Lucina (loo-SEE-nah)--goddess of women in childbirth
• Maia (MYE-ah)--goddess of spring, wife of Vulcan
  
• Minerva (min-EHR-vah)--goddess of war, wisdom, trade, and industry
• Nenia (NEHN-ee-ah)--goddess of funerals
  
• Rusina (roo-SEE-nah)--protector of fields and farms. Sometimes called Rurina (roo-REE-nah).
• Vesta (VES-tah)--goddess of home and family
• Victoria (vik-TOR-ee-ah)--goddess of victory

Surprisingly, there are lot more goddesses than gods in Roman mythology. This isn't even half, but they are the most "usable" in modern English, IMO. Understandably, parents, both in ancient times and today, often didn't want to give their child the exact name of a deity. Instead, they gave names in honor of the god. Here are some names derived from Roman deities.

Boy: 

• Corin (COR-in)--from Quirinus, a god of war
• Gennaro (jen-AHR-oh)--from Janus
  
• Marcus (MAR-cus)--from Mars, god of war & agriculture
  
• Martin (MAR-tin)--another from Mars
• Silas (SYE-las)--from Silvanus, the god of forests and fields
  

Girl:

• Junia (JOO-nee-ah)--from Juno
• Polina (pol-EE-nah)--from Apollo, a Greek god adopted by the Romans, a god of light, prophecy, medicine, and poetry, among many other things
• Sylvia (SIL-vee-ah), Silvana (sil-VAH-nah) and Sylvaine (sil-VEHN)--from Silvanus

Part Deux (Greek)--Part III (Celtic)--Part D (Germanic)--Part the Final (Misc.)

My Hero!

Every kid wants a cool name. You could hope that a kids' TV show comes along featuring your child's name--all the Tommys and Jasons suddenly became cool during Power Rangers when I was small--or you could find a more classic namesake.

Boys:

• Adrastos (ah-DRAS-tos, Greek)--warrior king of Argos
• Aeneas (eye-NEE-as, Latin)--son of Aphrodite, warrior, progenitor of the Roman empire
• Aias (EYE-as, Greek)--hero of the Trojan war, anglicized as Ajax
• Árpád (ahr-pad, Hungarian)--Magyar prince, forefather of Hungary
  
• Bedivere (BED-ih-veer, English)--anglicized from Welsh Bedwyr, one of the original Knights of the Round Table
• Bran (BRAHN, Irish & Welsh)--an Irish adventurer & mariner, and a legendary Welsh king
• Caradoc (CAYR-a-doc, Welsh)--several figures in Welsh history & legend, including a Knight of the Round Table
• Conall (CON-all, Irish & Scottish)--several Irish & Scottish kings, and a mythic Irish warrior
• Damon (DAY-mon, Greek)--one half of the Greek symbol of true friendship, the other half being Pythias
• Diarmuid (DEER-mid, Irish)--legendary Irish warrior, and founder of the Scottish Campbell clan. Anglicized as Dermot.
• Egill (AY-gill, Norse)--Icelandic berserker & poet. Modern spelling is Egil.
• Eoghan (OH-en or YOH-en, Irish & Scottish)--several Irish kings & other historical figures. Anglicized as Owen in Ireland and Euan or Ewan in Scotland.    
• Evander (ee-VAN-der, Latin)--another hero of the Trojan war
• Fergus (FER-gus, Irish & Scottish)--several Scottish & Irish kings and warriors
• Fionn (FEEN or FYON, Irish)--mythic warrior and hero. Also spelled Finn and (via faulty Anglicization) Fingal.
• Herakles (HER-a-kleez, Greek)--original form of Hercules, an important mortal in both Roman & Greek mythologies. Other versions include Heraclius (Greek), Heraclio (Spanish), and Ercole (Italian).
• Jarl (YAHRL, Norse)--progenitor of a race of warriors
  
• Jason (JAY-son, Greek)--adventuring leader of the Argonauts
• Kalev (KAH-lev, Estonian)--hero and king, said to be buried under Tallinn, the capital of Estonia
• Kaveh (kah-vay, Persian)--blacksmith who led a rebellion against the evil tyrant Zahhak
• Owain (OH-ine, Welsh)--an Arthurian knight, and several Welsh princes; anglicized as Owen
• Perseus (PUR-see-us, Greek)--mythic hero, slayer of the Gorgon Medusa
• Roland (RO-land, English; roh-LAWN, French)--heroic knight and leader under Charlemagne
• Rostam (ros-tam, Persian)--legendary pre-Islamic Iranian warrior and champion. Also spelled Rustam.
• Taliesin (tal-ee-ESS-in, Welsh)--a bard and prophet who served at least 3 Welsh kings 
• Theseus (THEE-see-us, Greek)--Athenian king and warrior
   

Girls:

• Ariadne (ahr-ee-ahd-nee, Greek)--princess who helped Theseus escape the Minotaur in the labyrinth
• Atalanta (at-ah-lan-tah, Greek)--huntress and legendary athlete
• Awilda (AH-wil-dah, Scandinavian)--princess who fled marriage by becoming a pirate, sometimes spelled Alwilda; traditionally spelled Alfhild
• Bevin (BAY-vin, Irish)--several figures, both mortal and goddess, in Irish mythology, traditionally spelled Bébinn
• Cloelia (KLOY-lee-ah, Latin)--Roman hostage who led her fellow captives to freedom. Modern Italian form is Clelia.
• Elva (EL-vah, Irish)--Fianna (mercenary) warrior, traditionally spelled Ailbhe
• Embla (EM-bla, Norse)--the first human woman, founder of the human race with her husband Ask
• Maeve (MAYV, Irish)--legendary warrior-queen. Traditionally spelled Madb.