Some names come with a story that’s been around for thousands of years. That’s the magic of mythology names. If you’re after mythology baby names that sound contemporary for a 2027 baby (a Gen Beta kid) but still have that ancient meaning, then this guide is for you. We’ve got 64 names from Hindu, Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian and Celtic myth, each with its meaning, a little story you can tell your child and a note on why it’s special.
Our guides come from over 10 years of teaching and working with young children. Story time was always the quietest, most content part of the day. The children would hush and lean in for the heroes, the goddesses and the brave journeys. We’ve seen how proud a child can be when their own name appears in a story. A mythology name gives your child a story to live with for the rest of their lives.
From Our Nest: “During one of our story sessions we, told the Arjun and the bird’s eye story a boy sat up straight with immense pride and said ‘That’s me!’ For the rest of the week he wanted to be the best listener in the class.
Quick picks: 10 mythology names we love
| Agastya | A great, wise sage | Hindu |
| Taarini | One who helps others cross over | Hindu |
| Thea | Goddess of light | Greek |
| Orion | A great hunter among the stars | Greek |
| Aurora | Dawn | Roman |
| Juno | Queen of the gods | Roman |
| Freya | Lady; goddess of love | Norse |
| Leif | Heir, descendant | Norse |
| Niamh | Bright, radiant | Celtic (Irish) |
| Cleo | Glory | Egyptian |
How to use this list
Scroll to the mythology that fits your family’s roots or the stories you’re drawn to, shortlist five names, say each one out with your surname and read the story behind it before you make your choice. At the end of the post we’ll share seven practical classroom tips to help you with your decision.
Still exploring? Read our main guide to unique baby names, browse unique baby girl names and rare boy names, or see our A to Z list of modern baby names.
Best Unique and Modern Baby Names A to Z With Detailed Positive Meaning in 2027
Hindu Mythology Names (Unique Indian Names From the Epics)
Hindu mythology is one of the most fertile sources of meaningful names (gods, goddesses, sages, heroes from the Vedas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata). These 14 names are drawn from the epics but are still very much underrepresented in the classroom.
| Agastya | Boy | A great sage | A wise rishi who carried Vedic learning to the south | Wise and rarely used |
| Aniruddh | Boy | Unstoppable | Grandson of Lord Krishna, known for his strength | Strong meaning, modern sound |
| Abhimanyu | Boy | Young hero | Arjun’s brave son in the Mahabharata | A name about courage |
| Nakul | Boy | One of the Pandavas | Known for his kindness and his skill with horses | Short and gentle |
| Kartik | Boy | Son of Lord Shiva | Kartikeya, the young commander of the gods | Travels well abroad |
| Shaunak | Boy | A wise sage | A rishi to whom the Mahabharata was retold | Scholarly and very rare |
| Vasu | Boy | Wealth; bright | The Vasus are elemental gods of fire, earth and wind | Four letters, big meaning |
| Shambhavi | Girl | Goddess Parvati | Consort of Shambhu (Shiva), symbol of strength and devotion | Elegant and very rare |
| Vaidehi | Girl | Sita | Princess of Videha, known for her courage and grace | Poetic and rarely heard |
| Rukmini | Girl | Queen of Krishna | Wise and devoted, beloved in the Krishna stories | Royal and timeless |
| Taarini | Girl | Goddess Tara | One who helps others cross over difficulties | Kindness and protection in one name |
| Ira | Girl | Goddess Saraswati; the earth | The goddess of learning, music and wisdom | Three letters, works worldwide |
| Damayanti | Girl | One who subdues | The clever princess of the Nala and Damayanti story | A forgotten classic |
| Ahalya | Girl | Pure, without fault | A sage’s wife, freed and honoured by Lord Rama | Rare with a story of grace |
Teacher’s Tip: In our classroom experience, Kartik, Ira and Vasu are the easiest for the class and the teachers to say on day one. Agastya and Shambhavi on the other hand make a child feel absolutely unique. Think about what is most important to you.
How to explain it to a kid: ‘Agastya was a very wise teacher who travelled all over to impart his knowledge.’ Two very simple sentences and that’s it really. That’s how you bring the name to life.
Greek Mythology Names
Greek myths have given us some of the most well known names in the world. A lot of them are short, punchy and very usable in any country so they’re very popular with families in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.
| Athena | Girl | Goddess of wisdom | Protector of Athens, known for wisdom and fairness | Strong and classic |
| Thea | Girl | Goddess | Titan goddess of light | Short, with a big meaning |
| Iris | Girl | Rainbow | Messenger of the gods who travelled on a rainbow | A flower and a colour too |
| Selene | Girl | Moon | Goddess of the moon | Soft and dreamy |
| Calliope | Girl | Beautiful voice | Muse of epic poetry | Rare; nickname “Callie” |
| Penelope | Girl | Weaver | Wife of Odysseus, famous for loyalty and cleverness | Classic; nickname “Penny” |
| Phoebe | Girl | Bright, shining | A Titan linked with the moon and wisdom | Friendly and easy |
| Apollo | Boy | God of the sun and music | Also the god of poetry and healing | Bold and bright |
| Orion | Boy | A great hunter | Placed among the stars as a constellation | Easy anywhere |
| Atlas | Boy | To endure | The Titan who held up the sky | Strong and modern |
| Jason | Boy | Healer | Leader of the Argonauts on the quest for the Golden Fleece | Familiar yet mythic |
| Leander | Boy | Lion man | A hero of a famous love story | Rare and romantic |
Good to know: Thea, Iris and Phoebe all work extremely well with Indian middle names (Thea Ahana, Iris Kavya etc) if you have a multi-cultural background.
Roman Mythology Names
The Romans took over a lot of the Greek gods and simply gave them Latin names. These names are very elegant, very classical and easy to spell.
| Aurora | Girl | Dawn | Goddess of the sunrise | Hopeful and bright |
| Luna | Girl | Moon | Goddess of the moon | Short and loved worldwide |
| Diana | Girl | Divine | Goddess of the hunt and the moon | Timeless |
| Flora | Girl | Flower | Goddess of flowers and spring | Fresh and natural |
| Juno | Girl | Queen of the gods | Protector of women and families | Two syllables, strong meaning |
| Minerva | Girl | Wisdom | Roman goddess of wisdom and crafts | Rare and clever |
| Felix | Boy | Lucky, happy | Linked with good fortune | Cheerful and international |
| Janus | Boy | God of beginnings | Gave his name to January | Perfect for a January baby |
| Silvanus | Boy | Of the forest | God of woods and fields; nickname “Silas” | Nature-inspired |
| Remus | Boy | Twin brother of Romulus | One of the legendary founders of Rome | Rare and historic |
Norse Mythology Names (Strong Scandinavian Names)
Norse names come from the Scandinavian myths (gods, giants, brave explorers etc). They’re short, powerful and are increasingly in vogue with parents overseas.
| Freya | Girl | Lady | Goddess of love and beauty | Soft yet strong |
| Astrid | Girl | Divinely beautiful | A favourite royal name in Scandinavia | Crisp and confident |
| Idun | Girl | Ever young | Keeper of the golden apples of youth | Very rare |
| Saga | Girl | Seeing one; a story | Goddess linked with history and storytelling | Perfect for a book-loving family |
| Sif | Girl | Bride, relation | Thor’s golden-haired wife | Three letters, easy to spell |
| Thor | Boy | Thunder | God of thunder and protector of people | Bold and well known |
| Odin | Boy | Inspiration | The wise king of the gods who sought knowledge | Short and powerful |
| Baldur | Boy | Prince, bright one | God of light and goodness | Rare with a gentle meaning |
| Leif | Boy | Heir, descendant | Name of a famous Norse explorer | Easy everywhere |
| Bragi | Boy | Poet | God of poetry and music | Unusual and creative |
Teacher’s Tip: Here’s how we explain it to children: ‘Freya was a goddess who loved flowers and was very caring about people. Your name means you have a kind, big heart’ to illustrate.
Egyptian Mythology Names
Ancient Egypt gives us names that are genuinely unusual today. A lot of them are obviously sun related, river Nile related and queen related.
| Isis | Girl | Throne | A mother goddess known for her magic and care | Ancient and powerful |
| Nefertari | Girl | Beautiful companion | A famous queen of Egypt | A lovely middle name |
| Cleo | Girl | Glory | Short for Cleopatra, Egypt’s famous queen | Easy everyday name |
| Hathor | Girl | House of Horus | Goddess of joy, music and motherhood | Rare and joyful |
| Amun | Boy | The hidden one | A king of the gods | Short and rare |
| Horus | Boy | The one far above | Sky god, often shown as a falcon | Strong and unusual |
| Osiris | Boy | Mighty one | God of renewal and the afterlife | Grand and historic |
| Ramses | Boy | Born of Ra, the sun | Name of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs | Regal and historic |
A note on use: some Egyptian names work better as middle names. Cleo and Amun are perfectly fine everyday names, whereas Nefertari and Isis make absolutely beautiful and rather exotic middle names.
Celtic and Irish Mythology Names
Celtic myth from Ireland, Scotland and Wales is full of heroes, queens and magical lands. Those names have a very soft, poetic ring to them.
| Brigid | Girl | Exalted one | Goddess of poetry, healing and craft | A saint and a goddess |
| Niamh | Girl | Bright, radiant | Queen of the magical land of Tír na nÓg | Pronounced “NEEV” |
| Rhiannon | Girl | Great queen | A Welsh queen of legend | Musical and rare |
| Maeve | Girl | She who intoxicates | A powerful queen of Connacht | Strong and short |
| Aine | Girl | Radiance | Irish goddess of summer and the sun | Pronounced “AWN-ya” |
| Fionn | Boy | Fair, bright | Fionn mac Cumhaill, a legendary hero | Popular in Ireland |
| Oisín | Boy | Little deer | A poet-warrior, son of Fionn | Pronounced “uh-SHEEN” |
| Cian | Boy | Ancient, enduring | A figure in Irish myth | Pronounced “KEE-an” |
| Emrys | Boy | Immortal | The Welsh name of the wizard Merlin | Magical and rare |
| Lugh | Boy | Light | Celtic god of skill and craft | Pronounced “LOO” |
Pronunciation help: having the pronunciations on a birth announcement really does eliminate a lot of confusion. Niamh is “NEEV”, Oisín is “uh-SHEEN” and Lugh is “LOO”.
Mythology Names That Travel Well
If your family are spread across more than one country, or if your child is going to study abroad, those names are pretty easy to say virtually anywhere:
- Girls: Ira, Thea, Iris, Luna, Freya, Cleo, Maeve, Aurora
- Boys: Orion, Felix, Leif, Kartik, Atlas, Vasu, Jason
Mythology Names to Use With Care
Some mythological figures have very heavy stories. Hades (god of the underworld), Loki (the trickster), Medusa and Ravana are all very interesting characters, but they can be the subject of a bit of teasing or lead to awkward questions at school. If you’re a fan of them then perhaps they’re best used as a pet name or as a second middle name.
For names of deities in living religions, tread carefully. A lot of Hindu families will be quite happy to name their children after the various gods and goddesses. Others will opt for a quality or a more obscure form (e.g. Shambhavi rather than Parvati).
How to Choose a Mythology Name: 7 Tips From a Teacher
A mythology name is great provided it also works in real life (at school, on forms, in the playground etc). Here’s what a decade of roll calls has taught us.
- Read the full story first. There are loads of myths that involve battles and tragedies. Pick a figure who is renowned for wisdom, courage, kindness or light.
- Do the one hearing spelling test. Say the name to three friends and ask them to write it down. If all three of them spell it correctly then the teachers will too.
- Check the initials and nicknames. Kids will spot the funny rhymes straight away so check before that happens.
- Tell the story in two sentences. If you can explain the name in simple terms to a five year old then it’s a very good one.
- Think about their whole lives really. A name should be appropriate for a toddler, a teenager and a working adult. Ira, Orion and Kartik all work across the age range.
- Consider a shorter form. Cleo for Cleopatra, Callie for Calliope and Silas for Silvanus keeps the story with a much more everyday name.
- Respect family tradition of course but shortlist first. A lot of families will go down the rashi, nakshatra or numerology route. Shortlist five names that you love and then check them.
From Our Nest: In one of our classrooms, during an ‘All About Me’ week a girl called Ira told the class that her name meant the goddess of learning. From that point on if anyone in the class needed help with spelling they’d say ‘Ask Ira!’ and she was absolutely happiest in the role of guiding her friends around. It was also very good for her confidence.
Mythology Name Trends for Gen Beta Babies (2027)
Babies born between 2025 and 2039 are Generation Beta and their parents are naming them with a few very clear trends.
- Short, punchy names like Ira, Thea, Leif and Juno which are easy to say in any language.
- Star and sky names such as Orion, Selene, Luna and Aurora.
- Revived epic names from the Indian stories (Agastya, Vaidehi, Damayanti) which now sound quite fresh again.
- Meaning first choices: parents choose a name for what it means (wisdom, light, courage) rather than simply for its sound.
Pairing a Mythology Name With Your Surname and Siblings
A long surname works with a short mythological name (Ira Raghunathan) and a short surname works with a longer one (Shambhavi Rao). Just say the full name out loud to check the flow.
For siblings go for names from the same story/theme but not too similar. Kartik and Ira (Shiva’s son and Saraswati), Orion and Luna (the stars and the moon), Freya and Leif (two Norse names) are all good examples. Don’t go for names that rhyme as they’re so easy to confuse.
Activity idea: Make a ‘name story’ book together. Draw the hero, goddess or star that your child is named after and write the story in simple terms. The children who know the story of their name are very proud to be able to tell it at school.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mythology Baby Names
1. What are the best mythology names for girls?
Athena, Thea, Iris, Freya, Luna, Niamh, Ira and Shambhavi are all very popular positive names with lovely origins.
2. What are some good mythological names for boys?
Orion, Atlas, Thor, Fionn, Kartik, Aniruddh and Agastya are all very strong names indeed, with heroic or wise associations.
3. What is a unique Hindu mythology name?
Try Shaunak, Vasu or Agastya for boys and Vaidehi, Taarini or Damayanti for girls. They’re all drawn from the epics but are pretty much unheard of these days.
4. Is it acceptable to name a child after a god or goddess?
In many cultures it’s a real treat. When you’re selecting something you need to be respectful (particularly in the case of deities in living religions) and focus on the positive attributes of the figure.
5. Which mythological names are now rare?
Idun, Calliope, Nefertari, Oisín, Baldur, Bragi and Ahalya are virtually unheard of in the classroom. They are absolutely unique.
6. What generation will the babies born in 2027 be?
Babies born between 2025 and 2039 are Generation Beta. Gen Beta parents are big on mythology names as they feel both ancient and modern.
7. How do I know if a mythology name is too odd?
Say it once to three friends and ask them to spell it. If they’re at all daunted then either go for a shorter version (Cleo for Cleopatra) or use it as a middle name.
Final Thoughts
A mythology name links your child to a story which is far older than any of us. Pick a figure who is associated with good qualities, ensure the name is easy to pronounce and then you can enjoy telling the story as your child matures. Start with five of your favourite names from this list of mythology baby names, say them out with your surname and let the story do the rest.
