Ancient Greeks generally had a single name, often qualified with a patronymic, a clan or tribe, or a place of origin. Married women were identified by the name of their husbands, not their fathers.
Hereditary family names or surnames began to be used by elites in the Byzantine period. Well into the 9th century, they were rare. But by the 11th and 12th centuries, elite families often used family names.[1][2] Family names came from placenames, nicknames, or occupations.[3]
During the Ottoman period, surnames with Turkish prefixes such as "Hatzi-", "Kara-" and suffixes such as "-(i)lis", "-tzis", and "-oglou" became common, especially among Anatolian Greeks. It is not clear when stable family surnames became widely used. Though elite families often had stable family names, many of the "last names" used by Greeks into the 19th century were either patronymics or nicknames. It is also possible that family names were simply not recorded because Ottoman administrative practice preferred patronymics, and did not require surnames.[4]
In the 19th century, patronymic surnames became common.
For personal names, from the first century CE until the nineteenth century CE, pagan names from antiquity were mostly replaced by names from Christian scriptures and tradition. With the Modern Greek Enlightenment and the development of Greek nationalism, names from antiquity became popular again.[5]
Family names may be patronymic in origin or else based on occupation, location, or personal characteristic. These origins are often indicated by prefixes or suffixes. Traditionally a woman used a feminine version of her father's family name, replacing it with a feminine version of her husband's family name on marriage. In modern Greece, a woman keeps her father's family name for life but may use a husband's name.
Until the late 18th century, almost all Christian Greeks were named for Orthodox saints from the Old and New Testaments and early Christian tradition. Since then, names of both deities and mortals from antiquity have been popular as well.[5]
Male names usually end in -ας, -ης, and -ος, but sometimes ancient forms are also used. Female names almost always end in -α and -η, though a few end in -ώ with -ου being possible.
Most Greek first names in Katharévousa (which can be considered the "official" form of the first name) generally correspond to a demotic form, as well as customary shortened and/or diminutive variations. The Katharévousa form, itself equivalent to the name's form in Ancient Greek, is used in official papers, while the demotic form or the shortened/diminutive forms are the forms used in everyday life.
Demotic forms tend to demonstrate endings that have undergone regularization. (For instance, in men's names, the oblique stem in the Katharévousa form is sometimes suffixed with -ας (gen. -α) to create the Demotic form of the name.)
Examples (format: nominative/genitive)
Ancient &
Katharévousa
Demotic
-ωρ/-ορος
-ορας/-ορα
-ων/-ωνος
-ωνας/-ωνα
-ων/-ονος
-ονας/-ονα
-αξ/-ακος
-ακας/-ακα
-εύς/-έως
-έας/-εά
-ις*
-η/-ης
-ιδα/-ιδας
*The oblique stems of the ancient names in -ις, whose descendants appear with -η/-ης and -ιδα/-ιδας, varied. At the very least, the initial origins of Demotic's -ιδα/-ιδας was almost certainly Ancient Greek's -ις/-ιδος (with the oblique stem being suffixed with -α/-ας).
Since antiquity, there has been a strong tradition of naming the first and second sons after the paternal and maternal grandfathers and the first and second daughters after the paternal and maternal grandmothers.[6] Although this tradition is partially challenged in modern urban Greece, it is still practiced in much of the country.
This results in a continuation of names in the family line, but cousins with the same official name are almost always called by different shortened forms or diminutives. These variants make it possible to differentiate between cousins despite these traditionally having the same official names because they are traditionally named after their grandparents.
The use of shortened forms is widespread in Greek. Most Greek first names correspond to a customary shortened form. These are constructed by breaking one or more syllables, at the beginning or at the end of the first name, resulting in a form generally in two or even three syllables. The formation of these can be done according to different phenomena, alone or associated with each other:
Apheresis (loss of syllables at the beginning of the name); for example: Παναγιώτα (Panagióta) → Γιώτα (Gióta)
Apocope (loss of syllables at the end of the name); for example: Νικόλαος (Nikólaos) → Νίκος (Níkos)
Syncope (loss of syllables inside the name); for example: Θεόδωρος (Theódoros) → Θόδωρος (Thódoros)
Assimilation (propagation of a sound on the neighboring sound); for example: Πηνελόπη (Pinelópi) → Πόπη (Pópi)
Repetition; for example: Παρασκευή (Paraskeví) → Βιβή (Viví)
Borrowing from another language, notably English; for example: Βασίλειος (Vasíleios) → Μπίλης (Bílis, Billy); Αθανασία (Athanasia) → Νάνσυ (Nánsy, Nancy)
Using another shorter Greek name of similar sound; for example: Παρασκευάς (Paraskevas) → Πάρις (Paris)
Another method of variation is the use of diminutives. The construction of diminutive forms is done by adding a suffix, either to the first name, or to the shortened version of the first name. The suffixes are generally:
-άκης (-akis) or -ούλης (-oulis) for masculine nouns
-ίτσα (-itsa), -ούλα (-oula), or -ιώ (-io) for feminine nouns
Furthermore, diminutives themselves have shortened forms. For example, Takis may be short for KostakisorPanagiotakis, themselves derived from Konstantinos and Panagiotis.
StratisorStratoula and TaxiarchisorTaxiarchoulainLesbos.
When Greek names are used in other languages, they are sometimes rendered phonetically, such as Eleni for Ἑλένη, and sometimes by their equivalents, like Helen in English or Hélène in French. The Vasiliki (Βασιλική) is Basilica in Italian or Basilique in French. The Elisavet (Ελισάβετ) is Elizabeth in English or Elliezet in French. In the United States, there are also conventional anglicizations based on phonetic similarity rather than etymology, for example James or Jimmy for Δημήτρης / Dimitris (nickname Ντίμης / Dimis, Ντέμης / Demis hence Jimmy), despite the English name James and its diminutive Jimmy actually coming from Greek Ἰάκωβος Iakobos, English Jacob (through Vulgar Latin Iacomus from Latin Iacobus, which is the Latinized form of Ἰάκωβος Iakobos in the Vulgar Latin and originally Greek New Testament).
The name Mariannos comes from the names: Marios, Ioannis or the whole Mariannos in the Church is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If it is heard as two names it celebrates: the Virgin Mary (August 15) and Saint John the Baptist (January 7.) If it is heard as a whole it celebrates: Saint Marianna (February 28.)
The name Marianna comes from the names: Maria, Anna or the whole Marianna in the Church is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If heard as two names it celebrates: Virgin Mary (August 15th) and Saint Anna (December 9th or July 25th.) If heard as a whole it celebrates: Saint Marianna (February 28th.)
The name Marianthi comes from the names Maria which is the name of the Virgin Mary and means Strong, Fertile and from the name Anthi which comes from the Ancient Greek word Anthos which means Flower. In the Church it is heard as two separate names but also as a whole between them. If you hear it as two separate names it can celebrate Panagia (August 15th) and Anthis (December 15th) if you hear it as a whole it celebrates her (September 1st.)
Greek family names are most commonly patronymics but may also be based on occupation, personal characteristics or location. The feminine version is usually the genitive of the family name of the woman's father or husband; so, for example, Mr. Yannatos and Mrs. Yannatou.
As a result of their codification in the Modern Greek state, surnames have Katharevousa forms even though Katharevousa is no longer the official standard. Thus, the Ancient Greek name Eleutherios forms the Modern Greek proper name Lefteris. In the past, people in speaking used the family name followed by the given name, so John Eleutherios was called Leftero-giannis. In modern practice he is called Giannis Eleftheriou, where Giannis is the popular form of the formal Ioannis but Eleftheriou is an archaic genitive. For women, the surname is usually a Katharevousa genitive of a male name, whereas back in Byzantine times there were separate feminine forms of male surnames, such as Palaiologína for Palaiológos which nowadays would be Palaiológou.[7][8]
In the past, women would change their surname on first marrying to that of their husband in the genitive case, so marking the change of dependence to husband from father. In early Modern Greek society, women were named with -aina as a feminine suffix on the husband's given name, for example "Giorgaina" signifying "wife of George". Nowadays, a woman's surname does not change upon marriage but she can use the husband's surname socially. Children usually receive the paternal surname, though some children receive the maternal surname in addition or exclusively.[9]
The use of the patronymic as part of a personal name in everyday language is scarce and virtually non-existent, unlike languages with Eastern Slavic naming customs. It is used in lieu of the father's full name and it is inserted between a person's given name and surname. The use of the matronymic is even more rare.
In a dated, self-styling practice, if Ioánnis Papadopoulos has a daughter whose first name is María and a son whose first name is Andreas, their full names will be María Ioánnou Papadopoúlou and Andréas Ioánnou Papadópoulos. If María then marries George Demetriádes, she may retain her maiden name or choose to be styled María Geōrgíou Demetriádou. If she is widowed, she will revert to her father's patronymic but retain her husband's surname to become María Ioánnou Demetriádou. This largely obsolete styling practice is not reflected in official documents or the spoken language, but could be utilized by, e.g., authors or anyone who uses his/her name for business purposes.
The foremost-and compulsory-identification document in Greece, the Greek identity card, includes name information as follows:
Surname (Επώνυμο)
Given name(s) (Όνομα)
Father's name (Όνομα Πατέρα)
Father's surname (Επώνυμο Πατέρα)
Mother's name (Όνομα Μητέρας)
Mother's surname (Επώνυμο Μητέρας)
Out of the six fields, only the first three are transliterated in English per ELOT 743/ISO 843. The first two comprise the personal name and the rest is just identity information. The Cypriot identity card also includes father's and mother's name and surname in Greek and English; however all fields are transliterated.
In other significant identity documents, like the Greek passport and Greek driving license, compliant to European standards, the mother's and father's names are completely omitted. Corresponding documents in Cyprus omit them as well.
In other official documents in Greece, like, exempli gratia, a marriage certificate, names are included accordingly (Surname/Given Names/Father's Name/Father's Surname/Mother's Name/Mother's Surname).
In education
Inreport cards and the Apolytirion, the students' names are displayed as "(student's full name) of (father's full name) and (mother's full name)".
However, in universities and specifically university degrees, the practice varies. For example, university degrees of the Aegean University displays graduates' names as "(student's surname and name) of (father's given name)",[10] whilst degrees from the University of West Attica display both the patronymic and the matronymic.[11]
Hadji-: the Arabic honorific for one who has made the Hadj or pilgrimage, used in the case of Christians for a voyage to Jerusalem, for example "Hatzipanagis".
Kara-: from the Turkish word for "black",[12] for example "Karatasos". In Ottoman Turkish, "kara" also meant "brave", though this sense of the word has disappeared in the modern language.
Konto-: meaning "short".
Makro-: meaning "tall" or "long".
Mastro-: meaning "artisan" or "workman".
Palaio-: meaning "old" or "wise".
Papa-: indicating descent from a papas, a priest. So Papakostas is the "son of Kostas, the priest".
-akis (-άκης): associated primarily with Crete (except Anogeia) and the Aegean Islands, it is a diminutive, such as Giorgos becoming Giorgakis for the young Giorgos. Examples are: "Mitsotakis", "Theodorakis" and "Doukakis".This suffix was also very common for Cretan Turks up until they were officially changed with the Surname Law. This suffix was introduced in the 19th century.[13]
-oulis (-ούλης): mainly from Thessalia, it is a diminutive, which is also used as a diminutive for place names in the region such as Giannouli and Damasouli .' Examples are: "Georgoulis" and "Giannoulis".
-elis (-έλης) and -ilis (-ιλής): from the Turkish suffixes for agent, possession and origin, common in western Asia Minor, Mytiline, Lemnos and Imbros. Examples are: Myrsilis, Katselis, Papadelis, Manelis.
-lis (-λής). Turkish suffix for "of" a place, like the Greek suffixes -tis and -otis. Examples are: "Karamanlis" and "Kasdaglis".
-opoulos (-όπουλος): meaning "descendant of", originated from the Peloponnese but has become very widespread. Examples are: "Stamatelopoulos", "Papadopoulos", "Gianopoulos", "Anagnostopoulos" and "Theodorakopoulos". It can also be coined using ethnonyms, such as Frangopoulos (Φραγκόπουλος) meaning "son of a Frank", or Voulgaropoulos (Βουλγαρόπουλος) meaning "son of a Bulgarian".
-tis, -otis (-της, -ώτης): meaning "of" a place. Examples are "Politis" from polis (city) and "Chiotis" from Chios.
-tzis, -tsis (-τζής, -τσής): Turkish suffix to signify a profession, like the English -erinBakerorButcher. Examples are: "Devetzi" and "Kouyioumtzis". Not related to -atzis/atzes (-άτζης) and -atsis/atses, (-άτσης), a tsitacised version of -άκης associated with Thrace. Example: Vatatzes or Vatatses (instead of Vatakes).[16]
^Alexander P. Kazhdan, Michael McCormick, "Social Composition of the Byzantine Court", in Henry Maguire, ed., Byzantine Court Culture from 829 to 1204, 2004, ISBN0884023087, p. 168
^Patrick Hanks, Richard Coates, Peter McClure, The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016, ISBN0192527479, p. lii
^Hamish Forbes, "Early modern Greece: liquid landscapes and fluid populations" Hesperia Supplements40: 111-135 (2007)
^ abMackridge, Peter (2009). Language and National Identity in Greece, 1766-1976. Oxford. p. 21.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^"Naming practices" in British Academy and Oxford University, Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, onlineArchived 2018-08-16 at the Wayback Machine
Lexicon of Greek Personal Names, a Major Research Project of the British Academy, Oxford, contains over 35,000 published Greek names up to the 6th century.
