Ancient mythology has provided us with an abundance of names. Some of them have, at one time or other, been at the height of fashion, such as Doris, Chloe and Jason. Others like Diana, Flora and Phyllis have become so famliar that it can be easy to forget their mythological beginnings. Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Thor and their like still conjure up the image of great celestial rulers. And then there are the lesser known mythlogical characters that make less obvious namesakes but still have a dramatic appeal.
This week I will focus on the many gods and goddesses from Greek, Roman, Celtic, Norse, Babylonian and Egyptian mythology. Here is a selection, from the familiar to the off-beat:
| Adonis Aed Aegir Aeolos / Aeolus Akelos Aken Amaethon Amor Amun Anubis Apollo Aquilo Arawn Ares Aristaios Assur Balder Belenus Boreas Camulos Castor Cupid Dagan Dionysos Donn Dylan Enten Epimetheus Erebos Eros Fabulinus Faunus Fides Freyr Govannon |
Grannus Gwydion Gwynn (ap Nudd) Hadad Hades Helios Hephaistos Hermes Hermod Hermus Hoenir Honus Horus Hyperion Ialonus Janus Jove Jupiter Kratos Kronos Lahar Lenus Llew / Lugh Llyr / Lir Loki Lupercus Mabon Mars Mercury Messor Mihos Minos Mithras Morpheus Morvran / Morfran |
Neptune Ocelus Odin Oengus Orcus Osiris Pluto Pollux Pontos Poseidon Priapus Prometheus Quirinus Saturnus Seth Sokar Sol Taranis Theandros Thor Thoth Wodan Zephyrus Zethos Zeus |
Adeona Adrasteia Aglaia Aine Amaunet Amphitrite Andarta Andraste Aphrodite Ariadne Arianrhod Arinna Artemis Arnemesia Astarte Astraea Athene / Athena Aurora Aveta Aya Bellona Boann Brigantia Brigit Britannia Ceres Ceridwen Charis Chloris Cinxia Clementia Clio / Kleio Cliona / Cliodhna Cybele Daphne |
Demeter Diana Dione Divona Eileithyia Eirene Epona Eunomia Euphrosine Eurynome Fauna Flora Fortuna Freyja Frigg Gaia Gula Harmonia Harpina Hebe Hekate Hera Hestia Inana Inara Io Iris Isis Juno Juturna Juventas Kalliope Klymene Kore Laverna |
Leto Lilith Lucina Luna Maia Melete Mellonia Metis Minerva Morrigan Naunet Niamh Nike Orthia Pax Peitho Perse / Perseis Persephone Polymnia Pomona Rhea Rosmerta Shala Selene Semele Sirara Sirona Sulis Theia Themis Thetis Thalia Tyche Venus Vesta |
Next week's list will focus on the demi-gods and mortals of ancient mythology.
