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An ancient Greek name with a modern edge.
Origin: |
Atlas is the name of a Titan in Greek mythology who led a rebellion against Zeus and was condemned to bear the heavens upon his shoulders. In other versions, he is the guardian of the pillars which keep the sky and earth apart. Mythology also has it that Atlas taught mankind how to read the stars and turned the heavens so that the stars revolved. The most likely source of the name is the Greek word ἄτλητος (atletos) [ἄτλᾱτος (atlatos) in Doric Greek] meaning "not to be borne, not to be endured, insufferable, impatient, not to be dared." The word is well attested in ancient literature; it was used by Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus and several others. The related word ἀτλητέω (atleteo) -- atlateo in Doric -- meaning "impatient, not to endure"" is also given to mean "I refuse to endure." Both words derive from the negative prefix a- (giving the opposite meaning) and τλάω (tlao) "suffer, undergo," τλητός (tletos) "patience, steadfast in suffering," and τλῆναι (tlenai) "endure, suffer, bear up under, submit to." Most characters from Greek mythology have a name which fits their story and atletos and atleteo suit Atlas' myth of being ordered to bear the heavens on his shoulders. Many ancient writers write of Atlas' 'unendurable' burden: Pindar: "Does not even now great Atlas struggle to bear up the weight of heaven...?" (Pythian Ode 4. 290) When translating the concept into English, we lose the nuances inherent in the original cultural language, which is why (when most sites/books simply boil a name down to just one phrase) you can find several interpretations of Atlas' meaning, from "not enduring" or "insufferable" (which would been seen in a negative light today) to "refusing to submit," "not to suffer" and "impatient" (which can be seen as more laudable qualities). Conversely, the Roman poet Virgil gave Atlas the epithet Durus "enduring, hard." He may have assumed Atlas derived from tlenai "enduring", or perhaps, knowing of the more common word atletos "not to endure," he was making an ironic connection; something which was not uncommon for ancient writers. Some modern scholars believe Atlas ultimately descends from a pre-Greek name derives from the Proto-Indo-European route tele "to lift, support, weigh." |
Famous Bearers: |
Literature and Other Media: * Atlas / Erik Josten, a Marvel Comics supervillain.
* Atlas, an Astro Boy character. * Cloud Atlas (2012), a film starring Tom Hanks. |
Pronunciation: |
AT-ləs [key] |
Possible diminutives: |
Atty |
Sibling Names: | Phaedra Lyra Evadne Juno Charis Vesta Brooks Theron Rufus Knox Zephyr Evander |
Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Abby Lily for requesting this post.