133 names

133 Greek mythology dog names (gods, heroes and monsters)

Greek myth is a deep well for dog names. The stories give you bold choices for a big, confident dog, soft ones for a sweet girl, and plenty of in-jokes for a dog who steals socks like a Titan stealing fire.

Every name here comes from ancient Greek gods, heroes, nymphs, monsters or places, and each note says who the figure was so you can match the story to your dog's personality. Hades and Cerberus suit a dark, serious-looking dog with a goofy heart. Athena or Penelope fit a clever, patient one.

Check the sound before you commit. Two-syllable names like Apollo, Hera and Atlas are easy to call across a park, while Persephone and Polyhymnia work better with a short nickname such as Percy or Poly.

Olympian gods and goddesses

Zeus♂King of the Greek gods, ruler of the sky and thunder
Hera♀Queen of the gods and goddess of marriage
Poseidon♂God of the sea, earthquakes and horses
Hades♂God of the underworld and ruler of the dead
Athena♀Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare
Apollo♂God of music, prophecy, healing and the sun
Artemis♀Goddess of the hunt and the moon
Ares♂God of war
Aphrodite♀Goddess of love and beauty
Hermes♂Quick-footed messenger of the gods
Hephaestus♂God of fire, metalwork and the forge
Demeter♀Goddess of the harvest and grain
Dionysus♂God of wine, festivals and fun
Hestia♀Goddess of the hearth and home, ideal for a homebody
Persephone♀Queen of the underworld and goddess of spring growth
Eros♂God of love and desire
Pan♂God of shepherds, flocks and wild places
Iris♀Goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods
Hebe♀Goddess of youth
Eris♀Goddess of strife and discord
Morpheus♂God of dreams
Hypnos♂God of sleep, a fit for a champion napper
Nyx♀Goddess of the night
Hecate♀Goddess of magic and crossroads, often pictured with dogs
Tyche♀Goddess of luck and fortune
Nemesis♀Goddess of retribution and balance
Asclepius♂God of healing and medicine
Triton♂Sea god and son of Poseidon, shown blowing a conch shell

Heroes and warriors

Achilles♂Greatest Greek fighter of the Trojan War, famous for his speed
Hector♂Trojan prince and defender of Troy
Ajax♂Towering Greek warrior at Troy
Odysseus♂Clever hero of the Odyssey who took ten years to get home
Perseus♂Hero who defeated Medusa
Theseus♂Hero who defeated the Minotaur in the Labyrinth
Jason♂Leader of the Argonauts and seeker of the Golden Fleece
Hercules♂Strongest of the Greek heroes, known for his twelve labors
Orpheus♂Legendary musician whose songs could charm even Cerberus
Orion♂Giant hunter placed among the stars, with the Great Dog following at his heels
Patroclus♂Achilles's devoted companion
Nestor♂Wise old king who advised the Greeks at Troy
Telemachus♂Son of Odysseus who grew up waiting for his father
Bellerophon♂Hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus
Cadmus♂Founder of the city of Thebes
Daedalus♂Master inventor who built the Labyrinth
Icarus♂Boy whose wax wings melted when he flew too close to the sun
Castor♂Horse-taming twin of Pollux
Pollux♂Boxing twin of Castor
Leander♂Swam the Hellespont every night to see his love
Adonis♂Beautiful mortal loved by Aphrodite
Narcissus♂Youth who fell in love with his own reflection
Midas♂King whose touch turned everything to gold, perfect for a golden coat
Menelaus♂King of Sparta and husband of Helen

Heroines, nymphs and mortals

Penelope♀Odysseus's patient and clever wife
Andromeda♀Princess rescued by Perseus, now also a constellation
Ariadne♀Princess who gave Theseus the thread to escape the Labyrinth
Antigone♀Daughter of Oedipus who stood up to a king
Electra♀Daughter of Agamemnon, a figure in Greek tragedy
Cassandra♀Trojan princess who could foretell the future but was never believed
Helen♀Helen of Troy, called the most beautiful woman in the world
Medea♀Sorceress who helped Jason win the Golden Fleece
Circe♀Sorceress who turned men into animals on her island
Calypso♀Sea nymph who kept Odysseus on her island for years
Atalanta♀Swift huntress who outran her suitors, a fit for a speedster
Pandora♀First woman of Greek myth, curious enough to open a jar of troubles
Psyche♀Mortal who married Eros; the name means soul
Daphne♀Nymph turned into a laurel tree; the name means laurel
Echo♀Nymph who could only repeat the last words spoken, a great name for a barker
Galatea♀Statue brought to life in a famous myth
Eurydice♀Orpheus's wife
Hippolyta♀Queen of the Amazons
Thetis♀Sea nymph and mother of Achilles
Medusa♀Gorgon whose gaze turned onlookers to stone
Europa♀Princess whose name was given to a continent
Cassiopeia♀Vain queen set among the stars as a constellation
Maia♀Eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes
Callisto♀Nymph placed among the stars; also a moon of Jupiter
Alcestis♀Queen who offered her life for her husband

Titans and primal forces

Atlas♂Titan condemned to hold up the sky
Cronus♂Titan king and father of Zeus
Rhea♀Titaness and mother of the Olympian gods
Prometheus♂Titan who stole fire for humankind
Hyperion♂Titan of heavenly light
Oceanus♂Titan of the great river that circled the world
Tethys♀Titaness of fresh water
Theia♀Titaness of sight and shining light
Phoebe♀Titaness of bright intellect
Gaia♀Earth personified, mother of the Titans
Chaos♂The first void in Greek creation myth, a great fit for a whirlwind pup
Themis♀Titaness of divine law and order
Helios♂Sun god who drove his chariot across the sky
Selene♀Moon goddess
Eos♀Goddess of the dawn

Muses and graces

Calliope♀Muse of epic poetry
Clio♀Muse of history
Erato♀Muse of love poetry
Euterpe♀Muse of music
Melpomene♀Muse of tragedy
Polyhymnia♀Muse of sacred song
Terpsichore♀Muse of dance
Thalia♀Muse of comedy, ideal for a clown
Urania♀Muse of astronomy
Aglaia♀One of the three Graces; the name means splendor
Euphrosyne♀One of the three Graces; the name means joy

Beasts, monsters and hounds

Cerberus♂Multi-headed guard hound of the underworld; capturing him was Heracles's last labor
Orthrus♂Two-headed dog of Greek myth and brother of Cerberus
Laelaps♂Hound that never failed to catch its prey; the name means hurricane
Maera♀Loyal dog of Icarius in Greek legend, said to have been set among the stars
Argus♂Giant with a hundred eyes who never missed a thing, a fit for a watch dog
Pegasus♂Winged horse that sprang from Medusa's blood
Hydra♀Many-headed water serpent defeated by Heracles
Chimera♀Fire-breathing mix of lion, goat and serpent
PhoenixBird that rises renewed from its own ashes
SphinxWinged riddle-asking creature with a lion's body
Chiron♂Wise centaur who taught many heroes
Minotaur♂Bull-headed creature of the Labyrinth
Polyphemus♂One-eyed giant outwitted by Odysseus

Tips for choosing

Say the full name and the nickname you will actually use. Persephone becomes Percy, Andromeda becomes Andie, and Prometheus becomes Theo.

Greek names pair beautifully: Castor and Pollux for twin brothers, Apollo and Artemis for a brother and sister, or Orpheus and Eurydice for two dogs who are never apart. More ideas are on our dog names for pairs page.

If you like the epic feel but want a change of region, compare these with Norse dog names, or check strong dog names for tougher options.

Frequently asked questions

What are good Greek mythology names for a male dog?

Apollo, Atlas, Hector, Orion, Jason and Achilles are popular for big, athletic dogs. For a smaller or gentler boy, try Pan, Chiron, Orpheus or Castor.

What are good Greek mythology names for a female dog?

Athena, Hera, Artemis, Daphne, Penelope and Calliope are all easy to say and look great on a tag. Short options like Iris, Io and Hebe are friendly and crisp.

How do you pronounce Greek mythology names?

Zeus is pronounced ZOOSS, Hera is HEER-uh, Athena is uh-THEE-nuh, Apollo is uh-POL-oh and Persephone is per-SEF-uh-nee. Pick a version and use it consistently so your dog hears the same sounds each time.

Is Cerberus a good name for a dog?

It is a popular joke for a dog who guards the door. Cerberus is the multi-headed hound of Hades in Greek myth, and a short nickname makes it easier to call. Hesiod called him the "brazen-voiced hound of Hades".