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Greek Boy Names That Mean Bravery

This list of Greek boy names that mean bravery is really one root word wearing a dozen different outfits, from the classic Andrew to the sleek modern Dre.

Names70
OriginGreek
MeaningBravery
GenderBoy

Almost every name here descends from the same Greek word: andreios, meaning 'manly' or 'courageous,' built on the root aner/andros, meaning man. Andrew is the familiar English form, but the same root travels through Andreas, Andres, and Andre.

A few names branch off in their own direction. Atreus carries the weight of a Greek mythological king, while Hero comes straight from the Greek word for a warrior of superhuman strength — the same word that gave English 'hero.' Thaddeus, an apostle's name meaning courageous heart, rounds out the list with its own quieter kind of bravery.

The story behind Greek boy names that mean bravery

The Greek root andreios shows how far one meaning can travel. Andrew is its best-known English form, Andres its Spanish cousin, and Andre its French one. Anders carries it into Scandinavia, and Andreas keeps it closest to the original Greek. Shortened forms like Dru, Dre, Andry, and Deondre strip the name down to its rhythm while keeping the meaning intact.

Which of these bravery names feel classic, and which feel new

Andrew still holds a solid U.S. top-100 spot at #73, even as it slowly cools. Andreas is rising, offering something close to Andrew but less common, and Thaddeus is climbing too, its three syllables and easy Thad nickname giving it a fresh, old-fashioned charm. At the other end, Atreus and Hero read as bold and unusual, drawn straight from mythology rather than the andr- family tree.

Names List

Andrew#73 in the U.S.Manly; strong and bravePronounced AN-droo▶Andres#200 in the U.S.Manly, brave, warrior; Spanish form of Andrew, from Greek andreiosPronounced AHN-drays▶Andre#368 in the U.S.French form of Andrew, from the Greek Andreas, derived from 'aner' (man, male) — meaning 'manly', 'virilePronounced ahn-DRAY▶Atreus#582 in the U.S.From Greek Atreus, possibly derived from a- (not) and treo (to be afraid), meaning 'fearless' or 'intrepiPronounced AY-tree-us▶Thaddeus#798 in the U.S.Courageous heart or gift of God; from the Aramaic Thaddai, possibly meaning heart or courageous, or relatPronounced THAD-ee-us▶Anders#984 in the U.S.Scandinavian form of Andrew, from Greek Andreas, derived from aner (genitive andros) meaning man, brave mPronounced AN-ders▶Andreas#1098 in the U.S.Manly; brave; the Greek and Germanic form of Andrew, from Greek andreios (manly, from aner/andros: man)Pronounced an-DRAY-us▶Hero#2342 in the U.S.Defender; protector; warrior; from Greek heros (a man of superhuman strength and valor, a warrior-protectPronounced HEER-oh▶Dru#2373 in the U.S.Strong; brave; a short form of Drew (from Andrew: defender of men) or an independent name from English drPronounced DROO▶Deondre#3528 in the U.S.Modern American name joining the De- prefix to Andre — from Greek Andreas, 'manly, brave' (via French)Pronounced dee-ON-dray▶Andry#3977 in the U.S.Latino short form of Andres/Andre — Greek andreios, 'manly, brave, courageous'Pronounced AHN-dree▶Dre#4213 in the U.S.Short form of Andre/Andrew — Greek andreios, 'manly, brave, courageous'Pronounced DRAY▶Keondre#4250 in the U.S.Modern coinage joining Ke- to -ondre (echoing Deondre/Andre, 'manly, brave'); no single fixed rootPronounced kee-ON-dray▶Tiger#4399 in the U.S.From the word tiger — Greek tigris (via Latin) — the great striped cat; a symbol of power and couragePronounced TY-gər▶Andersen#4424 in the U.S.From the Scandinavian surname Andersen — 'son of Anders (Andrew)', from Greek andreios, 'manly, brave'Pronounced AN-dər-sən▶Barnabas#4571 in the U.S.From Aramaic, 'son of encouragement' or 'son of consolation/prophecy' — the New Testament apostlePronounced BAR-nə-bəs▶Andrick#4880 in the U.S.Modern coinage joining Andr- (from Andrew/Andres, 'manly, brave') to an -ick ending; no single fixed rootPronounced AN-drik▶Andrea#5055 in the U.S.Italian (masculine) form of Andrew — from Greek andreios, 'manly, brave'; here for boysPronounced ahn-DREH-ah▶Bernis#5175 in the U.S.Bernis is a rare early-American name, here given to boys. It most likely reflects a masculine use or respPronounced BUR-nis▶Andriel#5442 in the U.S.Modern coinage joining Andre/Andres ('manly, brave', Greek) with the -iel ending ('God', Hebrew); no singPronounced ahn-dree-EL▶Chrome#5463 in the U.S.From the word chrome — from Greek chroma, 'colour' — a bright, shiny metal (chromium); a bold modern wordPronounced KROHM▶Thaddaeus#5846 in the U.S.From the Greek Thaddaios — likely from Aramaic, 'heart; courageous, large-hearted'; possibly linked to 'aPronounced thad-EE-əs▶Andrej#5897 in the U.S.The Slavic form of Andrew — from Greek andreios, 'manly, brave' (from aner, 'a man')Pronounced AHN-dray▶Andrews#5898 in the U.S.From the English surname Andrews — 'son of Andrew' (Andrew, from Greek, 'manly, brave')Pronounced AN-drooz▶Andrez#6183 in the U.S.A spelling of Andres (the Spanish Andrew) — from Greek andreios, 'manly, masculine; brave' (from aner, 'aPronounced AHN-dress▶Andrik#6184 in the U.S.A Slavic short form of Andrew — from Greek andreios, 'manly, masculine; brave' (from aner, 'a man'); routPronounced AHN-drik▶Epic#6245 in the U.S.From the word epic — 'heroic, grand, on a vast scale; a long heroic poem' (from Greek epos, 'a word, a soPronounced EP-ik▶Andi#6464 in the U.S.A pet form of Andrew/Andreas — from Greek andreios, 'manly, masculine; brave' (from aner, 'a man'); used Pronounced AN-dee▶Andree#6837 in the U.S.A French form/spelling of Andre — from Greek Andreas, 'a man; manly; brave; a warrior'; used for both sexPronounced AHN-dray▶Andriy#6838 in the U.S.The Ukrainian form of Andrew — from Greek Andreas, 'a man; manly; brave; a warrior'Pronounced ahn-DREE▶Andreus#7254 in the U.S.A form of Andreas/Andrew — from Greek andreios, 'manly; brave; strong' (from aner/andros, 'man')Pronounced ahn-DRAY-us▶Enderson#7367 in the U.S.A form of Anderson — 'son of Andrew' (from Greek Andreas, 'manly; brave'); routes layeredPronounced EN-der-son▶Tad#7657 in the U.S.A pet form of Thaddeus — of uncertain origin, variously read 'courageous heart' and 'praise' (Aramaic); aPronounced TAD▶Lycan#8067 in the U.S.From the Greek lykos, 'a wolf' (the root of lycanthrope, 'a wolf-man/werewolf'); a bold word-name; we notPronounced LY-kan▶Andrus#8194 in the U.S.An Estonian form of Andrew, from Greek 'andreios' ('manly, brave'). Also found as a surname. A settled BaPronounced AN-drus▶Andrzej#8331 in the U.S.A Polish form of Andrew — from the Greek andreios, 'manly; brave; strong'Pronounced AHND-zhay▶Deaundre#8449 in the U.S.A modern name, joining a De- prefix with Andre ('manly; brave', Greek, from Andreas); no single fixed rooPronounced dee-AHN-dray▶Liandro#8681 in the U.S.A form/spelling of Leandro/Leander — from the Greek leon, 'a lion', + andros, 'man', hence 'a lion-man; bPronounced lee-AHN-droh▶Andru#8999 in the U.S.A spelling of Andrew — from the Greek Andreas, andros, 'a man', hence 'manly; strong; brave'Pronounced AN-droo▶Andruw#9000 in the U.S.A spelling of Andrew — from the Greek Andreas, andros, 'a man', hence 'manly; strong; brave'Pronounced AN-droo▶Leeon#9480 in the U.S.A spelling of Leon — from the Greek leon, 'a lion'; a symbol of courage and strengthPronounced LEE-on▶Andris#9734 in the U.S.A Latvian and Lithuanian form of Andrew, from Greek 'andreios' ('manly, brave'). A settled Baltic name kePronounced AN-dris▶Aundra#9798 in the U.S.Aundra is an American respelling connected to Andre and Andrew — from the Greek andreios, 'manly' or 'braPronounced AWN-druh▶Andie#9922 in the U.S.A short, friendly form of Andrew (from Greek 'andreios', 'manly, brave') or of Andrea. It usually reads uPronounced AN-dee▶Andrae#9932 in the U.S.A spelling of Andre/Andrew — from the Greek Andreas, 'manly; strong; brave' (from aner/andros, 'a man')Pronounced AHN-dray▶Andhy#9989 in the U.S.Andhy is a respelling of Andy, the familiar short form of Andrew, or of the Spanish Andres. Andrew comes Pronounced AN-dee▶Barnaby#9996 in the U.S.An English form of Barnabas — from the Aramaic, 'a son of consolation/encouragement/prophecy'; a companioPronounced BAR-nuh-bee▶Jedrek#10172 in the U.S.Jedrek is a Polish pet form of Jedrzej, the Polish version of Andrew, from the Greek Andreas, 'manly' or Pronounced JED-rek▶Nike#10567 in the U.S.From the Greek Nike, 'victory' — the winged goddess of victory in Greek myth, and the root of the famous Pronounced NY-kee▶Theos#10764 in the U.S.From Greek theos, 'god, the divine' — the root behind Theodore and Theo. Used as a bold, meaning-rich shoPronounced THEE-os▶Alfa#10962 in the U.S.A word-name from Alfa, a spelling of alpha, the first Greek letter and the NATO phonetic code word for A.Pronounced AL-fuh▶Ecko#11102 in the U.S.A modern spelling of Echo — a returning sound — from the Greek nymph Echo of myth; also known as a streetPronounced EK-oh▶Chaos#11112 in the U.S.From the Greek Chaos, the vast primordial void that, in Hesiod's Theogony, existed before all creation; aPronounced KAY-oss▶Deandrew#11213 in the U.S.A modern De- prefix blend built on Andrew (Greek Andreas, 'strong; manly; brave'). The De- adds rhythm raPronounced dee-AN-droo▶Kilo#11688 in the U.S.From the word kilo, the metric prefix for 'thousand' (from Greek khilioi) and the radio code word for thePronounced KEE-loh▶Mega#11825 in the U.S.A modern word name from the Greek prefix mega- ('great; large; mighty'), used as a bold given name. As a Pronounced MEG-uh▶Zeandre#12120 in the U.S.Zeandre is a modern coinage joining a Ze- prefix to Andre, the French form of Andrew from the Greek andrePronounced zee-AHN-dray▶Thadeus#12156 in the U.S.Thadeus is a modern spelling of Thaddeus, a name of Aramaic origin borne by one of the twelve apostles; iPronounced THAD-ee-us▶Antero#12316 in the U.S.A Finnish and Spanish form of Andrew (Greek 'andreios', 'manly, brave'); it also recalls St Anterus, an ePronounced an-TEH-roh▶Adamas#12334 in the U.S.From Greek adamas, 'unconquerable; invincible' — the very word that gave English 'diamond,' the hardest oPronounced AD-uh-mas▶Analu#12420 in the U.S.Analu is the Hawaiian form of Andrew, ultimately from the Greek Andreas, 'manly; brave; strong.' HawaiianPronounced ah-NAH-loo▶Andreu#12426 in the U.S.Andreu is the Catalan form of Andrew, from the Greek Andreas, 'manly; brave; strong.' It honors Saint AndPronounced ahn-DREH-oo▶Aundre#12488 in the U.S.Aundre is a variant spelling of Andre, the French/English form of Andrew, from the Greek andreios ('manlyPronounced AWN-dray▶Deundre#12668 in the U.S.Deundre joins the widely used De- prefix, common in American boys' names since the mid-twentieth century,Pronounced dee-UN-dray▶Kendrew#13155 in the U.S.A Scottish and northern English form of Andrew, from Greek Andreas ('manly, brave'), where the initial K Pronounced KEN-droo▶Lennis#13276 in the U.S.Lennis is a vintage American boys' name of uncertain root, best read as a variant of Dennis (from DionysiPronounced LEN-is▶Thad#13986 in the U.S.Thad is the everyday short form of Thaddeus, the New Testament apostle's name. Its ultimate root is debatPronounced THAD▶Teandre#14038 in the U.S.Teandre reads as a blend of the fashionable Te- opening with Andre, the French form of the Greek Andreas,Pronounced tee-AHN-dray▶EclipseThe English word 'eclipse' used as a name — an astronomical event when one body passes into another's shaPronounced ee-KLIPS▶EndriasThe Ethiopian/Amharic form of Andreas, itself the Greek Andrew, from andreios, 'manly; brave; strong.' A Pronounced en-DREE-ahs▶

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Frequently Asked

What is the most common Greek name that means brave?

Andrew is the most familiar, currently ranked #73 in the US. It comes from the Greek andreios, meaning manly or brave, and the same root produces Andreas, Andres, and Andre in other languages.

Are there Greek names for boys that mean bravery beyond the Andrew family?

Yes. Atreus is a mythological king's name from Greek legend, and Hero comes from the Greek word for a warrior of superhuman strength — the same word that became the English word hero.

Is Thaddeus a Greek name?

Not exactly — Thaddeus has Aramaic roots meaning courageous heart, though it's long been grouped with New Testament names alongside Greek forms like Andreas. It's currently rising in popularity in the US.