Greek Boy Names That Mean Youth

Greek boy names that mean youth cluster around one mythic story — a beautiful young man loved by a goddess — and its many modern echoes.

Names27

OriginGreek

MeaningYouth

GenderBoy

The center of this list is one story: Adonis, the youth so beautiful that two goddesses argued over him, his name built from a Phoenician word for 'lord.' Adonnis, Adonys, and Donis all reshape that same root for a modern ear.

Greek also gives us Neo, simply 'new,' and Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun — both stories about youth in motion. Giles comes from a different Greek root entirely, 'young goat,' paired with 'shield' in its Latin half.

Why Greek Boy Names That Mean Youth Keep Circling Back to Adonis

Adonis is doing double duty here: a byword for good looks and the seed for four more spellings on this page, each with its own personality. Adonnis leans playful, Adonys keeps the classic shape, and Donis strips it down to something short and warm. All four carry the same Phoenician-rooted meaning of 'lord,' tied forever to a Greek myth about beauty that doesn't last.

Young Warriors, New Starts, and Shield-Bearers Beyond the Myth

Youth shows up in more than one shape here. Icarus is youth as ambition and risk, Neo is youth as newness, and Giles, 'young goat' plus 'shield,' is youth paired with protection. The Colin family isn't Greek at all — Colin is Gaelic for 'young creature' and Collin carries 'young warrior' — but both land on the same meaning from a different direction.

Names List

Adonis#241 in the U.S.Lord, master — from Phoenician/Semitic adon (lord, master), the name of the beautiful youth of Greek mythPronounced uh-DON-is▶Cyrus#268 in the U.S.Sun; far-sighted; possibly throne or youngPronounced SY-rus▶Colin#343 in the U.S.In Scottish Gaelic, Colin is a diminutive of Cailean (young dog, youth, or pup). In English usage it is aPronounced KOL-in▶Collin#493 in the U.S.Variant spelling of Colin; from Scottish Gaelic 'Cailean' meaning young warrior or pup; also used as a diPronounced KOL-in▶Neo#969 in the U.S.New; from Greek neos (new, fresh, young); also a Tswana (South African) name meaning 'gift'Pronounced NEE-oh▶Adonnis#3384 in the U.S.Double-n spelling of Adonis, the beautiful youth of Greek myth, from Phoenician adon, 'lord'Pronounced ə-DON-is▶Kollin#4017 in the U.S.K-spelling of Collin/Colin — Irish cuilein, 'young pup/cub', or a form of Nicholas, 'victory of the peoplPronounced KOL-in▶Giles#5104 in the U.S.From Latin Aegidius (via Greek aigidion, 'a young goat', or aigis, 'a shield') — 'young goat; shield-bearPronounced JYLZ▶Egidio#5131 in the U.S.Egidio is the Italian form of the Latin Aegidius, from the Greek aigidion 'young goat' and aigis, the goaPronounced eh-JEE-dee-oh▶Adonys#5227 in the U.S.Y-spelling of Adonis — from Phoenician/Semitic adon, 'lord' (the beautiful youth beloved of Aphrodite)Pronounced ə-DON-iss▶Icarus#5289 in the U.S.From Greek Ikaros — the youth who flew on wax wings (the origin of the name itself is uncertain); a cautiPronounced IK-ə-rəs▶Kolin#5773 in the U.S.A K-spelling of Colin — variously from Irish cailín-linked 'a young pup/whelp' and a pet of Nicholas ('thPronounced KAH-lin▶Donis#8464 in the U.S.A short form/spelling of Adonis — from the Phoenician/Greek adon, 'a lord', hence 'a lord; a handsome youPronounced DOH-nees▶Collyn#9071 in the U.S.A -yn respelling of Colin, which arose in medieval England as a pet form of Nicholas (Greek Nikolaos, 'viPronounced KAH-lin▶Gillis#9686 in the U.S.Gillis is a Scandinavian and Scottish form of Giles, from the Latin Aegidius and Greek aigidion, a young Pronounced GIL-is▶Zoen#9856 in the U.S.A modern name, variously an echo of Zoe ('life', Greek) and Owen ('a young warrior/noble', Welsh); routesPronounced ZOH-en▶Addonis#9877 in the U.S.A spelling of Adonis — from the Phoenician/Hebrew adon, 'a lord'; the beautiful youth loved by Aphrodite Pronounced ah-DAH-nis▶Adonus#9886 in the U.S.A modern form of Adonis, the strikingly beautiful youth loved by Aphrodite in Greek myth; his name becamePronounced uh-DOH-nus▶Chloe#9910 in the U.S.From the Greek Chloe, 'green shoot; young verdure; blooming' — an epithet of the goddess Demeter and the Pronounced KLOH-ee▶Kyros#10445 in the U.S.A spelling of Cyrus, from the Persian Kurush (via the Greek Kyros), variously 'lord; the sun; young'; thePronounced KY-ros▶Ector#11242 in the U.S.Ector is a medieval form of Hector, from the Greek Hektor, 'holding fast' or 'steadfast'. In Arthurian lePronounced EK-tor▶Colyn#12491 in the U.S.Colyn is an older-looking spelling of Colin, which began as a medieval pet form of Nicholas (Greek NikolaPronounced KOL-in▶Jacek#13004 in the U.S.Jacek is the Polish form of Hyacinth (Latin Hyacinthus, Greek Hyakinthos) — the flower of Greek myth saidPronounced YAH-tsek▶Timmothy#14000 in the U.S.Timmothy is a variant spelling of Timothy, from Greek Timotheos — time, 'to honour,' and theos, 'God' — 'Pronounced TIM-uh-thee▶AhdonisA modern respelling of Adonis, the beautiful youth loved by Aphrodite in Greek myth, whose name became a Pronounced uh-DOH-nis▶GanymedeFrom the Greek Ganymedes, variously 'glad to be a prince; gladdening; rejoicing in manhood' (ganymai, 'toPronounced GAN-uh-meed▶PallasFrom the Greek Pallas, variously 'a spear-brandisher; a youth'; a Titan of warcraft (and, as a separate fPronounced PAL-us▶

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Adonis mean?

Adonis comes from a Phoenician word for 'lord' and belongs to the Greek myth of a youth so handsome that two goddesses fought over him — a name that's stayed a byword for good looks ever since.

Is Colin actually a Greek name?

Not quite. Colin is Gaelic for 'young creature,' and Collin carries 'young warrior' — both Scottish in tradition, not Greek. Kollin and Kolin restyle the same name with a modern K.

What does Icarus mean, and is it a good baby name?

Icarus is the Greek myth's youth who flew too close to the sun on wax wings — bold and a little bittersweet, it suits parents who like a name with real weight behind it.