Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Odysseus

Odysseus

♂ Boy

Pronounced oh-DIS-ee-us /oʊˈdɪs.i.əs/High

Meaning: From ancient Greek, possibly related to odussomai ('to be wrathful against,' 'to hate') or odyssomai ('to cause pain'), reflecting the hero's embattled natureMedium

In 30 seconds: The name of Homer's great wandering hero, possibly meaning 'wrathful' or 'he who causes pain.' Odysseus embodies cunning, resilience, and the eternal human longing for home.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighGreek
MeaningFrom ancient Greek, possibly related to odussomai ('to be wrathful against,' 'to hate') or odyssomai ('to cause pain'), reflecting the hero's embattled nature
U.S. rank (2025)#2870 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births44 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 526

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519992025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Odysseus is the Greek name of the hero of Homer's Odyssey (c. 8th century BCE), called Ulixes or Ulysses in Latin. The etymology is disputed: ancient Greeks connected it to odussomai ('to be angry') or odyssomai ('to cause suffering'), reflecting the hero's fate as both sufferer and cause of suffering. He was king of Ithaca, husband of Penelope, and the cleverest of the Greek heroes.

Though rare as a given name historically, Odysseus has attracted attention as parents have turned to classical mythology for distinctive, meaningful names. Its Latin form Ulysses was used by U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and the title character of James Joyce's modernist novel. Odysseus itself is now occasionally chosen by classicist or mythology-minded parents.

Did you know? The word odyssey entered the English language directly from Odysseus's name — his twenty-year journey home from Troy gave the world a common noun for any long, adventurous journey.
Overall data confidence 82%
Homer — The Odyssey (R. Fagles translation) — Primary source; hero's character and journeyLiddell & Scott Greek-English Lexicon — Odysseus — Etymology: odussomai root

Variations

UlyssesUlixesOdysseyOdisseo

Nicknames

OdyDys

Famous Bearers

  • ★Odysseas Elytis (1911-1996)
    Greek poet and 1979 Nobel laureate in Literature
  • ★Odysseas Androutsos (1788-1825)
    Greek military commander and hero of the Greek War of Independence

If you like Odysseus…

Ulysses— the Latin/English form of the identical name
Achilles— another Homeric Greek hero name of similar grandeur
Leonidas— ancient Greek heroic name with the same epic sweep
Perseus— Greek mythological hero name with the same classical weight

Explore names like Odysseus

By themegreekliterarymythologicalclassicalepic
By meaningWarriorEarth / Nature

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Odysseus mean?

Odysseus likely means 'wrathful' or 'he who causes pain,' from ancient Greek roots, reflecting the hero's fate as both sufferer and cause of hardship.

How do you pronounce Odysseus?

Odysseus is pronounced oh-DIS-ee-us (/oʊˈdɪs.i.əs/), four syllables with stress on the second.

Is Odysseus a boy or girl name?

Odysseus is exclusively a boy's name, the name of Homer's greatest hero.

How popular is Odysseus?

Odysseus is rare as a given name but is occasionally chosen by classicist parents. Its Latin form Ulysses is more commonly used in English-speaking countries.

💬 Ask Nia