Home › Baby Names Directory › Oedipus

Oedipus

♂ Boy

Pronounced ED-ih-pus /ˈɛd.ɪ.pəs/Medium

Meaning: From the Greek Oidipous, 'swollen foot' (oidein, 'to swell', + pous, 'a foot'); the tragic king of Thebes who solved the riddle of the Sphinx; we note the tragedyLow

In 30 seconds: Swollen foot: Oedipus is the Greek king of Thebes. Bold, classic, and warm (said 'ED-ih-pus'). We note the tragedy.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowGreek

MeaningFrom the Greek Oidipous, 'swollen foot' (oidein, 'to swell', + pous, 'a foot'); the tragic king of Thebes who solved the riddle of the Sphinx; we note the tragedy

History & Origin

Oedipus comes from the Greek Oidipous, 'swollen foot' (oidein, 'to swell', + pous, 'a foot'); the tragic king of Thebes who solved the riddle of the Sphinx (we note the tragedy). A bold, classic name (said 'ED-ih-pus').

In the U.S. it appears very rarely as a mythology name (a great figure of Greek tragedy). Rare, swollen-foot at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Oedipus is 'swollen foot' in Greek (oidein + pous) — the tragic king of Thebes who solved the riddle of the Sphinx — a bold, storied name (we note the tragedy; said 'ED-ih-pus').

Overall data confidence 48%

References — Oedipus — Greek mythology; tragedy

Variations

OidipousEdipo

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Oedipus…

Antigone— his daughter

Orpheus— shares the -us ending

Perseus— another mythology pick

Daedalus— the same mythology feel

Alpheus— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Oedipus

By themegreek mythology hero

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Oedipus mean?

Oedipus is Greek for 'swollen foot' (oidein + pous); the tragic king of Thebes. We note the tragedy.

How do you pronounce Oedipus?

It's said ED-ih-pus /ˈɛd.ɪ.pəs/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Oedipus a boy or girl name?

Oedipus is a boy's name.

How popular is Oedipus?

Oedipus is a very rare name in the U.S.