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Socrates

♂ Boy

Pronounced SOK-ruh-teez /ˈsɒk.rə.tiz/Medium

Meaning: Socrates is the classical Greek name Sokrates, usually explained from sos, safe, sound or whole, and kratos, power or strength. It is inseparable from the Athenian philosopher Socrates, and later became a given name in Greek and in Portuguese-speaking Brazil.Medium

In 30 seconds: Socrates is a classical Greek name, roughly whole strength, forever tied to the Athenian philosopher. Rare but steady in America, it also served as a given name in Greek and Brazilian families.

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Origin MediumGreek

MeaningSocrates is the classical Greek name Sokrates, usually explained from sos, safe, sound or whole, and kratos, power or strength. It is inseparable from the Athenian philosopher Socrates, and later became a given name in Greek and in Portuguese-speaking Brazil.

U.S. rank (2022)#7688 ↗ Rising

2022 U.S. births11 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 725

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Socrates carries the classical Greek name Sokrates, generally traced to sos, safe or whole, and kratos, power, so it is read as something like sound strength. Its towering anchor is the Athenian philosopher Socrates, teacher of Plato, and the name later lived on as a given name among Greeks and in Brazil. American use was thin but genuine, often within Greek immigrant families.

The name was never common in the United States, given to fewer than two dozen boys a year at a faint high point in the early nineteen-twenties, with only a scattered presence otherwise. It reads as a bold, scholarly heritage choice rather than a trend.

Did you know? Alongside the philosopher, the name was famously borne by Socrates, the elegant Brazilian soccer captain of the nineteen-eighties who was also a trained physician.

Overall data confidence 70%

References - Socrates — Greek sos+kratos; philosopher and Brazilian footballer bearers

Variations

SokratesSocratisSocrate

Nicknames

SocSock

Famous Bearers

★Socrates (c. 470-399 BC)
Athenian philosopher, founding figure of Western philosophy and teacher of Plato
★Socrates (1954-2011)
Brazilian soccer captain and physician, one of the sport's most admired midfielders

If you like Socrates…

Aristotle— another classical Greek philosopher's name

Demetrios— a similar traditional Greek boy's name

Ulises— shares the -es ending

Achilles— a fellow Greek choice

Ulysses— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Socrates

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Socrates mean?

It is usually read as sound or whole strength, from the Greek sos, safe or whole, and kratos, power.

How do you pronounce Socrates?

In English it is said SOK-ruh-teez /ˈsɒk.rə.tiz/, three syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Socrates a boy or girl name?

Socrates is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Socrates?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a couple dozen boys a year at its faint peak in the early nineteen-twenties.