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The Greek people are known for their love of horses. Greek mythology is full of stories about heroes and gods with horses that aided them in battle.
It’s not surprising then, that the Greeks would have a deep attachment to naming their own horse or pony!
Greek horse names can be found all over the world, but there are some more traditional names that you might want to consider when choosing your own horse name.
Best Greek Horse Names And Meanings
Some of the most identifiable and recognizable names of Greece listed below are the best for horses. Each accompanies either the meaning or who they were in ancient Greek history or mythology.
- Agamemnon – king of Greece who led the charge against the Trojans and a pure breed of horse
- Ajax – a warrior during the Trojan War
- Andromache – wife of Hector
- Athena – daughter of Zeus; goddess of strategic battle and wisdom
- Hector – Trojan prince killed by Achilles out of revenge
- Helen – Spartan queen turned Trojan princess who stole away with Paris that sparked the Trojan War
- Minotaur – half-man and a half-bull creature who lives in the labyrinth on the island of Crete
- Pegasus – classic winged horse of Bellerophon
- Spartan – a citizen from Sparta; known to be the fiercest warriors most famous for their battle against the Persians at Thermopylae
- Titan – a member of the race of giants that lived before the Olympians
- Trojan – the horse left behind by the Greeks to trick the Trojans by falsely believing it to be a gift from Poseidon
- Zeus – lord of thunder, lightning, and storm; the king of the gods
Greek Horse Names For Males
When you have a stallion or gelding, these are some basic Greek names that come from ancient myth but they are also modern names.
- Abacus
- Adonis
- Adrastos
- Aindrea
- Alastair
- Azarios
- Basil
- Brontes
- Calix
- Castor
- Cephalus
- Christos
- Chryses
- Cyrus
- Dardanos
- Demetrios
- Erasmos
- Erbos
- Helios
- Icarus
- Kosmos
- Kyros
- Odysseus
- Pollux
- Spyro
- Thanos
- Theodoros
- Theron
- Theseus
- Zotikos
Greek Horse Names For Females
These are very common names for horses all over the world. They’re great for mares and fillies who belong to Greek breeds.
- Acacia
- Agalia
- Althaia
- Amaltheia
- Anastasia
- Andromeda
- Berenice
- Calista
- Cassandra
- Danae
- Demi
- Gia
- Olympia
- Ophelia
- Penelope
- Thalia
- Theodora
- Vasiliki
- Xenia
- Zephyra
- Zylina
Greek Mythology; Ancient Greek Horse Names
The names of all horses listed below are ones straight from Greek mythology. They are the trusty steeds of specific gods.
- Abraxas – Alternate name one of Helios’s immortal horses
- Aeos – horse of Helios or Apollo in Greek myth
- Aethon – could be the horse of one of three major Greek deities: Apollo, Ares, or Helios
- Aethops – one of Helios’s immortal horses
- Alastor – the name of the black horse belonging to Hades, god of the underworld
- Anemoi – gods of the four directions (east, south, west, and north) who transform into horses and draw Zeus’s chariot
- Arion – horse of the heroes Heracles and Adreastos
- Balios/Balius – a horse given to king Peleus for the Trojan War by Poseidon and then driven by Achilles’ chariot
- Boreas – god of the north wind who helps Zeus drive his chariot
- Bronte – one of Helios’s four immortal horses
- Bucephalus – the most famous of all historical Greek horses, associated with Alexander the Great
- Diomedes – famous horsemen with mares who were wild and magnificent, eating the flesh of humans
- Euus/Euos – immortal horse of Helios, god of the sun
- Eurus – one of the horses that helps to drive Zeus’s chariot who is the god of the east wind
- Harpagos – notorious steed belonging to the Dioscouri twins
- Hippalectryon – a chimera-like monster with the forelegs of a rooster and the hindquarters of a horse
- Hippokampoi – one of Poseidon’s fish-tailed sea horses that drew his chariot
- Notus – one of the horses that helps to drive Zeus’s chariot who is the god of the south wind
- Phlegon – horse of Helios or Apollo in Greek myth
- Pyrois – horse of Helios or Apollo in Greek myth
- Xanthus – a horse given to king Peleus for the Trojan War by Poseidon
Greek God Horse Names
When your horse exudes a divine quality, only a name of a deity will do. The following horse names come from some of the most notorious and powerful in the Greek pantheon.
- Apollo – god of light, truth, wisdom, poetry, and art; sister to Artemis
- Artemis – the virginal female deity of the forest and wild animals; youthful feminine wisdom
- Chronos – father of Zeus and the other Olympians
- Euryale – sister to Medusa and Stheno as one of the gorgons, her name means “far roaming”
- Gaea – goddess of the whole planet of earth
- Hades – great lord of the afterlife
- Medusa – famous monster defeated by Perseus who’s name means “sovereign female wisdom;” snake-haired gorgon turning people to stone
- Nike – ancient Greek goddess of Victory
- Ouranos – god of the celestial sky; fathered the titans with Gaea
- Poseidon – ancient Greek god of the sea and horses
- Stheno – sister to Medusa and Euryale as one of the gorgons, her name means “strength”
- Thanatos – god of dying and death
- Zephyrus – god of wind
Cool Greek Names For Horses
The list of words below is Modern Greek referring to horses or things that can describe horses. The first word indicates a phonetic pronunciation for each.
- A-lowe-go (άλογο) – “horse”
- A-straa-pee (αστραπή) – “lightning”
- Atee (άτι) – “steed”
- Brone-tee (βροντή) – “thunder”
- Ee-pos (ίππος) – “horse”
- Epee-vee-tore-ahs (επιβήτορας) – “stallion”
- For-ah-dah (φοράδα) – “mare”
- For-ah-thee-tsah (φοραδίτσα) – “filly”
- Keyt-soes (κίτσος) – famous Greek revolutionary and popular horse name on the island of Kephalonia
- Ta-hees (ταχύς) – “swift”
- Th-ay-ah (θεά) – “aunt” or “goddess”
- Thelow-thees (θυελλώδης) – “stormy”
- Vasee-leeahs (Βασιλιάς) – “king;” also the word for “basil”
Famous Horse Names In Greek
The horse names mentioned here are famous names used and found in the English-speaking world. However, they are translated to Greek with phonetic pronunciation.
- Black Beauty – μαύρη ομορφιά (mavree / owe-mor-fee-ah)
- Clover – τριφύλλι (tree-feel-lee)
- Dandelion – πικραλίδα (peak-rah-lee-dah)
- Genuine Risk – γνήσιο κίνδυνο (g-nee-see-o / keen-thee-no)
- Ginger – τζίντζερ (tszeen-tz-air)
- Nightmare – εφιάλτης (ef-eeal-tees); the same name as the traitor in the legend of the Spartan 300 against the Persian army
- Regret – μετανιώνω (meta-neeowe-know)
- Seabuscuit – μπισκότο θαλάσσης (mbeesk-otow / thalas-sees)
- Snowman – χιονάνθρωπος (hee-owe-nan-throw-pos)
- Spectacular Bid – θεαματική προσφορά (thay-ah-mah-tee-kee / pros-four-ah)
Horse Name Inspiration
Inspiration can come from a lot of places. You could be inspired by the beauty and grace of a particular horse, or you might want to name your new foal after an animal that has been special in your family history.
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to naming horses.
Here are some ideas where you can look:
- Characteristics: You might want to name your horse based on its physical characteristics. For example, if your horse has a long mane or tail, you might want to name it after the beautiful and flowing locks of Rapunzel.
- Places: If you are drawn to a particular place, you might consider naming your horse after it. For example, if you love the ocean, you could name your horse “Siren” or “Calypso.” This can be a great way to feel connected to your horse no matter where he is.
- Colors: Another option is to name your horses based on their colors. This can be especially beautiful if you have a palomino or buckskin horse. Some examples include “Sunny Day,” “Crimson Blaze,” or “Snowy Night.”
- Feelings: Finally, you could also name your horse based on how he makes you feel. This could be something as simple as “Happy” or “Graceful.” Whatever speaks to your heart is perfect for naming your new horse!
- Naming After Someone You Love: Sometimes naming horses comes from wanting to honor someone special in your life by immortalizing them through an animal that will live on forever as part of your legacy.
- Naming for Fun: Ultimately, at the end of the day, it is your horse and you can name him whatever you like! If you are simply looking for something that sounds good or has a nice ring to it, go ahead and choose something that inspires you. After all, your horse will be spending his life with you so he deserves a name that makes both of you happy!
Help Choosing The Right Name
Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a name for your horse:
1. Choose A Name That Reflects Your Horse’s Personality
One great way of naming your horse is to choose a name that reflects his or her personality.
Is your horse friendly and easygoing? Consider naming him after an affectionate nickname like “Gentle” or “Buddy.”
Or, if she’s feisty and spirited, you might think of giving her the moniker “Firefly” or even having some fun with it by calling her something like “Sparkler” instead!
2. Consider The Meaning Of The Word You Are Considering
You may even find a name with a deeper meaning that better suits your horse.
Is he or she brave and unafraid of taking on any challenge? You could think about calling him “Valiant” instead, which means “brave and courageous” in French.
Or perhaps you have found the perfect name but don’t know its origins – this is the perfect opportunity to do some research!
Do an Internet search for the word’s definition as well as its history to discover all kinds of fascinating things about it.
3. Think About How People Might Pronounce Your Chosen Word
The last thing you’ll want to do is choose a name that your friends and family members will be stumbling over every time they try to say it.
Even if the name sounds like something entirely different in another language, make sure others can easily pronounce it!
If people aren’t familiar with how to properly enunciate each letter of your chosen word, consider thinking of an alternative.
4. Avoid Using Names That Are Too Similar To Other Horses In Your Barn
It’s important to be considerate of other people and their horses when selecting a name.
If there are already too many “Bella”s or “Max”s in your barn, it might be best to choose something else.
You’ll also want to avoid using names that are too similar sounding to other horses in your barn – this can get confusing very quickly!
5. Make Sure The Spelling Is Correct Before Finalizing Your Choice
One final thing to keep in mind is that you’ll want to make sure the spelling of your chosen name is correct before settling on it.
There’s nothing worse than having to change a horse’s name because you spelled it wrong on all of his or her paperwork!
6. Choose Something Short So There’s Less Chance Of Confusion When Calling Out Commands On Horseback
A shorter name is also ideal so there’s less chance of confusion when calling out commands on horseback.
If you have a long, complicated name to remember, it might be best to shorten it for ease of use.
So, these are just a few things to keep in mind when naming your horse! By following these simple tips, you’re sure to find the perfect moniker for your four-legged friend.
Conclusion
So now that you have some ideas of where to start, it’s time to get creative and find the perfect name for your newest addition to the family!
No matter what inspired you, remember that the most important thing is that both you and your horse are happy with the choice.
If you are still struggling with name ideas check out the related posts section below or try an online horse name generator!
