Name Days in Greece: Traditions, Meanings, and the Ultimate Name Day Calendar
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Name Days in Greece: Traditions, Meanings, and the Ultimate Name Day Calendar

Highlights by GR&PL AI
  • Complete 2026 Greek Name Day calendar for every month
  • Explanation of the traditional naming system (paternal vs maternal grandparents)
  • Insights into regional name popularity (Crete, Epirus, Rhodes)
  • Cultural etiquette: How to wish someone a happy name day
  • Why Name Days are more important than birthdays for older generations
  • Information on All Saints' Day (Agion Panton) for rare names

Have you ever wondered why your Greek friends celebrate their "Name Day" with more excitement than their actual birthday? In Greece, the tradition of Onomastiki Giorti is a cornerstone of social life, deeply rooted in Orthodox heritage and family legacy. Whether you are looking for the 2026 Greek Name Day calendar, trying to understand the unique naming customs of the Greek islands, or simply want to know how to properly wish someone "Happy Name Day," this guide covers everything you need to know about this vibrant cultural phenomenon.

For millions of Greeks across the globe, a "Name Day" (Onomastiki Giorti) is a way bigger deal than a birthday. This is especially true in Greece, where older generations and folks in rural villages often don't even bother celebrating the day they were born-it's all about the saint they were named after.

How Greeks Get Their Names: A Deep-Rooted Tradition

The way kids are named in Greece is deeply woven into the country's culture and religion. Following long-standing tradition, many families name their children after their grandparents to keep the family legacy alive.

The standard naming rules in Greece:

  • Firstborn Boy: Usually named after the paternal grandfather.

  • Firstborn Girl: Usually named after the paternal grandmother.

  • Second/Third Child: Named after the maternal grandparents.

Because of this rigid tradition, you’ll run into a lot of people with the exact same names in Greece!

The Cultural Significance of Name Days

Religion is the backbone of Greek naming conventions. Most names originate from saints, biblical figures, or martyrs. The Greek Orthodox Church honors different saints on specific days throughout the year.

Pro Tip: If someone has a name that isn't linked to a specific saint (like certain ancient Greek names), they celebrate on June 18th—All Saints' Day (Agion Panton).

Regional "Celebrity" Names

Names often tell a story about where a person is from. Some names are local favorites in specific regions:

  • Crete: You’ll hear Manolis and Irini everywhere.

  • Epirus: Fotis and Paraskevi are the go-to names.

  • Rhodes: Kosmas and Despina are local favorites.

The "heavy hitters" in Greece are names like Giorgos, Ioannis, Dimitris, Maria, Eleni, Panagiotis, and Nikos. Because these names are so popular, their name days feel like unofficial national holidays!

How to Celebrate: "Na chairesai to onoma sou"

A Name Day is a massive social event. Unlike birthdays, where you might wait for an invitation, Greek Name Days are often "open house" events. The classic greeting you’ll hear is: "Na chairesai to onoma sou" (να χαίρεσαι το όνομα σου), which literally means, "May you find joy in your name."

The Complete Greek Name Day Calendar

Below is a breakdown of when your Greek friends are celebrating, based on the Gregorian calendar.

JANUARY

  • January 1: Basil (Vasilios), Vasiliki, Bill, Vicky, Bessie

  • January 2: Seraphim, Sylvester

  • January 3: Asimakis, Asimina, Simeon, Stamatia, Stamatis

  • January 4: (No major name day)

  • January 5: Agatha, Syglitiki, Theoni, Theopemptos

  • January 6 (Epiphany): Fotis, Fotini, Theofanis, Theofania, Jordan, Ourania, Faidon, Fani

  • January 7 (St. John the Baptist): John (Ioannis), Joanna, Prodromos

  • January 8: Domna, Agathon, Dominiki, Kelsios, Parthena, Vasilissa

  • January 9–10: (No major name days)

  • January 11: Theodosios, Avgi, Theodora, Vlassis

  • January 12: Tatiana, Meletios, Plotinos

  • January 13: Priscilla, Ermilos

  • January 14: Nina

  • January 15–16: (No major name days)

  • January 17: Anthony (Antonios), Antonia, Theodore

  • January 18: Athanasios, Athanasia, Cyril (Kyrillos), Teodoula, Leo

  • January 19: Makarios, Efrasia

  • January 20: Efthymios, Efthymia, Fabian, Thyrsi

  • January 21: Agnes (Agni), Maximos, Neofytos, Patroklos, Eugene (Evgenios)

  • January 22: Anastasios, Timothy (Timotheos), Anthousa, Thalassios

  • January 23: Agathangelos, Polychronios, Polykarpos

  • January 24: Xenia

  • January 25: Gregory (Grigorios), Gregoria, Margaret (Margarita), Riginos, Tarasios

  • January 26: Xenofon, Fotini, Porfirios, Sebastian

  • January 27: Timothy (Timotheos), Asklepios, Nisios

  • January 28: Haris, Palladios, Kyra, Marianna

  • January 29: Cassian (Kasjan)

  • January 30: Chrisi, Chrysa, Chrysalia, Archondis

  • January 31: Eudoxia, Xenia

FEBRUARY

  • February 1: Filikiti, Tryfon

  • February 2: Ypapanti

  • February 3: Asimakis, Asimina, Simeon, Stamatia, Stamatis

  • February 4: Iasimos, Isidore (Isidoros)

  • February 5: Agatha

  • February 6: Fotis

  • February 7: Parthenios

  • February 8: Zachary (Zacharias)

  • February 9: Markellos, Nikiforos, Pagratios

  • February 10: Haralambos, Hariklia, Harilaos

  • February 11: Avgi, Theodora, Vlassis

  • February 12: Meletios, Plotinos

  • February 13: Priscilla

  • February 14: Valentine (Valentini)

  • February 15: Eusebios

  • February 16: Pamfilos, Seleukos

  • February 17: Theodore (Theodoros)

  • February 18: Agapitos, Chloe, Leo

  • February 19: Filothei

  • February 20–21: (No major name days)

  • February 22: Anthousa, Thalassios

  • February 23: Polychronios, Polykarpos

  • February 24: (No major name day)

  • February 25: Riginos, Tarasios, Tarsia

  • February 26: Anatoli

MARCH

  • March 1: Eudokia, Harisios, Parashos, Paraskevas

  • March 2: Efthalia, Troadios

  • March 3: Kleonikos

  • March 4: Gerasimos

  • March 5: Arhelaos, Evlogios, Konon

  • March 6: Isychios

  • March 7: (No major name day)

  • March 8: Hermes, Theofylaktos

  • March 9: Aetios, Eliana, Filoktimon, Iliana, Lysimachos, Sarantos, Sevrianos, Smaragda, Smaragdos, Vivianos, Xanthos

  • March 10: (No major name day)

  • March 11: Sabina (Savina), Sofronios, Thalis, Theodora

  • March 12: Fani, Theofanis

  • March 13: Leandros, Marios

  • March 14: Benedict (Benedykt), Efrasios, Matilda

  • March 15: Agapios

  • March 16: Christodoulos, Julian (Ioulianos)

  • March 17: Alex (Aleksios), Gertrude

  • March 18: Edward, Chrysanthis, Dareia, Chrysanthos

  • March 19: Filothei

  • March 20: Claudia, Rodi, Rodianos

  • March 21: (No major name day)

  • March 22: Drosos, Drosoula

  • March 23: Theodore

  • March 24: Axia, Loxandra, Orthodoxia, Roxane

  • March 25 (Annunciation): Evangelos (Vangelis), Ethnegersia

  • March 26: Anatoli, Fotini, Porfirios, Sebastian

  • March 27: Asklepios

  • March 28: (No major name day)

  • March 29: Cassian (Kasianos)

APRIL

  • April 1: (No major name day)

  • April 2: Titus (Tytus)

  • April 3: Nikita, Joseph (Iosif), Nicholas (Mikołaj)

  • April 4: (No major name day)

  • April 5: Klaros

  • April 6: Eutychios

  • April 7: Kalliopi

  • April 8: (No major name day)

  • April 9: Rufa

  • April 10: Antypas, Efthymios

  • April 11: Antypas

  • April 12: Akakios

  • April 13: Gerontios

  • April 14: Aristarchos, Thomais

  • April 15: Leonidas

  • April 16: Galini, Galinos, Hionia, Nikki (Niki)

  • April 17–19: (No major name days)

  • April 20: Zachary (Zachaeos)

  • April 21: Alexandra, Faistos, Ianos

  • April 22: Nathaniel

  • April 23: (No major name day)

  • April 24: Eliza, Savvas

  • April 25: Mark (Marek)

  • April 26: Glafkos

  • April 27: Simeon (Symeon)

  • April 28: Jason

  • April 29: Samson

  • April 30: Jacob (Jakub)

MAY

  • May 1: Filosofos, Isidora, Jeremiah (Jeremia), Tamara

  • May 2: Avgerinos, Esperos, Matrona

  • May 3: Rodopi

  • May 4: Melia

  • May 5: Efraim, Efrem, Eirinaios, Irene (Irini)

  • May 6: Job (Iov), Seraphim

  • May 7: Mark (Marek), Nick (Nikos), Raphael (Rafail)

  • May 8: Melios, Theologos

  • May 9: Christopher (Krzysztof), Isaiah (Izajasz)

  • May 10: Krini, Panagiotis, Pege, Polizois, Simon (Szymon), Zisimos, Zoe

  • May 11: Argyris, Armodios, Dioskouridis, Methodios, Olympia

  • May 12: Epifaneios, Theodore (Teodor), Thomas (Tomasz)

  • May 13: Glykeria

  • May 14: Aristotle, Isidore (Izidoros), Therapon

  • May 15: Achilios, Kali, Pachomios

  • May 16: (No major name day)

  • May 17: Andronikos, Junia (Iounia), Solon

  • May 18: Faeini, Galateia, Julia

  • May 19: Magdalene, Marylena, Menandros, Patrick (Patryk), Theognostos, Theoktistos

  • May 20: Leda (Leeda), Lydia (Lidia)

  • May 21: Constantine (Konstantyn), Konstantina, Helen (Helena/Eleni), Nadia (Nantia)

  • May 22: Emil (Emilios), Kodros

  • May 23: (No major name day)

  • May 24: Markiani, Palladia, Fotini

  • May 25: (No major name day)

  • May 26: Alpheus (Alfeusz), Karpos, Sinesios

  • May 27: Alipios, Ioannis Rossos

  • May 28: Demetrios (Dimitrios), Dioskouridis

  • May 29: Ipomoni, Olivianos, Theodosia (Teodozja)

  • May 30: Emmeleia

  • May 31: Ermeias, Magos

JUNE

  • June 1: Evelpistos, Gerakina, Justine (Justyna), Pyrros, Thespesios

  • June 2: Marinos, Nikiforos

  • June 3: Ieria, Hypatia (Ypatia)

  • June 4: Martha (Marta)

  • June 5: Apollo, Dorotheos, Cynthia (Kinthia), Nikandros, Plutarch, Selene

  • June 6: Ilarion

  • June 7: Panagis, Sevastiani, Zinais

  • June 8: Kalliopi, Nafkratis

  • June 9: Rodanthi

  • June 10: (No major name day)

  • June 11: Bartholomew, Luke of Simferopol, Barnabas (Varnavas)

  • June 12: Onoufrios

  • June 13: Trifilios

  • June 14: Elisha (Elissaios), Nefon

  • June 15: Augustine (Afgoustinos), Augusta, Jerome (Ieronymos), Libya (Livyi), Monica, Hortensia (Ortansia)

  • June 16: Tichon

  • June 17: Felix, Ismail

  • June 18: Erasmus, Leontios

  • June 19: Paisios, Zosimos

  • June 20: Methodios

  • June 21: Afrodisios

  • June 22: Eusebius (Efsevios), Zinas

  • June 23: Agrippina, Aristoklis, Loulou

  • June 24: Birth of John the Baptist

  • June 25: Eros (Erotas), Fevronia

  • June 26: Makarios

  • June 27: Pierion

  • June 28: Anargyros, Germanos

  • June 29: Paul (Pavlos), Peter (Petros)

  • June 30: Apostolos, Meliton

JULY

  • July 1: Anargyros, Cosmas (Kosmas), Damian (Damianos), Maurice (Mavrikios)

  • July 2: (No major name day)

  • July 3: Anatolios, Hyacinth (Yakinthos), Zoumboulia

  • July 4: (No major name day)

  • July 5: Lampados

  • July 6: Lykios, Satyros

  • July 7: Kyriaki

  • July 8: Prokopis, Theofilos

  • July 9: Pagratios

  • July 10: Amalia

  • July 11: Efimia, Olga

  • July 12: Berenice (Vereniki), Veronica (Veronika)

  • July 13: Iliofotos, Sarah

  • July 14: Akylas, Nikodimos

  • July 15: Julitta, Kirikos, Vladimir

  • July 16: (No major name day)

  • July 17: Alexandra, Alice (Aliki), Marina

  • July 18: Emilianos

  • July 19: Dias, Garyfallia, Makrina

  • July 20: Elias (Elijah)

  • July 21: (No major name day)

  • July 22: Magdalene (Magdalini), Markella, Marylena, Menelaos

  • July 23: (No major name day)

  • July 24: Athinagoras, Christina

  • July 25: Anna, Efpraksia, Olympias

  • July 26: Ermolaos, Ersi, Oreozili, Paraskevi

  • July 27: Pantelis

  • July 28: Afxentios, Akakios, Drosos, Drosoula, Chrysovalantou, Irene (Irini), Timon

  • July 29: Kallinikos, Theodoti

  • July 30: Andronikos, Silouanos

  • July 31: Evdokimos, Joseph (Josef)

AUGUST

  • August 1: Markellos, Solomoni

  • August 2: Justinian (Iustinianos)

  • August 3: Olympios, Salome

  • August 4: Eksakoustodianos, Maximilian, Violet (Wioleta/Violeta)

  • August 5: Nona

  • August 6: Evmorfia, Morfoula, Sotiris

  • August 7: Asterios, Astero, Astrini, Nikanor

  • August 8: Myron, Triantafilia, Triantafilos

  • August 9: (No major name day)

  • August 10: Ippolytos, Iro, Iron, Laura, Lawrence (Lavrentios)

  • August 11: Efplous

  • August 12: Fotis

  • August 13–14: (No major name days)

  • August 15 (The Dormition): Despina, Elona, Gesthimani, Heliostalakti, Katholiki, Kristalo, Marieta, Mariniki, Mary (Maria), Mireille, Panagiotis, Presveia, Symela, Theotokis

  • August 16: Alkiviadis, Apostolos, Diomidis, Gerasimos, Sarantis, Seraphim, Stamatia, Stamatis

  • August 17: Lefkothea, Myron, Straton

  • August 18: Arsenios, Floros, Lavros

  • August 19: (No major name day)

  • August 20: Iliodoros, Samuel, Teoharis

  • August 21: (No major name day)

  • August 22: Agathonikos, Theoprepios

  • August 23: (No major name day)

  • August 24: Aitolia, Eftihis

  • August 25: Bartholomew (Bartholomeos), Titus (Titos)

  • August 26: Adriana, Adrian, Natalia

  • August 27: Arkadia, Arkadios, Fanourios, Liberios

  • August 28: Damon, Damonas

  • August 29: Arkadios

  • August 30: Alexander (Alexandros), Alekos, Alexis, Alex, Alexandra, Alexia, Aleka, Alexio, Sandra

  • August 31: (No major name day)

SEPTEMBER

  • September 1: Kleoniki, Mando, Margaret (Margarita), Marianthe, Meletios, Melpomeni, Mosho, Ourania, Pandora, Penelope, Polimnia, Poliniki, Polytimi, Rallia, Rallis, Sappho (Sapfo), Simeon, Terpsichore, Thalia, Theano, Theonymphi

  • September 2: Mamas

  • September 3: Anthimos, Arhontia, Arhontion, Aristea, Aristion, Phevos, Polydoros

  • September 4: Hermione, Moses (Moysis), Okeanis, Okeanos, Rosalia

  • September 5: Zachary (Zacharias)

  • September 6: Evdoxios, Ligeri, Vivos

  • September 7: Kassiani, Sozon

  • September 8: Despina, Genethlios, Neratzia, Skiadeni, Tsampika

  • September 9: Joachim, Kiaran

  • September 10: Erasti, Erastos, Clementine, Klimis, Minodora, Mitrodora, Nymfodora, Poulcheria

  • September 11: Efrosynos, Evanthia, Evanthis, Theodora, Violet (Wioleta)

  • September 12: (No major name day)

  • September 13: Aristidis, Cornelius (Kornelios)

  • September 14 (Exaltation of the Cross): Stavros, Stavroula, Theoklis

  • September 15: Nikitas, Visarion

  • September 16: Euphemia (Efimia), Eufi, Ludmila, Melitini, Melitinos

  • September 17: Love (Agapi), Hope (Elpida), Sophia, Sonia

  • September 18: Ariadne (Ariadni), Evmenios

  • September 19: Savatianos

  • September 20: Theopisti

  • September 21: Jonah (Ionas)

  • September 22: Phokas (Fokas), Zografos

  • September 23: Polykseni, Iris

  • September 24: Tekla

  • September 25: Euphrosyne, Makarios

  • September 26: (No major name day)

  • September 27: Kallistratos, Zinaida

  • September 28: Chariton

  • September 29: Kiriakos

  • September 30: Stratonikos, Stratos, Stratis

OCTOBER

  • October 1: Ananias, Romanos, Theresa

  • October 2: Cyprian (Kyprianos), Justa, Justine (Justyna)

  • October 3: Dionysios

  • October 4: Hierotheos, Kallisthenis, Verina

  • October 5: Haritini

  • October 6: Erotiis, Thomas (Tomasz)

  • October 7: Bakhios, Polichronis, Sergius (Sergiusz)

  • October 8: Pelagia

  • October 9: Lot

  • October 10: Amaryllis, Evlampia, Evlampios

  • October 11: (No major name day)

  • October 12: Andromache, Andromachos, Valantios

  • October 13: Agathoniki, Chrysi, Florence (Florentia), Florentios, Karpos

  • October 14: Gervasios, Ignatius (Ignacy), Nazarios

  • October 15: Lukianos

  • October 16: (No major name day)

  • October 17: Antigonos, Efprepios

  • October 18: Luke (Lukas), Marinos

  • October 19: Cleopatra, Felix

  • October 20: Artemios, Artemis, Diana, Gerasimos, Henoe, Kerasia, Matrona

  • October 21: Christodoulos, Efkratis, Orsalia, Socrates, Ursula (Urszula)

  • October 22: Averkios

  • October 23: Jacob (Jakub)

  • October 24: Sevastiani

  • October 25: Chrysanthi, Hrysaphis

  • October 26 (St. Demetrios): Dimitra, Demetrios (Dimitrios), Glykon, Leptinis

  • October 27: Luppos, Nestor

  • October 28: Evniki, Vili

  • October 29: Abraham (Abramios), Anastasia, Melina

  • October 30: Apollonia, Asterios, Astero, Kleopas, Kronos, Markianos, Tertios, Zinovia, Zinovios

  • October 31: Ablia, Apellis, Aristoboulos, Narcissus (Narkisos), Stratoniki

NOVEMBER

  • November 1: Anargyros, Cosmas (Kosmas), Damian (Damianos), David (Dawid), Dionysios

  • November 2: Akindinos, Afthonios, Anempodistos, Elpidoforos, Pigasos

  • November 3: (No major name day)

  • November 4: Ermaios, Joanikios

  • November 5: Epistimi, Galaktion, Linos, Sylvan (Sylwanos)

  • November 6: Leonard (Leonardo)

  • November 7: Athinodoros, Ernest, Theagenis, Themelios, Thessaloniki

  • November 8 (The Archangels): Angelos, Efstratia, Gabriel, Gabriela, Matina, Metaxia, Michael (Michał), Michelle (Michaela), Raphael (Rafał), Stamatia, Stamatis, Stratigos, Taxiarchis

  • November 9: Elladios, Mawra, Nektarios, Theoktisti

  • November 10: Arsenios, Arsinoe, Irodion, Milon, Orestis, Orion, Rodios, Sosipatros

  • November 11: Drakon, Minas, Minos, Victor, Vincent

  • November 12: (No major name day)

  • November 13: Damaskinos, Chrysostom (Chryzostom)

  • November 14: Gregory (Grzegorz), Philip (Filip), Filippia

  • November 15: (No major name day)

  • November 16: Iphigenia (Ifigenia), Matthew (Mateusz)

  • November 17: Genadios

  • November 18: Plato (Platon)

  • November 19: (No major name day)

  • November 20: Denahis

  • November 21: Despina, Maria, Soultana, Virginia

  • November 22: Cecilia, Philemon (Filimon), Valerios

  • November 23: Amfilochios, Elenos

  • November 24: (No major name day)

  • November 25: Catherine (Katarzyna), Hermes (Ermis)

  • November 26: Kyparisia, Nikon, Stergios, Stylianos

  • November 27: (No major name day)

  • November 28: Irinarhos

  • November 29: Phaedra (Fedra), Phaedros, Filoumeni, Filoumenos

  • November 30: Andrew (Andrzej)

DECEMBER

  • December 1: Areti, Jacob (Jakub), Naoum, Filaretos, Theoklitos

  • December 2: Meropi, Solomon

  • December 3: Glykery

  • December 4: Barbara, Seraphim (Serafim)

  • December 5: Diogenes, Savas

  • December 6 (St. Nicholas): Nikoletta, Nikolina, Nick (Nikos)

  • December 7: Ambrose (Ambrozjusz)

  • December 8: Patapios

  • December 9: Anna

  • December 10–11: (No major name days)

  • December 12: Spyridon, Spiros, Spyridoula

  • December 13: Aris, Efstratios, Juvenalios, Lucy (Łucja)

  • December 14: Arianos, Lefki

  • December 15: Anthea, Eleftherios, Sossana, Sylvia

  • December 16: Modestos, Theofano

  • December 17: Daniel, Dionysios, Iakchos

  • December 18: Floros, Sebastian

  • December 19: Aglaia, Aris

  • December 20: Ignatius (Ignacy)

  • December 21: Julia, Themistoklis

  • December 22: Anastasia, Natasha, Zoilos

  • December 23: Nifon

  • December 24: Eugenia

  • December 25 (Christmas): Balthazar, Bethlehem, Christina, Christos, Chrystalla, Emmanuel, Emmanouela, Gaspar, Hrisavgi, Hrisoula, Chrysa, Melchior

  • December 26: Konstantios, Emmanouela, Emmanuel, Panagiotis

  • December 27: Maurice (Mawrikios), Stephen (Stefanos)

  • December 28: Domna, Mygdonios, Teofili

  • December 29: (No major name day)

  • December 30: Anisios, Filetairos, Gideon (Gedeon), Joseph (Jozef)

  • December 31: Melanie (Melani)


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