This list brings together 39 Greek girl names that start with C, running from “Calanthe” to “Cythera.” You’ll find mythological figures, flower names, Muses, queens, and saints. Parents use them when choosing a baby name, writers use them for characters, and many readers simply enjoy their history.
Greek girl names are given names that come from the Greek language or from Greek myth, history, and religion. Many are built from words like “kalos” (beautiful) and “kleos” (glory), which is why so many C names sound alike.
Below you’ll find the table with the name, pronunciation, Greek spelling, meaning, and description for each entry.
Name: The English spelling of each name, listed in alphabetical order. You can scan this first to find the names that catch your eye.
Pronunciation: A simple guide to saying each name aloud. It helps you feel confident using a name that may look unfamiliar at first.
Greek Spelling: The name written in the Greek alphabet. You can see the original form and compare it with the English version.
Meaning: A short translation of what the name means in Greek. It helps you pick a name that carries a message you like.
Description: A brief note on the name’s origin, myth, or history. You’ll learn who bore the name and how it is used today.
Greek girl names
Name
Pronunciation
Greek Spelling
Meaning
Calanthe
kuh-LAN-thee
Καλάνθη
beautiful flower
Calista
kuh-LIS-tuh
Καλλίστη
most beautiful
Callidora
kal-ih-DOR-uh
Καλλιδώρα
gift of beauty
Calliope
kuh-LY-uh-pee
Καλλιόπη
beautiful voice
Callirrhoe
kuh-LIR-oh-ee
Καλλιρρόη
beautiful flow
Callisto
kuh-LIS-toh
Καλλιστώ
most beautiful
Calypso
kuh-LIP-soh
Καλυψώ
she who conceals
Carissa
kuh-RIS-uh
Χαρίσσα
grace, dearest
Cassandra
kuh-SAN-druh
Κασσάνδρα
she who entangles men
Cassiopeia
kas-ee-oh-PEE-uh
Κασσιόπεια
she whose words excel
Catherine
KATH-rin
Αικατερίνη
pure
Charis
KAIR-iss
Χάρις
grace, kindness
Chariclea
kair-ih-KLEE-uh
Χαρίκλεια
grace and glory
Chloe
KLOH-ee
Χλόη
young green shoot
Chloris
KLOR-iss
Χλωρίς
pale green, blooming
Chrysanthe
kris-AN-thee
Χρυσάνθη
golden flower
Chryseis
kry-SEE-iss
Χρυσηίς
daughter of Chryses
Chrysoula
kree-SOO-lah
Χρυσούλα
little golden one
Chrysa
KREE-sah
Χρύσα
golden
Christina
kris-TEE-nah
Χριστίνα
follower of Christ
Circe
SUR-see
Κίρκη
falcon
Cleanthe
klee-AN-thee
Κλεάνθη
glorious flower
Cleo
KLEE-oh
Κλέω
glory
Cleodora
klee-oh-DOR-uh
Κλεοδώρα
gift of glory
Cleone
klee-OH-nee
Κλεώνη
glory
Cleonice
klee-oh-NY-see
Κλεονίκη
glorious victory
Cleopatra
klee-oh-PAT-rah
Κλεοπάτρα
glory of her father
Clio
KLY-oh
Κλειώ
to make famous, to celebrate
Clymene
KLIM-ih-nee
Κλυμένη
fame, renown
Clytemnestra
kly-tem-NES-truh
Κλυταιμνήστρα
famous suitor
Clytie
KLY-tee
Κλυτία
splendid, famous
Constantina
kon-stan-TEE-nah
Κωνσταντίνα
steadfast, constant
Cora
KOR-uh
Κόρη
maiden
Corinna
kuh-RIN-uh
Κόριννα
maiden
Cressida
KRES-ih-duh
Χρυσηίδα
golden
Cybele
SIB-uh-lee
Κυβέλη
mountain mother
Cynthia
SIN-thee-uh
Κυνθία
of Mount Cynthus
Cyrene
sy-REE-nee
Κυρήνη
sovereign queen
Cythera
sih-THEER-uh
Κυθέρεια
of Cythera
Descriptions
Calanthe
A poetic name built from “kalos” (beautiful) and “anthos” (flower). It is also the name of an orchid genus and has been used as a literary name in English.
Calista
The superlative form of “kalos,” meaning the fairest of all. It is closely tied to the myth of Callisto, the nymph placed among the stars.
Callidora
A rare classical name combining “kalos” (beautiful) and “doron” (gift). It appears in ancient Greek sources and suits parents who want a distinctive, elegant choice.
Calliope
The Muse of epic poetry and eloquence, said to be the eldest of the nine Muses. She was the mother of Orpheus, and the name remains common in Greece today.
Callirrhoe
The name of several figures in Greek myth, including an Oceanid and a famous spring in Athens. It is also the name of one of Jupiter’s moons.
Callisto
A nymph in Greek myth who was transformed into a bear and placed in the sky as the constellation Ursa Major. It is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
Calypso
The nymph who held Odysseus captive on her island of Ogygia for seven years in Homer’s Odyssey. The name suggests hiding or covering.
Carissa
A modern name often linked to the Greek “charis” (grace), though it is also associated with Latin “carus.” It is used in Greek-speaking and English-speaking communities alike.
Cassandra
A Trojan princess in Greek myth who was given the gift of prophecy but cursed never to be believed. Her name has become shorthand for an accurate warning that goes ignored.
Cassiopeia
A queen in Greek myth, mother of Andromeda, who boasted about her beauty and was placed in the sky as a constellation. The name is rare but striking.
Catherine
The English form of the Greek Aikaterini, a name with a long history tied to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Its meaning is often connected to the Greek “katharos,” meaning pure.
Charis
The Greek word for grace and beauty, and the name of one of the Charites, or Graces, in mythology. It is still used as a given name in Greece today.
Chariclea
A name combining “charis” (grace) and “kleos” (glory). It is the name of the heroine in the ancient Greek novel Aethiopica by Heliodorus.
Chloe
An epithet of Demeter, goddess of agriculture, referring to fresh spring growth. It is also the heroine of the ancient pastoral romance Daphnis and Chloe.
Chloris
A nymph and goddess of flowers in Greek myth, later identified with the Roman Flora. The name evokes spring blossoms and fresh greenery.
Chrysanthe
From “chrysos” (gold) and “anthos” (flower). It is a classic Greek name, and the chrysanthemum flower shares the same roots.
Chryseis
A Trojan woman in Homer’s Iliad, taken captive by Agamemnon. Her return to her father sets off the famous quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles.
Chrysoula
A affectionate Greek diminutive of Chrysa, meaning gold. It is a popular name in Greece, often given in honor of a grandmother or a saint.
Chrysa
A simple name drawn from “chrysos,” the Greek word for gold. It is used in Greece both on its own and as a short form of longer gold-related names.
Christina
A name derived from “Christos” and widely used among Greek Orthodox families. It spread across Europe through the early Christian church.
Circe
The sorceress goddess of Homer’s Odyssey who turned Odysseus’s crew into pigs. Her Greek name, Kirke, is linked to the word for a falcon or hawk.
Cleanthe
A rare name joining “kleos” (glory) and “anthos” (flower). It is the feminine form of Cleanthes, a Stoic philosopher of ancient Greece.
Cleo
A short form of names such as Cleopatra and Clio, from “kleos,” meaning glory or renown. It is a bright, brief name with ancient roots.
Cleodora
A rare name combining “kleos” (glory) and “doron” (gift). It appears in Greek mythology and is a distinctive alternative to Cleopatra.
Cleone
A feminine name from the root “kleos.” In myth, Cleone is a nymph and daughter of the river god Asopus, and the name is also tied to an ancient city.
Cleonice
From “kleos” (glory) and “nike” (victory). In ancient history, Cleonice was a Byzantine maiden whose story was told by Plutarch.
Cleopatra
The name of seven queens of Ptolemaic Egypt, the last being the famous Cleopatra VII. It was originally a normal Macedonian Greek name.
Clio
The Muse of history, usually shown with a scroll or a set of books. Her name comes from “kleo,” meaning to tell or make famous.
Clymene
The name of several figures in Greek myth, including an Oceanid who was the mother of Prometheus in some accounts and of Phaethon in others.
Clytemnestra
The wife of Agamemnon in Greek tragedy, who killed him after he returned from Troy. The name is rarely used today but is central to Aeschylus’s Oresteia.
Clytie
A water nymph in Greek myth who fell in love with the sun god Helios and was turned into a flower that always turns toward the sun.
Constantina
The feminine form of Constantine, widely used in Greece. It is often given in honor of Saint Helen and Saint Constantine, who are honored together in the Orthodox Church.
Cora
Based on the Greek word “kore,” meaning girl or maiden. Kore is another name for Persephone, the goddess of spring and queen of the underworld.
Corinna
A poetic form of “kore.” Corinna of Tanagra was an ancient Greek lyric poet who is said to have defeated Pindar in a poetry contest.
Cressida
A medieval form of Chryseis, made famous by Chaucer and Shakespeare in the story of Troilus and Cressida. The name is linked to the Greek word for gold.
Cybele
A Phrygian mother goddess who was adopted into Greek religion. Her Greek name, Kybele, is also used as a girl’s name in Greece.
Cynthia
An epithet of Artemis, who was said to be born on Mount Cynthus on the island of Delos. It became a popular name in English in the 20th century.
Cyrene
A nymph and huntress in Greek myth who gave her name to the ancient Greek colony of Cyrene in North Africa. The name is rare but historically notable.
Cythera
A name linked to Aphrodite, who was said to have come ashore on the island of Cythera. The related form Kythereia was one of her epithets.
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