GODS, GODDESSES AND OTHER MYTHICAL BEINGS

ORIGINS AND MEANING OF THEIR NAMES

In this list, I propose a different origin, or a more elaborate etymology for the names of mythological beings, than that usually found in common sources. There would otherwise not be any reason to publish such a list.

Most legends arise from the confusion caused by a phonological convergence; such convergence is often the result of the overlaying of two strata. The original signification of the word having become incomprehensible, a clearer meaning is attributed to it; the result is a "folk etymology". To arrive at this explanation, one must often give himself over to those excesses of imagination characteristic of Greek mythology.
It is always the animal or the thing into which the mythical being has been transformed, who first bore its name. Thus it is through the name of the object or the animal that the name of the divinity must be clarified. In the same manner, it is the name of the country that gave the name to the mythical being, not vice versa.

References:
KLEIN, ERNEST, 1966-1967. A comprehensive dictionary of the English language. One-volume unabridged edition, 1971. Amsterdam, Oxford, New York.

PARISOT, V., 1855. Petit dictionnaire classique de mythologie comparée. Hachette,Paris.

The following are mostly extracts from M. Desfayes, 1998. A thesaurus of bird names – Etymology through paradigms. 2 vol., 2570 pages, illustrated CD-rom. Cahiers du Musée No. 2. Museum of Natural History, Sion, Switzerland. CD corrected and augmented, 2008.

Acoran (Guanche). God. See Goren.

Ačamon, Ažamon (Guanche). Deification of the sky. See Ammon.

Abellio (Gaulish). Probably identical to Belenos. See Belenos.

Acherōn (Greek). One of the rivers of Hades. From Gr. áchos "woe" is the only logical explanation. The other etymologies (i.e. "marshes") are unsatisfactory.

Achilleus (Greek). Son of Thetis and Peleus, caracterized by a small wing on his heels :

Ader (Persian). Genie of the fire. See Aidonē.

Adōnis (Greek). Name of a Greek youth, renowned for its beauty; he was changed into a plant. Also a Syrian and Phoenician god worshipped in Greece (Bailly). Related to Adonai, a Hebrew name of God (Klein), from adhon "lord".

Aedōn (Greek). Sister of Chelidōn, changed into a nightingale. From an acoustic base -d :

Aegle (Roman, borrowed from Greek). Daughter of the sun; sister of Phaethon (Hyginius); one of the Naïades (Virgile). See Aglaia.

Aellō. Name of a Harpy. See Aiálos.

Aeropē, see Meropē.

Aesar (Icelandic). Scandinavian gods, the most powerful and the best of the supernatural beings. See Asia.

Agamemnon (Greek). King of Mycenae. From Gr. ágan "very much" and médōn "ruler" , thus "the great ruler" (Klein).

Aglaia (Greek). One of the Graces. From a base g-l shining:

Aiálos (Eolian Greek). God of the wind. From áella tempest, whirlwind, aiólos moving, quick moving, Welsh awel breeze.

Aiās (Greek). Hero known for his speed and strength. See preceding word.

Aidonē (Greek). A god of the lower world : the fire. From a base -d fire :

Aigaiōn (Greek). Son of Poseidon, allied to Thetis. See next word.

Aigaia (Greek). Queen of the Amazons, eponym of the Egean Sea. Origin: Gr. aiges "the waves" (Carnoy) in which one recognizes the Romance aigue "water".

Aigestes (Greek). Son of fluvial god. See Aigaia.

Aigeus (Greek). Son of Pandion. Threw himself in the sea that bear his name (Aigaiōn, Egean). Same root as preceding word.

Aigypios (Greek). Was changed into a vulture. A name of Illyrian origin. Ancient Greek gyps. aigipios, Albanian gyipë "vulture", from Albanian gup "dishevelled (hair)", equivalent to Italian grifone "Griffon Vulture", a shaggy looking bird.

Aineias (Greek). A Trojan hero, mythical ancestor of the Romans. From Gr. ainós terrible, dreaded.

Ainias (Greek). Nickname of Aphrodite. From aínos tale, praise. From a base s-n, h-n to sound :

Ais (Armenian). Devil. From a base -s dark :

Ais (Etruscan). God. See Asia.

Aisōn (Greek). Leader of the Argonauts.

Aisákos (Greek). Son of Priam; threw himself into the sea and was transformed into a diving bird. From a base s-k, s-nk to sink, to dive :

Aisklēpios (Greek). God of medicine, usually associated with snakes. From skolýptesthai to wind here and there, skoliós tortuous (like a snake), skoliótēs winding (like snakes), skōlyx worm, kyllós hooked, and Latin coluber snake.

Aith (Etruscan). God of hell. A name having the notion of fire and heat. From a base -t fire:

Ajax, see Aiàs.

Akastē (Greek). One of the Oceanides. See Kassiopē.

Alāha (Syriac), see Allah.

Alektōr (Greek). King of Elide, or son of Pelops. See next word.

Alektryōn (Greek). Daughter of Eole and wife of Ceyx, was caught by the sun near Venus and changed into a cock. From a base -lk, l-k to crow, to sing :

Alfr (Old Norse). A sprite. See elf.

Allah (Semitic). God. From a base –l shining. It is probable the today's prostration towards Mecca was originally directed towards the rising sun.

Amata (Roman). Wife of Latinus, who had many suitors. From Latin amare to love.

Amazōn (Greek). A member of female warriors in Scythia. This mysterious name may be explained by the Pahlevi am mother, woman, thus "woman of the Asons or Ases" = Ossets. The Caucasus has been called "mountain of the Ases" where the Ossets are still found this day.

Amiran (Persian). Guardian spirit of the light:

Ammon (Egyptian). God of the sky. From a base s-m blue :

Amykos (Greek). Giant who preyed on travellers. From a base m-k big:

Anchisēs (Greek). Father of Eneas, was maimed by Zeus. From a base -nk angular :

Andarta (Breton). A goddess. From a base dr-t "shining":

Andromachē (Greek). Wife of Hector. Name interpreted as "she who fights like a strong man" (Carnoy).

Andromedē (Greek). Daughter of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia and of Cassiope. Name interpreted as "she who reigns over humanity" (Carnoy).

Angel (English). From Greek angelos "messenger".

Angelo (Roman). Daughter of Jupiter and Junon (the Messenger).

Antigonē (Greek). Daughter of Oedipus. Also daughter of Laomèdon (Greek). From anti opposite and gonè giving birth; interpretation of this etymology is conjectural.

Aphrodítē (Greek). Goddess of love; see Hermaphrodítē.

Apóllōn (Roman) (Greek). God of the sun, the round celestial body. From a morphologic base p-l round (Cf. Korè) :

Aponius (Greek). God of the thermal waters. From Romanian apă water. See Epidius.

Ara (Hittite). A divinity of the fields. From a root ar-, English earth.

Arēs (Greek). God of war, identified by the Roman with Mars. From a root ar- to ask, curse:

Aréthousa (Greek). Nymph of a fountain near Syracuse. A collateral form of ardousa waterer (Klein).

Argeia (Greek). Daughter of Okeanos. See Argos.

Argonautēs (Greek). Heroes led by Jason to fetch the golden fleece. See next word.

Argos (Greek). Giant with a hundred eyes, personification of the starry sky. From a base -rg shining :

Arinna (Hittite). Goddess of the sun. See Horai.

Arktos (Greek). Name of Centaure and of two constellations; arktos bear.

Artemis. Greek name of the Roman Diana. From a base r-t shining, yellow :

Asar (Egypte). The same as Osiris. See Asia.

Ases, see Aesar and next word.

Aštóreth. A Canaanitish goddess; see Astarte.

Asia (Greek). Daughter of Okeanus. From a base -s- fire, light :

Askálaphos (Greek). Son of Acheron, changed into an "owl". However askálaphos appears to be the same word as askalopas, the Woodcock, a crepuscular bird with large eyes, somewhat like an owl.

Asōpos, Aspa (Greek), Asopus (Roman). Beotian fluvial god, son of the Ocean and Thetys changed into a river by Jupiter. From Romanian apâ water.**asp ?

Astarte (Phoenician). Goddess who presided over the destinies of all stars. From a base s-t shining :

Astéria (Greek). Daughter of the Moon, thrown into the sea by Zeus. Appears to represent a meteorite. See Astarté.

Asthoreth. Canaanitish goddess, identical with Astarté, q.v.

Astraea (Greek). Daughter of Jupiter and Themis, goddess of justice. See Astarte.

Asu (Sanskrit). Devil. See Ais.

Atešgagh (Persian). A god identified with the Greek Pyrrhos. See Aith.

Athēnē (Greek). Goddess of wisdom, identified with the Roman Minerva. See Aith.

Athamas, Athamant (Greek). Husband of Nephelē, father of the rising sun (i.e. he comes before sunrise). From a base t-m dark :

Atharvan (Vedic). Name of a fire priest ātarsh fire. See Aith.

Atlas (Greek). He was condemned to support the Earth on his shoulders, and identified with the Atlas mountains, a high range in northwestern Africa. Atlas appears to be a borrowing, with metathesis, from Ibero-Romance altas (montañas); one cannot deny that the Ibero-Romance alto is at least as old as Ancient Greek; several Romance words have been borrowed by the Greek writers, i.e. south Italian ascilla "little wing" > Achilleus etc.); Atlas is not a Greek word, therefore the meaning a-tlas "the one that supports" is a Greek etymology given to a foreign word, a folk etym. that gave rise to the legend of Titan supporting the sky.

Attis (Phrygian), in Greek Papos, Zeus Papos : god, the father of male power, favorite of Cybele, the female power. From a word meaning father, grand-father :

Augē (Greek). Daughter of a king. See next word.

Augeias (Greek). Son of the sun. From a bas -g sunlight, daylight :

Aura (Greek). Was changed into a fountain. From Gr. aurà breeze.

Ausōn (Greek). Son of Ulysses and Circe, or son of Italos and Leucaria (Greek). See Asia.

Autumnus (Greek). Roman personification of autumn From a base t-n yellow, reddish, the colours of autumn :

Aziz (Syriac). Assessor of the sun. See Asia.

Baal (Chaldean). Name of many deities of the Semitic peoples; also "the supreme god". See Belenos.

Babaktēs (Greek). Nickname of Bacchus. From a base b-b rounded :

Bacchus.See Bakchos.

Baga (Persian). God. See Bog.

Bagaios (Phrygian). Name of Zeus in Phrygia. See Bog.

Bakchos (Greek). God of wine. From a base b-k rounded, for his pot-belly. Cf. his nickname Babaktès:

Balor (Gaulish). Mythical giant. From a base b-l big, very large :

Batōn (Greek). Coachman of Amphiraos. His other names Schoinikos rush and Elatonos (from Elatè fir) indicate that a coachman used a whipping, swinging object. From a kinetic base b-t indicating a certain movement:

Bel (Assyrian). Lord of the world, personification of the sun. See next word.

Belenos (Gaulish). A beneficent god. From a base b-l white :

Beletrus cadrus (Gaulish). See Kadha.

Beli (Welsh). God of the Sun. See Belenos.

Bellōna (Greek). Goddess of the war. From a widespread base b-l to roar etc., war or battles being a noisy conflict:

Bendis (Thracian). Artemis. See Venus.

Berham (Persian). Guardian spirit of fire. From a root b-r reddish:

Bog (Russian). God. From a base b-g big :

Boreas (Greek). The Northwind. From a base b-r dark :

Bormone (Gaulish). Goddess of thermal waters, eponym of Borbonne-les-Bains.

Boudha (Hindi). Nickname of Sidaharta Gantana, founder of Buddhism. Boudha, like Bacchus, is always represented as a pot-bellied figure. From a base b-d rounded :

Burias (Kassite). The same of Greek Boreas.

Brigit (Gaelic Ireland). Daughter of Dagda, mother of poets, doctors and smiths. From a base br-g spotted :

Byblis (Greek). Nymph changed into a fountain. Name cognate to bubbling.

Cabires, see Kabeiroi.

Calliope, see Kalliop.

Catha, Cautha (Etruscan). A solar god. From a root k-d, k-t light-coloured, shining :

Cel, Cilens (Etruscan). God of Hell. See saoghal (in appendix).

Celadon (Roman). Shepherd clad with pale cloth. From a root s-l pale green:

Cera (Gaulish). Beneficent god of the Celts. The same as Cerès, q.v.

Cerēs. Roman goddess of agriculture. She is represented with corn ears in her hands. From a base k-r yellow :

Cerberus. See Kerberos.

Cernunnos (Gaulish). A god with red-deer antlers. Being a hapax (attested only once), the name is evidently a misreading for Cervunnos, derived from the Latin Cervus red deer.

Chalyps (Greek). Son of Arēs, eponym of the Chalybes, the metal workers. From a base kh-lk copper-coloured :

Cháris (Greek). A Grace, one of the thre attendants of Aphrodite. See next word.

Charites (Greek). The Graces, companion of Venus and Helios, personification of charm. See next word.

Chárōn (Greek). Son of Erebus, who ferried the souls of the dead across the rivers Acheron and Styx. Sojourn of sinners after death, hell: a blazing place. Certainly not from chairō "the lovable one"! Most beings or things pertaining to hell derive their name from heat or a black colour. From a base k-r fire, heat :

Chárybdis. A whirlpool between Italy and Sicily that swallowed ships. It was facing Skylla. A derivation from Gr. charopós "bright look" is certainly not descriptive. See Horai.

Chelidōn (Greek). Wife of Polytechnē, changed into a swallow. From a base kh-l bicoloured, mostly black above, white below.

Chinōē (Greek). Personification of snow. From a base k-n white, beautiful :

Chimaira (Greek). Monster half goat, half lion, spitting fire. From a base k-m light colour, day :

Chlōris (Greek). Personification of spring. From a root chlor- green:

Chloē (Greek). Surnom de Dēmētēr, guardian of the green corn. From Gr. chloē green grass. See Ceres and Chlōris.

Chrónos (Greek). Personification of time, perpetually recurring in a circular movement. From a root k-r round:

Cil, Cilens (Etruscan). God of hell. From a root s-l shining (See also saoghal (names for "world"), below.

Cimbres. See Kímbroi.

Circé, see Kirkē.

Cleopatra, see Kleopatra.

Clio, see Kleiō.

Cupido (Roman). Personification of desire. From Latin cupere to desire, cognate to Italian covidare, and French convoiter, English covet. The etymology of the Latin should looked for in the Romance words and not vice versa.

Daidalos (Greek). A mythical artist : One who is skillful with his fingers. A borrowing from Romance (Ibero-Romance dedo). Cf. Daktyloi "the fingers" a name given to some small spirits known for their skillfulness at manual work.

Daimōn (Greek). Subordinate gods, identified with the jinnee. See Demon.

Danaides (Greek). Daughters of Danaós. They were condemned to draw water perpetually with vessels that had no bottom. See Danaós.

Dan (Dorian Greek). Name of Jupiter among the Cretans. From a base d-n din :

Danaē (Greek). Daughter of Acrisius. See Danaós.

Danaides (Greek). The fifty daughters of Danaós (q.v.) who were condemned to draw water perpetually with vessels that had no bottoms.

Danaós (Greek). A descendant of Poseidōn. Provided water to the city of Argos. Plurial Danaoi the Danaāns, descendants of Danaós, whence the Greeks in general (Klein). Danaós appear to be identical with Tanaus, king of the Scythians who came to Argos and became blended with the Greeks. The name appears to be cognate to Don, Dniepr and Dniestr and the mythical river Tanais the Danube. Possibly cognate to Danaē, daughter of Acrisius, who appeared to be a mass of clouds, and to Hindi Danavas the clouds pierced by arrows which caused their blood to gush out of their wounds, thus being likened with water-filled clouds (see Parisot). Don is also the name of two rivers in France (Orne) and two in England, Donne a river in France (Puy-de-Dôme), Donnette (Orne), Dinan a small river affluent of the Loir (Sarthe), Dyenne (13e s. Dina) affluent of the Ource (Côte d'Or). Breton don "deep".

Dānū,  Danavas (Hindi), malicious spirits. See Danaós.

Dárdanos (Greek). Eponym of Dardania. Cf. the Dardanelles and the sea of Marmara, both having the sens of "scintillating" (Gr. mamairein to shine). From a root dard- "to tremble":

Daunus (Illyrian). See Faunus.

Deamha (Irish Gaelic). Devil, q.v.

Deiōn (Greek). Son of Eole, father of Nisos and other children.

Dēmētēr (Greek). Goddess of the fertile earth. From mètèr "mother", mētris "the native land", and dè akin to Albanian dhe "earth, soil, country", Illyrian dha "earth".

Demon (English, borrowed from Greek). From a base d-m to burn, black, red :

Demonas (Greek). Demon. See preceding word.

Deuce (English). See Devil.

Dev (Persian). Devil. See Devil.

Devil (English). The deuce. Most devils are black monsters in the traditions. From a base d-v black :