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.

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 :

Catalan	axella	shoulder articulation, armpit, bird
Italian: Naples	ascella	wing
Greek	Achilleus	(from Latin) a mythological figure caracterised by a small wing on his heels
Italian: Naples	ascielletta	bird
Italian: Tirol	ocela	bird
Italian	uccello	bird (winged being)

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 :

Greek	audē	noise, voice
Italian	audire, udire	to hear: to perceive a sound
Greek	ōdē	song
Greek	aeidō, adō	to sing
Greek	aēdōn	Nightingale

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:

Breton	glavu	glowing coal
Albanian	gjevëz	purple red
Welsh	gloyw	shining
English	glow	incandescence
German	glühen	to glow red
Gaelic Ireland	glé	shiny, pure
Ancient Greek	aglē	glitter, light
Ancient Greek	agly	swan
Latin	Aegle	daughter of the sun; sister of Phaethon (Hyginius); une des Naïades (Virgile)
Gaelic Ireland	glinne	clarté
Gaelic Ireland	glaine	purity; glas
Welsh	glain	to shine
Ancient Greek	glēnē	pupil of the eye
Ancient Greek	glainoi, glēnos	ornament, jewel

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 :

Sanskrit	aidhā	flame; édhas fuel, kindling; indháte to kindle
Old Persian	Ader	genius of fire
Hebrew	Adarniel	angel presiding over fire
Basque	uda	summer
Basque	eder	beautiful
Gaelic Ireland	aed	fire
Greek	Aidonē	god of hell
Welsh	aidd	ardour
Gaelic Scotland	odhar	pale yellow
Gaelic Scotland	oida	white
Welsh	ôd	snow
Basque	edur, elur	snow

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 ainós terrible, dreaded.

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

Basque	honen	bell sound
Latin	honor	honour, reputation
Greek	aínos	(borrowing) tale, praise
French	sonner	to sound

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

Arabic	`āšā	to be dark
Sanskrit	ásita	black
Sanskrit	asu	devil
Armenian	ais	devil
Greek	ásis	mud
Tokharian	āsar	dry
Greek	azein	to dry
Sanskrit	ásah	ash
English	ashen	grey; ash grey residue that remains after burning.
German	asche	ash
French: Mons	achéré	very dirty
French (dialectal)	ačioun	ash
Old French and dialectal	achon	"azure"

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 :

Basque	dzanga	to dive
Basque	sanga	Gannet, a bird remarkable by its impressive vertical dives
Spanish	sangual	Osprey (catches fish by diving form a height)
Latin	sanqualis	(borrowing) Osprey
Breton	sanka	to sink
German	sinken	English to sink

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:

Persian	ēteš	fire
Persian	Atešgagh	a god (Pyrrhos of the Greek)
Talysh	otoš	fire, otöša colour of fire
Kurde	teišin	to burn
Old High German	eit	fire
Gaelic Scotland	te	hot
Welsh