Download mythology in modern society

MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY
Mythology is everywhere! Daily you run across instances
of words, city names, companies, literary allusions - and
even planets and constellations - that take their name or
borrow their theme from myths. Because of your many
requests, I've provided a couple of thousand excellent
examples to help you get started in your research.
Remember, you're surrounded by mythology in today's
society, whether you realize it or not!
Mythological Influence on Modern...
Companies & Groups
Words & Expressions
Planets &
Constellations
Literary & Pop Culture
American Cities Named From Mythology
COMPANIES & GROUPS
Mythology is everywhere! There are hundreds of companies, groups and corporations that
take their name, logo or theme from ancient mythology. I've provided a variety of examples
to help you in starting your research. Some are well-known international companies, others
are of a more local nature.
Aegis - Zeus and Athena's protective shield; modern group of insurance companies (The Aegis
Group).
Ajax - Greek warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in battle; popular household cleanser.
Amazon - Race of warrior women; amazon.com - huge on-line bookstore.
Ares - Greek god of war; popular car model.
Argus - Giant watchman with a hundred eyes; Argus Security is a modern security company,
specializing in commercial business protection.
Atlas - Was doomed to support the heavens on his shoulders; a modern moving company (Atlas
Van Lines); also, Atlas Travel is a popular name for travel agencies all over the globe.
Aurora - Roman name for Eos, goddess of the Dawn; luxury car model.
Charon - Boatman who ferries the souls of the dead to the Underworld; www.charon.com, a
company "offering solutions for a connected world."
Delphi - Sanctuary to Apollo and home to his famous Oracles; Delphi Forums (www.delphi.com)
is an on-line meeting place to promote discussions and to find answers. Delphi is also the name of
an international Automotive Group.
Hercules - Roman name for Heracles, the greatest Greek hero; the company called Hercules http://www.hercules.com - makes a top-selling video graphics card (their slogan is Legendary
Strength, Quality and Performance);
there is also the Hercules transport plane, used by the United States Air Force to carry large
volumes of war material and food;
Hercules Incorporated - http://www.herc.com - is a maker of chemicals and allied products.
Hermes - Olympian Herald and Messenger god; popular brand of soap. Also, the FTD flower
delivery company incorporates Hermes and his winged heels in their logo.
Hyperion - Titan whose name means "he who goes before the sun"; a company
(www.hyperion.com) that specializes in "business analysis software." Also the name of a book
publishing company.
Hydra - Sea serpent with nine heads, killed by Hercules; It's the chosen name (www.hydra.com)
of the Internet Chess Club.
Juno - Roman name for Hera, wife of Zeus; Juno is a popular web-hosting company
(www.juno.com), specializing in free web pages and custom e-mail.
Mars - Roman name for Ares, god of War; name of popular candy bar.
Medusa - Terrible monster whose glance would petrify you, killed by the hero Perseus; Medusa
Cement Company sells cement products worldwide.
Mercury - Roman name for Hermes, the Messenger god; name of car model produced by the
Ford Motor Company; also, an entertainment records label, Mercury Records.
Midas - King with the golden touch, who transformed all he touched to gold; a famous muffler
and brake chain of service stations.
Minerva - Roman name for Athena, who gifted the olive tree to humans; Minerva Oil Company is
an international exporter of fine food products.
Nike - Winged goddess of Victory, who can run and fly at great speeds; a famous company that
sells...well...if you haven't heard of the company Nike, welcome to our planet...:)
Odyssey - The 10-year sea voyage endured by the Trojan War hero, Odysseus, as he sought to
return home to Ithica; Odyssey Travel is a well-known travel agency; Odyssey Cruise Lines is a
cruise company; Odyssey Records is a record company; there's even an Odyssey Golf Club
company...you get the drift, Odyssey is a very popular modern mythological rip-off...
Olympus - Home of the Olympian gods; name of popular camera and photographic technology
company. Also, Olympic Airlines is another variation of the name. (Note: Thanasi's Olympus
Greek Restaurant is owned by the Myth Man...)
Orion - A giant hunter slain by Artemis in Greek mythology; a motion picture production
company, Orion Pictures.
Pandora - The first woman in Greek mythology, whose name means "all-gifted"; Pandora's Gift
Boutique sells quality gift merchandise.
Parthenon - The temple of Athena, built on the Acropolis of Athens; perhaps the most-used name
for any Greek restaurant in any city of the world! It's ridiculous...I bet there's a Parthenon
Restaurant in your town! :)
Pegasus - Winged horse that was born from Medusa's head when she was killed; Pegasus
Expedite Company is a national delivery/courier service; Pegasus Satellite Systems is a provider
of satellite entertainment services. The winged horse motif is used by dozens of companies. Check
out my Pegasus Homework Help page for more on that.
Phoenix - A mythical and one-of-a-kind bird that burns on a funeral pyre after a life of hundreds
of years, only to be re-born from the ashes; also the name of a national photographic technology
company.
Poseidon - God of the Sea and brother of Zeus; Poseidon Travel is a common travel agency name;
Poseidon Seafood is a national brand of seafood products. Neptune, the Roman version, is often
also used by companies, as in Neptune Fresh Lobster Co.
Saturn - Roman name for Cronus, father of Zeus; also the name of the Saturn Automobile
Corporation.
Titans - Race of gods preceding the Olympians; Titan Tool & Die Company manufactures tools
for industry.
Spartan - Greek warrior state, devoted to discipline and the martial arts; Spartan Corporation is a
financial advisory company; also, Spartan Tool & Die is a national manufacturer and supplier to
the auto industry; Spartan Nutritional Products is a maker and distributor of health supplements.
Trojan - Inhabitants of the mighty city that was destroyed by the Greeks during the Trojan War,
after a siege of ten years; international manufacturer of condoms and birth control products.
Venus - Roman for Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love; Venus is the name of a famous beauty
product company; Venus International is a popular beauty talent agency; Venus Tan Lines is a
swimsuit manufacturer; Venus Beauty Salon is found in most any city or town...
Vulcan - Roman name for Hephaestus, god of the smiths and the forge; Vulcan Industries is an
international manufacturer of steel products.
MOVIES, LITERATURE & POP CULTURE
Television and Movies
Clash of the Titans: A movie describing the adventures of Perseus as
he crosses paths with Medusa, Pegasus, the Kracken, and an array of
Greek gods and goddesses
Xanadu: The Nine Muses of Greek mythology are alluded to in this
movie about a struggling young artist.
Hercules and Xena: These two popular television shows bring a
different myth to life every week, sometimes relying on classics, and
other times creating new tales.
Wonder Woman: A favorite in the 70s, this television show
spotlighted the heroism of the Amazon goddess Diana in the mortal
world while illustrating her amazing super-powers.
Star Trek: This incredibly successful science fiction TV drama took a
ship full of adventurers through harrowing adventures weekly, all the
while cleverly inserting into the story lines ancient mythological
allusions.
Literature
The Incarnations of Immortality Series, Piers Anthony.
A brilliant anthology of Fantasy books personifying the Immortal
Powers of Death, Time, War, Fate, Mother Nature, God, and
Satan.
The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle.
Tells a tale of the last living unicorn and her quest to keep hope
alive in the world.
Mother Love, Rita Dove.
A collection of poems telling in various ways the myth of
Persephone and Demeter.
The Heralds of Valdemar Series, Mercedes Lackey.
A wide array of books portraying various mythological creatures,
such as gryphons and salamanders.
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams.
This play contains several allusions to mythology, such as the
poor neighborhood in which the story unfolds ironically being
called Elysian Fields.
Pygmalion, G.B. Shaw.
This play tells the story of a misogynistic sculptor who creates
his perfect woman and prays to Aphrodite for the statue to be
brought to life. The musical My Fair Lady is loosely based on this
play.
Brand Names
Ajax trademark
[Gk, a hero in the Trojan War who rescued the body of Achilles]
: a brand of cleaner
Argonaut trademark
[L Argonautes, fr. Gk Argonautes, fr. Argo, ship in which the
Argonauts sailed + nautes sailor] : a computer software
company
Aurora trademark
[L, dawn or the Roman goddess of dawn] : a make of automobile
Hyperion trademark
[fr. L, fr. Gk Hyperion, a Titan, the father of Helios, Selene, and
Eos] : a book publishing company
Janus trademark
[fr. Janus Roman god of beginnings who is represented
artistically with two opposite faces] : a brand name of watch
Mars trademark
[fr. Mart-, Mars Roman god of war] : a brand of candy bar
Mercury trademark
[L Mercurius Mercury, Roman god of merchandise, trade, and
theft] 1 : a record production label 2 : a make of automobile
Nike trademark
[Gk Nike Goddess of victory] : a brand of athletic shoe
Olympus trademark
[L, fr. Gk Olympos, a mountain in Thessaly that in Greek
mythology is the abode of the gods] : a photographic technology
company
Orion trademark
[L, fr. Gk Orion, a giant hunter slain by Artemis in Greek
mythology] : a motion picture production company
Phoenix trademark
[L, fr. Gk phoinix a mythical bird of great beauty fabled to rise
from its own ashes in the freshness of youth] : a photographic
technology company
Saturn trademark
[L Saturnus Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and father of
Jupiter] : a make of automobile
Song Lyrics
"You consider me the young apprentice
Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis..."
--The Police, "Wrapped Around Your Finger"
(Refers to the monsters in Greek mythology by which sailors had to pass; the
phrase has come to mean being between two equally perilous alternatives,
neither of which can be passed without encountering the other, i.e. between a
rock and a hard place)
"And I know now how it feels
To be weakened like Achilles
With you always at my heels."
(Mentions the hero Achilles, who was killed by being cut on the only
vulnerable spot on his body: his heel )
"Now I see your face before me.
I would launch a thousand ships
To bring your heart back to my island."
--Indigo Girls, "Ghost"
(Alluding to Helen of Troy, who is said to have been so beautiful that her
abduction was the cause of the Trojan War, i.e. the launch of a thousand
ships)
"You can roll that stone
To the top of the hill
Drag your ball and chain
Behind you."
--Rush, "Carve Away the Stone"
(Referring to the fate of Sisyphus, a legendary king of Corinth condemned
eternally to repeat the cycle of rolling a heavy rock up a hill in Hades each
day only to have it roll down again as it nears the top)
"If we burn our wings
Flying too close to the sun..."
--Rush, "Bravado"
(Alluding to the fate of Daedalus, the legendary builder of Cretan labyrinth
who makes wings to enable himself and his son Icarus to escape from
imprisonment, only to have the wax of the wings melt as the child flies too
close to the sun)
"Oh, I will dine on honey dew
And drink the milk of Paradise."
--Rush, "Xanadu"
(Refers to nectar and ambrosia, the food and drink of the immortal souls in
Elysia)
"...I watched him struggle with the sea
I knew that he was drowning
And I brought him into me..."
--Suzanne Vega, "Calypso"
(This song tells the tale of the sea nymph Calypso in The Odyssey who keeps
Odysseus on the island of Ogygia)
"You can hear the siren screaming
Take me to the promised land."
--Yes, "State of Play"
"The x-ray is her siren song
My ship cannot resist her long."
--Rush, "Cygnus X-1"
"Like a siren she calls (to me)."
--U2, "In God's Country"
(Each of these songs describe the song of the sirens, mythological Greek sea
nymphs, part woman and part bird, supposed to lure sailors to their
destruction by their seductive singing)
"He's the king of the ninth world
In each and every lobster cage
A tortured human soul..."
--Sting, "The Soul Cages"
(Alludes to the Ninth Ring of the Underworld, which is eternally reserved for
the most evil and hopeless souls)
"Rise from the ashes-A blaze of everyday glory..."
--Rush, "Everyday Glory"
(Refers to the rebirth of the phoenix, who burns himself on a pyre to rise
once more, in the freshness of youth)
Months of the Year
April n
[ME April, Averil, Aperil, fr. L Aprilis, perh. fr. Gk Aphro, short for
Aphrodite] : the fourth month of the Gregorian calendar
January n
[ME Januarie, fr. L Januarius, 1st month of Roman year, fr.
Janus the two-faced god of beginnings] : the first month of our
calendar year
March n
[ME, fr. OF, fr. L martius of Mars, fr. Mars the Roman war god] :
the third month of our calendar year
May n
[ME, fr. OE & L; OF mai, fr. L Maius, fr. Maia Maia, mother of
Hermes] : the fifth month of our calendar year
Days of the Week
Friday n
[ME, fr. OE frigedaeg, fr. (assumed) Frig Frigga + daeg day,
prehistoric trans. of L dies Veneris Venus' day] : the sixth day of
the week, following Thursday
Saturday n
[fr. L Saturnus Saturn, ancient Roman god of agriculture and
father of Jupiter] : the seventh day of the week, following Friday
Thursday n
[ME; OE Thursdaeg, fr. ODan Thursdagr, lit. Thor's day, fr. D
donderdag, fr. G Donnerstag; trans. of LL dies Jovis Jove's day] :
the fifth day of the week, following Wednesday
Tuesday n
[ME tewesday, OE tiwesdaeg, orig., phrase Tiwes daeg Tiw's
day, translating L dies Martis day of Mars] : the third day of the
week, following Monday
Wednesday n
[ME Wednesdai, OE Wednesdaeg, mutated var. of Wodnesdaeg
Woden's day; cognate of D Woensdag, Dan onsdag; trans. of L
Mercurii dies day of Mercury] : the fourth day of the week,
following Tuesday
Times of the Day
Halcyon Days n
[fr. Gk Alkyone, corres. to the fourteen windless days in the
legend] : the seven days before and after the winter solstice
night n
[ME, fr. OE niht, L noct-, nox, Gk nykt-, nyx night; assoc. with
the Greek god of night, Nyx] : the time from dusk til dawn when
no sun is visible
MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY
SCHOOL MYTHOLOGICAL NICKNAMES
Mythology is everywhere! There are THOUSANDS of schools that have taken their nicknames
from mythology, not to mention all the professional teams. I've provided a list of major
American universities and colleges whose names include a mythological reference. Let me know
if you'd like me to include your school!
Athenas
Joint team of Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, California), Claremont McKenna College
(Claremont, California) and Scripps College (Claremont, California)
Athenians
Mount St. Mary's College (Los Angeles, California)
Argonauts
College of Notre Dame (Belmont, California)
University of Great Falls (Great Falls, Montana)
University of West Florida (Pensacola, Florida)
Centaurs
Allentown College (Center Valley, Pennsylvania)
Purdue University-North Central (Westville, Indiana)
Golden Griffins
Canisius College (Buffalo, New York)
Golden Rams
Albany State University (Albany, Georgia)
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
Griffins
Fontbonne College (St. Louis, Missouri)
Golden Gate University (San Francisco, California)
Reed College (Portland, Oregon)
Johnson & Wales University (Providence, Rhode Island)
Gwynedd-Mercy College (Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania)
Fighting Griffins
United States Marine Helicopter Squadron HMM-266 (Okay, they're not a school, but they certainly
deserve to be here...:)
United States Marine Helicopter Squadron HMM-266 Mascot
Kindly Submitted by Capt Dennis A. Frantsve
Helicopter Pilot/Ground Safety Officer/Family Readiness Officer
Griffons
Missouri Western State College (Saint Joseph, Missouri)
Phoenix
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Wilson College (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)
Spartans
Aurora University (Aurora, Illinois)
Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, Ohio)
Castleton State College (Castleton, Vermont)
Manchester College (North Manchester, Indiana)
Michigan State University (East Lansing, Michigan)
San Jose State University (San Jose, California)
St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, New York)
University of North Carolina-Greensboro (Greensboro, North Carolina)
University of Tampa (Tampa, Florida)
York College of Pennsylvania (York, Pennsylvania)
Central Bible College (Springfield, Missouri)
D'Youville College (Buffalo, New York)
Missouri Baptist College (St. Louis, Missouri)
Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia)
University of Dubuque (Dubuque, Iowa)
Titans
California State University-Fullerton (Fullerton, California)
Indiana University-South Bend
The Ohio State University-Newark (Newark, Ohio)
University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, Michigan)
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pennsylvania)
Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Illinois)
Tritons
Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Florida)
University of California-San Diego (San Diego, California)
Trojans
Anderson College (Anderson, South Carolina)
Dakota State University (Madison, South Dakota)
Taylor University (Upland, Indiana)
Trevecca Nazarene University (Nashville, Tennessee)
Trinity International University (Deerfield, Illinois)
Troy State University (Troy, Alabama)
University of Arkansas-Little Rock (Little Rock, Arkansas)
University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California) (men's team)
Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia)
Hannibal-LaGrange College (Hannibal, Missouri)
Mount Olive College (Mount Olive, North Carolina)
Vulcans
California University of Pennsylvania (California, Pennsylvania)
University of Hawaii-Hilo (Hilo, Hawaii)
Mythology in Personal Names
April : the fourth month, named from an abbreviation for Aphrodite
Cassandra : a daughter of Priam endowed with the gift of prophecy
but fated never to be believed
Clio : the Greek Muse of history
Cynthia : an epithet of Artemis, so called for her birth on Mount
Cynthus
Daphne : a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a
laurel tree to escape the pursuing Apollo
Diana : the Roman goddess of the moon and hunting, the protectress
of women
Elissa : the Phoenician name of Dido, a mythological queen of
Carthage who killed herself when abandoned by Aeneas
Hector : a bullish Trojan champion slain by Achilles
Helen : the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda and wife of Menelaus
whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War
Irene : the personification of peace in classical mythology
Iris : a messenger of the gods, regarded as the goddess of the
rainbow
Leda : the mother of Castor and Clytemnestra by her husband
Tyndareus, and of Pollux and Helen by Zeus, who was wearing the
form of a swan
May : the Roman goddess of growth and increase and the mother of
Hermes
Melissa : the sister of Amalthea who nourished the infant Zeus with
honey in Greek mythology
Niobe : she provoked Apollo and Artemis to vengeance for taunting
their mother, Leto, with the number and beauty of her own children;
her children were slain and she was turned into stone by Zeus, in
which form she continued to weep over her loss
Penelope : in classical mythology, the wife of Odysseus who
remained faithful to him throughout his absence at Troy, despite
having many suitors
Phoebe : a Titanesse, daughter of Uranus and Gaea and mother of
Leto, later identified with the goddess Artemis
Rhea : the mother of Zeus
Selena : the goddess of the moon who loved Endymion
Sibyl : the prophetess at Apollo's oracle on Delphi
MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY
WORDS AND PHRASES
Mythology is everywhere! There are literally THOUSANDS of words and
expressions that derive from ancient myths.
Excellent Alphabetic Listing
Proverbial Expressions
Classical Clichés
Phrases & Conversation
Bookmark this page, I'll be adding lots of material first chance I get!
THE GREEK ALPHABET
Phrases & Conversation
Achilles' heel : a vulnerable point
[fr. L, fr. Gk Achilleus Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior at
Troy, slayer of Hector]
Argus-eyed : vigilantly observant
[L, fr. Gk Argos, a hundred-eyed monster of Greek mythology]
Augean stable : a condition or place marked by great accumulation
of filth or corruption
[L Augeas, king of Elis, fr. Gk Augeias; fr. the legend that his
stable, left neglected for 30 years, was finally cleaned by
Hercules]
By Jove! : an interjection often used to express surprise or agreement
[fr. L Jov-, Juppiter Jupiter, the Roman equivalent to Zeus, ruler
of the Olympian gods]
Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis : trapped between two
equally unpleasant choices, i.e. caught between a rock and a hard
place
[fr. the names of the monsters Scylla and Charybdis, who were
situated in the Strait of Messina to trap sailors between them]
Delphic utterance : a comment or response to a question that is
ambiguous and therefore difficult to understand
[fr. Delphi, the site of the oracle of Apollo]
Herculean effort : an task of great intensity or difficulty
[fr. Gk Herakles Hercules, a hero renowned for his strength and
for performing the 12 tasks set before him by Hera]
Janus-faced : duplicitous, two-faced
[fr. Janus Roman god of beginnings who is represented
artistically with two opposite faces]
Midas touch : an uncanny ability for making money in every venture
[L, fr. Gk legend of the Phrygian king Midas who is given the
power to turn everything he touched into gold]
Olympian feat : a lofty task, as one befitting the immortals
[fr. Gk Olympos, the mountain in Greek mythology that is the
home of the gods]
Pandora's box : a prolific source of troubles
[fr. the myth surrounding the box sent by the gods to Pandora]
procrustean bed : a scheme or pattern into which someone or
something is arbitrarily forced
[L, fr. Gk Prokroustes Procrustes, a villainous son of Poseidon in
Greek mythology who forces travelers to fit into his bed by
stretching their bodies or cutting off their legs]
siren song : an alluring utterance or appeal, especially one that is
seductive or deceptive
[ME sereyn, fr. OF sereine, fr. L Siren, fr. Gk Serein Siren, one of
several mythological Greek sea nymphs, part woman and part
bird, supposed to lure sailors to their destruction by their
seductive singing]
Struck by Cupid's arrow : smitten, in love
[L Cupido, the Roman god of erotic love]
Thyestean banquet : a dinner at which human flesh is eaten
[fr. Thyestes Thyestes, who was, in classical mythology, the
brother and rival of Atreus; he unknowingly ate the flesh of his
own sons which Atreus fed to him as punishment for committing
adultery with the wife of Atreus]
To climb Parnassus : to create fine art, especially to compose poetry
[fr. Gk Parnasos Parnassus, a mountain in Greece sacred to
Apollo and the Muses]
THE GREEK ALPHABET
The Greek alphabet has twenty-four letters. It originated in Ionia, and was adopted at
Athens in 403 B.C. The letters from A to T are derived from Phoenician and have Semitic
names. The rest were invented by the Greeks.
From the Greek alphabet are derived the alphabets of most European countries. The
ancients used only the large letters, called majuscules (capitals as E, uncials as e); the small
letters (minuscules), which were used as a literary hand in the ninth century, are cursive
forms of the uncials.
Keep in mind that our word 'alphabet' comes to us from the first two letters in the Greek,
Alpha and Beta.
The last letter in the Greek alphabet is Omega, and that's where we get the expression "The
Alpha and the Omega", which means "The Beginning and the End", or All That Is.
GREEK
PRONOUNCED
Al-pha
EQUIVALENTS
a
EXAMPLE
father
bE-ta
b
beg
gA-mma
g
go
dE-lta
d
dig
E-psilon
e
met
zE-ta
z
daze
Ee-ta
e
immediate
thE-ta
th
thin
iO-ta
i
police
GREEK
kA-pa
c,k
kin
LA-mbda, LA-bda
l
let
mu
m
met
PRONOUNCED
EQUIVALENTS
EXAMPLE
nu
n
net
xi
x
taxi
O-mikron
o
obey
pi
p
pet
rho
r
run
SEE-gma
s
sun
tau
t
tar
EEp-seelon
(u) y
ŭ: Fr. tu; ū: Fr. sûr
phi
ph
graphic
chi
ch
Christian
psi
ps
gypsum
om-E-ga
PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES
NAMED FROM MYTHOLOGY
Mythology is everywhere! There are hundreds of places in the United
States (and Canada, not to mention the entire world!) named from Greek
Mythology. Odds are you'll find a few good examples right in your own
state, wherever you live.
Consider that there are at least 16 cities named Athens in the United
States! Or, even more amazing, there exist no less than 26 American cities
that contain Troy in their names!
I've researched each of the 50 States and have put together a huge list of
American cities whose names relate to mythology. Let me know if I've
missed any and I'll be happy to add them.
Athens, the capital city of Greece, is named after the goddess Athena:
Athens, Georgia
Athens, Ohio
Athens, Alabama
Athens, Indiana
Athens, Maine
Athens, New York
Athens, Pennsylvania
Athens, Tennessee
Athens, Texas
Athens, West Virginia
Athens, Wisconsin
Athens, Louisiana
Athens, Michigan
Athens, Illinois
Athens, Pennsylvania
New Athens, Illinois
Athens County, Ohio
Athens, Wisconsin
Athena's Roman equivalent was Minerva:
Minerva, Kentucky
Minerva, New York
Minerva, Ohio
Achilles was the greatest warrior of the Trojan War, killed only when an
arrow struck his heel, the only vulnerable spot on his body:
Achilles, Virginia
Ajax was the name of two famous warriors of the Trojan War:
Ajax, South Dakota
Apollo was another Olympian, the god of music and light. After him is
named:
Apollo, Pennsylvania
North Apollo, Pennsylvania
Apollo Beach, Florida
Apollo Annex, Florida
Apollo Theater, Chicago
Apollo Theater, New York
Amazons in Greek mythology were a ferocious race of warrior women:
Amazonia, Missouri
Arcadia was a famous place in ancient Greece:
Arcadia, California
Arcadia, Florida
Arcadia, Indiana
Arcadia, Iowa
Arcadia, Kansas
Arcadia, Louisiana
Arcadia, Michigan
Arcadia, Missouri
Arcadia, Nebraska
Arcadia, Pennsylvania
Arcadia, South Carolina
Arcadia, Wisconsin
Ares was one of the 12 Olympians, the despised god of war:
Ares Peak, New Mexico
Argo was the name of the famous ship that Jason and the Argonauts used
to sail on their voyage to get the Golden Fleece.
Argo, Texas
Argos was the hundred-eyed watchman of Hera, slain by the Greek
messenger god Hermes:
Argos, Indiana
Arion was the poet tossed overboard by Pirates who was saved by a
dolphin:
Arion, Iowa
Arion, Ohio
Atlas was the hapless Titan who was doomed to support the heavens on
his shoulder forever. Many variations of his name have given us a number
of American place names:
Atlantic Beach, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Idaho
Atlanta, Illinois
Atlanta, Indiana
Atlantic, Iowa
Atlanta, Kansas
Atlas, Kansas
Atlanta, Louisiana
Atlanta, Michigan
Atlas, Michigan
Atlanta, Missouri
Atlanta, Nebraska
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlanta, New York
Atlantic Beach, New York
Atlantic, North Carolina
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
Atlantic, Pennsylvania
Atlasburg, Pennsylvania
Atlanta, Texas
Atlantic, Virginia
Aurora was the Roman goddess of the dawn, similar to the Greek Eos:
Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Indiana
Aurora, Iowa
Aurora, Kansas
Aurora, Kentucky
Aurora, Maine
Aurora, Minnesota
Aurora, Missouri
Aurora, Nebraska
Aurora, New York
East Aurora, New York
Aurora, North Carolina
Aurora, Ohio
Aurora, Oregon
Aurora, South Dakota
Aurora, Utah
Aurora, West Virginia
Daphne was a beautiful woman who was pursued by the god Apollo. She
turned into a laurel tree in order to escape from his amorous advances.
After her is named:
Daphne, Alabama
Castor and Polux were famous twins of Greek mythology:
Castor, Louisiana
The Nymph Calypso was a witch who tried to convince the hero Odysseus
to stay with her on her island, rather than sailing home:
Calypso, North Carolina
Cassandra was the seer who was cursed by Apollo, so that her prophecies
were never believed:
Cassandra, Pennsylvania
Ceres was the Roman goddess of the harvest, similar to the Greek goddess
Demeter:
Ceres, California
Ceres, Virginia
Clio was one of the nine Muses of Greek mythology:
Clio, Alabama
Clio, California
Clyo, Georgia
Clio, Iowa
Clio, Michigan
Clio, South Carolina
Clio, West Virginia
Corinth was a famous place in Greek mythology, figuring in numerous
myths:
Corinth, Kentucky
Corinth, New York
Corinth, Texas
Corinth, Vermont
East Corinth, Vermont
Crete was the island where Zeus was raised as a baby while hiding from
the wrath of his father, Cronus:
Crete, Illinois
Diana was the Roman name for the Greek Artemis, goddess of the forest
and the hunt:
Diana, Texas
Diana, West Virginia
Fortuna was the Roman goddess of luck, similar to the Greek Tyche:
Fortuna Ledge, Alaska
Fortuna, California
Fortuna, Missouri
The Oracles in mythology were respected seers who foretold the future:
Oracle, Arizona
The most famous Oracle was Apollo's, at a place called Delphi:
Delphi, Indiana
Delphia, Kentucky
Delphi Falls, New York
Hector was a brave warrior who fought on the Trojan side against the
Greeks during the Trojan War. He was killed by Achilles:
Hector, Arkansas
Hector, California
Hector, New York
Homer was the ancient poet and writer who gave us the famous books the
Iliad and the Odyssey:
Homer, Alaska
Homer, Georgia
Homerville, Georgia
Homer, Illinois
Homer, Indiana
Homer, Louisiana
Homer, Nebraska
Homer, New York
East Homer, New York
Hymera was the Greek personification of the Day:
Hymera, Indiana
Hesperia was the Greek goddess who personified the Evening:
Hesperia, California
Hesperus was the elusive god who personified the Evening:
Hesperus, Colorado
Irene was the ancient Greek personification of Peace:
Irene, South Dakota
Irene, Texas
Iris was the Greek goddess of the Rainbow:
Iris, South Carolina
Ithaca was the island home of the Trojan War hero, Odysseus; the Odyssey
by Homer detailed his voyage back home to Ithaca:
Ithaca, Nebraska
Ithaca, New York
Ithaca College, New York
Ithaca, Ohio
The Parthenon in Athens was the splendid temple at the Acropolis, built in
honor of the great goddess Athena:
Parthenon, Arkansas
Dike (or Dyke, pronounced DEE-key) was the Greek mythological
personification of Justice:
Dike, Iowa
Dike, Texas
Dyke, Virginia
Echo was the beautiful maiden who fell in love with the vain Narcissus and
was reduced to just an echo:
Echo Lake, California
Echo, Louisiana
Echo, Minnesota
Echo, Oregon
Echo, Texas
Echo, Utah
The Elysian Fields was the final resting place of famous heroes:
Elysian, Minnesota
Elysian Fields, Texas
Eros was the Greek god of love, similar to the mischievous Roman Cupid:
Eros, Louisiana
Eros, Arizona
Flora was the Roman name for the Greek Chloris, goddess of plants and
vegetation:
Flora, Illinois
Flora, Indiana
Flora, Louisiana
Flora, Mississippi
Glen Flora, Texas
Glen Flora, Wisconsin
The Griffin was a mythical creature with the face, beak, talons and wings of
an eagle and the body of a lion:
Griffin, Georgia
Griffin, Indiana
Hades was the feared god of the Underworld:
Hades Creek, Washington
Hercules (Heracles) was the greatest hero of ancient Greece. He performed
the famous 12 labors:
Hercules, California
Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, equivalent to the Greek
goddess Selene:
Luna, New Mexico
The city of Marathon was the setting for a magnificent battle, and where we
get the modern day race called the marathon:
Marathon, New York
Mars was the Roman god of war, the equivalent of the Greek god Ares:
Mars Hill, Maine
Mars, Pennsylvania
Medusa was the monster who would turn to stone whomever happened to
look upon her:
Medusa, New York
Mentor was a famous tutor/teacher in ancient Greek mythology:
Mentor, Minnesota
Mentor, Ohio
Mercury was the Roman name for the Greek god Hermes, winged
messenger to the gods:
Mercury, Nevada
Mount Olympus was the lofty home of the ancient gods. From Olympus we
get place names such as:
Olympic Valley, California
Olympia Heights, Florida
Olympia Fields, Illinois
Olympia, Kentucky
East Olympia, Virginia
Olympia, Washington
The nine Muses in Greek mythology were the ones who inspired the arts,
sciences, music and all things cultural:
Muse, Pennsylvania
Neptune was the Roman name for Poseidon, Greek god of the sea:
Neptune Beach, Florida
Neptune, New Jersey
Neptune City, New Jersey
Orestes was the tragic figure who killed his mother, Clytaemnestra, and
was pursued by the Furies, in the tragedy Oresteia by Aeschylus:
Orestes, Indiana
Pandora (all-gifted) was the first mortal woman. Her curiosity made her
open up a jar (box), which unleashed all the world's evils upon the earth:
Pandora, Ohio
Pandora, Texas
Paris was the Trojan prince who ran away with beautiful Helen, an act
which caused the famous Trojan War:
Paris, Tennessee
Penelope was the faithful wife to Odysseus, of Trojan War and Odyssey
fame:
Penelope, Texas
Sparta was a famous city state in ancient Greece, renowned for its highly
disciplined and ferocious warriors:
Sparta, Georgia
Sparta, Illinois
Sparta, Kentucky
Sparta, Michigan
Sparta, Mississippi
Sparta, New Jersey
Sparta, New York
East Sparta, Ohio
Sparta, Tennessee
Sparta, Virginia
Sparta, Wisconsin
Thebes was another famous city state, with a storied mythical history:
Thebes, Illinois
Troy was the ancient mythological city where the famous Trojan War took
place. Many US places are named Troy:
Troy, Alabama
Troy, Idaho
Troy, Illinois
Troy Grove, Illinois
Troy, Indiana
Troy Mills, Iowa
Troy, Kansas
Troy, Maine
Troy, Michigan
New Troy, Michigan
Troy, Missouri
Troy, Montana
Troy, New Hampshire
Troy, New York
Troy, North Carolina
Troy, Ohio
Troy, Pennsylvania
Troy, South Carolina
Troy, Tennessee
Troy, Texas
Troy, Vermont
North Troy, Vermont
Troy, Virginia
Troy, West Virginia
East Troy, Wisconsin
Venus was the Roman name for gorgeous Aphrodite, Greek goddess of
Love:
Venus, Florida
Venus, Pennsylvania
Venus, Texas
Vesta was the Roman name for the Greek goddess Hestia, ancient goddess
of the home and hearth. Her attendants were called the Vestal virgins:
Vesta, Minnesota
Vesta, Virginia
Vestal, New York
Victoria was Roman for the Greek Nike, winged goddess of Victory:
Victoria, Minnesota
Victoria, Mississippi
Victoria, Texas
Victoria, Virginia
Vulcan was the Roman name for Hephaestus, Greek god of the forge:
Vulcan, Michigan
Vulcan, Missouri
Vulcan, West Virginia
Zephyr was one of the wind gods, the West Wind:
Zephyrhills, Florida
Zephyr Cove, Nevada
Zephyr, Texas
Notus was another wind god, this one the South Wind:
Notus, Idaho
Orion was a giant in Greek mythology who was placed in the stars as the
Constellation Orion:
Orion, Illinois
Orion, Michigan
Juno was the Roman name for Hera, wife to Zeus, the supreme Greek
Olympian:
Juno Beach, Florida
Jupiter was the Roman name for the King of the Olympians, Zeus:
Jupiter, Florida
Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman on earth, and the cause of the
Trojan War:
Lake Helen, Florida
Helen, Georgia
Helena, Georgia
Helen, Maryland
Helena, Missouri
Helena, Montana
Helena, New York
Helena, Oklahoma
Helen, West Virginia
Helenville, Wisconsin
Marathon was another famous Greek place and the scene of a decisive
ancient battle. We get the modern 26 kilometer Marathon Race from this
city:
Marathon, Florida
Marathon Shores, Florida
Marathon, Iowa
Marathon, Texas
Marathon, Wisconsin
The Phoenix was the legendary bird that would perish every few hundred
years, only to be reborn from the ashes:
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Maryland
Phoenix, New York
Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phenix, Virginia
Ulysses was the Roman name for Odysseus, hero of Homer's epic saga
The Odyssey:
Ulysses, Kansas
Ulysses, Kentucky
Ulysses, Nebraska
Ulysses, Pennsylvania
Urania was the one of the nine Muses, the Greek Muse of astronomy,
astrology and Universal love.
Urania, Louisiana
Uranus (Sky) was an original Titan, husband to Gaea (Mother Earth):
Uranus, Alaska