US Popularity Rank: 2601

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Pain or grief of the people

Myth lovers are sure to swoon for the baby name Achilles. Traditionally a boy's name, Achilles derives from the Greek term ákhos, meaning “pain” or “grief,” and ,i>lāós, meaning “people,” which can be interpreted as “pain or grief of the people.” The title might also refer to the Achelous River in Western Greece. Most notably, though, Achilles was a leading character in Homer's Iliad and the brave hero of the Trojan War. Known for his strength, courage, and loyalty, Achilles is possibly most famous for his fatal flaw: his heel. Held by the foot and dipped into the River Styx by his mother, Thetis, Achilles was all but immortal, besides his dry heel. With a heroic name like Achilles and a parent wary of the story, baby will live the life you dreamed for them.