Names and Titles of Athena
Compiled by Linda Iles
The name “Athena” and therefore the name of the city “Athens” are not of Hellenic origin. The “na” suffix belongs to the language of the non-Hellenic people who inhabited the mainland of Greece before the arrival of the ethnic invaders, armed warrior clans, or Hellenes, who later founded the nation and culture of ancient Greece. It is believed that in her pre-Hellenic form, she had an association with horses, as some of her existing titles suggest, and was perhaps a divine warrior maid responsible for protecting the king. A very early inscription referring to Athena exists on a clay tablet written in linear B script and dated about 1400 BCE. It hails Athena as ‘Lady of Atana.’ The true Hellenic pronounciation is “Athene,” the more commonly used version “Athena,” is both the Attic and Latin form of her name.
Athene (Hellenic)
Athena (Attic and Latin)
Abundance (Orphic Hymn)
Aeantis (Ajacian, a famous image of Athena made by Ajax in a temple near Megara)
Aglauros (Bright-Eyed, as sharp bright light striking dewdrops)
Agoraia (patroness of popular assemblies in the marketplace)
Aithra (the bright)
Aithyia (a sea-bird, the grey puffin or shearwater, also known as the sea-crow)
Alalcomene (the Parrier, skilled in martial arts)
Alea (an aspect of light, warmth and heat)
Antrodiaitos (one who lives in a cavern or grotto)
Apatouria (patroness of the clans of Athens, actually associating her with their festival of induction)
Areia (warlike)
Arrhete (one who renders observers reverently silent)
Atanapotinija (the literal Mycenic translation from the tablet, ‘To The Lady of Atana’)
Athene Chalkioikos (teacher of the arts to mankind)
Athene Ktesia (protective serpents of the home)
Athene Meter (vessel of sacred fire)
Athletic Maiden (Orphic Hymn)
Auge (lustrous)
Awesome (Orphic Hymn)
Bearer of the Aegis (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Blessed (Orphic Hymn)
Born on the Third Day
Boulaia (patroness of the head city council)
Bright-Eyed Goddess (Homeric Hymn, no. 28)
Catalyst of Progress (Orphic Hymn)
Chalinitis (the bridler, of a horse)
Chryseis (the beginning vessel, or inspiration of an idea)
Courageous (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Damasippos (horse tamer)
Daughter of Metis (Metis, her mother, whose name means ‘Reason’ or ‘Most Knowing’)
Daughter of Zeus (her father, chief of the Olympian gods and goddesses)
Divine (Orphic Hymn)
Dread Protectress (Homeric Hymn no. 11)
Dragon (Orphic Hymn)
Driver of Steeds (Orphic Hymn)
Erusiptolis (city protecting)
Equilateral Triangle (a title given her by Pythagoras, one of several prominent members of the ‘wisdom school’ of Athens, which had Athena as their patroness)
Ergane (productiveness, industry, as in activities of agriculture and domestic arts)
Fluid of Form (Orphic Hymn)
Full Moon in Darkness (Hesiod)
Glaukopis (keen eyed, or gray eyed)
Goddess So Blessed (Orphic Hymn)
Golden Mean (another title given her by Pythagoras)
Gorgopis (the Gorgon-faced)
Gray-eyed One (Orphic Hymn)
Great-Named One (Orphic Hymn)
Hellotis (like Europa, the broad-faced, a further allusion to the Full Moon, Hesiod)
Hephaestia (associated with the god Hephaestis, as patroness of metalworkers)
Hippia (horses)
Hygiea (health)
Infused with Inspiration of the Gods (Orphic Hymn)
Inventive (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Inventor of Art (Orphic Hymn)
Lady of Atana (early title, based on an inscription from the Mycenean period)
Lady of Wisdom
Lemnia (patroness of the cleruchies in Lemnos)
Mechanitis (as discoverer of devices, inventress)
Mighty One Unspeakable (Orphic Hymn)
Monogenes (only born)
My Queen (Orphic Hymn)
Mother of Art (Orphic Hymn)
Nikephoros (bringer of victory)
Only-begotten One (Orphic Hymn)
Owl-faced (referring to her wisdom, her ability to see things clearly, symbolized by the owl which was a totem animal of Athena)
Palladia (guardian of the heights of the city)
Pallas (from pallake, maiden or pallo, to strike or brandish, or perhaps, unhappiness)
Panachais (protectress of the Achaean League)
Pandrosos (All-Dew)
Parthenos (the pure virgin)
Patron(ess) of War and Wisdom (Orphic Hymn)
Phratria (patroness of the clans of Athens)
Polias (patroness and guardian of the city of Athens)
Poliouchos (another version of her title as patroness and guardian of Athens)
Polymetis (one who is adept at wise counsel)
Promachos (name given to an image of Athena that was made from metals gained after a great military victory)
Pronoia (Providence)
Protectress of the People (Orphic Hymn, ‘protects the people’)
Reconciler of Opposites (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Rhete (well spoken of)
Rightly Honored One (Orphic Hymn)
Saviour of Cities (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Sense of Purpose to the Pure (Orphic Hymn)
Skira (protection from excessive light and heat, symbolized by the ceremonial white canopy, skira)
Slayer of the Gorgon (Orphic Hymn)
Sublime Heart (Orphic Hymn)
Telepheia (far-shining)
The Maiden, or The Maiden Pallas Athena (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
Tritaia (three or thrice, probably a form of Tritogeneia)
Tritogeneia (thrice born)
Unbending of Heart (Homeric Hymn no. 28)
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