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Where can I find an EXHAUSTIVE list of baptismal names in the Greek Orthodox Church; i.e an EXHAUSTIVE list of Names that have been given to a person (the frequency; i.e the number of people given each name are secondary) by the Greek Orthodox Church?

There are certainly some ancient Greek names like Alexandros, Leonidas, Aristotelis, Socratis, Hermis, Afroditi, Dimitra, Aris, Paris, Ektoras, Euklidis, Achilleas e.t.c

But others like Anaximandros, Anaxagoras, Dias e.t.c are unheard of. At least I know no person named as such.

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Probably the only entities capable of figuring out the span and frequency of baptismal names, at least since September 1st, 1979 (a liturgical new year), are the Registry Department of each Archdiocese. You could try contacting them individually, although it's possible that their records are not digitized, in which case it would take a lot of effort to figure out your question. My modern Greek is only elementary, I am not sure if this is true outside of the Greek Orthodox church in America, unfortunately.

As you may know, baptismal names are taken from the names of saints. Each saint has a day they're celebrated--often their date of martyrdom, if it is known. Therefore, calendars of "name days" will contain the names that are suitable for baptismal names. The two I have linked two are particular to Greek Orthodox saints. Of course, any Eastern Orthodox saint's name would be acceptable as a baptismal name, but each Patriarchate has its favorites!

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  • Not so do you think there is any saint Achilles? Euclid? – George Ntoulos Oct 8 '19 at 19:21
  • @GeorgeNtoulos Not unless there's also a saint of that name. Baptismal names are always saint's names. – Alex Oct 8 '19 at 20:04
  • I think euclid tsakalotos was babtised Euclid. I have friends whose Id reads Achilles. And I saw the Id back when we were 12 years old. People used to identify as either Greek or Christians and these two were incompatible there are only few saints with Greek names. – George Ntoulos Oct 8 '19 at 20:56
  • @GeorgeNtoulos Baptismal names are not necessarily the same as legal names. – Alex Oct 8 '19 at 21:04
  • In Greece they are. If one provides the certificate of babtism to the police a mess oncurs(they need to change the legal name if the two don't agree). Greece is not a secular state as it wants to claim. In order to protect Orthodox Christianity. The Church is a Legal Entity of Public Law(it is ruled by public law and not civil law). The priests are paid by the state. Churches are not taxed. It would be a paradox for the State to tax a part of it. Sadly the Church(Orthodox Christian) is part of the Greek State. It is just a very independent part of the state. – George Ntoulos Oct 8 '19 at 22:25

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