Athanasios

The male first name Athanasios (Αθανάσιος) is translated in German as 'the Immortal' or 'the Eternal'. Its roots lie in Ancient Greek.

What does the name Athanasios mean?

The name Athanasios (Αθανάσιος) literally translates to 'the Immortal' or 'the Eternal'. It originates from Ancient Greek and is composed of the elements a- (α-), a negative prefix expressing the absence of something, and thánatos (θάνατος), meaning 'to die, death, corpse'. This combination results in a-thánatos (αθάνατος), which means 'immortal' or 'eternal'. Another well-known form is Athanasius the Great, who lived in Alexandria and is considered a bishop and patriarch. He was a prominent figure in the Eastern Orthodox Church, known for his disputes with the Arians during the Byzantine era. Variations of the name include Athanasius (Latin), Atanas (Bulgarian, Macedonian), Athanase (French), Atanasio (Italian, Spanish), Atanasije (Serbian), Atanasij (Macedonian), Atanazy (Polish), Atanase and Atanasie (Romanian), as well as Afanasij and Afanasy (Russian) and Tanush (Albanian). Female forms include Athanasia, Athanassia, Atanasija (Macedonian, Serbian), and Afanasia as well as Afanasiia (Russian).

Where does the name Athanasios come from?

The first name Athanasios is of Ancient Greek origin and means 'the Immortal' or 'the Eternal'. The etymology consists of ἀ- (a negative prefix expressing the absence of something) and thánatos (to die, death, corpse). In combination, this results in a-thánatos, meaning 'immortal' or 'eternal'. The language is Greek.

How do you pronounce Athanasios?

The pronunciation of Athanasios is five syllables long and rhythmically structured. It is usually pronounced as 'A-tha-na-si-os' [aθaˈnaːzi̯ɔs] or, in a Germanized form, as [atanaˈziːɔs], with several open A sounds strung together. The repeated vowels give the name a solemn and almost hymn-like quality. Athanasios feels traditional and dignified and has a sonorous, expressive character.

When is the name day of Athanasios?

The name day of Athanasios is celebrated on May 2. In the Orthodox Church, the memorial day is set on January 18.

Popularity

Athanasios ranks among the more common male first names in Germany. The name currently holds the 2,073rd position on the list of the most popular baby names. Its best ranking was in 2007 when it reached 589th place. In the last ten years, Athanasios has been given about 290 times, placing it at 1,229th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,283rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Atha / Athi / Nakos / Nasi / Nasos / Saki / Sakis / Tasso / Thanasi / Thanasis / Thanasos / Thano / Thanos

Similar first names

Famous people

• Athanasios (Church Father and Patriarch of Alexandria)
• Athanasios Argianas (artist from Greece)
• Athanasios Christopoulos (poet from Greece)
• Athanasios Diamandopoulos (Greek writer)
• Athanasios John Traicos (Egyptian cricketer)
• Athanasios Kolitsidakis (Greek footballer)
• Athanasios Kostoulas (football player from Greece)
• Athanasios Mentizis (German footballer)
• Athanasios Michalopoulos (Greek beach volleyball player)
• Athanasios Noutsos (footballer from Greece)
• Athanasios Papadopoulos-Kerameus (American scholar)
• Athanasios Papazoglou (Greek footballer)
• Athanasios Papoulis (American mathematician)
• Athanasios Petsos (football player from Germany)
• Athanasios Platanitis (water polo player from Canada)
• Athanasios Prittas (footballer from Greece)
• Athanasios Psalidas (Greek writer)
• Athanasios Raptis (German football player)
• Athanasios Skaltsogiannis (Greek athlete)
• Athanasios Stoikos (football player from Greece)