Roman Mythology

AENEAS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: i-NEE-as
Latin form of the Greek name Aineas, which is derived from Greek aine meaning "praise". In Virgil's 'Aeneid', Aeneas is a Trojan warrior who founds the Roman state.

ANGERONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: an-je-RON-a
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.

ARIES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ER-eez
Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.

AURORA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: aw-ROR-a
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning.

BELLONA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: be-LON-a
Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

CALLISTO (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-LIS-to
Roman form of KALLISTO. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.

CAMILLA f English, Italian, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ka-MIL-a (English), kaw-MEEL-a (Italian)
Feminine form of CAMILLUS. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volscians, as told by Virgil in the 'Aeneid'.

CARDEA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.

CERES f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker meaning "to grow". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

CONSUS m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.

CUPID m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KYOO-pid
Derived from Latin cupido meaning "desire". He was the Roman god of love, the son of Venus. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.

DIANA f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-AN-a
Probably derived from an old Indo-European root meaning "heavenly, divine", related to dyeus (see ZEUS). Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis. Diana Spencer, the Princess of Wales, was a famous bearer of this name.

DIDO f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly "virgin" in Phoenician. Dido, also called Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in Virgil's 'Aeneid'. She burned herself to death when Aeneas left her.

DIONYSUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: die-aw-NIE-sus
Latin form of DIONYSOS

ELISSA (1) f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown (possibly Phoenician in origin). This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.

EVANDER (1) m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Pronounced: e-VAN-dur
From the Greek Euandros which meant "good man", derived from Greek eu "good" and aner "man" (genitive andros). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan war who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

FAUNA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-a
Feminine form of FAUNUS. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, a companion of Faunus.

FAUNUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FAWN-us
Possibly means "to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.

FLORA f English, German, Italian, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: FLOR-a
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower". Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind.

GEMINI m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JEM-in-ie
Means "twins" in Latin. This is the name of the third sign of the zodiac. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux, are named for the mythological twin sons of Leda.

HERCULES m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: HUR-kyoo-leez
Latin form of HERAKLES

ITALUS m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy, but actually the region got its name from the ancient tribe called the Itali.

JANUS m Roman Mythology
Means "archway" in Latin. Janus was the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, often depicted as having two faces looking in opposite directions. The month of January is named for him.

JOVE m Roman Mythology
Derived from the stem of Iupiter (see JUPITER). This was another name of the Roman god Jupiter.

JUNO f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JOO-no
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

JUPITER m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: JOO-pi-tur
From Latin Iupiter, which was from dyeu-pater, composed of the elements dyeus (see ZEUS) and pater "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

JUTURNA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Juturna was the Roman goddess of fountains and springs.

JUVENTAS f Roman Mythology
Means "youth" in Latin. Juventas was the Roman goddess of youth, equivalent to the Greek goddess Hebe.

LAVERNA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Laverna was the Roman goddess of thieves and thievery.

LAVINIA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.

LIBER m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: LIE-bur
Derived from Latin liber meaning "free". This was the name of a Roman fertility god.

LIBITINA f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Libitina was the Roman goddess of funerals, corpses and death.

LUCINA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

LUNA f Roman Mythology
Means "the moon" in Latin. Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

MAIA (1) f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MAY-a, MIE-a
Meaning unknown. In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, the group of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

MAIA (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MAY-a, MIE-a
Means "great" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of spring, the wife of Vulcan. The month of May is named for her.

MARS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MARZ
Possibly related to Latin mas "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

MERCURY m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: MUR-kyu-ree
From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". He was the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system.

MINERVA f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: mi-NUR-va
Perhaps derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect". Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena.

NEPTUNE m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: NEP-toon
From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning. Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

PAX f Roman Mythology
Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology she was the goddess of peace.

PLUTO m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Pronounced: PLOO-to
Derived from Greek ploutos meaning "wealth". This was an alternate name of Hades, the god of the underworld. This is also the name of the ninth planet in the solar system.

POLLUX m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: PAWL-uks
Roman form of Greek Polydeukes, which means "very thoughtful" from Greek polys "much" and endukeos "steadfast, thoughtful". In myth he was the twin brother of Castor and a son of Zeus. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

PROSERPINA f Roman Mythology
Means "to emerge" in Latin. She was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Persephone.

PROSERPINE f Roman Mythology
Variant of PROSERPINA

QUIRINUS m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KWIR-in-us
Possibly derived from the Sabine word quiris meaning "spear". Quirinus was a Sabine and Roman god who was later identified with Mars.

REMUS m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome. Remus was later slain by Romulus.

RHEA f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: REE-a
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Greek rheo "to flow" or rheos "stream". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

ROMULUS m Roman Mythology
Means "of Rome" in Latin. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome.

SALACIA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin sal meaning "salt". This was the name of the Roman goddess of salt water.

SATURN m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: SA-turn
From the Latin Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of Jupiter, Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.

SILVANUS m Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: sil-VAY-nus
Roman name derived from Latin silva "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests.

SILVIA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, English, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Silvius (see SILVIO). Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great.

SUMMANUS m Roman Mythology
Means "before the morning", derived from Latin sub "under, before" and mane "morning". Summanus was the Roman god of the night sky and night lightning, a nocturnal counterpart to Jupiter.

TERMINUS m Roman Mythology
Means "limit, boundary, end" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman god of boundaries.

ULYSSES m Roman Mythology, English
Pronounced: yoo-LIS-eez
Latin form of ODYSSEUS. Ulysses Grant was the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, and was later an American president.

VENUS f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: VEE-nus
Means "love" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love, equal to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. This is also the name of the second planet from the sun.

VESTA f Roman Mythology
Latin form of HESTIA. Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth.

VICTORIA (2) f Roman Mythology
Pronounced: vik-TOR-ee-a
Means "victory" in Latin. Victoria was the Roman goddess of victory.

VULCAN m Roman Mythology
Pronounced: VUL-kan
Possibly related to Latin fulgere "to flash". In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god Hephaestus.