Name profile

BoyPronounced English /ə.ˈkɪl.iːz/; Latin /a.ˈkʰil.les/Polish language family

Achilles

A name meaning "pain".

Quick answer

Achilles is a boy name meaning "pain".

Pronunciation: English /ə.ˈkɪl.iːz/; Latin /a.ˈkʰil.les/.

GenderBoy
Meaningpain
PronunciationEnglish /ə.ˈkɪl.iːz/; Latin /a.ˈkʰil.les/
Language familyPolish

Meaning and history

This name comes from the Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of uncertain meaning, perhaps derived from Greek ἄχος (achos) meaning "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in Homer 's Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body. This name was sometimes used as a personal name, and was borne by a few early saints, including a Roman soldier martyred with Nereus in the 1st century.

Notes and context

Usage: greek mythology, ancient greek | Ancient Greek: Ἀχιλλεύς