Achilles
/AH-K-IH-L-IY-Z/
The hero of Homer's Iliad, the greatest warrior of the Trojan War, dipped as an infant in the river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him invulnerable except for the heel by which she held him.
See Achilles scored for your familyMeaning & origin
Achilles is a boy's name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Pagan families. The name means "The hero of Homer's Iliad, the greatest warrior of the Trojan War, dipped as an infant in the river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him invulnerable except for the heel by which she held him." and belongs to the Courage cluster — names for children who will grow into bold, fearless hearts.
Beyond its Pagan heritage, Achilles is also used in Atheist, Christian traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among European, American, Greek families, Achilles carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
Numerology of Achilles
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Achilles resonates in either tradition.
How Achilles sounds
NameRoot scores the phonetic fit of every name against the sound of your last name. The pronunciation of Achilles breaks down into 6 phonemes: /AH-K-IH-L-IY-Z/. In the app, you'll see how those sounds flow with your family name across rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters.
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Achilles — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
The six signals, applied to Achilles
NameRoot scores every name across six independent dimensions. Here's how Achilles maps to each — install the app to see the full compatibility score for your specific family.
Names similar to Achilles
If Achilles resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Pagan boy names, common in European families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Pagan boy names from the Courage cluster
Names that sound similar
Pagan boy names that open with the same syllables as Achilles
Common questions about Achilles
What does the name Achilles mean?
Achilles means "The hero of Homer's Iliad, the greatest warrior of the Trojan War, dipped as an infant in the river Styx by his mother Thetis to make him invulnerable except for the heel by which she held him.." It is a boy name of Greek origin, traditionally used in Pagan families.
Is Achilles a boy or girl name?
Achilles is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Achilles?
Achilles is of Greek origin, used in Pagan, Atheist, Christian traditions, commonly among European, American, Greek families.
What are common nicknames for Achilles?
Common short forms of Achilles include Achi, Killy.
What is the numerology of Achilles?
Achilles has a Pythagorean destiny number of 33 — the master teacher — unconditional love in action.
See how Achilles scores for your family
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