Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Adonis

Adonis is one of the most famous of mortal gods from Greek mythology. The Greeks actually borrowed the concept for Adonis from one of the many nearby Asiatic cultures of the Mediterranean (probably the Phoenicians). The name comes from the Semitic language, from “adon” meaning “lord, master”. Adonis’s purpose to the ancient Greeks is connected with other neighboring deities such as Osiris (Egyptian), Adad (Akkadian) and Tammuz (Sumarian); that is, he is an important part of the narrative explaining life and rebirth as well as fertility and vegetation. As with most mythologies, there are varying legends and tales surrounding Adonis in Greek tradition. The most common of these, however, revolves around the love between Aphrodite (the goddess of love, beauty and procreation) and Adonis. According to some traditions, Aphrodite stumbled upon the mortal baby Adonis and rescued him from his unsavory circumstances (Adonis had been the product of the unnatural love and incestuous relations between the King of Assyria and his duplicitous daughter). Aphrodite took the baby, hid him in a chest and entrusted her treasure for safekeeping to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. When Aphrodite returned to fetch the child, she discovered Persephone had opened the casket, found the beautiful child, and refused to surrender him. Aphrodite appealed to Zeus who decided that Adonis should spend half the year with Persephone in the Underworld and the other half on earth with Aphrodite. This is how Adonis came to be regarded as the god of death and rebirth. While in the Underworld with Persephone, Aphrodite mourns his absence by leaving the land infertile (fall/winter). It was said Adonis returned to Aphrodite at the first spring bloom of the red anemone flower. Adonis is also seen as perpetually youthful, extremely handsome and physically gorgeous. In fact, an Adonis is the general description for the perfect masculine specimen. The epitome of youth and beauty.

All About the Baby Name – Adonis

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME ADONIS

The number Eight personality has everything to do with power, wealth and abundance. Somehow, this personality has been blessed on the material plane, but their authoritative and problem-solving traits provide evidence that their good fortunes are not just the luck of the lottery. They are well earned. This is the personality of CEOs and high-ranking military personnel. Eights are intensely active, hard-driving individuals. Success is only meaningful to them after a job well-done.  They are remarkable in their ability to see the larger picture right down to the smallest details, and organize a strategy around success. They then have the ability to direct a group around them toward any goal, and realize individual potential to get the most out of their team.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME ADONIS

Who can argue with a name like Adonis? The name is practically synonymous with youth and beauty. Actually, that may be the problem. You’re setting the bar pretty high from day one if you name your son Adonis; it could be a lot to live up to. Just some cautionary advice you may want to consider. Adonis is representative of unreachable perfection, so the name would seem a little ironic on a boy/man who falls short of the expected physicality. We just felt that needed to be said – take it or leave it. Because at the end of the day it’s merely a celebration of love when parents name their sons Adonis and who can fault that? Yes, we know others will consider this move a pretentious display of ego; but we see it as a supreme act of love. You could always consider Adonis as a middle name, or use Addie or Donnie as nicknames until your boy gets through the prepubescent “awkward” years (even the Greek Adonis must have had those!). The name made his debut on the male naming charts in 1993 and saw immediate yet brief success in usage. Adonis’s sudden appearance on the charts in 1993 was owed to a University of Kansas basketball player Adonis Jordan who came into the public eye when his team made the NCAA Final Four that year. After that brief frenzy of usage in the early 1990s, the name has since returned to low levels of usage. Only about 250 baby boys are given this Greek godlike moniker per year today. Sustainability of the name today is most likely owed to an increased interest in mythological names (especially among African-Americans).

Quick Facts

ON ADONIS

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Greek

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

697

PRONUNCIATION:

uh-DON-us

SIMPLE MEANING:

Lord, master (epitome of youth and beauty)

Characteristics

OF ADONIS

Authoritative

Powerful

Tough

Tenacious

Wealthy

Problem-solver

Achiever

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Adonis

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ADONIS

Adonis is the god of beauty in Greek mythology, and has come to be synonymous with a very handsome man; he has been celebrated in literature and art for centuries. There are many versions of Adonis’ introduction into the tradition he occupies, but one generally known and accepted is that he is the result of an incestuous union between Myrrha and Theias, forced by Aphrodite, and that when the child was born, Aphrodite claimed him and gave him to Persephone for safekeeping. Persephone, also being struck by his beauty, refused to give him up, and Zeus had to arbitrate with a Solomon-like decision. He ordered Adonis to pass one-third of the year with Aphrodite, one-third with Persephone, and one-third wherever he chose. Adonis chose to spend two-thirds of the year with Aphrodite, so we know where his loyalties lay. Adonis was killed by a wild boar, said to have been the work of a jealous god, and he died in Aphrodite’s arms. She took his blood and sprinkled it with nectar, creating a beautiful flower, the anemone, whose beauty is as fragile and short-lived as that of Adonis himself.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ADONIS

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Adonis


Popular Songs

ON ADONIS

Sweet Adonis
a song by Carole King

Adonis Blue
a song by Voice of the Beehive

Adonis
a song by Etro Anime

Famous People

NAMED ADONIS

Adonis Jordan (basketball player)
William H. "Adonis" Terry (baseball player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ADONIS

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Adonis

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ADONIS

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Adonis